84 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Jan. 28, 190S. ^ 
Crescent Athletic Club. 
Bay Ridge, L. I., Jan. 21.— "Dr. Martin" scored a win on the 
January cup, with a score of 25 straight, he being one of the 
club's scratch men. Messrs. Vanderveer and Bedford were close 
seconds with 24. Scores: 
January cup shoot, 25 targets, allowances added: 
Hdp. Brk. Tot'l. 
Palmer, Jr 0 23 23 
Dr Martin ....... 0 25 25 
Marshall 5 10 15 
Vanderveer 4 20 24 
Team shoot, 25 targets: 
Palmer 0 
Dr. Martin 0 
Stephenson ... 1 
Hopkins 1 
Event, 15 targets: 
Remsen 0 
Glover 0 
Bedford 0 
Stephenson 0 
Marshall 3 
Hdp. Brk. Tot'l. 
Dr O'Brien 4 15 19 
Damron 7 10 17 
Bedford, Jr 1 23 24 
Lockwood 5 13 18 
20 
19—39 
20 
20 
Lott 
1 
19 
24 
24-44 
Vanderveer . . 
.. 4 
15 
22 
23 
15 
16—39 
13 
13 
Vanderveer . . 
2 
10 
14 
14 
3 
6 
12 
12 
, , . 0 
13 
11 
11 
, 2 
8 
8 
11 
, 4 
7 
12 
9 
13 
10 
11 
Shoot-off, same conditions: Remsen 13, Hopkins 13. 
Shoot-o£f, same conditions: J. S. Remsen 13, L. C. Hopkins 10. 
Event, 15 targets: 
Remsen 0' 13 13 
Glover 0 12 12 
Bedford 0 12 12 
Stephenson 0 13 13 
Marshall 3 7 10 
Event, 15 targets: 
Palmer, Jr 0 15 15 
Glover 0 12 12 
Bedford, Jr 0 10 10 
Stephenson 0 13 13 
Marshall 3 8 11 
Lockwood 3 11 14 
Event, 15 targets: 
Remsen 0 12 12 
Glover 0 11 11 
Palmer, Jr 0 11 11 
Stephenson 0 12 12 
Bedford, Jr 0 12 12 
Lott 0 12 12 
Marshall 3 8 11 
Trophy shoot, 15 targets: 
Palmer, Jr 0 13 13 
Stephenson 0 14 14 
Martin 0 10 10 
Lott 0 14 14 
Event, 25 targets : 
Remsen 0 20 20 
Glover 0 22 22 
Palmei, Jr 0 2S 23 
Stephenson 1 24 25 
Bedford, Jr 1 20 21 
Lott 1 18 19 
Marshall 5 10 15 
Shoot-of¥, same conditions: F 
veer 21. 
Lockwood 2 12 14 
Vanderveer 3 9 12 
Hopkins 0 13 13 
Stake 2 11 13 
Damron 4 12 15 
Stake 2 9 11 
Remsen 0 13 13 
Damron 4 9 13 
Lott 0 14 14 
A'anderveer 2 11 13 
O'Brien 2 10 12 
Vanderveer 2 12 14 
Martin 0 13 13 
Hopkins 0 11 11 
Lockwood 3 12 15 
O'Brien 2 7 9 
Damron 4 10 14 
Lockwood 3 12 15 
O'Brien 2 6 8 
Damron 4 10 14 
Hopkins 0 10 10 
Vanderveer 4 22 25 
Martin 0 23 23 . 
Lockwood 5 13 IS 
McDermott 6 13 19 
Damron 7 15 22 
O'Brien 4 17 21 
Sykes ....4 18" 22 
. B. Stephenson 24, H. B. Vander- 
Experknents with a Choke Bore. 
