FROM AN UNDER SHERIFF 



Editor Recreation : 



I have heard the pistol, pro and con so 

 much I have decided to write you my ideas 

 from actual experience, although I was not 

 an habitual ''pistol toter" until three years 

 ago, when I was appointed Under Sheriff of 

 this county. I have since carried pistol and 

 rifle many a thousand miles. First it depends 

 what a man wants to use a pistol for. I 

 can not understand what a man would want 

 with anything less than 32-20 smokeless. All 

 they are good for would be to do accidental 

 killing of some member of his family or 

 friends. To my idea, of the all-around pis- 

 tol, there are only three, namely, the 32-20 

 smokeless on a 45 frame ; the 32 Colt's auto- 

 matic, or the Luger automatic. The Luger 

 has the greatest penetration, with soft point 

 bullets. The Colt's automatic and 32-20 are 

 about the same. The old black powder 44 

 •or 45 is a back number here, too much load 

 for the weight of the iron. The 32-20 on 

 45 frame has no kick, and both the auto- 

 matics put the recoil in your grip, where the 

 old 45 or 44 tried to mark your face, and 

 very few men can do accurate shooting with 

 them ; but I think anyone, with practice, 

 could be a good marksman with any one of 

 the other three. 



Now as to weight ; it seems any of them 

 are not too heavy. Of course, the 32-20 is 

 the heaviest of them all. Last month, when 

 on my annual hunt (I get my game every 

 season), I had wounded a big blacktail, but 

 he was trying to get away, and was al- 

 most at the top of a very steep mountain, 

 and every yard he made down that steep hill- 

 side meant labor to get him back. I got up 

 close, and in order to put him entirely out 

 of business, I shot him with my Luger from 

 behind, square between the horns, using a 

 soft point bullet. It went entirely through. 



Last year I shot a buck that dressed 160 

 pounds, just as it was getting dusk. The 

 old buck went- down like a ton of bricks. I 

 went up to bleed him, but when I took hold 

 of him he got up, and as it was too dark to 

 use my rifle, and I had seven loads in my 

 Luger, I emptied it — four shots taking effect 

 at a distance not to exceed 100 yards for 

 the longest shot. One of those bullets 

 struck just behind the left shoulder, ranging 

 a little forward, the jacket remained inside 

 but the lead going entirely through. Now 

 for accuracy and penetration no one need to 



hunt further. For killing use a soft point ; 

 for target use the full mantel bullet. I have 

 shot ground hogs or Rocky Mountain wood- 

 chuck, and prairie dogs, with soft points, 

 and actually shot their entrails entirely out, 

 and I have done the same thing with our 

 friend the coyote. 



Felix Alston, Big Horn, Wyo. 



THE 38-55 



Editor Recreation : 



Find enclosed $1.00 for Recreation. In 

 the June number I wrote an article on the 

 3^-55- Since then I have had many inquiries; 

 at first I tried to answer them, but gave it up 

 at last. Having returned from my annual 

 hunting trip in the north and having had 

 some more experience with big game, I 

 can more than reaffirm what I said in June 

 in regard to the power of the 38-55H.-P. 

 smokeless shells, soft point, on deer. 



I shot deer by the side of a man using 

 the 30-30, consequently I know what I am 

 talking about. In answer to ome of those 

 that were inquiring about the small load, I 

 found them perfection for partridge, shoot- 

 ing them in the head. 



I would pump the big load ov* and slip a 

 miniature load in the barrel. My miniature 

 load shoots with the same trajectory as the 

 H.-P. at short range. I chose the Marlin 

 1893 model l / 2 magazine, 7^4 pounds weight, 

 on account of its simple and sure action 

 and its accuracy, and the 38-55 H.-P. for its 

 smashing power, and the straight shell, 

 which makes it the best shell to reload (the 

 bottle neck being a nuisance). I take the 

 ordinary shell and can reload it a thousand 

 times or more with the miniature load I 

 build. 



I use smokeless Primers U.M.C., 6^2 or 

 2, l / 2 W., according to the shell. I put about 

 5 grains Infallible Shotgun Smokeless loose 

 in the shell and a bullet weighing about 190 

 grains that fits the barrel (which is impor- 

 tant) to make it gas tight. I lubricate well, 

 and set the bullet in the shell without crimp- 

 ing. Bullet No. 37585-166 gr. Is a good one. 

 Ideal No. 3, special tool, is the best, with its 

 double adjustable chamber and muzzle re- 

 sizer — I sometimes have to enlarge the noz- 

 zle of shell to let the bullet in. With this 

 powder you never have to clean the shells, 

 and I use the pure lead, as the twist is so 

 slow you do not need to harden the bullet. 



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