3 o8 



RECREA TION. 



between the shoulders and up the neck to 

 the head. 



This is hard enough shooting for any 

 ordinary game, from deer down; and I 

 should like to try it on a bear anywhere 

 inside of 30 rods. I do not agree with a 

 number of your correspondents as to the 

 superiority of the Marlin. I never saw a 

 Marlin pumped out that did not stick once 

 or more during the operation. The side 

 ejector is a nuisance to a left handed shoot- 

 er, in that the shells strike him or fall on 

 his right arm. Brooks, Olivet, Mich. 



THE ALL-ROUND RIFLE. 



For the benefit of L. E. Morris, and 

 others who have made inquiries, I will give 

 my opinion on this subject. 



Strictly speaking, such a desirable arm 

 as an all-round rifle has not yet been pro- 

 duced. By " all-round " rifle, I mean one 

 that would kill a bear quickly, and yet not 

 spoil a squirrel; and having sufficient ac- 

 curacy for fine target shooting, with no 

 unpleasant recoil. 



The nearest approach to these require- 

 ments is found in a 32-40 Marlin or Win- 

 chester, repeater, when used with proper 

 loads. For small game, and target practice, 

 up to 150 yards, use 30 grains of f.f.g. black 

 rifle powder, and a 117 grain sharp pointed 

 bullet. This is cast in an Ideal mould, from 

 a mixture of one part tin to 20 parts lead. 

 An illustration of this bullet appears in 

 Ideal Handbook No. 9, numbered 31,949. 

 In an everlasting shell, this makes a fine 

 load, with plenty of power. It is accurate 

 at reasonable distances, and the sharp 

 pointed bullet will not tear small game. 

 Everlasting shells are not crimped on the 

 bullet; therefore, the rifle should, with this 

 load, be used as a single shot, especially if 

 it be a Winchester. The regular factory 

 load — 40 grains of powder and a 165 grain 

 bullet — is excellent for such game as foxes, 

 wolves, etc.; also for target shooting, from 

 150 to 300 yards. At 200 yards it will shoot 

 in a 6 inch circle with great regularity. 

 The majority of expert target shooters 

 have adopted the 32-40 cartridge for 200 

 yard work. The best load for large game 

 is the smokeless cartridge as loaded by the 

 U. M. C. Co., with metal patched bullet 

 150 grains in weight, having a hollow, soft 

 lead point. This charge will do good work 

 on deer, black bears and similar game. 

 For grizzly bears or moose, a 50-100-450 is 

 preferable. 



Henry Fisher, Benicia Barracks, Cal. 



TWIST VS. DAMASCUS, ET AL. 



Will you kindly answer the following 

 questions through Recreation? What is 

 the difference between English stub twist 

 and Damascus steel barrels, in shooting 

 and wearing qualities, and in bursting 

 strain? 



How does the Winchester rolled steel 

 barrel compare with either twist or Damas- 

 cus, in above named points? 



I. W. Fream, Harney, Md. 



ANSWER. 



An expert to whom above was referred 

 replies as follows: 



Stub twist was originally made from a 

 very high quality of Norway iron strips 

 and steel strips, twisted like Damascus. 

 Genuine stub twist is no longer made. 



It was originally a first class barrel; but 

 no better than good Damascus, as to 

 strength and wearing qualities. 



The Winchester or the Remington rolled 

 steel barrel is equal, if not superior, to any 

 ordinary twist or Damascus barrel. They 

 give satisfaction in every way. 



REAR SIGHTS ON RIFLE BARRELS. 



Evanston, 111. 



Editor Recreation: In your November 

 issue I read a query as to the usefulness 

 of a rear sight on a rifle barrel; when a 

 peep sight on tang is used. After using a 

 dozen different rifles in the last 25 years, 

 and owning 6 now, all with the Lyman 

 rear sight on tang, I can give only 2 rea- 

 sons for the use of a barrel sight on a hunt- 

 ing rifle. It is of no use on a rifle used 

 exclusively for the target, if you have a 

 peep on tang. 



On a hunting rifle you may, at times, 

 need the rear sight on barrel. It is not 

 possible to use a peep when shooting at 

 dusk, or by moonlight. You will have to 

 fold it down. At such times a barrel sight 

 is what you will need. Or if by accident 

 you injure your peep, you then have a bar- 

 rel sight to fall back on. It will not be in 

 the way if you cut it down below the point 

 blank of your peep. It should lie as flat 

 on barrel as possible,- and should be a sight 

 you can raise if necessary. On all my rifles 

 I have a barrel sight for these 2 uses. I have 

 adopted the Winchester Express sight, 

 which is short, and has 2 small leaves to 

 raise. When both are down, the plain 

 notch is for 50 or 100 yards, according to 

 the style of rifle. The first folding leaf up 

 is 50 yards more; the second 100 yards 

 more. Therefore in the woods or in poor 

 light, you can use this sight up to 150 

 yards. It is by far the best barrel sight, 

 and does not interfere between peep on 

 tang and muzzle sight. But if you want a 

 graduated barrel sight, to use for greater 

 distances, put on the Winchester sporting 

 leaf sight, file down the short notch to the 

 hinge, and use the up and down slide notch, 

 and it will not interfere with a Lyman 

 peep. I never go out on an extended hunt 

 without taking along 4 extras for my rifle 

 so as to be ready for possible accidents. 

 They are, one front sight, one Lyman rear, 

 one extractor, and one main spring. 



Hank Hunkamunk. 



