GUNS AND AMMUNITION. 



*35 



and papoose in exchange for the gun. I 

 was not dealing in aboriginal curios, and 

 declined with thanks. Where a modern 

 gun is desired and hard usage is unavoid- 

 able the Ithaca hammerless is invaluable. 



G. F. Gebhardt. 



PROPER DROP OF STOCK. 



A. C. H., in July, '97, Recreation ad- 

 vises a beginner to use a gun with about a 

 2 inch drop. Then quoting from " Marks- 

 man," he says: "At straight away shots 

 keep your head well up. If the bird is 

 crossing to the left, keep your head 

 straight," etc. I do not see how a man can 

 hold his head well up when using a gun 

 with a 2 inch drop of stock; unless a goodly 

 portion of the heel is above the shoulder, 

 thereby receiving the recoil from the nar- 

 row toe of the gun stock. I have an ordi- 

 nary every day length of neck, for a height 

 of 5 feet 11 inches. I use a gun with a 143/2 

 inch stock and a 2}/ 2 inch drop. It is 

 plenty straight for field shooting, where 

 birds rise irregularly. But if I were to fol- 

 low trap shooting a 2 inch drop would be 

 all right. Then the gun would be at the 

 shoulder and the neck would be adjusted 

 before the bird took wing. A gun that 

 comes up naturally with the full of the butt 

 at the shoulder, without any unnecessary 

 contortions of the neck, is right for all 

 around shooting. Let us hear from others. 

 • Amateur. 



ITHACA GUNS. 



Replying to Mr. Wilson's inquiry I 

 would say: I ordered an Ithaca gun 2 years 

 ago for field use, and, although it cost me 

 but $30 built to order, it suited so well I 

 have recently purchased a No. 4 Ithaca 

 ejector, $100 list, for trap use. It is up to 

 date in every way, with a far better finish 

 than any gun of like cost I have yet seen. 



My field gun is a 12 bore, 28 inch barrel, 

 weighing 6y 2 pounds. Right barrel cylin- 

 der, left full choke, with extra heavy breech 

 for nitro powder. I can safely shoot 3 

 drams Dupont's smokeless in it, and am not 

 tired out at night by carrying an extra 

 pound or 2 of useless metal. 



My trap gun is a 12 bore, 30 inch barrel, 

 weighing 7*4 pounds. I never saw a gun 

 which gave a closer or more even pattern. 

 If Mr. Wilson will shoot an Ithaca and read 

 Recreation he will always be at the head 

 of the procession. 



P. S. Lewis, Portland, Me. 



NOTES. 



With regard to Eley's wire cartridges, 

 asked about by " Greenheart," I can per- 

 sonally speak as to their efficacy. I have 

 killed swans and geese off the East coast 

 of England, at long range, and never 



thought of going wild fowling without 

 them. When I came over here, the last 

 time, 5 years ago, I brought some with 

 me, and many a virtually out-of-range 

 duck they accounted for. I was sorry when 

 they were used up. They can be obtained 

 at retail from almost any leading gun- 

 maker in England. 



The little wire netting cylinders which 

 contain the shot can easily be made to fit 

 another calibre or shell, by pulling out or 

 collapsing after emptying and readjusting 

 with card needed and a thin paper roll. 

 The next time any friend makes a trip 

 over, I shall get him to bring me a few, 

 which I will reload with chilled shot, for 

 our fall geese; which never give other than 

 long chances, here. 



Percy Selous, Greenville, Mich. 



In the June number of Recreation J. L. 

 R., Jr., asks which is the better of 3 guns, 

 the Ithaca, Forehand or Syracuse. 



Taking into consideration the fact that 

 the 3 are equally well made, and of the 

 same material, and bored the same, it is 

 evident that the shooting qualities are 

 equal. The simplicity and strength of 

 mechanism of the Syracuse, makes it 

 superior to the others. 



It is strongly bolted through extension 

 rib, in such a manner as to hold both down 

 and back, and cannot shoot loose. It has 

 fewer parts than the others. It is also 

 superior in having long cocking levers, 

 thus making it easier to open the breech 

 and raise the hammers. 



A full description is given in July, 1897, 

 number of Recreation by J. A. Mac- 

 kenzie. I have been using a Syracuse 

 about 2 years and find it shoots as well as 

 any of them. 



Warren N. Smith, Argentine, Kansas. 



I am the proud possessor of a Reming- 

 ton shotgun. It weighs 8 pounds, has 30 

 inch barrels and 14 inch stock with 2 7-8 

 drop. It is the $35 grade, and I would not 

 swap it for any gun built for that price. I 

 made lots of long shots with it last fall, and 

 some good bunch shots. On one occasion 

 I was out at sea in a boat, hunting sea 

 brant. While laying at my decoys a bunch 

 of 5 came in. I waited until they came near, 

 but they would not bunch. One advanced 

 from the flock toward me and I shot and 

 killed him. Then the other 4 bunched and 

 I gave them the second barrel and killed all 

 at one shot. As the distance was about 40 

 yards and the sea choppy, I think it was a 

 good shot. I never could have done it with 

 my old gun, although it was a good one. 

 Most of my shooting is done at sea, on 

 wild fowl, and for such work I cannot 

 praise the Remington too highly. 



Howard G. Batchelder, 

 Newburyport, Mass. 