Those of our readers who followed the experiments to deter- 
mine the flight of shot charges which we published about the 
beginning of last year will no doubt remember that we showed 
that the passage of the shot through the muzzle of a choked gun 
reduced its velocity. It seemed reasonable enough at the time to 
suppose that the motion of a charge of shot through the barrel 
v'ould be checked in its exit through the constricted muzzle; but 
the experimental proof of this fact represented an original piece 
of work. To establish an actual difference of muzzle velocity as 
between choke and cylinder barrels of identical characteristics, 
and firing the same charge, was to confirm a very interesting and 
by no means generally accepted theory concerning the action of 
the choke in diminishing the dispersion of the pellets. Stated 
briefly, the theory is that the slight check put upon the motion 
of the shot when it encounters the choke causes a piling up of 
the gases behind the wad. These gases rebound backward and 
check the outflow of the gases during the period when the shot 
is getting clear of the muzzle. In this way the impact of the 
blast of gas against the rear of the shot charge just after it 
leaves the muzzle is diminished, so allowing the shot pellets to 
travel in a straightei line than if they are more violently pushed 
about by the outrush of gas. 
At the time of making the above-quoted experiments we de- 
cided to subject this theory of choke boring to further analysis. 
An opportunity for so doing recently arose when the Birmingham 
Small Arms Company forwarded a speciment of their new B. S. A. 
barrel tubes, in order that it might be subjected to a destruction 
test for determining the quality of the steel. There is always a 
feeling of regret at spoiling a fine piece of workmanship, and we 
can certainly say that the barrel submitted to us represented an 
exceptionally well executed sample of the company's output. It 
was perfectly straight, as judged by the trained human eye, and 
without a mark or ripple along its entire interior surface. In 
fact, it showed most conclusively that the genuine English barrel 
tube can be m.ade perfect, as well as cheap. So as to obtain 
some interesting experimental informaticn from this barrel be- 
fore destroying it, we decided to carry out with it a series of choke 
experiments which had been planned out in detail for some time 
past. The barrel was accordingly fine bored and lapped out to a 
diameter of 732in., and the shape of the choke at the muzzle was 
adjusted on ideal lines. As the barrel tube was made to screw 
into our experimental action, there was no difficulty about firing 
it. The chamber was made true in form and dimensions, being 
.002in. larger than the recognized minimum sizes. 
The special object of the series of experiments which were 
undertaken was to ascertain exactly what influence the choke 
exerted upon, the muzzle velocity of the shot. Incidentally we 
also decided to ascertain the influence upon pattern and velocity 
of the distance of the choke from the muzzle of the gun. We 
accordingly arranged that the choke should be finished off so as 
.to leave ?4in. of parallel bore between the choke and the muzzle. 
It is a well-known fact in practical gun-making that the quality 
of the pattern is to a great extent influenced by the distance of 
the choke fi-om the muzzle. Our own experience, which covers 
a great number of experiments, is that the chamber, the cone, and 
the barrel need no siibsequent regulation or adjustment, so long 
as they are truly fashioned to a proper specification of dimensions. 
The value of the pattern thrown is mainly influenced by the shape 
and position of the choke, and it is at this portion of the barrel 
that the expert borer can produce any needful change in the 
shooting of the weapon. The finished barrel, when ready for our 
tests, had a diameter at the muzzle of .713in., .732in. being the 
diameter of the barrel, and .695in. being the accepted muzzle 
diameter of a fully choked 12-bore barrel. This diameter of 
muzzle would be considered half-choke boring, and the patterns 
should accordingly average about 180 pellets under the usual con- 
ditions of test. Previous experience has frequently shown us 
that the best shooting is obtained when the front cylinder does 
not exceed %in. in length. We accordingly decided to reduce 
the %in. length existing in the barrel by progressive steps in the 
course of the experiments. To avoid altering the interior shape 
of the barrel by working the choke away from the back, we de- 
cided that a more perfect comparative test would be obtained by 
cutting off pieces from the muzzle, stage by stage. We accordingly 
made a series of rings at different distances from the muzzle, so 
that upon cutting away up to the marked places we should have, 
first, the existing %in. front cylinder, then one of %in. length, 
following that a ^^in. front cylinder, and finally one of %in. in 
length, the next piece removed from the barrel taking away the 
whole of the choke and converting it into a true cylinder. 
With each length of barrel we conducted an exhaustive series of 
tests, first for pattern, and secondly for velocity. The latter ex- 
periments were of an exceedingly complex character, involving the 
taking of no less than 125 time measurements to the nearest ten- 
thousandth part of a second, and an account of them must be 
deferred. For the moment we are content with giving the accom- 
panying table of patterns, showing the shooting of the gun under 
each of the five conditions above enumerated: 
Choke Patterns. Cylinder Patterns. 
