134 



RECREATION. 



bullet advances its axis, represented at a b, 

 a'b', and a"b" always remaining parallel to 

 itself the cushion of air (c, c', c") moves 

 from the point to the under surface of pro- 

 jectile. This as has already been explained 

 causes the bullet to traverse the course rep- 

 resented by the full line instead of its normal 

 course in dotted line. The measured dis- 

 tance AB represents the amount of drift. 



Fig. i is a simpler diagram illustrating the 

 same supposed shot, but without perspec- 

 tive. 



The projectile (P) is revolving as if the 

 upper side were moving into the paper as 

 shown by small arrows. It will be seen that 

 the axis of projectile always remains parallel 

 to gun barrel, as (a b). C represents the 

 cushion of air formed in front of P and al- 

 ways along the path of the projectile. The 

 positions 123 show how this cushion 



¥oves from the point of P to its under side, 

 he action of the rotation of P in positions 

 2 and 3 tends to make P move in a direction 

 which would be in this diagram represented 

 by a motion into the paper. 



VELOCITY OF SHOT. 



Armin Tenner says one pellet of No. 1 

 shot, imparted with a velocity of 990 feet 

 per second, at 40 yards, represents a strik- 

 ing force of 5.28 foot-pounds. No. 1 soft 

 shot has 71 peilets to the ounce and No. 1 

 chilled has 73. 



Not being expert in figures, I am unable 

 to work out this problem. Will you kindly 

 work it out for me, not in algebraic sym- 

 bols, for I do not understand them. 



D. McCutcheon, 

 849 Washington Street, Dayton, O. 



Mr. Tenner measured the time of flight of 

 the charge of shot over the 40 yard range, 

 by means of an ordinary chronograph. 

 From this time of flight the mean velocity 

 over the range is calculated. The velocity 

 thus found is not the striking velocity at 40 

 yards, but the mean velocity — i.e., the actu- 

 al velocity at about mid range, or 20 yards. 

 To find the striking velocity at 40 yards we 

 may assume that each pellet travels inde- 

 pendently of the others, and with the known 

 20 yard velocity as a starting point. You 

 would calculate the remaining velocity of 

 the pellet at 40 yards by means of any tables 

 (such as Bashforth's) for spherical shot. 



Knowing the velocity at any range the 

 energy is found by the regular formula 



T7 W. V. a 



■L = — ; in which 



2 g 



E = The energy in foot founds 

 W = The weight of shot in pounds. 

 V 3 = The square of the velocity in ft. sec. 

 g = The acceleration of gravity. 



You cannot work problems in gunnery 

 in plain English. They can only be demon- 

 strated in algebraic terms. — Editor. 



THE 16 GUAGE. 



I have been greatly interested in articles in 

 Recreation concerning the 16 gauge gun. 

 That gun undoubtedly gives greater pene- 

 tration than the 12 or 10, thus having much 

 advantage over the larger bores for killing 

 range. This has been often proven, in wild- 

 fowl shooting from a blind, ducks being 

 killed with the 16 when they could not be 

 reached by either 10 or 12 gauge guns. The 

 chief objection to the 16 is that it will not 

 carry so much shot as a 12, and therefore 

 has a smaller killing circle. I have a 

 theory concerning the 16 gauge which I 

 submit for criticism. It would take a 16 

 gauge shell, 3 inches in length, to hold 

 the charge of a 12 gauge, 2^4 inch shell. 

 Now if a 16 gauge were made, of the average 

 weight of a 12, say 7 to 8 pounds, and cham- 

 bered for a 3 inch shell to carry the load of 

 the 12, would not the pattern of this gun be 

 equal if not superior to that of the larger 

 one? Would not the killing circle be in- 

 creased to almost that of the 12? Would the 

 penetration be decreased? In moulding 

 balls to be used in shot gun, what propor- 

 tion of tin to lead will give best results? 

 Do cup wads much improve the pattern of a 

 full choke gun? 



J. F. M., Slate Hill, Pa. 



THE MORRIS RIFLE TUBE. 



I often notice in Recreation questions 

 relating to light charges for sporting rifles, 

 the object being, I presume, to find a charge 

 suitable for small game or for gallery work. 

 There has been in use for many years in 

 Great Britain and the colonies an instru- 

 ment which facilitates the use of small 

 loads in large guns. It is known as the Mor- 

 ris tube, and is made in 3 parts — a breech- 

 piece, the tube proper, and a perforated cap 

 which screws on the muzzle. Formerly this 

 tube was made to fit the various sizes of 

 shotguns, and rifles of the larger cali- 

 bres. Lately, however, it has been success- 

 fully adapted to rifles of the .303 calibre. 

 The tube fits in the barrel of the rifle and 

 takes a cartridge consisting of a C. F. bottle- 

 necked shell, loaded with 3 grains of black 

 powder and a 38-grain lead bullet of about 

 .22 calibre. This cartridge is capable of ac- 

 curate work up to 25 or 30 yards; although 

 I think the use of a lighter bullet — say about 

 30 grains — would be an improvement. I 

 hope some American manufacturer will 

 make something of a similar nature for use 

 in American rifles. By the use of a second- 

 ary firing pin, working in a false breech, the 

 ordinary short rim fire .22 cartridge might 

 be used for the purpose. I think such an in- 

 strument would soon be in demand. 



Red Deer, Ottawa, Ont. 



PENETRATION OF 10 AND 12 BORES. 



In October Recreation, Dr. G. R. Rusk- 

 er makes inquiry regarding range of 8 and 



