332 



RECREATION. 



I use a .45-70 Winchester, extra light 

 22-inch barrel, take down, which I think as 

 fine appearing and handy a rifle as I ever 

 saw. I have used the soft tipped bullet 

 "Boone" speaks of, and find it effective on 

 large game. On striking a bone, 9 times 

 out of 10 it will expand to nearly 3 times 

 its natural size. The composition I use is 

 one part tin to 16 of lead for the base, and 

 pure lead for the tip. Have never tried 

 the tip for penetration, but think it would 

 prove satisfactory if made considerably 

 harder than the base of bullet. For small 

 game I use 6 grains fffg powder with a 

 round ball, made of one part tin to 16 of 

 lead. Seat a little below the head of shell 

 with an Ideal No. 5 tool, and always resize 

 the muzzle of shell before loading. Drop 

 one or 2 drops of melted beef tallow on 

 top of ball. 



A. W. Hildebrand, Preston, Conn. 



In September Recreation "Ramrod" 

 asks how to load .30-30 shells cheaply. 

 No. 1 and No. 2 Dupont powders are 

 especially adapted to .30 caliber rifles. Use 

 10 to 15 grains for ordinary shooting at 

 distances from 50 to 150 yards. For long 

 range, up to 30 grains of U. S. smokeless 

 may be used. The powders mentioned are 

 the cleanest known, and unequalled in 

 strength and accuracy. The gases given 

 off in combustion are alkaline; and the 

 slight residue is nearly pure carbon and 

 will not accumulate in the barrel, even after 

 a great number of shots. A single greased 

 swab is sufficient for all necessary clean- 

 ing. Best results are obtained by using a 

 nitro primer. Pay attention to the proper 

 seating of the ball on the powder without 

 too much compression. The choice* of 

 loading tools is a matter of individual pref- 

 erence. Old Sport, Woyan, P. Q., Can. 



I have a 12 gauge Remington single 

 barrel semi-hammerless choke bore. For 

 squirrels and rabbits it cannot be 

 beaten. I have also a '92 model, .32-20 

 Winchester, which, with 20 grains of black 

 powder, will send a lead bullet through 

 2J4 inches of seasoned oak. At what dis- 

 tance, with a metal patched, soft nosed 

 bullet and 9 grains of smokeless powder 

 should it kill a deer? 



F. V. R., Monongahela, W. Va. 



ANSWER. 



The rifle would kill a deer at 200 yards if 

 you could put the bullet in his brain, spine 

 or heart. It might kill if the bullet were 

 placed elsewhere in the body, but not so 

 surely as a more powerful weapon. — 

 Editor. 



gauge shot guns. I have a 4^2-pound. 20 

 gauge, single gun that shoots well. It has 

 a 30-inch full choked barrel, sliding breech- 

 lock action and rebounding hammer. I 

 like the action, and with it can fire 2 shots 

 almost as quickly as with my double gun. 

 For squirrels, quails and woodcock I use 

 2^2 drams powder and 34 ounce No. 8 shot. 

 For rabbits and grouse, 2}/ 2 drams pow- 

 der and % ounce No. 5 or 6 shot. With 

 these loads I seldom fail to bring down my 

 game. I have also an expensive 12-gauge 

 Parker that I use for marsh shooting. For 

 ether work I generally fall back on my 

 20 gauge. 



Namaquit, East Boston, Mass. 



Am on my way to the coast selling Itha- 

 ca guns, and do not find our ad. in Feb- 

 ruary Recreation. What is the matter? 

 If the Ithaca Co. stop advertising in Rec- 

 reation I shall feel like throwing up my 

 job. There must be a mistake somewhere, 

 because they know Recreation sells as 

 many guns for them as all the other papers 

 put together. 



Louis P. Smith, Minneapolis, Minn. 



The Ithaca people increased their space 

 from a half page to a full page and so Mr. 

 Smith had failed to recognize it. The 

 Ithaca Co. has never missed an issue of 

 Recreation since it started. — Editor. 



Why do nearly all repeating shot guns 

 use forearm action and nearly all sporting 

 rifles use the lever action? 



A. R., Butte, Mont. 



ANSWER. 



Apparently the forearm action is pre- 

 ferred by most people, though some still 

 use the lever action guns. The latter are 

 not so good looking as the others, being 

 deeper in the frame. Perhaps that has 

 something to do with it. Possibly, also, 

 the forearm action is easier to the ordinary 

 man than the other is. — Editor. 



W. S. Blinn asked in September Recrea- 

 tion for information regarding small 



In answer to E. I. Oliver, I would say 

 I have owned a B grade Baker hammer- 

 less over 2 years. I believe the firing 

 pin safety is all the manufacturers claim. 

 The hammer cannot possibly strike the 

 firing pin unless the trigger is pulled, 

 which, of course, moves the safety block 

 out of the way. My Baker has 28-inch 

 barrels, weighs a little over 7 pounds, and 

 is a hard shooting gun. When held right 

 it pulverizes clay birds. 



Leather Stocking, Pepperell, Mass. 



I read in Recreation a few months 

 ago articles praising Peters' .22 short and 

 long rifle cartridges. I had a chance to try 

 them against U. M. C. .22s. Peters' .22 

 shorts are not so powerful as U, M. C.'s 



