460 



RECREATION. 



to work, but you never can tell when they 

 will work. In my time I have known 5 dif- 

 ferent hunters who were killed because 

 their Marlin rifles would not work, and 

 whenever I read of or see a man who uses 

 a Marlin rifle, I put him down as either in- 

 experienced with a gun, or a fool. 



Last winter I ran out of Savage cart- 

 ridges and borrowed a 30-30 Marlin. I 

 went out after moose, and jumped a bunch. 

 At the second shot the magazine clogged. 

 I went home and quit hunting until I could 

 get cartridges for my Savage. I would 

 rather go out after game with an ax than 

 with a Marlin. This year I am going to 

 try a 30-40 Winchester, although I like the 

 Savage very well. 



Jack Burke, Hot Springs, Wash. 



State of Illinois, i 

 County of Jackson, f 



Personally appeared before the under- 

 signed authority, J. W. Brady, who, being 

 first duly sworn, deposes and says that in 

 the fall of the year 1897 he purchased a 

 new Marlin rifle of 38-55 caliber, which he 

 used portions of the 4 seasons since in 

 hunting deer in Florida. That not more 

 than 400 cartridges were fired from it. 

 Deponent further swears that in attempt- 

 ing to fire this arm rapidly the cartridges 

 would sometimes jam or clog, or fail in 

 some way to be carried into the barrel 

 chamber so as to be discharged. 



J. W. Brady. 



Sworn to and subscribed before me this 

 April 22, 1901. 



Simeon Walker, 



[Seal] Notary Public. 



PENETRATION OF 25-20. 



Several writers replying to my letter 

 about the penetration of the 25-20 car- 

 tridge, claim that the penetration as given 

 in former issues of the Winchester cata- 

 logue was an error which has since been 

 rectified. In former issues the penetration 

 was given as 9^ boards for the repeater 

 with 24-inch barrel, and 6^ boards for the 

 single shot with 28-inch barrel. In the 

 last issue it is given as 9 boards for both. 

 I think the error is in the last catalogue. 

 It is generally claimed that the longer the 

 barrel the greater is the penetration. If 

 that is so, the single shot, with an advan- 

 tage of 2 grains powder and 4 inches of 

 barrel, should give greater penetration 

 than the repeater. F. W. K., 



Shamokin, Pa. 



ANSWER. 



The Winchester people say penetration 

 given in the last edition of their catalogue 

 is correct. The weight and kind of pow- 

 der used in the 25-20 W. C. F. make-up 

 for the difference of powder load and 

 length of barrel of the 25-2Q S». S.> — Ed. 



BEST GUN FOR VIRGINIA. 



In August Recreation someone at 

 Butte, Mont., asks regarding a good field 

 gun for use in Virginia. I have hunted in 

 all the Middle States and the gun I use in 

 the field is a 23-inch Remington, cylinder 

 barrels, weight of gun 6-13, with Heikes 

 hand protector. 



I have used almost every size and 

 weight of gun, and find this arm by far 

 the best. I am not nearly so tired at night 

 as those of my companions who use heav- 

 ier guns. I find mine much easier to 

 handle in brush. Have carried it 4 seasons 

 and would not sell or trade it for any gun 

 I have ever used in the field. 



Harry E. Dill, Dayton, O. 



Northwest, Butte, Mont., will find a 12- 

 gauge, 30-inch gun, weighing about 7 

 pounds and 10 ounces, the right thing for 

 general shooting in Virginia. Use 3 drams * 

 of powder and one ounce No. 8 shot for 

 quails ; No. 6 for grouse ; No. 5 for tur- 

 keys. H. S. Botele, 



Washington, D. C. 



SUGGESTIONS FOR NEW MODEL. 



Would not a rifle built to the following 

 specifications be a light, handy, and at the 

 same time effective weapon : Caliber, 30-30 

 or 38-55 ; Winchester model '86 action ; 

 round barrel ; half magazine, take down ; 

 double set triggers. If, as appears from 

 the Winchester table, a long barrel gives 

 less penetration than a shorter one, the 

 barrel of this gun need not be over 24 

 inches. By making as light as possible an 

 action of smokeless steel, and adding the 

 weight so saved to the barrel, the latter 

 could be made heavy enough for steady 

 holding without materially increasing the 

 weight of the arm. A set trigger would 

 prove an aid to those unable to draw and 

 hold a steady bead. It is claimed an oc- 

 tagon barrel does not expand evenly to the 

 shock of discharge, and therefore is not so 

 accurate as a round barrel. 



Small Bore, 



Kelsey, Mich. 



TRY FOREHAND AND SAVAGE. 



I would advise G. A. Mero to visit the 

 Forehand Arms Co., Worcester, Mass. 

 They make a strong, hard shooting gun. I 

 have their grade 1, 26-inch, 12 gauge ham- 

 merless. Have no trouble in killing a fox 

 at 10 or 12 rods. I have had the gun 5 or 

 6 years and have given it hard usage, yet it 

 is as tight as when I bought it. 



To A. A. S., Louisville, Ky. : I believe 

 the Savage .303 is the best rifle made. With 

 the 6 different cartridges you can obtain 



