GUNS AND AMMUNITION. 



3or 



of powder makes but little difference in 

 this gun, but with 3 to 3^ drachms the pat- 

 tern would run 5 to 8 per cent, higher 

 than the patterns given below. 



Parker gun No. 86,637; 12 gauge; length 

 of barrels, 32 inches; titanic steel; both 

 barrels full choke, chambered for 3 inch 

 shells. 



Shell — 3 inch trap. U. M. C. 12 gauge. 



Powder — Smokeless, 3J/2 drams, say, 43 

 grains. 



Shot — Tatham's, 1% ounces No. 7 

 chilled. 



Wads — Trap, y[ inch black edge, Y% inch 

 Express, ]/$ black; all 12 gauge. 



Velocity in feet 40 Pattern in 30 



yards from muzzle. inch circle. 



992 282 



981 282 



988 276 



995 293 



970 280 



Average, 985.2 ft. sec. Aver., 282.6 pellets. 

 Variation, 25 ft. sec. Var., 17 pellets. 



Substituting y% black edge wad over the 

 trap and using a 3% inch shell, gave an 

 average velocity of 956 ft. sec; average 

 pattern, 253 pellets. 



Average velocity and pattern with equal 

 charges of Dupont powder practically the 

 same. 



Same gun. 



Shell — 3 inch trap, U. M. C. ; 12 gauge. 



Powder — Smokeless, s l / 2 drachms, say, 

 40 grains. 



Shot — Tatham's — 1% No. 7 chilled. 



Wads — Trap, 54 inch black edge, Y Ex- 

 press, % black edge, all 12 gauge. 



Velocity in feet 40 Pattern in 30 



yards from muzzle. inch circle. 



964 283 



979 245 



988 292 



984 254 



979 237 



Average, 978.8 ft. sec. Aver., 262.3 pellets. 

 Variation, 24 ft. sec. Var., 55 pellets. 



Substituting a y% black edge wad over 

 the trap wad and using 3^ inch shells, 

 gave an average velocity of 970 ft. sec; 

 average pattern, 272 pellets. 



Continuing this test for 5 consecutive 

 shots, using 4S grains of Laflin & Rand 

 powder and i l /\. ounces Tatham's chilled 

 shot, No. 7, loaded in 2% inch Acme shells, 

 gave an average velocity of 916 foot sec- 

 onds; variation, 30 feet. Perhaps a longer 

 shell would have increased the velocity, 

 but as none were available no test was 

 made. 



I am sure from what I know of the 

 shooting of this 12 gauge gun that by cast- 

 ing about for different combinations of 



wads closer patterns could have been ob- 

 tained and greater velocities as well. In 

 fact, there was not time to go into either 

 gun more than superficially, and I feel that 

 neither gun is a freak of its kind, but only 

 what may be expected of any good full 

 choke gun of that particular make. 



I took up the 20 bore with hesitation, 

 not to say distrust. Now I want no gun of 

 larger gauge. As proof of this I am 

 now having a 28 gauge built for next sea- 

 son's shooting, and I hope later to re- 

 port through Recreation what so diminu- 

 tive a caliber can do. 



WANTS A COMPROMISE. 



I have been an interested reader of 

 Recreation's Guns and Ammunition de- 

 partment a long ' time and find the argu- 

 ments advanced relative to the desirability 

 of the different calibers both amusing and 

 instructive, but far from being conclusive, 

 or helpful to one in the selection of a 

 rifle for all around work. They are the 

 expression of individual opinions and al- 

 most as varied as the sources from which 

 they spring. When first I began reading 

 these discussions I had a fair idea of the 

 kind of rifle I would buy, but after 3 or 4 

 allopathic doses of the department I found 

 myself, like the late lamented Chimmie 

 Fadden, murmuring an interrogatory, 

 "What fell?" Would it not be to the in- 

 terest of some standard manufacturer to 

 put up a compromise gun, say a 38 caliber, 

 with a 300 grain ball and a proportionate 

 quantity of military smokeless powder be r 

 hind it to give the high velocity and flat 

 trajectory of the 30-30 or 30-40? It would 

 seem that a gun of that sort would meet 

 the requirements of both the small and the 

 large caliber cranks. Or would they both 

 condemn it for being neither the one thing 

 nor the other? I used a .45-70 when in 

 British Columbia and found it satisfactory, 

 but would prefer a smaller caliber if it 

 will do the work. 



H. Clinton, Buffalo, N. Y. 



A SAVAGE ADMIRER. 



Replying to Ned Cady in regard to re- 

 loading Savage cartridges: I have been 

 using the Savage some years, and never 

 hunted beside a gun better adapted far all 

 around use. When I got" my < T nn T got 

 a set of reloading tools from the Savage 

 people, consisting of bullet mould, with 

 measure for 30 grains and 5 grains of pow- 

 der, an Ideal tool which decaps, recaps and 

 seats bullet, and a muzzle resizer. I also 

 got a can of Savage powder, all direct 

 from the makers of the gun. I use sim- 

 ply lead bullets, and have never had any 

 trouble, although I am told a little harden- 



