CUNS AND AMMUNITION. 



Anybody can shoot all day, but a gentleman will quit when he gets enough- 



ANSWERING BRITISHER. 



In part answer to a communication signed 

 Britisher, published in your February issue, 

 I submit the following personal views based 

 on some experience with the arms referred 

 to. 



The Winchester repeating shot gun is 

 probably the best weapon of its kind. Its 

 action is reasonably smooth and as com- 

 pared with other models, reliable. I have 

 never tried it as a ball gun, but see no rea- 

 son why the shells, if properly loaded, 

 should not work through the action without 

 jamming. 



I have never tried English shells in a gun 

 of this description, but believe they would 

 work satisfactorily, as they do in American 

 double guns. Speaking broadly, however, 

 the English shells I have used do not com- 

 pare in quality with American ammunition 

 manufactured either by the Union Metallic 

 Cartridge Company or the Winchester Re- 

 peating Arms Company. 



The best American double gun is the 

 Parker. I have had no opportunity of com- 

 paring this gun with those of English 

 make, in the matter of pattern, except with 

 the Greener gun, which, while admittedly 

 a splendid weapon, I have not found the 

 equal of the best American shot guns in 

 that respect. In finish, balance and nice 

 working of parts, I have yet to see the 

 American arm that bears comparison with 

 those of the best English makes. However, 

 I prefer the American shot gun as a sport- 

 ing weapon. 



The 50 caliber '86 model, Winchester 

 rifle will shoot either 50-100-450 or 50-110- 

 300 in the same rifle and with the same 

 sight, w 7 ithin reasonable hunting ranges. 

 This is not a long distance weapon ; but 

 within 300 yards, on large game, I have 

 used the 2 cartridges indiscriminately in 

 the barrels rifled for each kind and have 

 found little difference in accuracy. The 

 rifling in the 2 barrels is almost the same. 

 There is hardly any question but that the 

 50-100-450 is the more accurate and dead- 

 ly. If I had to stake my life on the accu- 

 racy, reliability and paralyzing power of a 

 repeating rifle, I should choose this gun 

 to-day in preference to any other in conflict 

 with dangerous game. I do not believe the . 

 claim has ever been made that either the 

 30-30 or the .303 is equal to this cartridge 

 in respect to stopping power, although what 

 the new Winchester 35 caliber will do re- 

 mains to be seen. 



It is hard to make comparisons between 

 the Savage rifle and the Winchester. They 



are different in construction and although 

 the Savage is more pleasing to the eye, 

 there is probably little difference in effi- 

 ciency between the weapons. Either would 

 be improved by a detachable box or cylin- 

 der magazine. 



The best rifle and cartridge for small 

 game and target practice up to about 200 

 yards is largely a matter of choice. The 

 Stevens is an accurate gun ; so is the Rem- 

 ington. My own choice is the Winchester 

 25-20, either single shot or half magazine 

 repeater, equipped with the Lyman combi- 

 nation rear sight, Lyman leaf in lieu of 

 the regular rear sight on the barrel, and 

 Lyman ivory bead fore sight. This gun is 

 satisfactory either with smokeless or black 

 powder. E. V. Papin, St. Louis, Mo. 



WANTS A SMOKELESS 38-55. 



I noticed an article in December Recrea- 

 tion regarding the pump gun. I believe 

 the author was on the right track. I have 

 used a repeating shot gun the past 6 years 

 and on several occasions have fired the 6 

 shots, killing as many birds, within a few 

 seconds. While the action of my repeater 

 reminds me of a coffee mill yet it will do 

 the work and has seen rough usage. 



The other fellow condemned all pump 

 guns as being destructive to game. I think 

 the Marlin is the game bird's best friend. 

 I have used that make of gun on various 

 occasions. Both rifles and pump guns I 

 have weighed in the balance and found 

 wanting. The Marlin pump fails to eject 

 the shells properly: Frequently it tries to 

 force the shell through the top of the gun 

 and so blocks the action. This only hap- 

 pens when the operator tries to make a 

 double. Another objection is the recoil. 

 With 3 drams of DuPont smokeless the gun 

 will do execution in 2 directions. The bar- 

 rel is placed too high with regard to the 

 position of the stock. 



I use a pump gun and possibly shall con- 

 tinue to do so. ^However, I believe all 

 ejector double guns and pumpers should 

 be discarded. Perhaps if I read Recrea- 

 tion much more and find out the true defi- 

 nition of a game hog I shall hang my pump 

 gun on the wall and go back to my first 

 love — a Davenport single barrel. 



My notion of an all around gun would 

 be a 38-55 caliber with a barrel of smokeless 

 steel. The rifling should be the same as in 

 the old black powder gun of that style, one 

 turn in 16 inches. The charge, for long 

 range work, should be about 27 grains Du- 

 Pont high pressure powder, with metal 



