May 2?, 1884.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



c327 



the difference iu 1be world in this, and the mainspring 



should be heavy enough to explode even tile least sensitive- 

 Then proper' reloading tools are* a perfect gaiige as to_ the 

 length of the romplelerfcnrrxid.se. To be sure, a cartridge 

 for a repeater in eds an invariable length, the same as for any 

 other gun; for I know of no gun that will take cartridges 

 that do Dot fit it and do good work. A. carl ridge a little too 

 long in a singleloader may cause as much trouble and lose a 

 man Ms life from the inability to "work" the gun, as one too 

 short or loo long in a repeater; and this variation in length 

 will not. obtain it the shells are loaded properly, as the ball- 

 seater in a proper set of tools seats the ball invariably the 

 Nor will properly loaded shells shorten up under the 

 jolting in the magazine, 'for the ball should be firmly veated 

 on the powder by heavy pressure or blows by a mallet, and 

 cannot enter any furtiier. The lubricating disk is a thing 

 of the past long since, and should never be used in any mag- 

 azine rifle or any other to secure accurate shooting. 



But what is the use of my stating this? It is all known al- 

 ready by the rifle shot who merits the name, and 1 am sick 

 and 'tired of hearing the man's fault laid to the gnu; or try- 

 ing to teach such a man what any rifleman should know, and 

 that is how to not only take care, of himself, but also load 

 and take care of his rifle and ammunition, so that they will 

 take care of him in the time of need. Any man who will 

 take the field without such knowledge deserves all the ills 

 that befall him, and needs a guardian to keep rifles and all 

 such out of his hands until he is competent to understand 

 and handle them Doubtless there are many who need such 

 guardianship, who always succeed admirably iu getting 

 t enaselves into a scrape and leave their friends to get them 

 out; but, don't let us hear their faults laid on the poor gun, 

 when the latter would have served them well with even a 

 very small amount ol intelligent attcntio. to its wants. 



It so happens that I know Jim Baker very well, having 

 passed the winter in the same camp with him once on a time 

 and having had him on ray pay-rolls as a Government scout, 

 and he told me exactly how the accident happened to him 

 It did not happen from any accident with a Winchester, as 

 "G.'s" article would lead one to suppose from the way lie 

 quotes his friend's letter; but. it did happen from the explo- 

 sion of the magazine of an old Spencer rim-fire carbine, and 

 his accident was not the only one that has happeucd with 

 such guns. The accident broke poor -lim's jaw, cut open 

 his neck and tore off his rieht thumb, an accident that only 

 could have happened with a gun with magazine iu stock. 



Now the time was when t be Spencer was considered afine 

 gun, and in the hands of troops during the war it caused the 

 enemy many a heart beat, and this, too, in spite of the de- 

 fects 'of mechanism and faulty ammunition. It is a rim- 

 fire gun, and so were the Henry and first Winchester, hence 

 so many accidents and never- should have been used as a 

 magaz ne gun, owing to its danger; but gunmakers have "to 

 live and learn," and its day has long since passed never tc 

 return. So we can safelydvmiiss Jim Baker and his acci- 

 dent with the Spencer as entirely foreign to any accidents 

 likely to happen with more modern weapons. - 



"G.'s" friend asks whether efforts have been made since 

 the war to arm troops with repeaters. 1 can tell him, most 

 emphatically, yes. Every civilized nation, and some that 

 are not so classed, are experimenting with repeaters, looking 

 to their general introduction as weapons of war. England 

 looks upon the inagaziue gun as the coming weapon. Our 

 own country has adopted them for trial, and they are now 

 in the hands of some of our troops. Our Indian police arc 

 armed with them and know how to u*e them, too, while the 

 Turkish cavalry were largely armed with them in their late 

 war with Russia. Our arms companies are mainly interested 

 in the production of repeaters for army use, and fill large 

 orders for foreign shipment. The Winchester— then called 

 the "Henry" — was in the hands of our troops dining the 

 late war, and many a time did the rebels meet a surprise 

 party when coming against them, and the Indians, when 

 first they met them, were most gloriously "licked" before 

 they "tumbled to the racket," and to-day you cannot make 

 an Indian arm himself with a singleloader when he can beg, 

 borrow, or steal enough to get the wherewithal to buy a re- 

 peater, and when gotten he treasures it as the "apple of his 

 eye." 



