414 



RECREATION 



For Northern work, where guns may be 

 exposed to heavy frost, I think a gun should 

 have a pull-off of four pounds for the right 

 lock, and four and a half pounds for the left 

 lock, as the finger acts to better mechanical 

 advantage in the latter case, causing the pull- 

 off to seem equal. 



Practical, St. Johnsbury, Vt. 



SELECTING A PISTOL. 



Editor Recreation : 



I don't get into the woods very often and 

 when I go I like to make combination trips. 

 That is, I like to take a small rifle or pistol 

 with me on a fishing trip, so if the fish don't 

 rise I can shoot at targets. I am thinking 

 of buying a new pistol. What do you sug- 

 gest? 



H. S. Caprell, Red Oak, la. 



Your question is one not easily answered. 

 There is almost a bewildering choice of pis- 

 tols fit for the purpose. If you prefer a 

 Smith & Wesson you may buy one with a 

 six-inch to ten-inch barrel chambered for the 

 22 L. R., 32 S. & W., C. F., or the 38 S. & 

 W., C. F. ; in Stevens pistols you have a 

 choice between the new model pocket rifle 

 with detachable stock up to the eighteen-inch 

 barrel, chambered for the 22 L. R., 25 R. F., 

 and 32 long R. F., or the Diamond Model, 

 six to ten inches, chambered for the 22 L. R., 

 or the Stevens tip-up with three and a half 

 inch barrel, chambered for the 22 R. F., or 

 30 R. F., and, also, the three famous pis- 

 tols known as the Gould, Lord, and Conlin 

 models, which are to be had with barrels up 

 to twelve inches, chambered for all the cart- 

 ridges already mentioned, except the 25 R. F., 

 and, in addition, specially chambered for the 

 22-7-45. The Colt and Iver Johnson revol- 

 vers should not be overlooked. 



Finally there is the new Remington single 

 shot pistol, which is chambered for the 22 

 rim fire, or the 44 S. & W. Any of these 

 pistols will be found thoroughly satisfactory. 



ANSWERING MR. CECIL. 



Editor of Recreation : 



I saw Mr. Cecil's inquiry and would say in 

 reply, if he fancies the sixteen he certainly 

 will make no mistake in buying one. In re- 

 gard to the shooting of the two gauges, twelve 

 and sixteen, both made for ordinary field 

 work and loaded with standard charges, the 

 difference, when fired at usual sporting dis- 

 tances, is very slight, the advantage naturally 

 resting with the larger of the two gauges. 



If Mr. Cecil does not fancy the sixteen 

 over any other gauge and if money is not a 

 consideration, a twelve can be built in the 

 high grades with twenty-eight inch barrels, 

 weighing six pounds; a thoroughly tested 

 type of gun, one that will stand years of hard 



wear and tear and yet be perfectly safe and 

 still not in the feather weight class. The 

 standard load for the twelve is three drams 

 and one and one-eighth ounces, and for the 

 sixteen, two and three-fourths drams and 

 one ounce, but gunmakers and powder manu- 

 facturers are now advocating smaller charges 

 of shot in both guns, one and one-sixteenth 

 in the former and fifteen-sixteenths in the 

 latter. 



With a sixteen it is true you save some- 

 thing in weight of ammunition. A properly 

 constructed sixteen weighs six pounds, but 

 this saving is more than offset by having a 

 gun inferior in its charge and execution to a 

 twelve, for despite any assertion to the con- 

 trary the sixteen can not equal the twelve, 

 both being bored alike and each using charges 

 standard to their respective gauges. 



What is admitted to be one of the most 

 deadly charges ever fired at game, three 

 drams and one ounce, is handled to perfec- 

 tion by a light weight twelve, certainly not 

 by a sixteen gauge. 



In regard to boring of barrels, it is a mat- 

 ter of fancy, too ; but it is generally con- 

 ceded that for field work in the hands of an 

 ordinary shot, improved cylinder right and 

 modified left, or both barrels slightly choked, 

 cannot be improved on. If much bush shoot- 

 ing is indulged in both barrels may be im- 

 proved cylinder. It is here, again, that the 

 twelve shows its superiority over the six- 

 teen for, owing to the shot occupying a long- 

 er space, in the latter gauge' it does not shoot 

 as well as the twelve when cylinder bored. 

 In regard to length of barrels the adopted 

 standards, twenty-eight and thirty inches, can 

 not be improved upon, as they shoot better 

 than any other lengths of barrel, besides tend- 

 ing toward accuracy of alignment. 



I thoroughly agree with what Mr. Cecil 

 says in regard to purchasing a perfectly safe 

 hammerless gun. I have had the same ex- 

 perience as that gentleman, but in my case 

 it did not take me long to dispose of the 

 weapon. It was a fair grade ; one, too, cost- 

 ing a trifle over $80 cash. On another occa- 

 sion I had a hammerless explode in my hands 

 through closing it up too quickly, the top 

 lever being driven into my hand, making a 

 nasty wound. This has been my brother's 

 experience also. 



It is up to you American sportsmen to say 

 whether dangerous weapons shall be imposed 

 upon you, guns that some day may go off 

 accidentally and perhaps kill you, your 

 brother or your friend. 



H. E. S. Hunt. 



A PIECE OF GOVERNMENT FOLLY. 



Editor Recreation : 



Frequent hand-to-hand conflicts in. the Rus- 

 sian-Japanese war, between troops armed 



