GUNS AND AMMUNITION. 



461 



tically the same as the pump gun except 

 that the forward and back movement is 

 automatic, the recoil being the motive 

 power. Another man has invented a similar 

 contrivance. The hope is already being ex- 

 pressed among the better class of sports- 

 men that these guns will not be allowed to 

 come into general use. There should be a 

 law prohibiting the' use of both. Failing 

 in that, it is still the duty of every true 

 sportsmen and game protector to raise his 

 voice against the use of such murderous 

 weapons. Double Barrel. 



This is as severe a criticism as I have 

 ever printed of any gun or cartridge. Now 

 you watch the Winchester Company and 

 see if it withdraws its ad from Recreation, 

 or brings a libel suit against me, a la Tom- 

 my Peters and Paddy Marlin. — Editor. 



to recover as large a percentage of those 

 nit as possible. This theory of yours, that 

 the test of sportsmanship is in hitting birds 

 and letting them get away, instead of killing 

 them, is new. — Editor. 



A NEW THEORY. 



I was much interested in the article 

 from Edmonton, written by H. B. Spratt, 

 but was sorry you did not roast him as he 

 deserves. 



I use a 16 bore shot gun and have a 

 .303 British rifle. I like the 16 bere the 

 better, as the shot flies faster and does 

 more effective killing. I shot a mallard 

 duck at 95 measured paces and hit 2 more 

 in the same flock. I do not like to see 

 men pick their shots. I never shoot at 

 birds less than 60 yards off, as I want to 

 give them a chance to get away. Of 

 course I often hit and lose them, but that 

 is the only true way not to be a pot shot or 

 a game hog. 



Last fall I shot a buck and doe, in the 

 Beaver hills, with one shot. They were 

 standing side by side and the bullet from 

 my ..303 went through both, breaking their 

 shoulder blades. On the same day I killed 

 2 more deer with 2 shots. I quit then, as 

 I am no hog. 



W. E. Heist, Alta, Can. 



ANSWER. 



It would seem that a man would have to 

 push pretty hard on his gun to kill a mal- 

 lard at. 95 steps, unless they were mighty 

 short steps. You say you measured the 

 paces, but you do not say how long each 

 pace was. It might have been only a foot. 

 In that case, it would not have been a 

 notable shot ; but if you stepped 32 or 34 

 inches each time, that would make your 

 story really remarkable. Of course acci- 

 dents will happen, if you keep on shooting, 

 but if you have a gun that will kill regu- 

 larly at 80 yards, there are thousands of 

 men who would like to buy it.. 



I have never before heard a real sports- 

 man advocate the wounding of birds and 

 letting them get away. I had always sup- 

 posed the most sportsmanlike way was to 

 kill the birds as suddenly as possible, and 



ASK THE MAKER. 

 I have a Winchester 22, model '90. Have 

 used both U. M. C. and Winchester shells, 

 but like the Winchester best. I find them 

 more accurate in my gun. While using U. 

 M. C. cartridges I had one stick in the 

 carrier. I then took 2 Winchester shells of 

 same caliber and putting the U. M. C. be- 

 tween them I placed a rule on top and 

 found the U. M. C,. a full 1-32 inch the 

 shortest. Should like to know if others 

 have found the same difference. The Win- 

 chester shell boxes are labeled 7^2 grains 

 powder and 45 grains lead, while the U. 

 M. C.'s read 7 grains powder and 45 lead. 

 Why should they be different? Where can 

 I procure bird lime? Have been told that 

 it would be just the thing for catching 

 English sparrows. 



G. D. Burns, Minneapolis, Minn. 



ANSWER. 



I have never heard of a similar difficulty 

 with the U. M. C. 22 rifle cartridge. It is 

 possible the shells used in your arm may 

 have had the bullets pressed deeper than 

 is the case with the Winchester's. This 

 would make the cartridge a trifle shorter 

 and might cause the trouble. Write the 

 U. M. C. Co. direct in regard to this mat- 

 ter, sending them some of the defective 

 ammunition. They would, no doubt, be 

 glad to get the information and replace the 

 defective shells free of charge. 



Bird lime for catching English sparrows 

 may be bought from any dealer in taxi- 

 dermists' goods who advertises in Recrea- 

 tion. — Editor. 



WHICH IS BEST? 



There seems no end of conflicting views 

 regarding the all around rifle. I have 

 heard that Mr. Shields has done a good 

 bit with the rifle. I suggest that he give 

 us his view of an all around weapon. I 

 hunted for years with a rifle and got more 

 game than I could now with a shot gun. 

 Should I design a gun it would be of 38 

 caliber, chambered for a 350 grain solid 

 ball, or a 330 grain hollow point and 

 70 grains of black powder, or its equiva- 

 lent in nitro. It would have also a second 

 cartridge, a 100-yard load, with as light 

 a ball as I could get, not much heavier 

 than a buck shot, for small game. 



Why is it the U. S. Army always has a 

 weapon not quite so good as those in 

 general use? The old Springfields are not 

 up to the Remington single shot, nor does 

 the Krag equal the Lee. Is it true that 

 the action of the Mauser is better than 