After the "Milk River fight" in 1879, after the arrival of 

 the relieving columns, I picked up Landfills of Winchester 

 shells from behind the Indian breastworks, showing that the 

 Utes had them to use — and did use them pretty effectually — 

 against us. But the Spencer and the old Henry, or the early 

 Winchester, compare about as favorably with our late re- 

 peaters as do the "flint locks" with the modern "hammer- 

 less," and the good work the more modern repeaters can do 

 Will compare as favorably with the work the old ones did. 



But we are not striving for a weapon for troops — let gov- 

 ernments do that — we are striving for a weapon for the 

 hunter to which he can "tic" at all times and in all places, 

 and the number of repeater? thus far developed that "fill the 

 bill" can be counted on the thumb of a one-armed man. We 

 have many so-called "sporting" repeaters, but they each and 

 all "would prove the "murder, us" and "cruel" gun, which 

 we hear decried against game, not because they don't shoot 

 hard enough, not because they don't shoot far enough, not 

 because they don't shoot lead enough, not because they don't 

 shoot true enough when the distance is known; but because 

 they all do shoot with a too high trajectorj r , throw too much 

 lead and too little powder, and one cannot plant his lead 

 with certainty in a vital spot. But we have one class of re- 

 peaters that is bound to succeed in spite of eroakings as to 

 the danger, quoted from experience with old pattern or in- 

 ferior kinds of arms. 



I will conclude this article by telling what I know has 

 been done with a repesHer, where verily a man carried his 

 life in his hand, protected only by his coolness and skill, and 

 the rifle he carried. In Arizona I know an Indian scout, 

 with whom 1 scouted many a mile of country, who, one 

 day in an engagement, ran an Indian iuto a thicket in a fight. 

 Mr. Redskin was armed and was skulking for cover to get 

 bis chance at picking off a white man. The scout knew 

 better than to rush iu or to expose himself unnecessarily to 

 fire, so he too crept around under cover until he could see 

 about where the Indian was hid; then, believing that the 

 Indian did not know about repeaters (the Apaches in. 1870 

 to 1875 knew very little about them) he deliberately fired a 

 shot, believing that the Indian would show himself to get his 

 shot before the scout could reload. Show himself he did, 

 with a grin on his face, as much as to say "it's my turn now/' 

 to get a shot between "wind and water" from the scout's re- 

 peater, that hud been loaded without having been taken from 

 the shoulder. Well, there was one "good Indian" more, 

 and he never lived to learn how that gun was reloaded so 

 quickly. Again, another scout, armed with a repeater, 

 held alone the only place the Indians could escape, from an 



engagement. He rained lead so fast upon them, and they 

 were there by the dozen, that they could not and did not 

 face it, but turned back to try the steep rocks, where the 

 way was steeper, but where lead .did not buzz like angry 

 hornets. 



I might multiply instances and not romance in the least; 

 but each and all know of many a time when, but for the re- 

 peater, d< ath would have churned the hunter, scout or sol- 

 dier, and it is needless for ine to dwtll on this. 



Believing that the. new departure in rifles is iu the right 

 direction, I can only hope it will prosper, leaving, however, 

 each to take his choice, but at the same time earnestly hop- 

 ing-that blame for non-success will be put by each where 

 it'genendlv will be found to belong— upon the man and not 

 the guu, provided a good, late pattern and thoroughly well- 

 made gun has beeu'ehosen, and good, properly loaded am- 

 munition is used therein. G. D. 



