GUNS AND AMMUNITION. 



EJECTORS AND OTHER THINGS. 



For 20 years or more I have been an 

 experimental sportsman, and have fired 

 enough shot at paper targets to ballast a 

 small boat. I have used many guns of dif- 

 ferent makes, good, bad,- and indifferent; 

 but like my human friends, the worst of 

 the lot was capable of teaching me some- 

 thing. 



I remember trying my first high-priced 

 gun at a paper target at 40 yards. I vas 

 disappointed with its performance. I tried 

 it with different shells, and while occa- 

 sionally it made a fair pattern, the average 

 was below what I had expected. 



A friend accompanied me to the range 

 the next day, and after he saw the results 

 of the first shot, suggested that I change 

 the line of range. I did so and the gun 

 made an excellent target, putting over 360 

 pellets of No. 8 shot into a 30 inch circle 

 at 40 yards. I tried it again, shooting in 

 the same direction, with. the same result. 

 Then I shifted around and fired in the di- 

 rection I had at first pointed the gun, get- 

 ting poor patterns again. I could not un- 

 derstand it, and when my scientific friend 

 began to explain the effects of contrary, or 

 uneven currents of air on a charge of shot, 

 I couljd hardly understand or believe him, 

 but I have lived and learned and I know 

 now he was correct. 



Let any sportsman take his best gun 

 to a place where the air currents are in- 

 fluenced by topographical surroundings, 

 and note 'the difference in patterns, when 

 firing at targets placed at different angles. 

 He will be astonished at the results. It 

 is not necessary that there should be a high 

 wind blowing; even a light breeze shifting 

 along the side of an uneven hill will be 

 sufficient to interfere with the patterns. 



Another thing in this connection should 

 be noted. Try your best shooting gun 

 when the sun is high and the air dry, and 

 preserve the target. When the sun has 

 set, and the air is moist, fire at a paper 

 target over the same range, using the same 

 load, and compare the patterns. After sun- 

 set the gun will make a far closer pattern. 

 Most sportsmen, of an experimental nat- 

 ure, have found these facts out long ago; 

 but I know many good guns are still be- 

 ing condemned, and all because their own- 

 ers have not given them a fair chance. 



In regard to the preservation of a gun 

 from rust, I will give my own experiences. 

 I spoiled several good sets of barrels by 

 following the bad advice given, with good 

 intent, by writers for sportsmen's journals. 

 One writer said to wash out the barrels 

 with a strong solution of soap suds: an- 

 other, to use kerosene oil; and still an- 



other said turpentine was an excellent 

 thing to take out lead. 



I have forgotten how many things were 

 suggested, but I tried them all. In the 

 end I was convinced I had been wrong in 

 following the advice of my friends. I re- 

 member particularly manufacturers of ni- 

 tro powders told me their powder would 

 not stain or pit the barrels, even if left 

 uncleaned. I was simple enough to believe 

 them, but had my tubes pitted and corro- 

 ded all the same. 



Then I began to use a little common 

 sense. I had found that snapping primers 

 in empty shells in the chambers was suffi- 

 cient to corrode and pit the metal, if the 

 barrels were not well cleaned. After that 

 I used plenty of strength in wiping rhe bar- 

 rels dry, until a clean white rag came out 

 only slightly stained. Then I set the tubes 

 over a stove until they got hot, so that 

 one could just bear to hold them, after 

 which I gave them a good coating of vase- 

 line from a swab, kept free from dampness 

 and used for no other purpose. This 

 method was a complete success and I have 

 adhered to it ever since. 



The latest experimental work I indulged 

 in was with modern ejectors. I thought 

 the ejector idea a good one, so bought a 

 high-priced ejector gun, of English make. 

 Sometimes it would eject, and then again 

 it would not. Every time it refused to 

 throw the shell out, it required a mule team 

 to haul it out. I became disgusted, and 

 after selling that gun bought another. 



This was an American gun, and as the 

 top of the bolt lever was set in a circle cut 

 half way into the extension rib, it occurred 

 to me the manufacturer had made a mis- 

 calculation and had to cut half circle into 

 each in order to permit them to work. 

 This gun had one fault. The ejectors 

 would turn and cause no end of trouble 

 and annoyance. I had to carry a tool box 

 when I went hunting. After firing 2 or 3 

 charges I had to disconnect the gun. It 

 was sold and another one bought. 



The new one was guaranteed to work, 

 and it would work providing I broke it 

 so far apart, after firing, that the barrels 

 and heel of the stock met. It had a stud 

 working in a slot cut, into the huge exten- 

 sion rib, the object being to keep the ejec- 

 tors from, turning and getting out of plum. 



I had some trouble with that gun and 

 soon began to look around for another. 

 I picked up an Ithaca hammerless, in a 

 Pittsburg store, one day, just to look at 

 the new ejecting mechanism. I had used 

 an Ithaca of the old style which was an 

 excellent shooting and good wearing 

 gun; but the improved outlines of the new 



