298 



RECREATION. 



dcr, 1*5 chilled; result, \i inch in pine 

 target. 



4. At 70 and 75 yards, 3% drms. black 

 powder, iJ^-8 drop; result, ^ inch in pine 

 target. 



5. At 60 yards, 3 drms. black powder, 

 1-6 drop; result, }i inch in pine target. 



6. At 80 and 90 yards, 354 drms. black 

 powder, 1^-5 chilled; result, J4 inch in 

 pine target. 



7. With 3 drms. black powder, 1-8, I 

 shot out over a frozen lake. I measured 

 the distance. At 35 yards the first pellet 

 struck, and at 140 yards the last one rolled 

 out on the snow. At 100 yards the charge 

 had spread 6 yards, and had, I believe, 

 penetration enough to make good kills. 

 T'his was also shot by the repeater. 



To S. W. Owens: A gun with stock 13 

 of 1334 inches long, 1^ or i^4 inches drop 

 at comb, and 2^ or 2^4 inches drop at heel, 

 ought to be good for you. 



I would advise R. I. O. Travers to get 

 a Winchester "Brush" or "Riot" shot gun, 

 for buckshot. 



"Sport," of Schenectady, N. Y., will find 

 a choke bore gives the better penetration. 



Allow me to ask that same question: 

 W r hy is it the '92 model Winchester, .25-20, 

 gives more penetration than the .25-20 

 single shot, when the latter has 2 grains 

 more of powder? 



Mr. F. B. Ellis inquires about the .32- 

 40, .30-40 or .30-30. I do not know why 

 the .32-40 would not be a good rifle for 

 general use. Of course, it is not such a 

 powerful one as the .30-30, its velocity and 

 penetration being less; nor has it such a 

 flat trajectory. I feel as Mr. Ellis does 

 regarding the fellow who pumps lead. 



To R. C. G., Seattle, Wash.: Shooting 

 round balls from choke bore guns will not 

 prove satisfactory. It is all right for a 

 cylinder bore. 



I can, with Mr. Peterson, recommend 

 the Ithaca hammerless. The Baker is 

 another good investment. The Reming- 

 ton is good, too. 



To T. M., Southborough, Mass.: Both 

 actions are excellent, strong and durable. 

 Of course the slide is a trifle quicker to 

 work and more up to date. Neither action 

 is likely to jam shells if proper ones are 

 used, viz., Winchester shells. I have 

 had other makes stick when entering bar- 

 rel. 



What J. H. Ramsay says I believe to be < 

 true, but let us hear from some one who is 

 able and willing to make such a test. 



In reply to H. L., Hackberry, Kan.: 

 1. Stevens No. 5 expert rifle is an excellent 

 one for target use, and Stevens Favorite, 

 or their No. 44, for rabbits and prairie 

 dogs. These rifles use the .25 and the .25- 

 20. 



2. Yes. 



3. It will hand(e thai bullet. 



To R. S. D. Loach: You will find that 

 the .25-20 caries too light a load for deer, 

 it having only 17-86 grains. 



The .25-35 or .30-30 Winchester would 

 please Dr. Cabell. The .303 Savage is also 

 a good cartridge. 



Tell "Ramrod," Lacolle, Can., to use 

 factory loaded .30-30 shells, short range.. 



Will Winchester, Lake Forest, 111., kind- 

 ly prove to me that the .32-40 is more ac- 

 curate than the .30-30? 



I believe the repeating shot gun to be 

 perfectly legitimate. Are we all going to 

 be condemned for using it, simply be- 

 cause some game hog chooses to empty 

 his gun at a single bird 



M. W. R, Port Hope, Ont. 



THE GUN OF MV DADDY. 



My first gun was an heirloom. It had 

 been used by a long line of ancestors; 

 and when I recall the pranks it is said to 

 have played and the havoc it wrought, I 

 marvel that I ever came into existence. 

 Originally it was a flint-lock, long and 

 heavy; later, it was altered to a percussion 

 lock. The stock extended two-thirds of 

 the length of the barrel and was secured 

 thereto by 3 ferrules. 



I was yet a lad of tender years when it 

 came into my possession. Well do I re- 

 member the morning when, with a light 

 heart and parental approval, I took the 

 old gun and set out alone to bag my first 

 game. 



I directed my steps to a small pond, 

 where, in those days, ducks in goodly 

 numbers resorted. There I found as pretty 

 a flock of teal as ever man saw. Approach- 

 ing cautiously through the bushes which 

 skirted the pond I raised . the piece and 

 pulled the trigger. To my dismay, only 

 the cap exploded, and the much coveted 

 birds took flight. When I had exhausted 

 the reprehensory adjectives at my com- 

 mand I sat down to consider. Resting 

 the gun on my knees, I picked the prim- 

 ing hole with a pin and recapped it. While 

 lowering the hammer it in some way 

 slipped from my fingers. Presto! All the 

 constellations immediately crowded into 

 view. When they ceased to glitter I found 

 myself in a reclining position. The old 

 gun had kicked itself free from the ferrules 

 and ramrod, which I still held in my hand, 

 and was standing erect in the ooze nearby. 

 Around was falling a shower of debris 

 from a shelly ledge behind me, where my 

 heavy charge of big shot had started a little 

 avalanche. Retracing my steps, gameless, 

 but rich in experience, I sought an oppor- 

 tunity and traded the old weapon for one 

 of a more modern type. 

 A. W. Burnham, Fortune's Rocks, Me. 



