GUNS AND AMMUNITION. 



53 



I had a Marlin repeating shot gun, but it 

 was no good. It would choke up and 

 would not work. It would not extract if 

 the shells happened to be damp. 



John A. Cooper, Deleware, Ohio. 



16-GAUGE HIGHEST TYPE. 



Noticing the inquiry of Mr. Jones, of 

 Slate Hill, Pa., in Recreation some time 

 ago, relative to the power of a 16 gauge 

 gun, I beg to state my experience with 

 that gun. For 25 years I used a 12 gauge 

 gun, commencing with the old lift action 

 Parker and following with W. & C. Scott, 

 Greener, Schaefer and Lefever, all in 12 

 gauge. With the advent of nitro powders 

 I saw no use for the 7H and 8 pound guns 

 I had been using, and I gradually reduced 

 the weight till I used a 6% pound gun. 



It then occurred to me that a 16 gauge 

 gun would be a deadly arm, so I ordered 

 one, 3 years ago, with 2 sets of barrels, one 

 pair 28 inch, cylinder bored, for birds, and 

 one pair 28 inch, full choke, for heavier 

 shooting. The cylinder pair, stocked, 

 weigh 5 pounds and 6 ounces ; the full 

 choke pair, stocked, 6 pounds and one 

 ounce. With this pair I have killed, the 

 past 3 winters, some 36 turkeys in the 

 South, and many ducks. These barrels 

 were bored for a 2% inch shell, and I used 

 3 drams of powder to one ounce of No. 5 

 shot. Many times at 40 and 45 yards I 

 have cut down wild turkeys on a cross 

 shot, badly breaking them up ; and once 

 at 60 yards I killed a fine old gobbler, a 

 most surprising shot. The cylinder pair 

 are bored for a 2 9-16 shell, and with 2^4 

 drams of powder are deadly for grouse, 

 woodcock, quails and snipe. This little 

 gun, to my mind, represents the highest 

 ideal of a sporting arm. 



E. O. Damon, Northampton, Mass. 



.'.BEST MODEL FOR LYMAN SIGHTS. 



In January Recreation A. S. Mosse 

 asks for some information regarding Ly- 

 man sights on the '95 model, 30-40 Win- 

 chester. I once used one, but lately 

 changed to a 303, same model. I find the 

 sight more handy than the one on the old 

 models ; it does not catch in brush, as the 

 older style did when raised. There is one 

 objection I have found to the new model, 

 and that is this : When carrying the rifle 

 over the shoulder, the lever is sometimes 

 worked loose by rubbing, thus changing the 

 elevation of the sight. If one is care- 

 ful that can be easily prevented. Besides 

 that I can see no other cause of complaint. 



In the same issue of the magazine was 

 a question re shooting large game with 

 shot guns. When in India, I used to shoot 



pigs in the coffee plantations. I found the 

 best charge up to 30 yards was 9 moulded 

 shot 3 in a layer, in a 12 bore shell, or 3 

 layers of 4 each in a 10 bore, with 3 

 drachms of powder for 12 bore, 4^ for 10 

 bore. After putting the shot in I used to 

 pour over them hot candle grease. When 

 this is discharged from the gun, it goes like 

 a bullet for 35 or 40 yards, unless it strikes 

 something, in which case it makes a ter- 

 rible wound, like that of a 50-100 express 

 bullet, but with less penetration. 



J. F. Campbell, Peutichin, B. C. 



BANKS ON THE 25-20. 



I read in September Recreation an in- 

 quiry as to the accuracy of the 25-20 car- 

 tridge, compared with the W. C. F. 32, and 

 the 22 long. I have found the 25-20 as ac- 

 curate as any rifle cartridge I ever used, 

 and its destructiveness is remarkable for 

 its size. 



I have shot jack rabbits at 100 to 175 

 yards with the 25-20, with the most satis- 

 factory results. The bullet usually goes 

 through the body at those distances. 

 Have shot at targets 200 to 300 yards, with 

 the 25-20 and have always found it ex- 

 tremely accurate. 



I doubt whether the 25-20 would prove 

 satisfactory as a squirrel or quail gun, ow- 

 ing to its strong penetration; but do not 

 know of any better for rabbits. Do not 

 think the 22 short can be beaten for a 

 squirrel gun. I have read Recreation 

 several years and consider it the best 

 periodical in its line. 



S. E. A., Sioux City, la. 



TO KEEP SMALL CALIBRES CLEAN. 

 I have noticed several complaints from 

 readers about being unable to clean and 

 keep clean their 30-30's, 30-40's and other 

 small calibre smokeless powder rifles. They 

 will have no trouble if they will try my 

 plan. Use a bristle brush cleaner, dipped 

 in water and rubbed on a cake of sapolio 

 until a little adheres. Run through barrel 

 several times, after which rinse, brush and 

 run through several times more. Run a 

 few wet rags through to thoroughly re- 

 move sapolio, then a few dry ones, and 

 the gun will be perfectly cleaned. An oiled 

 rag run through after such a cleaning will 

 keep the barrel in perfect condi- 

 tion. The sapolio will not injure 

 the bore. When guns are put 

 away, either before or after clean- 

 ing, they will not rust nor pit if breech 

 block is left open, providing, of course, 

 they are not wet inside. 



George McLean, Denver, Cola 



