GUNS AND "AMMUNITION. 



217 



CLOSE SHOOTERS. 



I notice G. A. Mero, Becker, Minn., wants 

 information about shot guns, so I submit 

 my personal experience. I have owned for 

 5 years a Baker hammerless gun, 10 

 gauge, 32 inch barrels, weight 10 pounds, 

 and find it all right in every way. I shoot 

 5 drams DuPont powder and 1 1-3 ounces 

 shot, usually No. 8, as I find it certain 

 death under 50 yards. I never shoot any- 

 thing larger than 6's except for extremely 

 long range, say 100 yards and upwards, 

 when I use No. i's. I think most people 

 shoot too big shot, for I can kill ducks at 50 

 to 60 yards with No. 8's. I have also used 

 Ithaca guns many years and can recom- 

 mend them as fine weapons and good shoot- 

 ers. I should like to see more about duck 

 hunting and something from this part of 

 the country. 



T. A. Morgan, Morgantown, W. Va. 



G. A. Mero, Becker, Minn., says his 

 Remington does not shoot close enough to 

 suit him. He must have a cylinder bore 

 or his gun is too closely choked, or he has 

 not used the right load. I have a Reming- 

 ton ejector 12 gauge, 7% pound, full choke, 

 that at 45 yards with 3^2 drams smokeless 

 powder and 1)/% ounces No. 5 shot, placed 9 

 pellets in a space 3x5 inches. I thought at 

 first that my gun did not shoot coarse shot 

 well, but found it depended on the loading. 

 L. Shannon, Chipley, Fla. 



If G. E. Mero wants a close, hard shoot- 

 ing gun I advise him to try a Syracuse. 

 I have owned one 3 years. For close, hard 

 shooting it beats any other gun I ever shot, 

 and I have used many that cost several 

 times as much as my Syracuse. I can not 

 speak too highly of it or of its manufac- 

 turers. D. J.. Kelly, Baldwinsville, N. Y. 



ANOTHER MARLIN CLOG, 

 In the December number of Recreation 

 I find on page 459 a statement about the 

 Marlin rifle. Will you kindly allow me to 

 say that Mr. Burk and others speak my 

 sentiments regarding the Marlin? Two 

 years ago I was up at Enchanted pond, in 

 Somerset county, near the Kennebec Forks. 

 I had only a Winchester shot gun with me, 

 and, wishing to get some large game I hired 

 a Marlin rifle. It was a 40-60 model. I 

 bought shells and started with a guide to 

 have a good 2 weeks' hunt. We went 22 

 miles from Mr. Murphy's hotel, and on the 

 third day out we got sight of a fine buck. 

 My guide was on a hill about ^ of a mile 

 from me when I fired the first shot. I hit 

 the deer in the shoulder and he came right 

 toward me. I tried to get another shell in 

 the gun, and could not do it. The carrier 

 threw a cartridge up in the carrier spring 

 and there I was. The buck went by within 

 75 feet of me, but I was helpless, 20 odd 



miles from any house or place where I 

 could get a gun. Of course, my guide 

 loaned me his Winchester, which I used 

 with good results. 



When we came out of the woods and got 

 to Mr. Murphy's hotel I saw 4 other Mar- 

 lins, all hung up. I told of my trouble 

 with the Marlin, and the owners of those 

 rifles said that all those guns needed re- 

 pairing. They more than condemned the 

 Marlin rifles, and asked me to send them 

 some Winchesters. 



I have used a Winchester, 38-50, with 

 good results. I think of trying the Savage 

 another season if they are all right, but I 

 would not carry a Marlin 5 rods. I have 

 hunted and trapped more than 27 years, 

 and the Marlin repeaters are the poorest I 

 ever used. 



I am glad to see Recreation come out so 

 strong against fish and game hogs. Keep 

 right after them. 



Geo. H. Rock, New Auburn, Me. 



THE 22 AND THE 22 SPECIAL. 



Reading a recent number of Recreation, 

 I noticed that F. S. Rose desires to know 

 how the 22-7-45 cartridge compares with 

 the 22 long rifle. Being somewhat familiar 

 with both cartridges I venture a reply. 



I am now using a 22-7-45 Winchester 

 repeater, which I have had nearly 2 years. 

 Before buying it I had never used anything 

 except the regular 22's. It is difficult to 

 draw a comparison between those 2 most 

 excellent cartridges. In the 3 essential 

 features — accuracy, penetration, and tra- 

 jectory — they are much alike. All shooters 

 know, however, that the 22 long rifle can 

 not be beaten at ranges from 100 feet up to 

 100 yards ; but the 22-7-45 can be depended 

 on to go where it is held every time. The 

 flat point of the 22 special gives it less 

 penetration than it otherwise would have, 

 and makes it almost identical with the 22 

 long rifle. In my experience I have not 

 found much difference in trajectory, the 

 advantage, if any, being with the 22-7-45. 



The one great point in which the 22-7-45 

 excels the 22 long rifle is its superiority as 

 a hunting cartridge. Its extra weight and 

 flat point give a much greater smashing 

 effect, while there is nothing lost in the 

 other essentials that combine to make a 

 perfect cartridge. If I wanted a rifle for 

 target use only, I should prefer the 22 long 

 rifle ; if I wanted it for hunting, the 22 

 special would suit me best. 



Edw. McGaffick, Winona, O. 



THE PROOF OF THE PUDDING. 

 Although "Ivory Bead" forgot to sign 

 his little proposition in January Recrea- 

 tion, I am willing to take him up. I will 

 cover all the money he cares to wager that 

 I can make as good a target with my 



