GUNS AND AMMUNITION. 



AS TO 22 LONG RIFLE CARTRIDGES. 



G. L. LEHLE. 



Having noticed several inquiries in Rec- 

 reation, concerning the selection of 22 

 calibre rifles, I believe some account of my 

 experience with these may be of use to the 

 young tyro who wishes to procure the 

 weapon best adapted to his needs. 



Experience has taught me that the 22 

 calibre long rifle cartridge should be used 

 only in single shot rifles, if accurate shoot- 

 ing be required. The shell of this cartridge 

 is not crimped around the bullet, and the 

 bullet extends into the shell only a short 

 distance, so that it is easily withdrawn or 

 displaced. When the shooter who uses the 

 22 long rifle cartridge in a repeater forgets 

 if there is a cartridge in the chamber of his 

 rifle, and withdraws the bolt in order to dis- 

 pel doubt, the shell is extracted without the 

 bullet, which remains in the barrel, and the 

 powder is spilled into the action to clog and 

 generally render it useless until cleaned. 

 If the bolt be withdrawn but a short dis- 

 tance the shell is pulled away from the bul- 

 let very little but when the action is closed 

 the shell and the bullet do not occupy the 

 same position, with regard to each other, as 

 before, and the result is a wild shot. 



Again. The pressure of the magazine 

 spring, and the unavoidable jolting which 

 the cartridge receives in a repeater render 

 it unfit for accurate shooting because the 

 bullet is loosened and displaced in the shell; 

 so that its axis, when it enters the rifling, 

 does not coincide with the axis of the rifle 

 barrel. 



These objections to the use of repeating 

 rifles, in connection with the 22 calibre 

 long rifle cartridge, are not founded on 

 theory, but on the results of actual experi- 

 ence with the cartridge, and the 22 calibre 

 Marlin rifle. Much better work may be 

 done with this cartridge if it be used in a 

 good single shot rifle, and the small game 

 hunter loses nothing by discarding the re- 

 peater. 



Consider, for a moment, the Winchester 

 single shot rifle. If the shooter cannot re- 

 member whether a cartridge has been 

 placed in the barrel or not he depresses the 

 lever until the breech block drops down 

 enough to show the chamber without oper- 

 ating the shell extractor. Hence a 22 cali- 

 bre long rifle cartridge, in the barrel of this 

 rifle [and most other single shot rifles] is 

 not injured by an examination to determine 

 if the rifle is loaded. 



The Winchester 22 calibre single shot is 

 light, handy and may be loaded quickly 

 enough for any kind of small game shoot- 

 ing. The lever, after a shot, is depressed: 

 a new cartridge placed in the chamber and 



the lever restored. The rifle- is now ready 

 for firing. It is not necessary to cock tin- 

 hammer, or to handle the empty shell with 

 the fingers, because the arm is self cocking 

 and is provided with ,a spring ejector that 

 throws the empty shell far from the breech. 

 In hunting small game the hunter's life 

 does not depend on his putting 3 or 4 shots 

 into an animal, in as many seconds, and 

 this rifle will be found quick enough to 

 meet all requirements. 



The rifle is also very readily cleaned, as 

 a rod may be inserted at the breech end of 

 the barrel without taking apart the action. 

 All 22 calibre rifles should be cleaned from 

 the breech instead of from the muzzle. This 

 is a matter of great importance if the fine 

 shooting qualities are to be retained. 



There is one very sensible objection to 

 the use of a single shot rifle, in connection 

 with the 22 calibre long rifle cartridge; but 

 it is easily overcome. The lubricant on this 

 cartridge is exposed and this renders the 

 cartridge unfit for use if carried in a dusty 

 pocket or bag. It should be carried, in the 

 woods, in a carrier made as follows: 



Select a sound piece of any wood, which 

 may be easily worked. Cut it in the form 

 of an arc of a circle, to fit your waist, and 

 let it be about 8 inches long, 2 inches wide 

 and 2 inches thick. Bore into the top of it, 

 with a small gimlet, 48 holes, neatly spaced, 

 one inch deep. Now take a piece of iron 

 wire, of same diameter as body of the 22 

 calibre shell; heat it to a red, and with it 

 burn out each hole. Fasten the little block 

 to a belt and secure it around your waist. 



You now have a cartridge carrier which 

 keeps your 22 calibre long rifle cartridges 

 free from knocks, jolts and dirt, and de- 

 livers them to you clean and perfect, no 

 matter how much running or jumping you 

 may do. 



Some riflemen may smile when reading 

 this, but experience has taught me that this 

 cartridge is delicate, and must not be ex- 

 posed to knocks, or to dirt, if accurate 

 shooting be desired. 



Many cartridges may be carried in a dirty 

 pocket, or bag, jammed into a repeater and 

 discharged with good results. Not so the 

 22 calibre long rifle, however. 



Those who take exception to the pre- 

 ceding may be glad to learn that, in con- 

 nection with another 22 calibre rim fire 

 cartridge, I can see no objection to the use 

 of a repeating rifle. The cartridge known 

 as the " 22 rim fire Winchester " contains 

 a 45 grain bullet and 7 grains of powder. 

 Its bullet is placed well into the shell, so 

 that the lubricant is not exposed. This 

 cartridge has proven very accurate. In 

 fact, it is almost as accurate as the 22 long 

 rifle. Owing to its larger charge of powder 



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