3io 



RECREA TION. 



in the same spot, she would have gone 

 some distance. As it was, she did not take 

 a step, but dropped where she stood. 



The second one was a 2 year old buck. 

 He was walking and was 18 rods away. 

 The first shot killed him instantly and I 

 think it would have done the same had he 

 been 3 times that distance away. 



I think the fishing would be first class 

 there in the season, and any one wishing 

 a pleasant place to go in the spring would 

 do well to correspond with Mrs. McLaug i- 

 lin. A. L. Bailey, Cobalt, Conn. 



I am about to purchase a Stevens' rifle, 

 but am in doubt as to the best calibre for 

 my purpose. 



I want a rifle that can be easily taken 

 apart, and packed in a 24 inch case, or fitted 

 to the frame of a bicycle. It must shoot 

 cheap ammunition, be readily cleaned, and 

 not liable to get out of order. 



I shall use it for shooting small animals 

 and birds, and for target work, at from 50 

 to 200 yards. 



What calibre had I better choose? Is 

 the use of a telescope sight an advantage in 

 hunting small game? 



O. R. Hartel, Philadelphia, Pa. 



Are there not some of Recreation's 

 many readers who, like myself, admire 

 Stevens' rifles? They possess 3 most ex- 

 cellent qualities; accuracy, lightness and 

 takedown. Other 22 calibre rifles will go 

 in your trunk, but the Stevens will go 

 in your valise. Camping would lose one of 

 its greatest charms, for me, if I should 

 neglect to take along my Stevens. It is a 

 fine little gun for squirrels, but best for 

 target practice. 



W. Scott Jones, Akron, O. 



I have used a 32-20, a 40-60, and a 44-40, 

 Winchester, and a 44-77-470 Remington. 

 I got a fancy 30-30 Marlin last spring, and 

 it is perfection for small or big game. For 

 small game, I use a bullet 1 to 10 lead and 

 tin, and various loads of black powder. In 

 reply to S. D. Hubble, Hartford, Ct, will 

 say, I have used all the revolvers he men- 

 tions. I prefer the 38-40, with $Y 2 inch 

 barrel. I wish some brother sportsmen 

 would tell us of their 6-shooters. 



B. C, Barrion, 0*e. 



L. E. Morris asks what kind of rifle is 

 best for shooting squirrels, rabbits and 

 large game. 



There is no all-round gun. For the uses 

 mentioned, I advise Mr. Morris to buy 2 

 rifles; a 25-20, magazine Marlin or Win- 

 chester, and a 45-90 or 30-40 Winchester. 

 The smaller gun is just right for target 

 work, and for small game. It can be used 

 in settled countries, where the larger weap- 

 ons would prove dangerous. 



W. A. B., Worcester, Mass. 



If J. S. Estill, of Savannah, Ga., will try 

 the, following method of loading shells for 

 his full choked gun, I think he, will be 

 pleased with the results. 



Use 3 to zVa drams of nitro powder. 

 Then put in y 2 ounce of shot, and a thick 

 card wad; then another y 2 ounce of shot 

 and another card wad. One ounce of shot 

 in all will be enough. If this does not open 

 the pattern sufficiently, load the shot in 3 

 compartments instead of in 2. 



I have found this method of loading 

 choke bored guns very effective for brush 

 shooting. 



Mrs. R. J. Draisy, Gait, Ont. 



I have tried the plan mentioned by 

 Ronimus, of Pendleton, Ore., of making 

 large bullets explosive, by placing in them 

 a 22 calibre cartridge. Would not advise 

 anyone to attempt to cast the bullet over 

 the small cartridge. The heat of the lead 

 might cause an explosion. It is better to 

 drill the point of the large bullet, and push 

 a blank 22 into the hole. With bullets so 

 prepared I have shot bears, at short range, 

 with terrible effect. 



I prefer ammunition loaded by Winches- 

 ter Repeating Arms Co., for hunting game. 

 Reloaded shells are all right for target 

 practice, where no money or reputation is 

 at stake; but for accurate shooting, always 

 use cartridges direct from factory and 

 freshly loaded. In testing an arm, use the 

 cartridge the manufacturers recommend. , 

 H. W. Mallory, New Orleans, La. 



For a number of years I used Lyman 

 front and rear sights. The front sight was 

 perfect, but the rear, while admirable, did 

 not suit me. In place of it I tried a buck- 

 horn, or Rocky mountain sight; removing 

 the small elevating block, and replacing it 

 with another having a 1-16 inch hole in- 

 stead of a notch. This, especially when 

 shooting with both eyes open, is perfect 

 for running game, and for use in poor 

 light. The small hole, being placed farther 

 from the eye, does not give so large a field 

 in which to centre the front sight; and I 

 found that, after a few shots, one instinc- 

 tively covered, without losing, the object. 

 J. L., Philadelphia, Pa. 



I agree with Mr. Adams, of Utah, that a 

 bone smasher is needed for grizzlies. I 

 have good luck with the 30-30 Marlin on 

 large game, but I sometimes wish for a 45- 

 90 and feel like climbing a tree for the lack 

 of it. The 30-30 is all right for antelope on 

 the plains, and is good enough in the 

 mountains for everything except the Old 

 Gal that travels from Black Mountain to 

 the Holy Cross, and whose hind foot is 14 

 inches long. Many an old hunter has seen 

 her, but none seems anxious to fire at her 

 and take chances. 



Will Howard, Colorado Springs, Colo. 



