408 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Dec. 12, 1889. 



PATTERN AND PENETRATION. 



FRANCOTTE 12-GAUGE GftfN. 



THE gun which was put to test on Nov. 20 was one of 

 a make which has so far been little known on the 

 American market, although it comes from a maker who 

 has a world-wide fame, and whose works at Liege do an 

 immense amount of work of all grades in the gun line. 

 The Francotte gan conies from the shops of Auguste 

 Francotte. and while he makes all sort and manner of 

 arms, in this particular one he has aimed at making the 

 lightest possible weapon, consistent with safety and good 

 execution. A gun running less than 61bs. in weight 

 would be considered by many shots, especially our Western 

 friends, as nothing more than a toy. How much of a toy 

 this particular feather-weight weapon is a glance at the 

 record will show. The particular arm tested is one 



FRANCOTTE GUN, 12-G., 40YDS.. RIGHT BARREL, NO. 8 SHOT, 335 PEL 



which had been sent over on a special order, and its cost 

 of $400 is due in no small measure to a display of extra 

 fine engraving upon the lock plate and other exposed 

 parts. Besides, it has an extra set of barrels in which a 

 cylinder and choke are linked together. In the pair 

 tested both barrels were choke. The ordinary price of 

 this arm with a single pair of barrels and with less en- 

 graving on the plate is about $110. Von Lengerke & 

 Detmold, the American agents, expect by another season 

 to have a sufficient supply of the new arms to meet the 

 large demand which they confidently expect will spring 

 up as soon as the merits of the dainty little weapon be- 

 come fully known. '"The owner objects to the injury 

 which would result from the use of black powder," said 

 Herr Von Lengerke as he started out with the Forest 

 and Stream man to make the test. So Schultze powder 



FRANCOTTE GUN, 12-G., 40VDS., LEFT BARBEL, NO. 8 SHOT, 338 PEL. 



only was used, but to bring out the full capability of the 

 arm and make a comparative double test, two sets of 

 charges were loaded, one with No. 8 and the other with 

 No. 4 shot. Really it was a test for pattern with one 

 charge and for penetration most particularly with the 

 other. The illustration is taken directly from the arm 

 used in the trial. It has a full ejector device, and when 

 this is omitted the weight of the arm may be reduced. 

 The locking action is very similar to the Greener, with 

 the cross top bolt, and so perfect was the fitting that 

 when shut a pair of microscopic eyes would be necessary 

 to discern the joint at the breech. 



The day was not altogether a happy one for a test. Yet 

 with expert Von Lengerke at the firing point manipulat- 

 ing the arm, it is fair to say that the best possible work 

 was done. There was an ugly wind, a gusty one blowing 

 from the 12 o'clock quarter, right up the range from the 

 targets toward the shooter. Now and then a charge of 

 shot seemed to take a drift to one side of the circle aimed 

 at, but in striking the selected circle for best pattern it 

 was not found necessary to shift the center many inches 

 at 40yds. ; for instance, with the No. 8 shot the average 

 variation of both barrels for the entire 10 shots was oin., 

 and with the No. 4 shot it was 4in. with the left and 2*in. 

 with the right barrel. That is the distance between the 

 point A, the center of the aimed circle, and C, the cen- 

 ter of the selected circle, as shown in the diagram averages 

 as given. At 60yds. the aberration due to wind or per- 

 sonal irregularity was 4$£n. for the No, 8 and 3-J-in for the 

 No. 4 shot, and in not a few instances there was nothing 

 gained in pattern by any shifting of the center of the 

 30in. circle, 



The hard-hitting quality of the arm, especially when 

 taken in connection with its light weight, is deserving of 

 special attention. With the No. 8 shot at 40yds. the pene- 

 tration was above the average of a dozen previous guns, 

 while with the No. 4 shot the record ran high enough to 

 convince any gunner that a duck would drop if hit at 

 60yds.; the falling off here was not great enough to call 

 for special comment, or rather, to deserve comment, for 

 the well-sustained average. The gun was shot through- 

 out without cleaning, and the test, judged by our corre- 

 spondent " Nick's " fashion of reducing results to per- 

 centages, shows that with the No. 4 shot the 40yds. record 

 leads the entire procession of guns so far tested, wdiile at 

 60yds. it held up very well. At a future date another 

 Francotte is promised to be fired with all the varieties of 

 powder, and then we may see the captivating little 

 feather-weight beauty in a new light. 



