Oct. i8, 1913. 
FOREST AND STREAM 
507 
that the majority of shots, and especially driv¬ 
ing shots, are within thirty-five yards, but any¬ 
one using a gun with an effective range of only 
thirty-five yards is unnecessarily handicapping 
himself for all round shooting. It is admitted 
that a true cylinder will only put 40 per cent, 
of the charge in a 30-inch circle at forty yards; 
1 1/16 ounce No. 6 contains 289 pellets, a pattern 
of 116 pellets, which is far too weak for reliable 
shooting. Now, presuming this is admitted, why 
are true cylinder barrels adovcated? There is 
a fashion in most things, and just now cylinder 
barrels are fashionable. We have gone from 
one extreme to the other, from full choke to 
cylinder, both of which I believe, to be bad. 
The following are some of the disadvantages 
I believe exist in true cylinder barrels: 
1. The maximum performance with 1 1/16 
ounce No. 6 at forty yards in a 30-inch circle 
is 1 r6 pellets. The pattern, to be reliable, should 
not have less than 140 to 150. and in shooting- 
over dogs or walking up game, the user of a 
true cylinder is unnecessarily handicapped, as 
it is then that a gun shooting well at forty yards 
is most required. 
2. They deteriorate in their shooting much 
more rapidly than other borings. My barrels, 
best Whitworth steel, weighed, when new, 3 
pounds / ounce. They now weigh 2 pounds 
14^4 ounces. In eleven years’ use (I average 
about 12.000 cartridges each season) they have 
lost 1 ounces in weight, the bore has enlarged, 
and the shooting deteriorated. Had the barrels 
been between an improved cylinder, which shoots 
50 per cent, of the patterns, and half choke, 
which shoots 60 per cent, of the pattern in a 
30-inch circle at forty yards, the shooting of 
the barrel would be good to-day. 
3. There are far more cartwheel patterns 
from cylinder barrels than in any other boring. 
When a little choke is introduced into the bar¬ 
rel, it almost eliminates the cartwheel tendency, 
which is far more prevalent than users of cylin¬ 
der barrels have any idea of. The conclusion I 
have come to after seeing many hundreds of 
shots fired at my plates and the patterns counted 
is that a gun, to shoot well, should put, with 
1 1/16 No. 6, 150 pellets into a 30-inch circle at 
forty yards. It would then put about 200 pellets 
at between twenty-five to thirty yards, which 
probably for all round shooting is the distance 
at which the majority of shots are taken I have 
had a new gun built, and am using it this sea¬ 
son, shooting this pattern, and also new barrels 
to my other guns, and I never want to have a 
true cylinder barrel in my hand again. The com¬ 
fort when shooting over dogs or walking up 
partridges in having a gun absolutely reliable at 
forty yards is very great, and cannot be known 
with a true cylinder which can wing and wound 
game at this distance and never kill the majority 
of shot with certainty. 
With the fashion for cylinder barrels has 
also come the fashion for one ounce charges. 
If guns have not been made to shoot one ounce 
of shot, it is a great mistake to use it, and the 
sportsman who has true cylinder barrels and uses 
one ounce of shot, and that sometimes No. 5, 
has probably never seen the patterns at forty 
yaids, or he would not use it. One ounce of 
No. 6 shot should only be used for driving where 
the shots are all reasonably near. With one 
ounce of shot has also come the fashion for in¬ 
creased powder charges, 34 grains, and some¬ 
times up to 36 grains, which is a mistake, as it 
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tends to scatter the already too weak charge of 
shot. I believe the best all round barrel is one 
which gives a pattern in a 30-inch circle at 
forty yards with 1 1/16 ounce No. 6, of 150 
pellets. I would not trouble to give the boring 
a name, but would see the gun performed to this 
specification with the best ammunition, and many 
of the birds which are now wounded at 40 yards 
would be gathered. I am the last to advocate 
long shots. I abominate them. A man should 
shoot only when he expects to kill, and a gun 
properly bored and well held will kill as re¬ 
liably at forty yards as at twenty-five, but I 
have never seen, a true cyinder that will do it.— 
I-'. N. Horne, in London Field. 
The Seminoles of Florida. 
BY MINNIE MOORE WILLSON. 
Among the visitors to the gala week fes¬ 
tivities at Jacksonville, Fla., was Billy Bowlegs, 
a Seminole Indian, whose home is in the Ever¬ 
glades of Florida. 
To say that Billy attracted as much atten¬ 
tion as the greatest notable living would not be 
an exaggeration. He was dressed in the holiday 
garb of his race, his large red turban was orna¬ 
mented with real ostrich plumes, and circled by 
a band of beaten silver. He wore the tunic of 
brilliant colors and leggins made of deer skins, 
ornamented with delicately cut thongs, form¬ 
ing a fringe to the ankle, where it was met by 
the moccasin, which covered a foot, shapely and 
small. 
While Billy has ventured beyond the con¬ 
fines of the Everglades more than many of the 
Indians, he is a fair representative of the braves 
of the tribes, bearing a reserve, a keen intelli¬ 
gence, and a regard for honor with a notable 
sacredness. Billy is a shrewd observer, and in 
this is not different from the rest of the band. 
He is proud, expecting no favors, paying for 
what he receives. A gift from a friend he 
appreciates, and is eager in bis way to return 
the favor. 
He lias a keen business sense and keeps 
posted on his own particular line. His pockets 
bulge with letters from New York buyers of 
skins and otter hides. He has a mercantile 
mind, too, buying for instance four shawls for 
$175 that would retail at fifty cents each, lie 
will sell out to the tribe with the satisfactory 
remark, “Twenty-five cents me make ’em." 
A round the camp-fires these winter evenings 
one—who has studied and visited this band of 
people—can well picture the stalwart young- 
brave as he gives to tile members of his camp 
a mental picture of his visit to the big Florida 
city. 
Eagerly the men as well as squaws and pick¬ 
aninnies will listen to the account, and many a., 
laugh will go around at the expense of the pale 
face as details are given. In weeks, months or 
even years, when we meet the different mem¬ 
bers of the tribe, we will hear of the great in¬ 
ventions and wonderful doings of the white man. 
So to-day this yisit of Billy Bowlegs, made with 
the consent of the older members, is benefitting 
and broadening the entire band. Each member 
will see and get an adequate idea of what the 
printing press is, for Billy was shown all the 
workings of the large daily. 
