GUNS AND AMMUNITION. 



•TWO GOOD .GUNS. 



Des Moines, la. 

 Editor Recreation. — We read a great 

 deal in the sportsmen's press, from owners 

 of guns, each writer commending the gun 

 of his choice and advising brother shoot- 

 ers to buy guns of that make, regardless of 

 the fact that what suits one shooter, to per- 

 fection, may not fill the bill for another man 

 who may use his gun for a different pur- 

 pose, and who handles and cares for it dif- 

 ferently. 



I do not wish to pose as an authority on 

 the subject of guns and shooting. What I 

 have learned has been learned in that best 

 of all schools, practical experience. I have 

 expended many a good dollar in guns, and 

 have owned or shot all the better makes 

 of American guns, carefully noting what I 

 considered the good points and the weak 

 points in all. 



I finally concluded to order an imported 

 gun, for trap use; and after looking over 

 cuts of the several makes of good London 

 and Birmingham guns I finally decided to 

 buy either a Greener or a Cashmore. I had 

 used a Greener and liked the shooting 

 qualities and the durability of them. I 

 should, in all probability, have sent in my 

 order for that make of gun, had it not hap- 

 pened that about that time our fellowtowns- 

 man, C. W. Budd, shot 2 matches here, 

 with Dr. W. F. Carver, and that I had an 

 opportunity to examine and note the dead- 

 ly execution of the Cashmore, in the hands 

 of this well known expert shot. That set- 

 tled the matter. What is good enough for 

 a shooter such as Carver is good enough 

 for an amateur of average shooting abil- 

 ity. Mr. Cashmore received my order and, 

 in due time, built me a gun of which I am 

 proud every time I put it to my shoulder. 

 He charged me a reasonable price and is a 

 gentleman to deal with. My only regret 

 is that the gun is too finely finished to hunt 

 with. 



Not wishing to wait the length of time 

 it would require to order a second gun, 

 from Birmingham, I concluded to buy an 

 American gun, of cheap grade, for hunting 

 purposes. 



I ordered a Hollenbeck, or Syracuse, 

 gun, on condition that I should give it a 

 thorough trial, for a reasonable length of 

 time, and if it did not prove satisfactory I 

 was to return it and get my money back. 



I did not return the gun. It answers the 

 purpose admirably. Indeed it would be 

 hard to find a more durable or a better 

 shooting gun than this little 7^ pound No. 

 O grade Syracuse. 



Sportsmen you pay your money and take 



your choice. I do not wish to dictate to 

 anyone what gun he shall buy; but for a 

 high grade, hand made gun the Cashmore 

 is a lot of gun for the money. For a ma- 

 chine made gun the Syracuse is excellent 

 value. Amateur. 



HOW TO LOAD. 



Editor Recreation: I should like to ex- 

 plain to G. E. S. and 11 Gauge, who re- 

 plied to G. E. S.'s inquiry, my method for 

 using 11 gauge wads in 12 gauge paper 

 shells; not with the idea, however, of im- 

 proving on 11 Gauge's device, but to give 

 G. E. S., or any other fellow sportsman, a 

 simpler and cheaper method. 



I take an ordinary brass, or nickel loader, 

 into the base of which I fit a circular band 

 of copper or heavy tin sheeting; when 

 properly fitted, so that it just fits the calibre 

 of the loader, push it up until it rests be- 

 tween the barrel of the loader and the shell 

 protectors, so that the end of the shell just 

 comes against it. Your loader is now ready 

 for use and will either load new shells, or 

 will reload those that have been used with- 

 out swelling the shell. 



A little experimenting will show you the 

 proper thickness of copper, or tin, of which 

 to make the circular band. I use copper 

 to of an inch in thickness, and could use a 

 little thicker. 



This contrivance is original with me, and 

 if any lover of the gun, who wishes to try 

 this method and does not clearly under- 

 stand, or fails to succeed, will send me his 

 address I will gladly explain further. I am 

 using this device and will fill an empty 

 nitro 12 gauge shell, which has been fired, 

 with 11 gauge wads %. inch, and send it 

 for inspection; also a new shell filled in 

 same way. 



I do not think this superior to 11 Gauge's 

 device, but it is simpler, cheaper, and can 

 be used to reload as well as for new shells. 

 Dr. F. S., Clarksville, N. Y. 



The shells are well loaded and the device 

 seems a good one. — Editor. 



A WORD FOR THE SAVAGE. 



I see there have been some inquiries in 

 Recreation about the Savage rifle, and I 

 want to say a word in its favor. I think 

 it is one of the best smokeless rifles on the 

 market. 



First, — it is simple of construction, dur- 

 able and finely finished. 



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