GUNS AND AMMUNITION. 



<*5 



smokeless rifles. They first used the soft 

 nosed bullet but soon dropped it on ac 

 count of the great damage done to the 

 meat; and are now using the full cased 

 bullet. I have killed only 3 elk with my 

 -5 _ 35> ? of which' dropped dead in their 

 tracks. * The third fell when the ball hit 

 him, but got up and ran 50 or 60 yards, 

 when he fell dead. I shot 1 mule deer, that 

 fell dead in 20 yards. Have also killed 4 

 mountain goats, 2 of which were lying 

 down and which never tried to get up after 

 being hit. The other 2 were dead before 

 they fell — to all appearances. 



I have been using this gun 5 months, and 

 it is plenty good enough for me. I got 100 

 cartridges with the gun and have 23 of them 

 yet. Have shot a few at target and a good 

 many at grouse. 



M. P. Dunham, Woodworth, Mont. 



TO REMODEL NAVY RIFLES. 



There is said to be a great deal of dissat- 

 isfaction in the service against the new .236 

 calibre rifle, in use in the navy. The ex- 

 perimental weapons shot well at first, but 

 after a few rounds the bullet began to 

 strip, and, of course, to fly wild. 



This it is said is caused by the tremen 

 dous pressure set up in the narrow bore by 

 the large charge of nitro powder, the long, 

 heavy bullet, and the sharp twist of the 

 grooves. This pressure averages 56,000 

 oounds to the square inch, and is sufficient, 

 after a few shots, to permanently expand 

 the barrel. As it was found impossible to 

 prevent this in any barrel of permissible 

 weight, the naval authorities have been 

 compelled to lighten the bullet from 135 

 grains to 115 grains, although this will se- 

 riously impair the penetration and range of 

 the rifle. 



In spite of these drawbacks the lighter 

 bullet will have some advantages. For in 

 stance, its initial velocity will be increased 

 from 2,460 feet to 2,550 feet a second, which 

 will flatten the trajectory, during the first 

 500 yards of its flight; but owing to its 

 relative lack of momentum, it will lose 

 velocity far more quickly than the longer 

 one; hence its range will be shorter and its 

 flight more curved at all ranges over 500 

 yards. 



Happily there is no dissatisfaction felt re- 

 garding the action of the Naval Board. 

 The American Lee straight pull rifle has 

 undoubtedly the best military action in the 

 world, and should the .236 bore fail to give 

 satisfaction it would be an easy matter, al- 

 though perhaps an expensive one, to re- 

 place the first issue of arms by rifles of 

 larger calibre. — New York Herald. 



with the various .30 calibre rifles and 

 smokeless powder, by sportsmen hunting 

 large game. Everyone who has an oppor 

 tunity to observe the practical working of 

 these new rifles and ammunition should re- 

 port his experience to Recreation for the 

 benefit of less fortunate brother sportsmen. 



The points on which there are conflicting 

 opinions about the .30 calibre rifles arc: 

 their accuracy at long range; their killing 

 power on large game and their general 

 value as a sportsman's weapon. For such 

 game as antelope, elk and bear the 30-40 

 ought to be most desirable, for it has great 

 power; yet this cartridge is the one about 

 which there seems the most difference of 

 opinion. 



I see the charge of powder variously 

 stated as 36, 40 and 44 grains and would 

 request someone who knows, to say just 

 what the U. S. Government 30-40 cartridge 

 is loaded with, viz., how many grains of 

 powder and of what make. M. K. B. 



Will you please ask, in Recreation, if 

 any reader can give me any knowledge of 

 the shooting powers of the Savage small 

 bore rifle? I am in a quandary as to what 

 rifle to buy for shooting big game. I have 

 seen the Winchester and the Savage rifles 

 (small bore) but have never seen any one 

 use either; so would like to hear from any 

 one in regard to the Savage rifle, in par- 

 ticular; also if any reader can tell me if 

 the soft nose bullet is more effective than 

 the solid bullet. 



I am deeply interested in your wonderful 

 little magazine. It is a prize to sportsmen, 

 and the only trouble I find is waiting for it, 

 from one month to another. I have it all 

 read through, long before it is time for an- 

 other. Guns and 'ammunition is the first 

 department I strike for, and I wish there 

 were lots more on that subject. Am show- 

 ing your magazine to all my friends who I 

 think have the least spark of a sportsman's 

 enthusiasm about them, and hope Recrea- 

 tion will reach the millions, which it will 

 if given justice. 



G. R. Roberts, Northfield, Vt. 



North Platte, Neb. 

 Editor Recreation: I have been deeply 

 interested in the reports of results obtained 



J. V., Cleveland, Ohio, asks for the opin- 

 ion of small-bore rifle cranks, as to the gun 

 for using the 22 short and 22 long car- 

 tridges. I have used a number of 22 calibre 

 rifles, from the best makers, and find they 

 all shoot accurately the cartridge designed 

 to be used in them. From my experience 

 the best rifle, containing the least number 

 of parts, easiest of action, and simplest of 

 construction, that will handle, with accu- 

 racy, the 22 short, long, and long rifle 

 cartridges, is the Marlin repeater, model 

 '92. I use one of these, equipped with 

 Lyman combination rear sight and ivory 

 hunting front sight, and want nothing bet- 

 ter. S. E. O., Fort Scott, Kans. 