FRANCOTTE GUN, 12-G., 40YDS., RIGHT BARREL, NO. 4 SHOT, 134 PEL. 



The formal record of the test shows: 



Claremont, N. J., Nov. 20, 1889. 



TEST MADE AT FOREST AND STREAM GUN-TESTING SCREEN. 



Gun— Francotte Hammerless Ejector. Cost, $400. No. of 

 gun, 17,910. Weight, 5 15-161bs. Length of barrels, 27in. 

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

 choke. 



Weather— Clear. Direction of wind, 12 o'clock. Force of 

 wind, 6 miles per hour. Thermometer, dry, 48°. Do., 

 wet, 45° . Humidity, 79° . Barometer, 29.8in. 



Charge, as given by holder of gun : 



BOTH BARRELS. 

 Shell— Von Lengerke & Detmold Metal Lined. 

 Powder, Brand— Sch ultze. 

 Powder, Quantity— -2% drs. 

 f Make— LeRoy. 

 Shot s Quantity— 1M oz. 

 ( She— No. 8 Chilled. 



FRANCOTTE GUN, 12-G.. 40YDS., LEFT BAI»SEL, NO. 4 SHOT, 116 PEL. 



CARTRIDGE ANALYSIS. 



Three Cartridges Taken at Random. 



BOTH BARRELS. 

 Loading. Powder. 

 Card over shot; P. E. i 1 . . . 40 grs. 

 wad, felt wad and-; 2... 41 grs. 

 card over powder. I 3. . . 39 grs. 



Shot. 



552 grs. 494 pellets. 

 546 grs. 490 pellets. 

 551 grs. 494 pellets. 



Average 40 grs. 549 grs, 493 pellets, 



TEST AT 40 YARDS. 

 Five Shots per Barrel from rest at fixed. 80-inch Circle. 



RIGHT BARREL. LEFT BARREL. 



Pa ttern. Penetration, 3 pellets. Pattern^ Penetration, 3 pellets. 



1. 304 pellets. 



2. 304 pellets. 



3. 317 pellets. 



4. 294 pellets. 



5. 255 pellets. 



13 sheets. 

 17 sheets. 



15 sheets. 



16 sheets. 

 15 sheets. 



1. 337 pellets. 



2. 330 pellets. 



3. 326 pellets. 



4. 330 pellets. 



5. 286 pellets. 



16 sheets. 

 16 sheets. 



14 sheets. 



15 sheets. 

 14 sheets. 



Av. 295 pellets. 15 sheets. Av. 322 pellets. 15 sheets. 



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

 best pattern. 



RIGHT BARREL. LEFT BARREL. 



1 335 pellets. 1 358 pellets. 



2 330 pellets. 2 35D pellets. 



3 335 pellets. 3 345 pellets. 



Average 333 pellets. 



Average 351 pellets. 



TEST AT 60 YARDS. 



Five Shots per Barrel Jrom rest at fixed 80-inch Circle. 



RIGHT BARREL. 

 Pattern. Penetration, 3 pelleti 



1. 107 pellets. 



2. 146 pellets. 



3. 123 pellets. 



4. 117 pellets. 



5. 100 pellets. 



9 sheets. 

 6 sheets. 

 4 sheets. 

 8 sheets. 

 3 sheets. 



LEFT BARREL. 

 Pattern. Penetration, 3 pellets. 



1. 110 pellets, 



2. 99 pellets. 



3. 101 pellets. 



4. 115 pellets. 



5. 102 pellets. 



4 sheets. 



