SPORTING RIFLES AND THEIR USE 353 



close quarters is being fired at, the whereabouts of the 

 rifleman is not so readily given away. 



For all ordinary purposes, particularly for hair or 

 fur covered game, some form of soft-nosed or split- 

 nosed and expanding bullet is essential for this, as for 

 the older express rifle. 



If the sportsman is undeterred by cost, and wants 

 the advantage of a double rifle for forest or jungle 

 shooting, and does not object to increased weight, a 

 double cordite rifle, say '375 or '400 bore, can safely 

 be recommended as a weapon which, if rightly used, 

 will enable the hunter to face any wild animal under 

 the sun, no matter how large in bulk, how thick in 

 skin, or how savage in disposition. 



In the case of the large pachyderms, the gun-maker 

 must be consulted as to the form of bullet and 

 amount of charge to be used. The bullet recom- 

 mended in this case would no doubt be the solid 

 nickel- covered article. 



Where more than one weapon, or a battery, requires 

 to be provided, say for a lengthened trip in some wild, 

 far -distant country, a black -powder -using smooth- 

 bore, say No. 12 calibre, firing a solid spherical leaden 

 bullet, a proportion of the bullets being hardened 

 with a proper mixture of tin or other suitable alloy, 

 might advantageously be added to the weapons above- 

 mentioned ; or, as an equivalent alternative, an 

 ordinary double '500 bore black -powder express. 

 One advantage of this latter weapon is that the 

 hunter can reload his cartridges in camp, if a supply 

 of ordinary black powder, wads, caps, etc., and one 

 or two appropriate tools, be taken. Nitro-powder 

 cartridges must be bought from good gun-makers, 

 and cannot be loaded by amateurs. 



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