P. S.— The work you are now engaged in of giving a com- 

 plete description" of the later styles and nn dels of rifles is 

 to be commended, for from the information there contained, 

 riflemen can more intelligently sell ct the ritle best suited 

 to their wants. Those who have the opportunity doubtless 

 post themselves upon all models of rifles before purchasing 

 any, but there are so many that have not the chance, you 

 description will give wide circulation of details.^ ordinarily 

 not to be found in any advertisement, giving a fair fleld and 

 favor to all. C. D. 



DORCHESTER BAY DUCKING. 



[WAS in Dorchester, New Brunswick, and com plying with 

 an invitation from my friend, J. II. H , I joined him on 

 Easter Monday for a cruise down the bay in his gunning 

 boat. Dorchest'-r Bay is at the head of the Bay of Funday, 

 and the tide rises and falls thirty feet. We started at 4 

 A. M., and launching our boat on the ebb tide sped down 

 the bay "indifferent to the huge waves that tossed our boat 

 around like an eggshell. 



The boat, built for the purpose, is about fourteen feet long, 

 flat bottomed, at,d propelled by paddle wheels and cranks, 

 the covering ol the paddle boxes being carried across in 

 front, forming a breastwork which hid all but olir heads 

 from the birds. It was my first experience in this mode of 

 gunning and I became enthusiastic, over the ease and com- 

 fort with which we proceeded with mj^ muscular fiieud at 

 the cranks. My opinion was somewhat mouificd later when 

 my turn came to play the part of steam engine in a launch. 

 If any of your readers wish to try Low it feels, let them 

 place two grindstones side by side and then sit flat on the 

 ground between them and turn them simultaneously for a 

 few hours. Even that would hardly give a correct idea, as 

 you must hold your head still so as to make your shooting 

 hat look like part of the boat while paddling up to the wary 

 geese and ducks. My spine even yet takes an occasional 

 kink which serves to keep the experience fresh in my mind. 



It would take too long to give a detailed account of the 

 day; suffice it 1o say that we bagged five wild geese anil 

 three ducks, and becoming heedless m the chase let. the tide 

 get too far away with us, and when we tried to return home 

 against the current the futility of struggling with the Bay 

 of Fundy bore became apparent. By herculean efforts 

 we succeeded in beaching our boat on mud flats about a 

 mile from shore. After a somewhat extended wait, we 

 reached home on the flood tide at 3 o'clock the next morning 

 covered with mud and glory, the contents of the game bag 

 being only one of the many incidents which made the day's 

 outing most enjoyable. T>. 



Amherst, N. S., April 34. 



THE PERFORMANCE OF SHOTGUNS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Having suggested some objections to the full choke sys- 

 tem in former communications, some advocates of that 

 system have replied pretty vigorously; striving to fortify 

 their position with some statements that must certainly cause 

 a broad smile to suffuse the features of every practical sports- 

 man. 



The man who can increase his pattern 100 pellets simply 

 by using a star wad over his charge of shot, must be cer- 

 tainly romancing, or writing up a big boom for the star wad 

 manufacturer. 



I will give you the result of some investigations and tests 

 my friends and self have made: A standard 10-gauge shell, 

 using Tatham's standard shot No. 8, 400 pellets to an ounce, 

 will chamber on the outer circle circumscribing the inner 

 circumference of the shell 25 pellets. Filling up the center, 

 in even and full layer of shot, we have, by actual count, 

 about 62 pellets. 



In 1£ ounces we have a total of 500 pellets, which, dis- 

 tributed m even, consecutive layers, as above, of about 62 

 pellets to the layer, make « layers, forming the full charge 

 of shot. For other sizes of shot, and for guns of different 

 gauges, sportsmen can make their own estimates. 



it is a well settled principle that, of the pellets of shot of 

 which the charge is formed, those lying on the outer circle of 

 the cylindrical body forming the charge, and next the iuner 

 surface of the barrel, are, by the force of the discharge in 

 passing out of the barrel, retarded to some extent by friction 

 and more or less jammed into an angulateti form thereby, 

 thus destroying to some extent their efficiency at the limit 

 of the range of the gun. Hence, it has long since been 

 demonstrated that even in cylinder barrels, the pelh ts of .the 

 inner circle of the charge are most efficient, have the greatest 

 force and penetration and the most killing power. 



