378 



RECREATION. 



MILITARY RIFLES. 



In December Recreation I noticed an 

 article by Dr. Elliott on an all around 

 rifle. He speaks of designing a rifle of 38 

 caliber, 70 grains powder and 350 grain 

 bullet. I wonder if he has tried the Win- 

 chester, '95 model, 38-72-275 or the 40-72- 

 330. The latter gun seems so near the one 

 he would design that there could be no ma- 

 terial difference. The Winchester Com- 

 pany makes such a large assortment of ex- 

 cellent rifles that a person need look no 

 farther for the best. 



Dr. Elliott appears to have a poor opin- 

 ion of the ability of the board that selected 

 the arm for the army. He claims that the 

 Remington single shot is superior to the 

 Springfield. I wish he would inform us in 

 what respect it is so. There is no differ- 

 ence between the shooting powers or the 

 manipulation of these excellent arms. The 

 reason for adopting the Springfield was 

 because, after the Civil War, the Govern- 

 ment wanted an action permitting the al- 

 teration of the muzzle loading Springfield 

 into breech loaders, using the same side 

 lock and other parts, for the manufacture 

 of which they had machinery. The result 

 is the Springfield breech loader. They also 

 experimented at length on all propositions 

 of powder and bullet, twist, etc., and fin- 

 ally decided on 70 grains of powder and 

 405 grains of lead as giving the best re- 

 sults. Afterward the weight of bullet was 

 increased to 500 grains. The rifle has 3 

 broad grooves, the twist is one turn in 22 

 inches, and the weapon has for years re- 

 mained unexcelled for accuracy and sim- 

 plicity. 



The doctor also shows his lack of knowl- 

 edge of firearms when he says the Krag 

 is inferior to the Mauser or Lee. The 

 Board of Ordnance, U. S. Army, a few 

 years ago, tested 60 different makes of 

 arms and adopted the Krag after rejecting 

 the Lee, Mauser and 57 other guns. The 

 Navy Department adopted the Lee at first, 

 but after finding it inferior to the Krag, is 

 now supplying all the new ships with 

 Krags. No more Lees will be issued. I 

 have handled and fired the Krag, Mauser, 

 Lee, Springfield and many other military 

 and sporting rifles, and will say that, for 

 simplicity, ease of manipulation, certainty 

 of action, etc., the Krag-Jorgensen repeat- 

 ing action is the best I have ever used. As 

 a single shot the Springfield is as good as 

 any. 

 C. R. MacCarrick, 5th Infantry, M. V. M., 



Maiden, Mass. 



ounces. At what distance should a be- 

 ginner practice with the full charge? I 

 find I shoot low and to the left. This, 1 

 fancy, is the fault of the pistol, as I had 

 the same trouble when using another 

 weapon of the same make. If not, can 

 you suggest a remedy ? 



G. S. Whipple, Burlington, la. 



ANSWER. 



The Colt Bisley model revolver is an 

 accurate arm, and, if properly sighted, 

 you- should have no difficulty in getting 

 good results. The rear sight is movable. 

 If you are shooting to the left, move the 

 rear sight a trifle to the right until you 

 find that you are shooting in a vertical 

 line through the center of the target. If 

 you are then shooting too low, you will 

 probably be obliged to get a lower front 

 sight. In the Bisley model the sight is 

 generally fastened with a pin, so it will be 

 easy to replace it with one a trifle lower. 

 Possibly you can file the sight down to the 

 proper height to give correct elevation. 

 That, of course, can not be done with a 

 bead sight. 



The usual distance at which revolver 

 shooters practice is 50 yards, at the Stand- 

 ard American target, with an 8 inch bull's 

 eye. If a beginner, start with this target 

 at 25 yards and gradually increase the dis- 

 tance, as you gain proficiency, until you 

 reach 50 yards. — Editor. 



READJUST YOUR SIGHTS. 



I have a 38 caliber Bisley model Colt 

 revolver, J l / 2 inch barrels, weight about 43 



TO RELOAD 30 CALIBER SHELLS. 



I have noticed in Recreation many in- 

 quiries as to reloading shells, cleaning rifles 

 of the 30 caliber, etc. 



Use Winchester loading tools, Model 94, 

 30-30, No. 5 primers, DuPont 130 caliber 

 smokeless powder, 30 grains, and bullets to 

 suit your purpose, metal patched or soft 

 nosed. 



These shells cost to reload as follows : 



Primers for 233 $ yj 



Powder, 1 pound loads 233 1 50 



Bullets, per M. $5, for 233 1 i6y 2 



For 233 ctgs $3 03^ 



The shells can be reloaded several times. 

 Out of 600 fired but 2 were broken and that 

 by carelessness. They should be resized 

 every time they are reloaded. This can be 

 done cheaply by tacking down a piece of 

 half inch iron y A x 1 inch. Through this 

 bore a hole 5-16 inch in diameter, the size 

 of a new shell. Drive the shell into this up 

 to the neck, then carefully open mouth of 

 shell on tool by tapping lightly. Be care- 

 ful with powder. Have less than 30 grains 

 rather than any more. 



Persons who live in the East may do bet- 

 ter than I can, but with the prices of ma- 



