286 
foot-pounds, muzzle velocity 2,065 feet, trajec- 
tory 200 yards height at 100 yards, 5.474 inches. 
One may readily see that the .32-40 has the 
advantage to a slight degree in energy, velocity 
and trajectory at 200 yards. The .32-40 has 
the same advantage as the .32 Special in the use 
of black and low-pressure smokeless powder 
loads, also short range and miniature loads. 
In short, if there is any sufficient reason why 
any one would choose a .32 S. in preference 
to the .32-40 H. P., Iam unable to find it. 
In answer to Roy Buffenmeyer, who wants 
an all-round rifle, I would say that what the 
editor says is true; there is no all-round rifle, 
and I doubt if there ever will be. But in my 
opinion the .32-40 H. P. Marlin is as near to 
Jit as any one rifle can be. With it and the 
different loads one may use in it you have a 
rifle suitable for game from a rat to a moose 
or a grizzly bear. Quite a wide range I'll 
admit, but look at the range in loads, from the 
round ball of 49 grains and very few grains of 
powder, to the full H. P. load of 24.5 grains 
L. & R. Lightning powder and 165-grain soft- 
nose bullet with a velocity of over 2,000 feet 
per second. 
Of course, if one prefers he may choose. a 
Winchester or Savage of the same caliber. 
I do not pretend to say that any one of these 
will shoot any better than the others, but I like 
the Marlin action best. 
I would recommend a repeater in almost 
every instance, and fitted with Marble’s réar 
sight, Lyman folding slot sight and either 
Marble’s or Lyman’s front sight, with ivory or 
gold bead. OPALR: 
Springville, Ind. 
Would Reload His .30-30 Shells 
I have a .30-30 Marlin, model 1893, and 
should like to know if the factory-loaded 
smokeless cartridges can be reloaded with 
black powder and lead bullets. If so, what 
charge of powder should I use to obtain a point- 
blank range of 100 yards? 
I should like to hear from some one who has 
used the Winchester supplemental chamber 
and the .32 Smith & Wesson or .32 short Colt’s 
cartridge. Does the tps arrangement 
work well? N. O. NELSON. 
Braye, Wash. 
[There is unfortunately no such thing as a 
point-blank range, consequently you cannot 
obtain it. All you can do is to decide what 
trajectory you can content yourself with, and 
then figure out a load to suit. Remember, how- 
ever, that you can carry high velocitygtoo far, 
in the end losing more by the inaccuracy of 
RECREATION 
your charge than you gain by its extreme 
velocity. Write to the Ideal Manufacturing 
Company, of New Haven, for their latest hand- 
book and catalogue. 
The Winchester supplemental chamber 
works well when used as a single loader. We 
have done good shooting with the .32 short S. 
& W. as well as with the .32 short Colt.—Eb.] 

Why He Prefers the .32 W. S. 
As an interested reader of your magazine and 
a user and upholder of a .32 W. S. Winchester 
rifle, I would reply to O. R. A., of Springfield, 
Mass., as follows: I owned a Marlin .32-40 
rifle with special smokeless steel barrel up till 
two years ago, when I sold it and bought a 
Winchester 1894 model .32 Special. 
To give the .32-40 H. P. all credit due, I 
found it to be a very accurate and powerful 
cartridge, but, like all rifle cranks, to satisfy my 
curiosity I sold it and purchased the much- 
talked-of .32 W. S., and must say that I am 
more than pleased with the trade, because I am 
satisfied that I got my money’s worth. 
Now, the reasons why I prefer the .32 Special 
to the .32 H. P. (from the experience I have had 
and the manufacturer’s figures) are as follows: 
Comparing the two cartridges for velocity—at 
50 feet—the .32 Special figures at 2,050 feet per 
second, whereas the .32-40 H. P. gives but a 
little over 1,700 feet per second 
The striking energy of the .32 Special at 20 
feet is 1,585 foot-pounds, while the .32-40 H. P. 
is about 1,300 foot-pounds. The .32 Special 
bullet (as loaded by the W. R. A. Co.) is 170 
grains in weight and the .32-40 H. P. 165 grains; 
the diameter of the bullets are about the same; 
if there is any difference the .32 Special is a little 
the larger. 
Again, a .32 W. S. Winchester, nickel-steei 
barrel, will wear longer than the carbon steel 
used in ‘‘Special Smokeless” barrels. 
Loaded with black powder (40 grains) the 
velocity of both cartridges are about the same— 
1,385 feet per second. A .32 Special shell will 
hold about 3 or 4 grains (black powder) more 
than the .32-40. 
I like the.32-40 shell better than the Special 
when it comes to reloading. As we all know, a 
straight taper shell is not so apt to buckle, and 
will permit reloading more often than a shell 
with a bottle neck. I had a little trouble in 
those respects with the Special shells at first, 
but after paying a little more attention to the 
cleaning of the same, I found they could be 
reloaded quite a number of times. 
For short range target practice or for-small 
game the Winchester supplementary chambers 
for the .32 W. S. list at but 60 cents, and .32 
