886 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Deo. 5, 1889. 



PATTERN AND PENETRATION. 



REMINGTON 12-GAUGE. 



RESPONSIVE to the invitation of Forest and Stream, 

 Messrs. Hartley & Graham, the new proprietors of 

 the Eemington works, at Ilion, and the makers of the 

 present model of the shotgun bearing the Remington 

 name, submitted three guns, two of them were of 12- 

 gauge, and the third of a 10-gauge size. The two la- 

 gauges differed in weight and were intended to represent 

 two popular sizes adapted to different demands of work. 

 The weapons were of the low hammer type, with top 

 snap, and very creditable samples of workmanship, espe- 

 cially when considered in connection with their cost 

 price. With the arms were sent cartridges. Those for 

 the 12-gauges were loaded with 3£drs. of Hazard FG, be- 

 hind l£oz. of Tatham chilled No. 8. This was presumably 

 the charge which the testing monitor at the Ilion works 

 thought best adapted to the guns sent. The first gun put 

 to the test happened to be the heavier of the two 12-gauge 

 arms, and Supt. Moss did the actual trigger pulling of the 

 trial. In order to make the trial of the arm as complete 

 as possible, an order was sent to Von Lengerke&Detmold 

 to load cartridges with ljoz. Tatham No. 8 chilled, and 

 use wood and Schultze powder of quantity sufficient to 

 make the efficiency of the cartridge equal to that of the 

 black powder, as stated in the Remington invoice accom- 

 panying the arms to the office. How nearly 1 Joz. of shot 

 as measured in New York correspond with l^oz. as meas- 

 ured at Ilion, a glance at our analysis will show. 



The day was a good one for the test, a cool morning, 

 with not as much dampness in the air as might be wished 

 for powder lubrication, but just such a morn as thousands 

 of gunners are enjoying in the brush and afield. The 

 black powder cartridge was first fired, then the wood and 

 finally the Schultze, and upon falling back to 60yds. the 

 same order was observed, and all through without clean- 

 ing. 



This direct comparative test of the three powders now 

 upon this market in the same gun of good make is a very 

 instructive one, and the advocate of each of the makes of 

 powder will find data to his taste. The black powder 

 does not make the best average, but it is quite uniform 

 in action. The wood powder redeems itself after the 

 display it made in the L. C. Smith gun test, and leaves it 

 an open question whether after all it was the gun or the 

 charge which was to blame in that trial. With the com- 

 ing of the Schultze powder came those fluke shots, where 

 there was a sudden dropping away of the jiattern 50 per 

 cent, or more. How is this? The gun was the same, the 

 powder of course was uniform with the shot, and the 

 only explanation is to be found in the fashion of loading, 

 so far as the wads was concerned and their relation to 

 the bore of the gun. The higher the rate of expansion of 

 the propulsive gas or the rate of its generation, the 

 greater the chance of magnifying any error which may 

 be traced back to irregular wadding as related to the 

 gun's bore. 



But we are not called upon to discuss the why and 

 wherefore of these irregularities. The fact is that they 

 exist, and some of our many correspondents may feel 

 impelled to argue from the facts as we state them to the 

 cause as it exists. It was plain that the left barrel was 

 the closer shooting of the two, and every charge showed 

 this in its averages. So far as penetration is concerned 

 there would seem to be little difference, with the slight 

 odds in favor of the white powder. It should always be 

 borne in mind that there is a difference between pene- 

 tration and killing power; a light missile or shot moving 

 rapidly has great killing power, while a heavier missile 

 moving slowly may have much less, yet the latter will 

 no doubt show better results in penetration upon 

 the compactly placed sheets of paper used for measuring 

 this factor of a gun's work. The velocimeter would give 

 accurately the rate of travel of the flying pellets, and 

 give, perhaps, a better notion of the killing power, yet it 

 would be valueless in noting the penetrative force since 

 it takes no note in its measurement of travel of the 

 weight of the flying object. Besides, in our series of 

 tests, it has been our aim to point out rather how each 

 man may test his own gun and give him a series of figures 

 by which to gauge it, rather than pile up a lot of tables 

 or to reach that other ignis-fatuus, a perfect load. 

 There does indeed exist a perfect load, but it is for each 

 gun only, and it is for each gun holder to work out the 

 effective capabilities of his own weapon. Having reached 

 this, he may then note whether the arm he possesses 

 shot at its best is as good as another arm similarly used. 

 This is the value of our series of trials. Gunnery in all 

 its branches is essentially an art of experiment, and in it? 

 own field the Forest ainD Stream has taken up the ta9k 

 of so heaping up facts that if we cannot actually reach 

 the point of saying this or that charge is the absolutely 

 best one, we can at least point out certain avenues of 

 effort which are sure to lead to disappointment. There 

 is as much in knowing what to avoid as in finding out 

 what is best to cling to. But again we are drifting into 

 casuistry and will stop off short and leave the facts to 

 stand for themselves as presented in the formal trial of 

 this arm: 



CLAREMONT, N. J., Nov. 15, 1889. 

 test made at forest and stream gun-testing screen. 

