300 



RECREATION. 



ON A PEACE FOOTING. 



Shortly after the beginning of the Yan- 

 ko-Spanko war, a report became current 

 that Spain was sending a squadron to ha- 

 rass our coast. At that time some of our 

 patriotic citizens formed a company, tak- 

 ing the name of The Los Angeles Sharp- 

 shooters. 



The company consisted of 88 fully 

 equipped men, with Allyn Kelley, the chief 

 promoter, as captain. Little attention was 

 given to manual at arms or drilling; but 

 much time was spent at the range which 

 the company put up, shooting at 200, 300, 

 500 and 600 yards; military rules govern- 

 ing. With constant practice some excel- 

 lent scores were made; quite a few pos- 

 sibles at all ranges by some of the crack 

 shots. 



When peace was declared the company 

 reorganized, keeping the old name and re- 

 taining a majority of the old members. It 

 is now really a rifle club. We have substi- 

 tuted black powder target rifles, have a 

 fully equipped range with targets at 200 

 and 500 yards, shoot weekly, and held tour- 

 naments semi-annually. 



Medal days are semi-monthly, when 

 medals in different classes and for different 

 ranges are awarded to the shooter having 

 the highest score of the day. If he wins a 

 medal on 3 different occasions he retains 

 same as his property. This produces a 

 good deal of interest, and the rivalry is 

 keen. Our annual meeting was held Jan- 

 uary 18, 1900, and a board of directors 

 elected, namely, C. A. Leighton, O. H. 

 Wescott, Allyn Kelley, D. Brockway and 

 C. A. Blackmar. At the first meeting of 

 the board C. A. Leighton was elected pres- 

 ident and C- A. Blackmar secretary and 

 treasurer for this year. 



C. A. Blackmar, Los Angeles, Cal. 



WHY A REPEATER IS BEST. 

 To answer the questions of Mr. G. R. 

 Ruckery, I will give my experience with 

 repeating shot guns. 



1. They have few advantages over dou- 

 ble guns, except for killing cripples in 

 duck shooting. I think, however, that 

 when one becomes used to a single barrel 

 the aiming is easier than with a double 

 gun. The Winchester repeater has one 

 disadvantage. If for any reason you wish, 

 while afield, to change the cartridges in 

 the magazine, the change is not easily ef- 

 fected. But the gun is so finely choked 

 and beautifully balanced that it is the best 

 arm made for the money. 



2. Repeaters are as safe as double guns. 

 It is an advantage, to my mind, to be able 

 to keep the magazine full of shells and the 

 chamber empty. One may then with per- 

 fect safety climb fences, and yet be able 

 to load the chamber in an instant. 



3. There is no liability o\ jamming, if the 

 slide is worked properly. 



4. They wear as well as $50 double guns, 

 and cost y 2 as much. 



5. I never knew one to burst. 



6. There is little choice between the 

 Winchester and Parker. 



7. Yes, I have used the Winchester, Le- 

 fever, Parker and Tolley. 



I think repeaters as good as double guns 

 for general use. Of course you have not 

 the advantage of having one barrel full 

 choked and the other half-choked or cyl- 

 inder. This talk of the repeater being a 

 gun for game hogs is all bosh. I have 

 seen few men who could get in 3 succes- 

 sive shots at a flock of quail. 



C. D. R., Fort Logan, Col. 



A GUN SHY COLLIE. 



Some time ago I sent you an account 

 of a young collie pup I had which was 

 marvelously intelligent, but died. I now 

 have another which is very like the first. 

 He is somewhat gun shy, but is fast im- 

 proving, so that he begins to enjoy going 

 out with me on my trips after ducks. When 

 I shoot from shore blind he will retrieve 

 all the ducks I can kill. I use no boat, but 

 at low tide wade out and anchor the de- 

 coys as far out as I can well reach. With 

 the wind off the land the decoys are about 

 the right distance from shore. Several 

 hours later the tide has put the decoys be- 

 yond my depth, but my good little collie 

 will bring every one to my feet, with its 

 anchor, a whole brick, trailing behind. 



I keep my gun in a canvas case standing 

 in a corner near the stove. When I am 

 ready to go on a hunt I say, "Tony, do 

 you want to go ducking?" He will at once 

 go to the corner, seize the case, drag the 

 gun to the -jor, bring it and drop it at 

 my feet. I do not think collies are gen- 

 erally supposed to be of much value for 

 hunting, but $50 would not induce me to 

 part with mine. Kindness will do wonders 

 with dogs sometimes and with people, too, 

 for that matter. Recreation is still im- 

 proving and is the best of 4 sportsmen's 

 periodicals which I take. 



D. T. Tuthill, Orient Point, N. Y. 



SMALL SHOT. 

 I read the Gun department in Recrea- 

 tion with great interest, as it gives prac^ 

 tical results. I own a beautiful Sharp's 

 carbine as used Dy the U. S. cav#lry? I 

 hammerless rifle, model 1878. It originally 

 shot a .40-70-330 shell. I sent it to the 

 Remington Arms Co. and had them put 

 on a .38-50 Remington smokeless steel bar- 

 rel. It is the finest piece of work I ever 

 saw, and for shooting, both at target and 

 game, the rifle can not be beaten. T tried 



