SPORTING RIFLES AND THEIR USE 343 



in the body and their condition form an accurate 

 guide to the powers of the rifle that projected them. 

 The ideal chance for a clean kill is, of course, a broad- 

 side shot, with the bull's-eye four inches behind the 

 shoulder. Here the contact is at right angles ; and if 

 the cartridge be properly loaded, and the expanding 

 bullet correctly made (I am speaking now of the 

 express rifle), and the shot be truly fired, the leaden 

 base of the bullet, expanded into a kind of mushroom, 

 will be found just under the skin of the far shoulder. 

 This means that exactly the right amount of penetra- 

 tion has been obtained, and the whole force of the 

 bullet's impact has been delivered inside the body of 

 the animal. This is the desired and most humane 

 result. It means, in fact, almost instantaneous death, 

 within, say, 100 yards. 



It is naturally the business of the gun -maker to so 

 load the cartridge and fashion the bullet that these 

 results follow a properly-directed shot. The rifleman 

 can only speak of the results as he finds them. My 

 express rifles are by Purdey, and I have always 

 found his cartridges produce the desired results under 

 the conditions named. No doubt all our leading 

 gun-makers are quite capable of manufacturing the 

 right article. If the animal is quartering, either 

 towards or from the rifle, the results are usually the 

 same, allowance, of course, being made by the rifle- 

 man for the angle of fire. Then comes a position 

 when, if the angle be too acute, sufficient penetration 

 for a clean kill cannot be obtained. Here is the 

 opportunity for the humane sportsman to exercise 

 some forbearance, and, wherever possible, wait for a 

 fairer and more broadside chance. 



For end-on or nearly end-on shots, if they are 



