214 



RECREATION. 



using a stiff, square crimp and a card 

 wad next to powder, DuPont Smokeless 

 requires about 50 pounds pressure ; E. C. 

 and Schultze, 40 pounds; the various dense 

 powders, 40 to 60 pounds. For cheaper 

 shells like the Winchester Repeater add 

 10 pounds pressure; for a round crimp add 

 5 more, and another 5 when a felt wad is 

 used next the powder. Pressure should be 

 made on first wad, after settling powder 

 by tapping the shell. Put nearly as much 

 pressure on each succeeding wad, except, 

 of course, that over the shot. — Editor. 



I recently had the pleasure of testing 2 

 Winchester 32 Specials, and I never 

 shot a new rifle of any caliber that 

 gave such good results, not excepting my 

 favorite 32-40. Our range was 250 yards. 

 We tried them thoroughly with full charge 

 smokeless cartridges and afterward with 

 same shells reloaded with black powder. 

 Good close groups were made with each. 

 While there is considerable recoil to the 

 full charge smokeless there is little foul- 

 ing, and an extremely flat trajectory for a 

 medium twist barrel. I believe it will be 

 the general purpose gun for hunters who 

 want a long range rifle of great killing 

 power, and for sportsmen generally, who 

 like the 32-40. Those who have reloading 

 tools for the latter need no change them. 

 One good feature of the gun which will be 

 appreciated is the fact that a Lyman rear 

 might be used without removing the factory 

 sight, as the latter can be lowered below 

 point blank range. 



F. M. Lewis, Chateaugay, N. Y. 



In regard to using 16 gauge on wild fowl : 

 While, of course, an 8 gauge would do 

 more execution, still a man can get more 

 real enjoyment with the smaller weapon. 

 I use a 16 gauge Winchester repeater and 

 Winchester Leader shells with 2}/^ drams 

 Schultz and % ounces No. 7 chilled shot.. 

 For all game up to and including mallards 

 I do not wish anything better. I made a 

 score of 87 out of 98 clay pigeons last sum- 

 mer with this load at 15 yards rise. Made 

 one run of 36. Because a man uses a re- 

 peating shot gun is no reason for branding 

 him a hog. One good thing about the re- 

 peater is that you have more chances of 

 stopping a wounded bird ■ but I honestly 

 believe I could get more game with a double 

 barrel than with the repeater, because I 

 have always been accustomed to the former 

 weapon. Considering its price, the repeater 

 has the best of the argument, as far as 

 shooting and wearing qualities are con- 

 cerned. 



E. J. Selleck, Burnett Junction, Wis.. 



page 462, over my signature, is not correct. 

 It is misleading and was not authorized by 

 me. The bullets mentioned in the article 

 were not made by the National Projectile 

 Works, but were made by hand and by an 

 entirely different process from that used 

 by the National Projectile Works. They 

 were made by a process on which I hold a 

 patent. 



After the National Projectile Works 

 completed their machines and commenced 

 to make bullets, I carefully tested the bul- 

 lets, and they did not prove satisfactory to 

 me. I have never used them, and I have 

 told the manager of the company that he 

 must not use the statement, as, owing to 

 the fact that the bullet as manufactured 

 by the National Projectile Works had not 

 given satisfaction, I considered the state- 

 ment .misleading and untrue. 



Geo. H. Newell, Grand Rapids, Mich. 



I notice some brother sportsmen have 

 had trouble with their Winchesters while 

 using Peters' shells. I have tried about 

 every smokeless powder on the market. 

 One day I bought 100 Peters' New Victor 

 shells loaded with Kings smokeless. On 

 arriving home and looking them over I dis- 

 covered they had a square crimp and a poor 

 one at that. I tried some through my Win- 

 chester and had trouble in forcing them 

 into the chamber; but after I had run them 

 through my round crimper they worked all 

 right. They were 2)4 inch shells. Pos- 

 sibly there are some who do not know that 

 a square crimped shell can not be success- 

 fully used in a Winchester shot gun. 



F. Le Noir, Springfield, Mass. 



After experimenting with various loads 

 in the Savage rifle for short range for the 

 past 4 years with poor success, I have 

 adopted the 125 grain bullet as advised by 

 Mr. Kephart in Ideal Hand Book. That 

 bullet, cast 1 to 10, with 10 grains Savage 

 powder is O. K. up to 100 yards. Beyond 

 that to the horizon the full load soft nose 

 is the thing; so for me the all around rifle 

 is found. The bullet also works well with 

 10 grains Laflin & Rand Sporting Rifle 

 smokeless. 



T, W. Harrington, Greencastle, Ind. 



The article in December Recreation, 



I have a 25-20 Winchester single shot 

 rifle, which I prize highly. It has killed 

 woodchucks at 50 yards and squirrels at 

 40 yards. I like the 25 because it is ef- 

 fective, and does not tear the game. I 

 should like to hear from Recreation read- 

 ers who have used smokeless powder in the 

 Winchester 25-20. 



H. H. Deane, Mingo Junction, Ohio. 



