GUNS AND AMMUNITION 



7* 



shooting is over; don't let the rifle remain 

 dirty over night, for, when the bore of any 

 firearm becomes rusty, it is very hard to get 

 it bright again. 



If you are putting the rifle away for any 

 length of time take a look at it in a week 

 or two and see if there are any signs of rust. 

 Wipe it out in the same manner with clean 

 cloths, and see if they show any rust marks, 

 or if any spots appear in the barrel when it 

 is dry. If not, you can feel pretty safe; give 

 it a heavy coat of gun grease, and look at it 

 again in a month or so, just to be certain. 



If you find any spots of rust repeat the 

 process with a little fine emery sprinkled on 

 the oily rag, and keep that up until the bar- 

 rel shines like a mirror, then wipe clean and 

 grease as before. In this case you had better 

 examine it three or four times at intervals 

 of a week or so before packing it away for 

 the season, for when rust once takes hold it 

 doesn't let go easily. 



F. W. A., Worcester, Mass. 



It is a great mistake to think that the 

 Anglo-Saxon race has a monopoly of the 

 improvements made in firearms. The Ger- 

 mans are very strong competitors, and two 

 of their rifles, the Mauser and the Mann- 

 licher, are quite the equal of any manufac- 

 tured elsewhere. We do not hear so often 

 of French weapons, yet many of them are 

 well made, ingenious and often extremely 

 artistic in design. This fact has been 

 brought home to us by the recent receipt 

 of a very fine catalogue issued by the "Man- 

 ufacture Francaise d'Armes et Cycles," of 

 Saint Etienne. 



This catalogue consists otf nearly eight 

 hundred pages and, in addition to a full de- 

 scription of French rifles, shot guns, pistols 

 and cartridges, gives half-tone illustrations 

 of French dogs, and such things as cycles, 

 fishing tackle and fine tools. 



As it is in French, it can only be under- 

 stood by those acquainted with that lan- 

 guage, but to those who know the tongue of 

 La Belle France there is a lot of valuable in- 

 formation stowed away between its covers. 

 Sometimes it does us good to find out what 

 our neighbors are doing, as it knocks out a 

 little of the self conceit, to which we, as a 

 people, are especially prone. 



A LOAD FOR " CHUCKS " 



Editor Recreation: 



In November Recreation Robert McLaury, 

 New York, asks what is the best cartridge 

 for woodchuck. Like him, I have hunted this 

 animal not a little. My first gun was a .303 

 Savage, which always killed on the spot, 

 without my getting in holes. But, unless 

 fired into a hillside, it always brought "cuss 

 words" from some adjoining field, where, 



after leaving the ground, it sung its tune to 

 the dissatisfaction of some farmei I also 

 used the .25-.20 very successfully, bul found 

 the lead too small. I now regard the .38 .40 

 soft nose Winchester the best in the world 

 for woodchuck. Hurrah for new Recrea- 

 tion ! 



George li. Nichol, Red Oak, Iowa. 



USES SEVERAL 



Editor Recreation : 



I have been much interested in reading the 

 different opinions of those who use the re- 

 volver. 



I can not agree with Mr. Rawley that the 

 .45 calibre is the ideal revolver for this part 

 of the country. For my use I can't get one 

 of only one calibre suitable for all my needs. 



There are times when shooting for fun 

 my .22-calibre Smith & Wesson is just what 

 I want. How would a .45-calibre Colt sound 

 doing the work of a .22? 



Then, for short range target, or for small 

 game, the .32 calibre is just what I want. If 

 I go up in the North Woods the .44 Russian 

 or .38 Smith & Wesson special is what I 

 want, for if you want one at all you want 

 it bad, and a .22 or .32 would not be of any 

 use. 



I have a Smith & Wesson, Russian model 

 with a .32-calibre 6-inch barrel ; also a .44 

 Russian barrel and cylinder that fits the same 

 frame. I can reload the .32 so it don't cost 

 more than the .22 short to shoot it, and it 

 makes a dandy gun to use around here, and 

 when I go where there is room to use it I 

 put the .44 barrel in, and use that which up 

 to fifty yards is about as powerful as some 

 rifles. 



I think the .38 Smith & Wesson Special is 

 at the top of its class as an all-around re- 

 volver, and if I couldn't have but one would 

 have one. I should be obliged to "Kentucky" 

 if he will send me the loads of L. & R. 

 "Bull's-eye" powder he uses for the .44 Rus- 

 sian; also for the .38 S. & W, Special. 



I have another revolver I think a great 

 deal of which is an old model 6-shot .32- 

 calibre, rim-fire Smith & Wesson with a 6- 

 inch barrel. It has never been used, and is 

 in fine condition. It will shoot, and I get a 

 lot of fun with it when I don't want to re- 

 load shells. 



C. A. Thomas, Athol, Mass. 



INFORMATION WANTED 



Editor Recreation: 



I would like to hear from readers of your 

 magazine their ideas as to the best type of 

 gun for duck shooting, with details as to 

 gauge, length of barrels, weight and loads. 



"Black Duck." 



