398 



RECREATION. 



I am also a great lover of the Winchester 

 repeating shot gun; and do not see how a 

 company can make so good a gun for so 

 small a price. 



I should like to inquire of the readers of 

 Recreation, what experience and results 

 they have had in reloading cartridges for 

 the 30-30 Winchester, with low pressure 

 powder and tempered lead bullets. I bought 

 a Perfection mould, and special double ad- 

 justable reloading tool, from the Ideal Co. 

 The tools work all right; but I have not 

 had much success with these loads. Have 

 not, however, had time to make exhaustive 

 experiments. I can shoot a fairly good 

 charge (14 grains Dupont's smokeless rifle 

 powder) and not lead the barrel. I used 

 a 150 grain bullet, cast about 1 to 12 lead 

 and tin. 



Smokeless, Stillwater, Minn. 



HOW TO FIND OUT. 



Forest Glen, Md. 



Editor Recreation: Allow me to say, to 

 any one who may be in doubt as to what 

 rifle to choose, that if he will write the 

 Marlin Firearms Co., enclosing stamps, 

 and asking for their new catalogue of re- 

 peaters, he can make his choice unaided. 



If, however, a word, in addition to this 

 hint, be not amiss I shall venture to add 

 that the Marlin repeaters possess one great 

 advantage to the hunter — the side ejection. 



One who has the fundamental work of 

 hunting to learn needs a large amount of 

 practice in shooting. This, with a large 

 calibre, involves a good deal of expense. 

 He should, therefore, have 2 rifles; one for 

 practice and the other for work. The for- 

 mer may be of small calibre, the latter large. 

 The one will cost but a trifle to use, the 

 other will then be saved for emergencies. 



A good plan is to use the .22 for target 

 work and for practice on rabbits running, 

 crows flying, etc. Then when the hunter 

 finds himself within range of a running 

 deer he can use his larger weapon with 

 some chance of winning. 



As the Marlin, Company now build their 

 rifles several convenient combinations may 

 be made in the way of " take-downs." For 

 instance: One may have the .25-20 and 

 the .32-20 — 2 barrels for one stock. Or, he 

 may have the .38-40 and the .44-40 in the 

 same way. Or he may have the .25-36, the 

 •30-30, the .32-40, and the .38-55 — 4 barrels 

 for one stock, and all take-down. 



These last may all be for smokeless 

 cartridges, if desired, and with reduced 

 loads; and by reloading your shells prac- 

 tice may be made inexpensive. 



Were I going into the Rockies, where 

 coyotes, badgers, jack-rabbits, and prairie- 

 dogs were to give me practice, and moose, 

 elk, deer, bc&r, or antelope to furnish the 



real work I should want the .25-20 for prac- 

 tice and the .38-55 for work. Both are ex- 

 ceedingly accurate and in skilful hands, 

 will give good accounts of themselves. 



The .38-55 is large enough for any game 

 to be found in America, provided the shots 

 are well planted; and it is but little glory 

 to kill game simply by smashing it to pulp 

 with leaden pumpkins. 



Let the seeker after information write 

 the Marlin people and he will find abundant 

 light. Their new catalogue has covered a 

 wide area of interest to riflemen, beside 

 just rifles. Nimrod II. 



HOW TO BUNCH BUCK SHOT. 



Tomahawk, Wis. 



Editor Recreation: I learn from Rec- 

 reation that many of our friends are experi- 

 menting to find out the best method of load- 

 ing buck shot, to make it hold together for 

 a considerable distance. 



I think I have solved the problem. At 

 least so far as my experiments have gone I 

 am satisfied with the result. 



I have been able to place a charge of buck 

 shot in a target at a range of 80 yards (with 

 black powder) as close together as when 

 they leave the gun. By varying the method 

 of loading, a trifle, I can cause the shot to 

 begin to scatter at 30 to 50 yards. My plan 

 is as follows: 



Have turned a round stick of wood, of 

 such a size that when 5 thicknesses of 

 heavy express paper are wound around it, 

 it will fit in the muzzle of the gun (presup- 

 posing of course the gun is a choke bore). 

 Glue- the paper firmly, when winding, so 

 when it is slipped off the stick it will form 

 a strong cylindrical container for the shot. 

 Place the shot in this, in layers of 3 or 4 

 each. Pound in the ends of the cylinder 

 until closed squarely, with the exception of 

 a slight orifice in the centre which will re- 

 main unless closed with wax. If these 

 openings, at each end, are closed with wax 

 rendering the cylinder air tight, it will not 

 burst at any distance until it strikes an ob- 

 ject. If only a small opening be left the 

 friction of the air, as the projectile passes 

 through it, will gradually disintegrate the 

 cylinder and allow the shot to begin to scat- 

 ter at 20 to 50 yards. 



It all depends upon whether the 2 ends of 

 the cylinder are closed air tight, or whether 

 a large or small opening be left, as to when 

 the shot will begin to scatter, after leaving 

 the gun. If the ends are simply pounded in, 

 and not sealed with wax, the charge will 

 not usually hold together more than 10 

 yards. 



My gun is a " New Baker," 12 gauge, and 

 choke bored, and throws buck shot to my 

 entire satisfaction, when the charge is pre- 

 pared in this manner. J. C. W. 



