44 8 



RECREATION 



Now, this sight is somewhat like a telescope 

 sight, and is made of a very small glass that 

 magnifies to some extent, and which contains 

 a small black dot in the centre of the glass. 

 We have a local rifle club in this village, 

 and as a number of the club members have 

 obtained, or intend to obtain, these sights, 

 I would be very thankful for an early an- 

 swer if possible in the next number of your 

 magazine. 



Henry M. Doolan. 



Palm rests, and peep and globe sights, are 

 allowed in offhand shooting, but all kinds of 

 telescopic sights are barred, unless by spe- 

 cial agreement. A rifle fitted with a tele- 

 scope that is easily detachable, and target 

 sights as well, meets all conditions. — Editor. 



A FEW QUESTIONS. 



Editor Recreation : 



By answering the following questions you 

 will do me a great favor : 



1. Which of two bullets of different cal- 

 ibres, .50 and .58 of the same weight, has the 

 best range, penetration, velocity, lowest tra- 

 jectory and accuracy and recoil when used 

 with the same amount of powder? 



2. What do you think of an octagonally 

 rifled bore for a muzzle loader? 



3. Can a hollow point bullet be rammed 

 home in a muzzle loader without upsetting? 



4. What was the charge of powder used 

 in old Kentucky rifles? 



5. Which shoots stronger, a flintlock or a 

 percussion lock? 



6. How long do percussion caps keep 

 without deteriorating? 



7. Do the Arabs still use flintlocks? 

 Thanking you in advance, I remain, 



Yours truly, 

 Victor Bielefeld, Chicago. 



1. .50 calibre. 



2. Octagon rifling was tried and given up 

 years ago. 



3. Yes, if you use a ramrod with a cup at 

 the end fitting the point of the bullet. 



4. Generally as much fine-grain powder 

 as would* cover the round ball used in the 

 rifle when poured slowly over it as it lay on 

 a flat surface. 



5. The percussion lock, because there was 

 less escape of gas. 



6. Depends entirely upon where they are 

 kept. Possibly 100 years under certain con- 

 ditions. 



7. They certainly do. — Editor. 



AN EXPLANATION. 



Editor Recreation : 



I have a 25-35 Winchester rifle, bought 

 about three years ago. I considered it one of 

 the best all-round guns I ever owned, for ac- 

 curacy and strong shooting. The gun still 



shoots as accurately and apparently as strong 

 as before, but in trying it a short time ago 

 was surprised to find the bullets mush- 

 roomed, a few entering only about the same 

 distance as a soft nose. Shots were fired 

 about 20 or 25 feet from mark into pine 

 stump. Is gun or ammunition to blame? 

 Possibly some of your other readers may have 

 had like experience. If there is any known 

 cause for a M. R. bullet mushrooming after 

 penetrating only a few inches, would like to 

 know what it is, and if any remedy for it. 

 Please answer in column of Recreation and 

 oblige. C. A. Bemis. 



I should not be at all surprised to find that 

 the bullet upset to a considerable extent on 

 being fired into a pine stump, particularly if 

 it were pitchy and the range short. The gun 

 is not to blame in any case, and I doubt if 

 the ammunition is in any way to blame. If 

 fired into soft wood, the ammunition will give 

 the penetration shown in trajectory tables, is- 

 sued by the makers, but you should not expect 

 to obtain much more penetration from the 

 full metal patched bullet than from the soft 

 point when fired into very hard material. At 

 short ranges the soft nose bullet will give 

 about the same penetration on iron plate that 

 can be obtained with the full metal patched. 

 Should you try the difference in penetration 

 between these two bullets on flesh, I am con- 

 fident that you would find that the bullet is 

 not faulty. — Editor. 



THE OLD .50 NAVY PISTOL. 



Editor Recreation : 



I have gotten so many valuable hints and 

 pointers from your very enjoyable magazine 

 that I am going to ask if you can inform me 

 what pistol it is that takes the .50-calibre 

 ammunition as listed in the Winchester cata- 

 logue, and where I could see or purchase one. 



Thanking you for your kindness, 

 Yours truly, 

 James Patterson, Philadelphia. 



The .50-calibre Remington single-shot pis- 

 tol. Try the Remington Arms Company, 313 

 Broadway. The price is $3.00. — Editor. 



GOOD AS NEW. 



Editcr Recreation: 



I am at present in possession of a Winches- 

 ter rifle, model 1895, 38-72 cal. Through neg- 

 ligence I find the bore of this rifle corroded, 

 and it consequently does not shoot true. I 

 have got very little knowledge of a rifle, 

 therefore I shall be very pleased if you will 

 advise me, through Recreation, if I should 

 get this rifle rebored, or purchase a new one. 

 Geo. Paton, Coal Creek, B. C. 



Get a new barrel. The list price is $6.25.— 

 Editor. 



