3?o 



RECREATION. 



REPLIES TO MR. GORS. 



I use a Winchester 16 gauge gun with 28 

 inch modified choke. In this gun I find a 

 Leader shell,- loaded with 2->4 drams of 

 hulk smokeless powder, one 16 gauge filled 

 or trap wad, 2 15 gauge black edge wads, 

 and % ounce No. 5 chilled shot, with a thin 

 shot wad and good round crimp, all one 

 could desire for either squirrels or ducks. 

 Three drams of powder and one ounce of 

 shot shoots a trifle harder, hut there is con- 

 siderable increase in recoil and really no 

 gain, as the pattern is more broken. 



My advice to Mr. Goss is to pattern his 

 gun with Nos. 4, 5, and 6 shot at 35 yards, 

 and settle on the size it handles best. It 

 has been my experience that a full choke 

 T2 or 16 gauge gun makes a better pattern 

 with No. 5 shot than with 4 or 6. 



As to powders I have used DuPont, Haz- 

 ard and Laflin & Rand and have found 

 them good. Laflin & Rand has given good 

 satisfaction when loaded 22 grains in Lead- 

 er ->4 base shell, wadded and shotted as 

 above. 



In June Recreation J. B. Knapp says he 

 can kill farther with black than with smoke- 

 less powders. I have used thousands of 

 loads of both and have often thought good 

 black powder, when properly loaded, gave 

 the longer range, especially when shooting 

 heavy shot. However, the pleasure in 

 shooting smokeless so overcomes the slight 

 difference that I prefer it by odds. 



Many make the mistake of ramming or 

 putting too much pressure on nitro powder. 

 Just seat the wads firmly and you will get 

 better penetration as well as pattern and 

 less recoil. If yon prefer black powder 

 and want a good killing 16 gauge load, use 

 a 2>)4 inch black powder shell and 2>>4 or 3 

 drams of DuPont Eagle ducking powder. 

 This powder costs more than many Other 

 grades, but is clean and has great penetra- 

 tion. The medium grain is best for field 

 or timber, as the coarse grain burns slower. 



Jack, Guthrie, I. T. 



BUCKSHOT IN CHOKE BORES. 

 You may tell Buck Shot, of Milner, N. 

 P., that if he will use a cylinder bored gun 

 and Nos. 6 or 8 shot, and cut the shell be- 

 tween the powder and wads, he will get bet- 

 ter results than from using a choke bore with 

 buck shot. I have experimented .along this 

 line for years and got better results from 

 small shot and smokeless powder, loosely 

 loaded but with a pood crimp, than when 

 using large shot and black powder. I use 

 a double gun. The cylinder bored barrel 

 will, up to 125 yards, shoot a cut shell equal 

 to a rifle. I have time and again put a 

 whole charge of Nos, 8 or 6 shot 2 incheg 

 into a sycamore or cottonwood tVee at 100 

 steps. T hnve never used (his load on any- 

 thing larger tlmn jack rabbits and wolves; 



but on them it was fatal and they dropped 

 on the spot where they were shot. I believe 

 that on larger game it would be equally 

 effectual. 



D. O. Boslcy, Wapanucka, I. T. 



In answer to the question asked by Buck- 

 shot, Milnor, N. Dak., regarding the use of 

 buck shot in choke bore guns, would say 

 1 have used a load composed of 3 drams 

 powder, well wadded, with 3 buck shot that 

 chamber loosely in a shell, with a card wad 

 to cover, and found it excellent for fox 

 shooting at long range. The result might 

 be different in using different guns. Have 

 used several sizes and makes of rifles and 

 find that the 32-40, '94 model, Winchester 

 suits my purpose as well as any. It is light, 

 positive in action, and an accurate shooter. 

 Made with half length magazine and half 

 octagon barrel it is a well balanced arm. 

 Milton Wampole, Niagara Falls, N. Y. 



In June Recreation Buck Shot, Milner, 

 N. Dak., tells of cutting a shell in order to 

 bunch the charge for long distance shots. 

 I have heard of this being done but have 

 never succeeded in doing it. I should like 

 to know whether the shell is cut lengthwise 

 or around. Will gladly send stamps to any- 

 one who will cut a shell properly and send 

 it to me. 



Edward Ilallowell, Phila., Pa. 



ANSWER. 



The shell should be cut around and be- 

 tween the. 2 wads on top of powder. Cut 

 the shell clear through about half way 

 around and nearly through in the other 

 part. — Editor. 



DENOUNCES THE PUMP GUN. 



In June Recreation Black Jack replies 

 to statements made by Double Barrel anent 

 the pump gun. 1 do not say Winchester, 

 because there are others, and they are all 

 just pump guns. 



Black Jack says it is impossible to de- 

 liver, effectively, more than 2 shots into a 

 COVey of Hying birds when using a repeater. 

 This might be true if the birds always got 

 up at 30 to 35 yards rise, and altogether. 

 But every real sportsman knows that chick- 

 ens and quails frequently flush at a distance 

 of only a few feet from the hunter, and 

 just as often spring up singly or in pairs; 

 and it is for such situations the murderous 

 repeater is designed and used. 



Black Jack further informs us that the 

 repeater is a close-shooting, durable gun at 

 a reasonable price." I can buy a double 

 gun which will give as good, or better, pat- 

 tern and penetration and wear longer, at a 

 much more reasonable price. There is not 

 less iron in a pump than in a double .barrel 

 f 'of equal strength." A careful user of fire- 

 arms will be an< to smile when he is told 



