\9 2 



RECREA TION. 



and a 260 grain bullet. .22-7-45 means a .22 

 caliber cartridge carrying 7 grains of 

 powder and 45 grains of lead. — Editor. 



I have seen many inquiries in Recrea- 

 tion as to the best 6 shooter. I have lived 

 14 years where revolvers are frequently 

 used, and my opinion may be worth some- 

 thing. The day of the .45 pistol as well as 

 of the big bore ritie is over in the West. 

 You will find more .32-20 '73 model, Win- 

 chester cartridges used in pistols than any 

 other." The 5 inch barrel, sliding ejector, 

 .32-20 is the belt gun of to-day and the 

 •30-30 is the rifle for me. I should like 

 to show some of your .50-110 cannon 

 cranks a deer hide I have with a .30-30 

 soft point bullet hole in it. The ball en- 

 tered just forward of hip and came out at 

 top of opposite shoulder, making a hole at 

 point of exit 5 inches in diameter. Dis- 

 tance of shot, 230 yards; the deer dropped 

 in his tracks. Five of us took a 6 weeks' 

 trip last fall through Chaffee, Gunnison 

 and Saquach counties. Had plenty of 

 sport. We got only 6 deer; but we left 

 some for next year as we want to hunt 

 again before we realize on our life in- 

 surance. 



6 Shooter, Victor, Col. 



If A. W. Palmer, of Canmore, N.W.T., 

 who is in trouble with his .30-30 Marlin 

 will write to me I will help him out. I use 

 the same gun, and have it sighted at 100 

 yards. I tried it on deer some time ago. 

 Was out for 2 days only, and got 2 does. 

 The first was shot at 225 yards, standing 

 broadside. I shot too low and the ball 

 went through the belly and the fleshy part 

 of opposite hind leg. The soft nose bul- 

 let made a hole as large as a half dollar. 

 The animal bled freely, the intestines being 

 badly torn. I trailed it by the blood about 

 50 yards, and found it nearly dead. Had I 

 used a black powder gun, my ball would 

 have passed under the belly. The other 

 doe was shot from above, at about 75 yards, 

 the ball struck the point of the shoulder, 

 destroying the arteries of the heart, and 

 passed out through the rump. The doe ran 

 about 25 yards and was dead when I 

 reached her. The effect of the soft nose 

 bullet is fearful. I have an old .45-70 

 Sharps, but it is not in it with the .30-30 for 

 stopping power. 



W. W. Allen, San Luis Potosi, Mex. 



" Guns and Ammunition " is the most 

 interesting department in Recreation, 

 and the American gun manufacturer who 

 fails to ad in your magazine is standing in 

 his own light. While I believe all Ameri- 

 can makers turn out good arms, yet for 

 long range shooting some guns are better 

 than others. Other things being equal, the 

 gun that will kill at the longest distance 

 and make the fewest crippling shots will 



give the best satisfaction. The man who 

 buys a full choke Baker gun can shoot in 

 any company, knowing he can kill as far 

 as the next fellow. Their '97 model, ham- 

 mer gun, which retails at about $25, is 

 great value. The Stevens favorite is a 

 wonderful little rifle; extremely accurate, 

 neat, handy and well balanced. A central 

 fire cartridge corresponding to the .25 

 Stevens rim fire in shape would be an ideal 

 small game cartridge and could be re- 

 loaded cheaply. 



J. T. Maris, Portersvijle, O. 



Mr. McQueen, in January Recreation, 

 asks how to clean a small bore, smokeless 

 powder rifle. There are lots more of us 

 who would like light on the same subject. 

 I find it matters not how well you clean the 

 rifle after using it, you must clean it again 

 in 2 or 3 days. Mr. J. W. Brown asks how 

 to load a full choke bore gun so that it will 

 make an open pattern. The best method I 

 have seen is as follows: Load the shell 

 with powder as usual. In loading the shot 

 divide the charge into 3 or 4 equal parts. 

 Load each lot separately, putting a light 

 card wad on top of each portion; but take 

 care the wad does not set level. Load the 

 next portion of the charge of shot in the 

 same way, taking care the wad tips in the 

 opposite direction. Set the last wad level. 

 This may not prove entirely satisfactory, as 

 it is liable to give an uneven pattern. Ex- 

 periments along this line, however, will us- 

 ually improve the result. 



Box Magazine, Dover, Me. 



New Hampton, la., January 17, 1899. 



Editor Recreation : I have followed with 

 interest the articles in Recreation, on the 

 new smokeless rifles. From the position of 

 the outsider it seems to me the supporters of. 

 the new arm have the best of the argument 

 The evidence of such men as Wright, 

 Carlin, and others, proves the new 

 weapons have terrific smashing and stop- 

 ping force. Paradoxical as it may seem, 

 the new gun is actually a game preserver. 

 Why? Because no black powder gun 

 could kill an animal as cleanly and humane- 

 ly as the .30-3OS and .30-40S. 



In a timbered game country it is seldom 

 that more than one or 2 shots can be had at 

 one animal. Even if shot through the 

 lungs, stomach or shoulder by the old style 

 gun the game escapes wounded, and dies. 

 Any of these shots from a smokeless would 

 be fatal and the game would be found by 

 the sportsman. 



J. G. L., New Hampton, la. 



In a circular issued by the J. Stevens 

 Arms Co. I find the following: 



" A rifle should be cleaned soon after 

 using. Under no consideration should it 

 go over night without attention. If the 

 rifle is wiped in the evening it should be 



