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though a best weapon is usually neatly engraved—but finish consists in the 
accurate fitting and smooth working of all the parts, nice balance, best locks and 
handsome stock of well seasoned wood. 
In black powder rifles, solid bullets, cast of pure lead , are preferable to 
hollow ones, for soft skinned game. The lead mushrooms on impact and pene¬ 
trates ; but hollow, copper tubed bullets of the short kind ( 450—270 am \ 
(500—340 grn.) and ( 57/ 520 grn. ) are unreliable in their action, frequently 
breaking up into small pieces on a big bone and failing to penetrate. 
A B. P. *450 loaded with 4 drams and a 380 grain solid bullet, or a *500 
with o drams and a 490 grn. solid bullet are reliable weapons. Sir Samuel 
Bakers *577 with 6 drs. and a 650 grn. bullet could not be beaten for tiger 
shooting. It appears, however, that the *360 cordite is fully equal in stopping 
P°wer to the old -450 B. P. The *400 O. to the *500 B. P. and the *450 to the 
*57 1 B. P., provided suitable bullets are used. 
Spherical bullets for puna.—Whether the bullet fits the barrel tightly with 
or without a patch appears to matter little, but unless there is little or no es¬ 
cape of gas past the bullet the accuracy is impaired. The patch should be of 
stout linen, well lubricated, and the bullet firmly fixed in the case with a 
“Kynoch ” crimper. Brass cases are the best for ball, as the bullet can be kept 
firmer in its place than in paper cases. 