 Gun— Remi n gt on Hammer Gun. Cost, $40. No. of gun, 

 31,553. Weight. 8 9-161bs. Length of barrels, 80in. 

 Gauge, 12. Right barrel, full choke. Left barrel, full 

 choke. 



Weather— Clear. Direction of wind, 3 o'clock. Force of 

 wind, 7 miles per hour. Thermometer, dry, 45° . Do., 

 wet, 39° . Humidity, 57° . Barometer, 30.1in. 



Charge, as given by holder of gun : 



BOTH barrels. 



Shell— Winchester. 



Po wder, Brand — Hazard FG. 



Powder, Quantity— drs. 



( Make— Tatham. 

 Shot 4] Quantity— 1% oz. 



( Size-No. 8 Chilled. 



CARTRIDGE ANALYSIS. 



Three Cartridges Taken at Random. 



BOTH BARRELS. 

 Loading. Powder. Shot. 



Card over shot; two 1 1. .. 90 grs. 578 grs. 524 pellets 



B. E. wads over pow- 4 2... 89 grs. 574 grs. 538 pellets, 



der. (3... 89 grs. 574 grs. 527 pellets. 



Average 89 grs. 575 grs. 529 pellets. 



TEST AT 40 YARDS. 



Five Shots per Barrel f rom rest at fixed SO-inch Circle. 



RIGHT BARREL. LEET BARREL. 



Pattern. Penetration, 3 pellets. Pattern. Penetration, 3 pellets 



1. 273 pellets. 



2. 311 pellets. 



3. 297 pellets. 



4. 231 pellets. 



5. 302 pellets. 



12 sheets. 

 11 sheets. 



10 sheets. 



11 sheets. 

 14 sheets. 



1. 230 pellets. 



2. 270 pellets. 



3. 315 pellets. 



4. 314 pellets. 



5. 298 pellets. 



11 sheets. 



11 sheets. 

 13 sheets. 



12 sheets. 

 10 sheets. 



Av. 283 pellets. 12 sheets. Av. 285 pellets. 11 sheets. 



REM. 12-G., 40YDS., BLACK POWDER, RIGHT BARREL, 361 PELLETS. 



Three shots at 4-foot square; 30-inch Circle selected from 

 best pattern, 



RIGHT BARREL. LEFT BARREL. 



1 345 pellets. 1 342 pellets. 



2 361 pellets. 2 347 pellets. 



3 348 pellets. 3 3<f0 pellets. 



Average 351 pellets. Average 343 pellets. 



TEST AT 60 YARDS. 



Five Shots per Barrel from rest at fixed 30-inch Circle. 



RIGHT BARREL. " LEFT BARREL. 



Pattern. Penetration, s pellets. Pattern. Penetration, 3 pellets. 



1. 102 pellets. 4 sheets. 1. 100 pellets. 7 sheets. 



2. 125 pellets. 3 sheets. 2. 107 pellets. 8 sheets. 



3. 75 pellets. 7 sheets. 3. 133 pellets. 5 sheets. 



4. 82 pellets. 5 sheets. 4. 112 pellets. 5 sheets. 



5. 110 pellets. 8 sheets. 5. 99 pellets. 6 sheets. 



Av. 99 pellets. 5 sheets. Av. 110 pellets. 6 sheets. 



REM. 12-G., 40YDS., BLACK POWDER, LEFT BARREL, 347 PELLETS. 



Three shots at 4-foot square; 30-inch Circle selected from 

 best pattern. 



RIGHT BARREL. LEFT BARREL. 



1 149 pellets. 1 130 pellets. 



2 153 pellets. 2 146 pellets. 



3 161 pellets. 3 121 pellets. 



Average 154 pellets. 



Average 132 pellets. 



CLAREMONT, N. J., Nov. 15, 1889. 



TEST MADE AT FOREST AND STREAM GUN-TESTING SCREEN. 



Gun — Remington Hammer Gun. Cost, $40. No. of gun, 

 31,553. Weight, 8 9-161bs. Length of barrels, 30in. 

 Gauge, 12. Right barrel, full choke. Left barrel, full 

 choke. 



Weather— Clear. Direction of wind, 3 o'clock. Force of 

 wind, 7 miles per hour. Thermometer, dry, 45°. Do., 

 wet, 39°. Humidity, 57°. Barometer, 30. lin. 



Charge, as given by holder of gun: 



BOTH BARRELS. 



Shell— U. S. Climax. 

