CHAPTER XL. 



RIFLES, GUNS, AND OTHER SPORTING 

 REQUISITES. 



RIFLES. 



Opinions vary much as to what is the best Rifle for general purposes, but I think it 

 must be admitted on all hands that the most suitable weapon for such heavy game as 

 Rhinoceros and Buffaloes is not well adapted for small animals such as Antelope or the 

 various species of wild goats and sheep. 



For the former class of animals the hunter should employ the heaviest weapons that 

 he is capable of handling, which may be said to be io-bore for a man of average strength, 

 and 8 or even 4-bore for those who are sufficiently powerful to use them. 



It must be remembered that the weight of a rifle and the charge fired from it must 

 be increased according to the calibre : nothing is gained by using a large bore unless heavy 

 charges are used, and heavy charges necessitate heavy metal. Recoil is reduced to a mini- 

 mum when the spherical bullet is used, and when this form of projectile is made of hard 

 metal, I believe it to be the most effective yet invented. 



The following may be taken as about the most suitable charges for large bore rifles on 

 the Forsyth spherical ball principle : 



Bore. Weight of rifle. Charge of powder. 



12 11 lbs. 5 to 7 drams. 



10 13 His. 6 to 9 „ 



8 15 lbs. 8 to 10 



6 - 17 lbs. 10 to 12 „ 



4 20 lbs. 12 to 16 „ 



No shoulder will stand much more than the last named charge ; which, however, I 

 have frequently fired. 



For Deer, Antelope, Ibex, and animals of similar size, the Express rifle has justly 

 become a favorite, and no weapon is better adapted for the purpose ; as it possesses the 

 advantages of comparative lightness, accuracy, low trajectory, and great killing power on 

 thin-skinned animals. 



The commonest bores of the Express rifles in use are -500, -450, and -360. With 

 proportionate charges of powder their power may be said to be in about the same ratio 

 as the weight of their bullets, 



