GUNS AND AMMUNITION 



49 



A few days ago I fired my .30-30 at a 

 mark on a pine tree 14 inches in diameter. 

 The bullet went through and made a hole 

 where it came out no larger than where it 

 went in. The next day I fired about 100 

 yards at a woodchuck. The ball went 

 through him, struck the ground 10 feet 

 beyond and dug a little furrow about a 

 foot long. I found the bullet lying on the 

 ground, as perfect as when it was put into 

 the shell. Can anyone tell what stopped 



it? 



H. N. Chase, Conway, N. H. 



I agree with Charles Cristadore. A 

 man who can not down his bird with one 

 or 2 shots does not deserve the bird. A 

 good dog and a good double barrel gun 

 are all any good sportsman requires. If 

 there were fewer pothunters there would 

 be more ducks, quails, chickens, and other 

 game birds and better shooting for us all. 

 F. J. Rauh, Bronx, N. Y. 



Will some one who has used the Baker 

 hammerless gun tell me if the firing pin 

 safety device is as good as the manufac- 

 turers claim? If so, why don't other gun 

 manufacturers catch on? 



E. I. Oliver, Blanchester, O. 



Mr. Carlos C. Clark, of this city, is an 

 expert gunsmith, well known throughout 

 this section. He is 89 years old, and still 

 works at his bench when some fine work 

 is needed. On October, 1895, he put to 



successive shots in a target about the size 

 of a silver l / 2 dollar. He made this record 

 with a 15-inch rifle at 50 yards. 



Annie F. Blake, Manchester, N. H. 



Is there a .48 calibre revolver or cart- 

 ridge? 



What calibre revolver does the Chicago 

 police force use? 



C. M., Hamilton, Mont. 



ANSWER 



I do not know of any .48 calibre re- 

 volver or cartridge in the market. Does 

 any one else know of such? 



The Chicago police force is armed with 

 .38 calibre revolvers. 



Editor. 



I have just given the Laflin & Rand 

 smokeless powder a trial on clay pigeons, 

 with most satisfactory results. Although 

 a novice at the traps I made a score of 17 

 out of 25. The powder is quick, smoke- 

 less and clean. The clay pigeons I hit 

 were simply pulverized. 



Louis Weinmann, San Francisco. 



In reply to Garrett P. Serviss, Jr., I 

 would say I own a Stevens rifle and con- 

 sider it the most accurate rifle I have ever 

 used. 



P. W. Harlow, Farmington, Wash. 



I don't see why a man using a repeater 



should be a game hog any more than one 



using a double barrel. I like the repeater 



on account of the single barrel and trigger. 



H. C. Wahlgren, Jamestown, N. Y. 



MY RIFLE. 



-W. H. NELSON. 



Wrapped in its worn, old canvas case, 



Upon my study wall, 

 As wild November's trumpets blare. 



And autumn's glories fall, 

 My dear old rifle idly hangs, 



While I, disabled, dream 

 Of bygone days in woodland haunts 



Or by the mountain steam. 



The antlered monarch of the waste 



Glides silent down the dell. 

 His timid harem following 



To drain the crystal well. 

 I mark their wide and watchful eyes, 



Their nostrils' hint of fear, 

 And press the trigger as my bead 



Glows on the leader near. 



Close crouching on the pine's low bough 



The puma's body lies, 

 Death gathered in her quiv'ring limbs 



And blazing from her eyes. 



My ready weapon instant speaks 

 And sharp its challenge calls; 



See, shrieking, from her ambuscade 

 The writhing demon falls. 



And not alone in forest shades 



My trophies I have won, 

 But at the target, too, I've" proved 



My matchless Remington; 

 For never was my trust misplaced 



Nor ever stuck a shell — 

 The plain old weapon showed no frills, 

 * But did its duty well. 



Alas! its master haunts no more 



The forest pathways dark, 

 Nor hearkens by the sylvan fount 



The deer's soft tread to mark. 

 And so, disused, the rifle hangs 



Against my study wall, 

 While wild November's trumpets blare 



And autumn's glories fall. 