 Poivder, Brand— 12-bore Trap Wood. 

 Powder, Quantity— -3 drs. 



( Make— Tatham. 

 Shot 4 Quantity— \% oz. 



( Size— No. 8 Chilled. 



CARTRIDGE ANALYSIS. 



Three Cartridges Taken at Random, 



BOTH BARRELS. 

 Loading. Powder. 

 Card over shot; P. E. ( 1. . . 36 grs. 

 wad, felt wad and 4 2... 36 grs. 

 card over powder. ( 3 . . . 36 grs. 



Slwt. 



568 grs. 576 pellets. 



578 pellets. 

 573 pellets. 



572 grs. 

 565 grs. 



Average 36 grs. 568 grs, 576 pellets, 



TEST AT 40 YARDS. 



Five Shots per Barrel from rest at fixed 30-inch Circle. 



LEFT BARREL. 

 Pattern, Penetration, 3 pellets. 

 L 366 pellets. 12 sheets. 



2. 384 pellets. 



3. 381 pellets. 



4. 383 pellets. 



5. 380 pellets. 



RIGHT BARREL. 

 Pattern. Penetration, 3 pellets. 

 1. 340 pellets. 10 sheets. 



2. 351 pellets. 



3. 366 pellets. 



4. 355 pellets. 



5. 372 pellets. 



13 sheets. 

 13 sheets. 

 10 sheets. 

 12 sheets. 



11 sheets. 



12 sheets. 



12 sheets. 



13 sheets. 



Av. 357 pellets. 12 sheets. Av. 379 pellets. 12 sheets. 



Three Shots at 4-foot square; 30-inch Circle selected from 

 best pattern. 



RIGHT BARREL. 



1 412 pellets. 



2 423 pellets. 



3 406 pellets. 



Average 414 pellets. 



LEFT BARREL. 



1 410 pellets. 



2 377 pellets. 



3 414 pellets. 



Average 400 pellets. 



REM. 12-G., 40YDS., WOOD POWDER, RIGHT BARREL, 423 PELLETS. 



REM. 12-G., 40YD8., WOOD POWDER, LEFT BARREL, 414 PELLETS. 



TEST AT 60 YARDS. 



Five Shots per Barrel from rest at fixed 30-inch Circle. 



RIGHT BARREL. 

 Pattern. Penetration, 3 pellets. 



1. 173 pellets. 



2. 117 pellets. 



3. 145 pellets. 



4. 145 pellets. 



5. 140 pellets. 



7 sheets. 

 7 sheets. 

 6 sheets. 

 4 sheets. 

 4 sheets. 



LEFT BARREL. 

 Pattern. Penetration, 3 pellets. 



177 pellets. 5 sheets. 



150 pellets. 

 175 pellets. 

 1F3 pellets. 

 162 pellets. 



5 sheets. 

 5 sheets. 



3 sheets. 



4 sheets. 



Av. 144 pellets. 6 sheets. Av. 169 pellets. 4 sheets. 



Three Shots at 4-foot square; 30-inch Circle selected from 

 best pattern. 



RIGHT BARREL. LEFT BARREL. 



1 187 pellets. 1 208 pellets. 



2 173 pellets. .2 212 pellets. 



3 170 pellets. 3 182 pellets. 



Average 176 pellets. 



Average 200 pellets. 



CLAREMONT, N. J., Nov. 15, 1889. 



TEST MADE AT FOREST AND STREAM GUN-TESTING SCREEN. 



Gun— Remington Hammer Gun. Cost, $40. No. of gun, 

 31,553. Weight, 8 9-161bs. Length of barrels, 30in. 

 Gauge, 12. Right barrel, full choke. Left barrel, full 

 choke. 



Weather— Clear. Direction of wind, 3 o'clock. Force of 

 wind, 7 miles per hour. Thermometer, dry, 45°. Do., 

 wet, 39°. Humidity, 57° . Barometer, 30.1in. 



Charge, as given by holder of gun: 



BOTH BARRELS. 



Shell— U. S. Climax. 

 Powder, Brand— Schultze. 

 Powder, Quantity— 3drs. 



( Make— Tatham. 

 Shot 4 Quantity— l}£oz. 



{ Size— No. 8 Chilled. 



CARTRIDGE ANALYSIS. 

 Tliree Cartridges Taken at Random. 



BOTH BARRELS. 

 Loading. Poicder. 

 Card over shot: P. E., ( 1. . . 42 grs. 



'4 2... ■ 

 3... 



felt wad and card-; 

 over powder. 



42 grs. 

 41 grs. 



Shot. 



562 grs. 569 pellets. 



578 pellets. 

 571 pellets. 



574 grs. 

 561 grs. 



Average 42 grs. 566 grs. 573pelleta, 



