GUNS AND AMMUNITION. 



215 



accuracy are not impaired by it. Smoke- 

 lessness does not always mean cleanliness. 

 I would rather have DuPont black rifle 

 powder than all the semi-smokeless ever 

 made. It is clean, and as for strength it 

 can not be beaten. 



I own a .30-40 Winchester, box magazine. 

 Its bullets do not fly to pieces on a bone 

 just under the skin as shorter high power 

 bullets sometimes do. I am sufficiently fa- 

 miliar with 23 different styles and models 

 of repeaters, and 11 styles of single shot 

 rifles to distinguish them apart or work 

 them blindfolded. Fully two-thirds of the 

 repeaters are good for 2 shots a second, and 

 some for 3 a second when clean. No 2 

 repeater systems have the same feel. I 

 have seen many a new gun, of various 

 kinds, clog in awkward hands ; but I have 

 never had a clean gun clog with me yet. 

 I always take the trouble to get used to the 

 feel of the lever, or bolt, that works the 

 magazine, before firing the gun. I pick out 

 the cartridge I wish to use and then choose 

 the gun best adapted to it ; and I find that a 

 good rule. 



Rodney West, Minerva, N. Y. 



ADVANTAGES OF TELESCOPE SIGHTS. 



What is the meaning of the terms "achro- 

 matic" and "non-achromatic," as used in the 

 circulars of makers of telescopic sights? 

 What are the special advantages of such 

 sights? J. E. Bates, Spokane, Wash. 



ANSWER. 



The term "achromatic" means free from 

 color. An achromatic lens is one usually 

 composed of 2 separate lenses, a concave and 

 a convex, and of glass having different re- 

 fractive and dispersing powers as crown 

 and flint glass, with the curvature of the 

 surface so adjusted that the chromatic aber- 

 ration (that which causes color from the 

 decomposition of light) produced by the 

 one is corrected by the other, and the light 

 emerging from the compound lens is unde- 

 composed. 



A non-achromatic lens is one in which 

 color is apparent when looking through it. 



The telescope sight has some advantages 

 over other sights ; for instance, one can 

 find small game in trees where it would be 

 concealed from the naked eye. One can 

 see just where to place the bullet without 

 mutilating the game. One can see the con- 

 dition of the game, whether it is fit for the 

 table or not. One can see just what he is 

 shooting at, lessening the liability of many 

 accidents ; but for hunting where the 

 game requires a quick shot, the Lyman 

 sight is preferable. — Editor. 



DOWNWARD FORCE OF BULLETS. 

 If a rifle is plumbed and fired into the 

 air, with what force will the bullet strike 



the ground on its return in proportion to 

 the force with which it left the gun on its 

 upward flight? And what would be the 

 downward force of shot under same con- 

 ditions? 



Carlos L. Smith, Montpelier, Vt. 



ANSWER. 



The velocity of the 30-40 U. S. A. bullet 

 when it reaches the earth's surface after 

 being fired upward can be taken to be ap- 

 proximately 120 feet a second. There is 

 a mistaken popular belief that the bullet 

 under the conditions named returns to, the 

 earth at the same velocity with which it 

 left the rifle barrel. The bullet, on the con- 

 trary, is retarded by the resistance of the 

 atmosphere in its descent, and does not at- 

 tain a high velocity. 



The velocity of shot under the same con- 

 ditions can not be calculated on account of 

 the lack of suitable data and tables. It is, 

 however, a much simpler problem to deter- 

 mine by actual test, and would be just about 

 the same as the velocity of any given size 

 at the extreme range. This could readily 

 be determined with any good chrono- 

 graph. — Editor. 



STANDARD AMERICAN RIFLE TARGET. 



Please tell me the dimensions of the 

 standard American target for off hand rifle 

 shooting at 100 yards. Also, of whom they 

 may be bought and at what cost. 



Geo. F. Mapes, Penn Xan, N. Y. 



ANSWER. 



The standard American target for 100 

 yards is reduced l /> from the 200 yard tar- 

 get, the dimensions of which are as fol- 

 lows : 

 10 ring 3 t 3 o 6 q inches in diameter) 



9 " s 3 X " " " r Bull's-eye 



8 «« 8 " •« " j 



7 " io# " •■ 



6 '* 12^ " " " 



5 " 16X " " " 

 4 " 20^ " •' " 

 3 « 26 •• " " 



i " 413^ «« •« " 



The best book for rules, etc., relating to 

 shooting with rifle, shot gun and revolver, 

 is a little handbook published by the Union 

 Metallic Cartridge Co., Bridgeport, Conn., 

 which is mailed to anyone on application. — 

 Editor. 



SMALL SHOT. 



Recreation rifle club was organized 

 at Auburn, N. Y., some weeks ago and is 

 in a prosperous condition. The officers 

 are R. F. Emmons, President; William 

 McKay, Captain; W. H. Dedrick, Secre- 

 tary and Treasurer. 