Length of front cylinder. (Choke entirely 
%in. i/^in. Viin. i^in. removed). 
195 216 196 208 122 _ 
173 205 204 199 134 
205 208 218 209 122 
206 198 204 202 148 
185 210 207 210 108 
Average 193 207 205 206 127 
Percentage of total charge... 63 68 68 68 42 
Figure of merit for regularity 11 5 4 4 13 
The figiires here given represent the number of pellets in a selected 
30in. circle, firing at 40yds., with a standard cartridge containing 
l%cz. of No. 6 shot. The most remarkable aspect of the records 
is that such a high range of patterns should be obtained from a 
barrel with a difference between bore and muzzle of .019in. in- 
stead of the .037in., which is usually considered necessary for ob- 
taining full-choke results. With the long front cylinder an av- 
erage pattern of 193 pellets was obtained, the deviation from shot 
to shot being small. When, however, the muzzle was reduced so 
as to come within %in. of the choke the pattern was materially 
improved, giving an average of 14 more pellets on each reading, 
and a degree of regularity which we can only regard as phenom- 
enal. The column showing the figure of merit represents the 
average deviation of each pattern from the average for the series. 
Like figures of merit in rifles, the smaller they are the greater 
the merit. When the front cylinder was further reduced to a 
i4in. the patterns remained practically the same, with a fractional 
improvement in regularity, and a further reduction to %in. simi- 
larly produced no effect. The first four columns of results thus 
show that, with a perfect barrel tube and perfect boring, a choke 
of .713in. is capable of producing a good average pattern slightly 
over 200 pellets on the 30in. circle. Such a result is, however, 
much superior to the accepted behavior of half-choke boring, and 
we may attribute the high average value of the patterns obtained 
to the absence of occasional bad shots, whose tendency is natu- 
rally to lower the mean figures for the series. After removing the 
whole of the remaining choke, we obtained a series of cylinder pat- 
terns, which must be characterized as remarkably good. For 
once in a way there was an absence of any low shots, and 
although the regularity was not by any means equal to that of the 
choke results, it must still be passed as exceedingly satisfactory. 
A deviation of thirteen pellets in 127 is markedly inferior to five 
pellets in 207, but this is quite usual. In the entire series of 
twenty-five patterns, only two were deleted from the records, as 
inconsistent with the other figures in the same series. 
Speaking of the patterns as a whole, we must say that they were 
characterized by great evenness of distribution, and a marked 
absence of any tendency to cluster in some places at the ex- 
pense of bareness in others. In spite of the high count of the 
pellets and the consistency of the individual readings to the 
average for each series, the tendency toward close grouping in 
the center of the circle was much less noticeable than when shoot- 
ing with an ordinary fully-choked gun. With the maximum 
construction of muzzle, the pellets are oftentimes so close at the 
center of the pattern as to reduce the diameter of the killing 
circle to something less than SOin. In the series of shots under 
consideration, the whole SOin. was a true killing circle, the pellets 
being so well distributed around the inner margin of the inclosed 
space as to obviate all appearance of a heavily indented center. 
Although our tests at this time of year are commonly character- 
ized by a velocity lower than 1050ft. per second over the usual 
20yds., on the present occasion the average exceeded by a small 
margin the limit we are in the habit of expecting from a standard 
cartridge. Using the same barrel, and firing cartridges similar 
to those employed for the tests of pattern, the average 20yds. 
velocity of the twenty-five cartridges fired in our velocity experi- 
ments was 1062ft. per second. While this excess is immaterial in 
itself, it at least goes to show that the good patterns recorded 
were not obtained at the expense of velocity. — London Field. 
Springfield (O.) Gun Club. 
After a rest of several weeks, the Springfield, O., Gun Club re- 
sumed activities on Jan. 14 and held a shoot in which seven mem- 
bers participated. Young headed the list with 110 out of 125 and 
88 out of his first 100. Poole was second with 99 out of 125. W-e 
are glad to state that Gen. W. Morgan, one of the officers, and a 
prominent member of the club, who has been ill for some time, 
has fully recovered, and is once more able to take up his duties. 
