GUNS AND AMMUNITION. 



61 



the most of the metal is put at the breech 

 end of the barrels, giving them a graceful 

 taper and bringing the weight more be- 

 tween the hands, making a much more 

 handsome and finely balanced arm. 



J 



\ 



FULL SIZE CUT OF FRAME OF HOLLENBECK 

 GUN, SHOWING POSITION OF CROSS-BOLT 

 WHEN HALF DRAWN BACK, AND WHEN 

 GUN IS CLOSED. 



But these are not all the changes made 

 necessary by the new explosive. It was 

 found that to give the best results the gases 

 must be more confined, both in the cart- 

 ridge cases and in the barrels. This is ac- 

 complished by using plenty of heavy felt 

 wadding, one size larger than the bore, in 

 strongly crimped paper shells, and in nitro 

 boring the guns. Guns thus bored are 

 contracted more at the muzzle, and while 

 giving good results, with small shot, are 

 not always satisfactory with the larger 

 sizes. Gunmakers are also boring their 

 guns more true to gauge than formerly; 



so that a 12 gauge will take a No. 12 wad, 

 or a 16 a No. 16. In the new vena contracta 

 guns the bore is very much contracted, a 

 gun taking a No. 12 shell gradually taper- 

 ing down to a 20 bore and so continuing to 

 the muzzle. It is claimed for them that 

 they shoot as good as the ordinary 12 

 gauge and are much smaller and lighter. 

 The latest change I have heard of is the 

 square muzzle, with which the inventor 



CROSS-SECTION, THROUGH ANGLE OF THE 

 FRAME, OF GUN WITH UNDERBOLTS, 

 SHOWING HOW THE METAL IS CUT 

 AWAY. 



claims he can get better pattern and pene- 

 tration than with the round; but this re- 

 mains to be proven. 



As for repeaters, they are not the thing 

 for brush and grouse shooting. The maga- 

 zine full of cartridges, under the barrel, 

 makes them clumsy and heavy to handle, 

 especially in quick, snap shooting; and the 

 manipulation of the repeating mechanism 

 destroys the aim for the second shot. In 

 grouse shooting, nowadays, more than 2 

 shots in rapid succession can seldom be 

 had, and it is a great advantage, in all up- 

 land shooting, to have one barrel shoot 

 close and the other open. For quail there 

 is no better combination. On the bevy rise 

 you get in your cylinder barrel and then 

 have plenty of time to use the choked. Two 

 cylinder barrels are not a bad combination, 

 in the early season, as most of the birds 

 can be shot within 25 yards; but in the cold 

 blusterly days of November the full choked 

 barrel will be taxed to the utmost. 



The little 16 bore is coming more in 

 favor, for the little brown Bobs. It re- 

 quires closer holding than the 12. The 

 latter is none too large for the ruffed 

 grouse, which need good hard hitting. 

 With these birds most of the shots, in the 

 early season, are at short range in dense 