To do away with this difficulty in some measure, wire 

 cartridges, concentrators and other forms of shot cartridge 

 were adopted to preserve the spherical form of all the pellets 

 composing the charge, and to keep all aiike up to the. same 

 initial velocity. That they do perform what is claimed is 

 too well settled to admit of either comment or argument. 

 But, it is claimed for a loose charge in a full choke guu, that 

 the choke effects the same purpose and more too. How ! Is 

 the friction decreased? It is increased; for upon the arrival 

 of the charge of shot at the choke, the cylindrical form of 

 the body of that charge must necessarily be elongated in 

 order to pass out; and then too, the wad between the powder 

 and shot assumes necessarily at that point a surface convex 

 to the bottom of the charge of shot, thus increasing the 

 number of pellets that are affected by the friction up the 

 barrel jammed into angles and their spherical form more or 

 less irjured — the worst possible- conditions for a good per- 

 formance. 



As shown above, the number of pellets in l£ ounces of No. 

 8 shot that lie next the inner surface of the barrel is 8 times 

 25, or 200, a large percentage of which would be affected 

 in the manner described above even in a cylinder-bored 



barrel ; in a full choke a much larger percentage would be 

 affected. 



It has been admitted time and time again in the couimu 

 ideations of numerous correspondents who have contributed 

 to these columns upon this subject, that buckshot and the 

 larger sizes of shot will neither give good pattern nor pene- 

 tration out of -a full choke. Exactly so. 



Some inquire: How shall I load with buckshot for deer? 

 You had better not load with them at all in a full choke 

 barrel The result will be a failure iu efficacy, and if you 

 attempt to use any of the forms of shot cartridge the result 

 will be the same/ They will inevitably jam in the choke, 

 the force be greatly retarded, besides being so scattered as to 

 destroy their effect on your game. Then, too, repeated 

 jammings of this character, if your gun be a light one'at the 

 muzzle or choke, will spring the choke out of it. 



Use a cylinder-bored barrel for buckshot if you desire to 

 make long shots; use a wire cartridge (Ely's are very good), 

 and back them with every grain of powder your gun will 

 bear. If the gun be an average good performer, you will 

 have no reason to complain of results. Backwoods. 



Bbvbbly, W. Va. 



DOWN AN IDAHO SNOW SLIDE. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I send a few notes from letters received from Idaho, think- 

 ing they might prove interesting to some one, or serve if 

 more entertaining matter was lacking. 



"Rocky Bar, Idaho Territory.— Dear F.— The package of 

 Forest and Stkeams received. We take great pleasure in 

 reading them herein the wilds, for I can appreciate a hunt- 

 ting or fishing trip myself, though game is so plenty here, 

 the majority don't care for hunting except for meat to eat. 

 I think I should like to have one of the smart dogs I read of 

 in the Kennel department, though we can find grouse easily 

 without a dog. The favorite dog here is a good deerhound 

 that can be held in check, unless game is wounded and then 

 sent after the deer. The game law is very strict in Idaho 

 now, and it has been enforced several times in this county. 

 Nevertheless, I must plead guilty to taking what game I 

 need for my personal use in or out of season, as I contend I 

 have spent time enough making trails over the mountains to 

 entitle me to all the game I can eat. We had a nice spell of 

 weather a shoit time since, and the grouse began to come 

 down, but yesterday it stormed again and they will stop. 

 One of the mail carriers traveling on snow shoes ran across 

 three deer on Boise River bottom and 'took in' two with bis 

 snow shoe polo; they had been living in the bottom and were 

 fine ana fat. When one lias been living on frozen beef all 

 winter a change is beneficial. Snow here about 5| feet deep 

 and coming down fast, but what comes from this out don't 

 pile up The other day I had quite an adventure, and as it 

 is one that, though it might happen to many, few would like 

 to relate, will send you a scrap cut from a local paper. 