5 sheets. 

 5 sheets. 



10 sheets. 

 4 sheets. 



Av. 119 pellets. 6 sheets. Av. 105 pellets. 6 sheets. 



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

 best pattern: 



RIGHT BARREL. LEFT BARREL. 



1 156 pellets. 1 131 pellets, 



2 137 pellets. 2 118 pellets. 



3 132 pellets. 3 119 pellets. 



Average 142 pellets. 



Average 123 pellets. 



CLAREMONT, N. J., Nov. 20, 1889. 



TEST MADE AT FOREST AND STREAM GUN-TESTING SCREEN. 



Gun— Francotte Hammerless Ejector. Cost, $400. No. of 

 gun, 17,910. Weight, 5 15-161bs. Length of barrels. 27in. 

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

 choke. 



Weather— Clear. Direction of wind, 12 o'clock. Force of 

 wind, 6 miles per hour. Thermometer, dry, 48°. Do., 

 wet, 45°. Humidity, 79 0 . Barometer. 29.8in. 



Charge, as given by holder of gun: 



BOTH BARRELS. 

 Shell— -Von Lengerke & Detmold Metal Lined. 

 Powder, Brand— Schultze. 

 Powder, Quantity— 2% drs. . 

 I Make— LeRoy. 

 Shot-l Quantity— 1% oz. 

 ( Size— No. 4 Chilled. 



CARTRIDGE ANALYSIS. 

 Three Cartridges Taken at Random. 



BOTH BARRELS. 



Loading. Powder. 

 Card over shot: P. E. (1... 39 grs. 

 wad, felt wad and-' 2... 39 grs. 

 card over powder. ( 3. . . 40 gi-s. 



Shot. 



533 grs. 157 pellets. 

 537 grs. 152 pellets. 



534 grs. 149 pellets. 



Average 39 grs. 535 grs. 153 pellets. 1 



TEST AT 40 YARDS. 

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



RIGHT BARREL. LEFT BARREL. 



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



1. 115 pellets. 



2. 104 pellets. 



3. 124 pellets. 



4. 103 pellets. 



5. 128 pellets. 



26 sheets. 

 32 sheets. 

 26 sheets. 

 26 sheets. 

 30 sheets. 



1. 108 pellets. 



2. 115 pellets. 



3. 89 pellets. 



4. 115 pellets. 



5. 106 pellets. 



27 sheets. 

 31 sheets. 

 25 sheets. 

 25 sheets. 

 25 sheets. 



Av. 115 pellets. 28 sheets. Av. 107 pellets. 27 sheets. 



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

 best pattern. 



RIGHT BARREL. LEFT BARREL. 



1 117 pellets. 1 116 pellets. 



2 124 pellets. 2 115 pellets. 



3 134 pellets. 3 115 pellets. 



Average 125 pellets. 



Average 115 pellets. 



TEST AT 60 YARDS. 

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



RIGHT BARREL. 

 Pattern. Penetration, * pellets. 



54 pellets. 21 sheets. 1. 



48 pellets. 20 sheets. 2. 



59 pellets. 20 sheets. 3. 



41 pellets. 14 sheets. 4. 



62 pellets. 23 sheets. 5. 



LEFT BARREL. 

 Pattern. Penetration, 3 pellets , 

 49 pellets. 18 sheets. 



58 pellets. 

 52 pellets. 

 47 pellets. 

 51 pellets. 



22 sheets. 

 .. sheets. 

 16 sheets. 

 20 sheets. 



Av. 53 pellets. 19 sheets. Av. 51 pellets. 19 sheets. 



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

 best pattern. 



RIGHT BARREL. LEFT BARREL. 



1 60 pellets. 1 til pellets. 



2 62 pellets. 2 58 pellets. 



3 67 pellets. 3 55 pellets. 



Average 63 pellets. 



Average 58 pellets. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In your issue of Dec. 5, while commenting on the re- 

 sults of pattern and penetration trials of Remington gun I 



