482 
distance of either, but will state that with the 
three guns, 16, 12, 10, if built in proportion 
to bore, as to weight, length of barrels, etc., 
that there is no question but that the ro-bore 
is most effective as a game-killer, and the r2- 
gauge next; the same is true of penetration. 
But this is not the only test—there are several 
other things to consider, some of which I may 
mention: weight of gun, weight of ammunition, 
cost of ammunition, noise and ease of manipu- 
lation. 
Having used a great many guns of both large 
and small bore, from 28-gauge to 8-gauge, my 
experience is that to get a ro-gauge gun that 
will take a good effective load, and not kick 
too much, it must weigh 9 pounds; add to this 
50 or 75 loaded shells, 14 ounces shot each, the 
rest In proportion, and after carrying this load 
for several hours, and firing several shots, one 
finds it hard on the nervous system, and the 
precision and accuracy necessary to good work 
will be noticeably affected—perhaps not with 
some, but I have noticed it in myself and also 
in the case of friends. 
I realize that the 16-gauge overcomes this 
difficulty, but to reduce the gun to a nice propo- 
sition and using proper loads also reduces the 
penetration and especially the pattern to an 
extent that seems unnecessary. 
A man of sound body and constitution should 
be able to carry a 12-gauge gun, and handle 
it quickly and accurately, if of 7? pounds, and 
this gun with 35 drams of smokeless powder, 
and 1% ounces shot, should give good pene- 
tration and pattern; and this reduction of 1} 
pounds on weight of gun, and a pound or two on 
ammunition, means a great deal after a few 
hours in the field. It saves the nervous and 
tiring strain produced by heavier loads, which 
will more than make up for any loss from a 
lighter gun and charge. The above is the reason 
why I use, exclusively, a 12-gauge gun of about 
8 pounds, and would not trade it for any 10- 
gauge. 
If my hunting were all on ducks and geese, 
“‘blind”’ shooting, I should want a 1o-gauge, 
and if squirrels, rabbits and quail, would take 
a 16-gauge, but for an all-around give me the 
12-gauge. 
I should like to see an article from a trust- 
worthy source showing the velocity when 
“shoulder shooting” of a 16-gauge, 53-53 
pounds; a 12-gauge, 7-73 pounds, and a 1ro- 
gauge of g pounds. Also at what distance from 
the gun the penetration would be equal. That 
is, if killing range be 70 yards for the ro-gauge, 
at what distance would the penetration be 
equal using 12- and 16-gauges? For loads 16- 
gauge, 24 P., 4 S.; 12-gauge, 33 P:, 150.3 -10- 
gauge, 43 P., 13S. 
RECREATION 
This is an interesting subject. Let’s hear 
from others. L. R. PENFIELD. 
Des Moines, Iowa. 
[In this connection some experiments which 
we carried out a few days ago with a very 
small bore may be of interest. The weapon 
was a double-barrel shotgun of 24-gauge, 
weighing 4% pounds, with 26-inch barrels, the 
right cylinder bored and the left full choke. 
The charge used was 2 drams Hazard black 
powder, and ? ounce of No. 8 chilled shot, in 
U. M. C. Nitro Club shells. At thirty yards 
the full choke barrel gave a pattern of 222 in the 
30-inch circle. This was 74 per cent. of the 
charge. The cylinder gave a pattern of 210 at 
twenty yards. Such a gun should be most 
useful in covert shooting for ruffed grouse or 
woodcock, but would, evidently, be an ab- 
a ee weapon for the duck marsh. 
TED, 

Burn Straight Powder 
T notice in the September number of RECREA- 
TION that Mr. Ed. C. Beeching, of South Ed- 
meston, N. Y., says he doesn’t want any metal 
patched bullets to go through his .303 Savage, 
and so make a shotgun of it. He prefers the 
new Ideal metal gas check bullet. 
Now, which is the hardest on the rifling? 
Isn’t a square edge harder on the rifle than a 
smooth metal cover? It will wear out the rifling 
a great deal sooner than a metal patch will, 
because of the square edge on the base of the 
bullet. It is harder than a metal patch. It must 
be very hard and tight-fitting to avoid being 
blown through the gun by the heavy charges of 
smokeless powder. 
As to reloading the high power cartridges, I 
don’t approve of it myself. I prefer letting the 
other fellow do the experimenting, and I feel 
sure I shall live just as long by so doing. 
There are some shooters that seem to think 
they have to use a 13-inch rifle on a deer to kill 
it. Now, I have known of deer being killed with 
an ordinary .22 rifle, and have seen many a one 
killed with a shotgun. It isn’t the power of 
your rifle nearly so much as it is the proper and 
careful placing of your shots. A big ball will not 
kill a bit better than a small one, if it is not 
placed in a vital spot. I can kill as many deer 
with a .32 Winchester as with a .30-30, or any 
other high-power gun. Place your shots in a 
vital spot and get your game. Unless you are 

