GUNS AND AMMUNITION 



449 



HUNTING OR TARGET? 



Editor Recreation : 



Will you tell me the difference in shooting 

 qualities of a taper shell and a bottle neck? 



I have in mind the .32-40 and the .32 Win- 

 chester Special ; both have practically the 

 same charge. Which is the preferable shell to 

 use? John W. Siefert. 



If for target work exclusively, we prefer 

 the straight shell ; if for hunting, the .32 

 Winchester Special. — Editor. 



shot, and, while we may polish up this cop- 

 per coating until we delude ourselves into 

 the belief that the rifle is clean, the evil work 

 is going on underneath all the time. By and 

 by the copper deposit peels off, leaving a 

 rust pit underneath. 



I now find that a liberal, though careful, 

 use of the wire brush, followed by a good 

 coating of sperm oil containing a little soda 

 gives good results ; but I should like to hear 

 from other riflemen out of their own per- 



COL. THURSTON TELLING A FUNNY STORY. 



COPPER FOULING. 



Editor Recreation : ' 



In the old days, when we were using noth- 

 ing but black powder, it was a very easy 

 matter to keep one's rifle in good order. I 

 rarely used water, though I sometimes used 

 1 little kerosene. After having swabbed the 

 barrel absolutely clean, I could make sure 

 of finding it in good condition several days 

 afterward, if I had anointed it lightly with 

 vaseline or some good grease. 



Now, as I use smokeless powder and metal- 

 covered bullets exclusively, I find that a good 

 deal more care is necessary. Ordinary oil 

 seems quite incapable of entirely preventing 

 rust, the reason being, I believe, that a thin 

 film of copper is deposited on inside of the 

 barrel over the fouling caused by the first 



sonal experiences — worth a lot of theory. 



W. F. Johnson, New York City. 



SUMMER'S ABDICATION. 



BY FRANK FARRINGTON. 



Indian wigwams in the corn-lands, 

 Rows and rows of ragged shocks ; 



Fields all polka-dotted yellow, 



With the pumpkins' golden blocks. 



Pastures brown, with greening ribbons 

 Where the springs come straggling down, 



Meadows fading, grey the woodlands, 

 Summer throws aside her crown; 



Casts aside her royal purple, 

 Folds her robes, all sombre grown; 



Silent, shadow-like and weary, 

 Abdicates a tottering throne. 



