GUNS AND AMMUNITION 



547 



success. The shells will break after from 

 three to six reloadings, though T have shot 

 some eight times. 



For reloading lighter loads, I also use the 

 jacketed bullet designed for the 25-20-86, and 

 use up to 12 grains of Lightning with fine re- 

 sults. This is a very savage load for short 

 ranges up to 100 yards, with about the same 

 trajectory as the 117 grain bullet and full 

 charge. 



Then as I shoot a good deal in my attic at 

 home, I use the lead bullet, No. 257231, which 

 weighs 106 grains in the alloy (or 86 grains, 

 according to the weight bullet you get) with 

 five grains of Walsrode green shotgun 

 smokeless powder, using the Ideal powder 

 measure to facilitate loading, and which is 

 very accurate with the fine powder. This 

 combination gives fine accuracy with no lead- 

 ing. Also contrary to the common statement, 

 that when jacketed and lead bullets are shot 

 promiscuously without cleaning that leading 

 will occur, I have never had it happen to me, 

 and I always carry a dozen or so lead loads 

 when I am out tramping. I have also used a 

 cylindrical paper patched bullet with first- 

 rate success in this gun, but as with the hard 

 bullet, the sights have to be shifted in order 

 to compensate for the rolling of the bullet to 

 the right. 



There is little recoil in this gun, nor is 

 there much with regular repeater. I expect 

 to get the 25-35 carbine in order to have a 

 light-weight gun for the same ammunition. 

 For woodchuck shooting where the ranges 

 are continually changing, this gun is simply 

 fine, requiring little allowance for drop, and 

 making a sure kill. I have several jackets 

 which I have picked up near 'chucks, and 

 they look wicked, but I have never found a 

 trace of lead. You can load this cartridge to 

 give anything from .22 calibre up to the full 

 load, and generally I like it very much in- 

 deed. 



H. B. Johnson, Syracuse, N. Y. 



10 circle equals 3.36 ins. 



9 " " 5-54 " 



8 " " 8.00 " 



7 " " 11.00 " 



6 " " 14.00 " 



5 circle 19.68 ins. 

 4 " 26.00 " 

 3 " 34.22 " 

 2 " 46.00 " 

 1 remainder of 

 target, i.e., 4x6ft. 



THE STANDARD TARGET 



Editor Recreation : 



We have a rifle team at this place, known 

 as the Royal Rifle Team. We shoot every 

 Saturday afternoon. The average score at 

 our last shoot was 51 i-*5 at a half-inch cen- 

 tre at 50 feet, off hand. We used the Stevens' 

 Ideal rifle, .22 long shell. Please publish in 

 Recreation the size of the bull's eye on 

 standard American target for the various 

 ranges. We are unable to find out what the 

 proper size bull's eye is, and the members of 

 our team are anxious to know. 



A. A. Funk, St. Joseph, 111. 



Standard American target for 200-yard 

 rifle and 50-yard revolver shooting is of the 

 following dimensions : 



Reduce proportionately for shorter dis- 

 tances. Get a copy of the American Rifle- 

 man's Encyclopedia from the Peters Com- 

 pany. Price, 10 cents. — Editor. 



SHOOTS WITH A SAVAGE 



Editor Recreation : 



I have seen a lot of letters in your gun 

 department that have interested me very 

 much, but I have not seen anyone who tells 

 much about his experience with the Savage 

 rifle. Now, I have owned a good many dif- 

 ferent guns in my time, as I am over 60 

 years of age ; but the best of the lot, to my 

 thinking, is the Savage Model 1899, so- 

 called Saddle Gun. Mine has a 22-inch 

 round barrel and weighs a little over seven 

 pounds, and fires a .303 cartridge. 



I am a mining man and have used this 

 rifle from the Mexican border to Alaska, 

 and have never yet found it wanting when 

 called upon. The Savage is a very neat 

 rifle. Anyone can see that at a glance ; but 

 its greatest advantages are its accuracy, 

 power, and the short throw of the lever. 

 There is no denying that the Savage can 

 be manipulated faster than any other rifle, 

 excepting the self-loader. Then again, you 

 are able to use so many different cartridges 

 in it that you have practically half a dozen 

 different rifles in one. I can use a full 

 metal covered bullet for long range shoot- 

 ing, either at the target or at small game. 

 Then, if I want to use a bullet to get a 

 heavy shock at anything up to 250 or 300 

 yards, I can use a soft nose bullet. In ad- 

 dition, I have the short range and the metal 

 miniature. 



I have shot bear with this rifle and killed 

 them dead in their tracks, and I have also 

 shot grouse — not with the same bullet 

 though — and hardly disfigured them at all. 

 This rifle has been in my possession almost 

 since the model was put on the market, and, 

 although I have fired thousands of shots, 

 the rifling is just as good as it was when 

 it left the factory ; but, of course, I know 

 how to take care of a barret and I 

 have never allowed the inside of the tube 

 to become rusty. Often, when in camp uo 

 in the mountains, during a wet spell, I have 

 felt very much like letting the rifle take care 

 of itself for one night, but I have always 

 resisted the impulse and thoroughly cleaned 

 the barrel before putting it away and turn- 

 ing in for a night's rest ; and let me tell 

 you, brother riflemen, this is one of the 

 secrets of successful rifle shooting. 



J. M. Benton, Boise, Idaho. 