In appreciation of the services rendered , by Mrs. Morgan during 
the past year as score-keeper, the club made her a Christmas pres- 
ent of $25. The scores follow: 
Events: 1 2 3 4 5 Shot 
Targets • 25 25 25 25 25 at. Broke. 
Young 24 20 22 22 22 125 110 
Poole 21 17 23 18 20 125 99 
Kirbv 21 22 19 19 100 81 
Strong 19 23 18 20 100 80 
Foley 21 21 19 18 . . 100 79 
Phillips 17 18 .. 20 75 55 
Thompson 20 17 50 37 
BONASA. 
Foord and Squier vs. Banks and McKelvey. 
Wilmington, Del., Jan. 19.— On the grounds of the Wawaset 
Gun Club to-day, a two-man team match was shot, the contestants 
being Messrs. W. M. Foord and Luther J. Squier against Messrs. 
Banks and James McKelvey. The former won by a score of 180 
to 169. The scores follow: 
Foord 22 25 20 25—92 Banks .20 25 21 22—87 
Squier 22 21 21 24^88—180 McKelvey ...24 19 18 21—82—169 
SIDE LIGHTS OF TRADE. 
The W. S. Dickey Clay Mfg Co., of Kansas City, Mo., refer 
to their clay targets and traps. Dickey Bird and Dickey Bird 
Avitotrap, in our advertising columns. These traps are shipped 
ready for use, firmly bolted to 2in. by 12in. base board, 4ft. long. 
Minute descriptions and sectional views are furnished the users 
of these traps. The sectional views show that the whole mechan- 
ism is simple as A, B, C. In use, the workings of the mechanism 
are prompt, accurate and simple. This trap will throw known or 
unknown angles, as desired, and the trapper, with a little prac- 
tice, can easily supply targets to the fastest squad in action. The 
Dickey Clay Mfg. Co. guarantee every part of the trap, and will 
replace without charge any part that breaks or gives away because 
of defective material or workmanship within one year, upon 
return of the defective part. 
PUBLISHERS* DEPARTMENT 
Pinehurstt N. C. 
Low-Rate, Personally-Conducted Tours via Pennsylvania Railroad. 
For the benefit of those _ desiring to visit Pinehurst, N. C, 
during the height of the social and golf season, the Pennsylvania 
Railroad Company has inaugurated a series of personally-con- 
ducted totirs to this attractive mid-South resort. 
Two tours will be run this season, leaving New York, Phila- 
delphia, Baltimore and Washington, Feb. 10 and March 31, by 
special train. The rates for these tours, including railway trans- 
portation in both directions, Pullman berth and meals in dining 
car on going trip only, and three days' board at the Hotel Caro- 
lina, will be: New York, $32; Philadelphia, $30; Baltimore and 
Washington, $29. Proportionate rates from other points. 
For tickets, itineraries and other information, apply to ticket 
agents, or to Geo. W. Boyd, General Passenger Agent, Broad 
.Street Station, Philadelphia. 
All communications intended for Forest and Stream should 
always be addressed to the Forest and Stream Publishing Co., 
New York, and not to any individual connected with the paper. 
BAKER GUNS SHOOT HARD 
and are SAFE. 
They are noted for this whztcYtt known, and tliat is 
almost everywhere. Ask the man who owns one. 
Fine Trap and Medium Field Grades, $25.00 to $200.00 and ttp. 
Inquire of your dealer or send for fuU descriptions. 
BAKER GUN AND FORGING CO., 
Cor. Libarty & Seheel Sta., BATAVIA, N. Y. 
WE are selling a good SMOKELESS powder loaded 
shell for trap or field work, J2-gauge, at $18.00 
per 1,000, Soft Shot, and $19.00 per 1,000, Chilled Shot. 
Any load, any size shot. Sample J 00 at same price* 
Packed J 00 in a box. Cash wiih order. Try a 100. 
SCHOVERLINQ & WELLES, 
2 Hurray Street, - New York. 
We reserve the right to withdraw this offer without 
further notice. 