 Judge for yourselt ." The scrap reads as follows, being taken 

 from the Wood River JS'eios-Miner: 



"It is seldom iu the career of a reporter that he is enabled 

 to chronicle a more thrilling advi nture or fortunate escape, 

 than that wdiich befel the well known foreman in charge of 

 the Bonaparte Company's mines. Having occasion on Wed- 

 nesday evening last, to visit, the prospecting camp of G r ay 

 and Marly, some two miles distant from the Bonaparte, Mr. 

 McK. mounted his snow shoes and began the ascent of the 

 bleak ridge dividing the two places. Albeit the snow was 

 as neatly slush as would conveniently lie on the mountain 

 side, he determined on reaching the summit to have a ride 

 down the mountain, and accordingly turned his shoes down 

 a steep and precipitous ridge leading into Snake Creek Canyon 

 and while descending with the speed of an arrow, he sud- 

 denly felt his footing give way and instantly discovered that 

 the entire mountain bad slid and that he was in the midst of 

 an enormous snow slide. With great presence of mind he 

 hastily disengaged himself from the incumbrance of his snow 

 shoes, and by dint of much kicking, struggbng and rolling, 

 managed to keep on top of the slide, which was twisting and 

 splintering gigantic trees in its fearful rush to the canyon 

 below, which was filled many feet deep with the frozen nle- 

 ment, which had by this time reached nearly the solidity of 

 ice, and swept away everything movable in the shape of trees 

 and rocks from the mountain side above. Yet when the 

 tremendous mass of snow was still, Mr. McK. found himself 

 still on top, and with the exception of a few slight bruises 

 and a sense of suffocation, unhurt, and a few minutes later 

 w:.s exultingly relating his fearful snow slide in a place of 

 safety." 



To one whom the fearful power of a snow slide or ava- 

 lanche is known, the above adventure and escape from death 

 is truly miraculous. Prairie Dog. 

 Detroit, Mich. 



Quail for the Million. — Henrietta, Clay County, Tex., 

 May 1. — It was a beautiful day. I boarded the cars at Hen- 

 rietta for Bowie, to see what prospects there were for next 

 September. Twenty-eight miles brought me to Bowie, on 

 the Fort Worth and Denver City R. R., just into the cross 

 timbers of Montague county. 1 there fouud as good a team 

 as is generally found at a livery; called oq a lady friend to 

 take a drive. We started out. The first 1 saw of quail was 

 a boy throwing rocks at a covey as they ran along the road- 

 side, a mile's drive. I saw what appeared to me a continu- 

 ous covey. Quail to the right, quail to the left, quail to the 

 front, quail all around. 1 was astonished. I suspect my 

 lady friend thought me a dull fellow, I was occupied think- 

 ing what a time 1 would have with old dog Blackno e on the 

 first of September. 1 would have kept this to myself, but 

 quail were too numerous. I went off the road and found 

 quail behind every bush. 1 now heartily extend an invita- 

 tion to all dog-breakers, field trial men. pot-hunters and mar- 

 ket hunters. All come. The country is alive with Bob 

 Whites; quail in Montague county by the millions. Open 

 post oak shooting. What is better? Brother sportsmen, 

 where quail are scarce, come and kill a few bet ore something 

 happens, but do not come till September. — Almo. 



American and Imported Guns. — Editor Forest and 

 Stream: "Vitus" says "that a better gun can be made in Amer- 

 ica for the same price that you would pay for an English 

 gun in the same place." But when you consider that Eng- 

 lish guns pay from thirty-five to lorty'per cent duty, besides 

 a liberal profit to the importer, you will see thut there is no 

 comparison between them, and to get theisr comparative 

 value, you must find what }our English gun cost before im- 

 portation, and then compare it with some American gun of 

 like co^t, and I think you will find the English gun "is the 

 best.— Hollis. 



