Dec. 25, 1909.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
10-MS 
The Loading of 20-Bore Guns. 
It is correct ballistically to load gun barrels of dif¬ 
ferent caliber with charges of powder and shot, or pro¬ 
jectiles of equal length, on condition of using the same 
description of powder in all the loads. Equal rates of 
pressure will then be set up in all the barrels, so that 
with equal lengths of barrel all the charges of shot or 
projectiles will have the same muzzle velocity. 
It is on this principle that a .450 express rifle of the 
old type is loaded with 4drs. of No. 6 black powder and 
a bullet of 270grs. weight, while the .500 gauge is loaded 
with 5drs. of the same powder and a bullet weighing 
340grs., the two loads being proportionate to the cross 
sections of the respective barrels, and therefore of 
equal length in cartridge cases of corresponding type. 
The result, as we know, is that with egual lengths of 
barrel both bullets will have substantially the same 
velocity. * 
In a similar way, as the cross sections of the barrels 
of a 20 and a 12 bore gun are in the ratio of 6 to 7, it is 
correct to load a 20-bore gun with any length of barrel 
with a load of powder and shot which is five-sevenths of 
the amount which would be employed in a 12-bore with a 
corresponding length of barrel, the same description of 
powder being employed in both. The articles which have 
appeared in the Field on the loading of small-bore shot¬ 
guns require to be studied by the light of this criterion 
of loading. Practically the only load worth using in a 
small-bore shotgun is the full or service load, from 
which its proof charge is calculated, and these service 
loads are based on tbe principle just described—that is 
to say, they are in proportion to the cubic capacity of a 
barrel of ordinary length in the different calibers, as 
shown in the following table, the charges of shot in all 
cases being made equal to loz. for every 10 cubic inches 
of barrel capacity, and therefore in proportion to an 
estimated mean pressure in the barrel of about 20001bs. 
to the square inch for the ordinary rate of muzzle 
velocitly, assuming it to be something like 1200ft. per 
second. On this tbe pressure of the proof charge repre¬ 
sents an advance of about 50 per cent, in all cases, so 
that it is just as safe and proper to use %oz. of shot 
in a 20-bore as l!4oz. in a 12-bore. ..One does not find 
this point brought out with anything like distinctness in 
the ordinary works on shooting, though the professed 
artillerist will find it familiar. 
Barrel. Cubic capacity r 2 Service load. 
20 x 30. 9.0 cu. in. .096 sq. in. 2%drs. x %oz. 
16 x 30.10.5 cu. in. .112 sq. in. 2%drs. x loz. 
12x30.12.6 sq. in. .134 sq. in. 3!4drs.xl%oz. 
A 20-bore gun of the useful type, or, for the matter of 
that, a 16, is consequently always a little pigeon gun in 
weight and solidity, and should be loaded proportion¬ 
ately with five-sevenths of the recognized load for a 
full weight pigeon gun, using the same description of 
powder. Whether the cartridge case should be 2%in. 
or 2%in. long will depend on whether the powder is a 
condensed or a bulk nitro, and whether it is found, as a 
matter of fact, that the thickness of wadding found de¬ 
sirable for a 12-bore is also equally necessary for a 20. 
Strict ballistic propriety also requires that the turnover 
of the cartridge case should be such as to furnish a re¬ 
sistance in proportion to the smaller cross section of the 
barrel, which is rather an important point,. as there 
seems to be no material difference in the thickness of 
the paper used in making the cases in all calibers below 
8-bore. Under these circumstances,. equal amounts of 
turnover are likely to lead to a disproportionate amount 
cf resistance, as the gauges get smaller, which is the 
opposite of what is wanted.—J. B. Nias in Field (Lon¬ 
don). 
The Palefaces. 
Boston, Mass., Dec. 15.—Fourteen shooters attended 
one of the nicest afternoon shoots held on the Pale¬ 
face grounds to-day, and it is safe to say that if the club 
can give these kinds of matinees the attendance will be 
still larger before the season goes very far. 
The programme to-day consisted of 100 targets with a 
special prize for high gun .with the added target handi¬ 
cap. This naturally brought forth all the enthusiasm 
imaginable, as the handicap now used gives every one 
a good chance, and the boys are. certainly giving it a 
thorough trial. 
The real find of the afternoon was Higginson,_ the 
Harvard crack, who annexed a 93, which with his 8- 
target handicap, made him to the full amount, and he led 
his nearest competitor, who turned out to be one of the 
scratch shooters. Next in line was Clarke, who started 
in fine, but could not quite keep it up, though his 87 
with 8 added was ordinarily good enough to win, but 
not when such phenomenal shooting was being done as 
was the case this afternoon. 
After the regular programme some special races took 
place in which a two-man team match was the leader. 
This finally ended in a victory for Gleason and Kirkwood, 
with 45 out of the 50, with Frank and Hassam second, 
one target less, though they were made to step lively on 
the shoot-off to carry off the palm. 
Hassam and Bond shot a unique race on the pro¬ 
gramme, the former using a 16-gauge brush gun and the 
fatter a 20-gauge duck gun. Bond now claims that the 
small-bore is the superior gun, and surely the score he 
secured was not half bad. Spores: 
Hep. Total. 
Higginson . 14 15 16 14 15 19 8 101 
Kirkwood . 15 15 20 15 14 19 0 98 
Clarke . 14 14 18 11 13 17 8 95 
Gleason . 14 12 19 12 13 20 4 94 
Frink .. ... 12 14 19 14 11 17 4 91 
Tones . 8 8 16 9 13 13 24 91 
k u le . 15 13 16 13 15 17 0 89 
Hickey . 10 12 14 12 13 19 8 88 
Austin 9 9 15 7 8 14 24 86 
Frost.. .13 13 15 13 13 14 4 85 
Pierce . 7 9 13 11 8 12 24 84 
Bond . 9 8 11 9 10 15 12 74 
Morse ”;.;. 7 8 6 11 10 11 20 73 
Hassam . 8 12 11 5 7 9 4 56 
TFLE TTTaT' H E lTfE 
PEARY REACH THE NORTH POLE 
“Personally I always carry a Winchester rifle. On my 
last expedition I had a Model 1892 .44 caliber Carbine 
and Winchester cartridges, which I carried with me 
right to the JNorth Pole. After I left the ship I de¬ 
pended upon it to bring down the fresh meat that we 
needed. Since 1888; both in Nicaragua and in the Arctic 
regions, I have always used the Winchester Repeaters. 
Each of my Arctic expeditions, since ’91, has been fitted 
with these arms. The last expedition carried the .44-4C 
Carbine, for use on deer, seals, hare and the like, and r fl 
the .40-82 for use on musk-oxen, walrus and polar 
bears. lh facing the polar bears, in gathering a herd of 
musk-oxeh with the least expenditure of time and price 
less ammunition and in securing the greatest numb< 
of walrus out cf an infuriated herd in the least tirm 
I desire nothing better than a Winchester RepeaterJ 
— COMMANDER ROBERT E. PEAf 
Winchester Guns and Ammunition , 
the Red w Brand - are always 
E EQUIPMENT OF MEN OF AGHIEVEI 
► •#" 
Eagle Gun Club. 
Manoa, Pa., Dec. 18.—In the 10-bird event, handicap 
rise, Clegg won first alone with a straight score, Hewett 
and Thomas tying on 9 for second place. Redman won 
the miss-and-out by killing the fourth bird, Paulson, 
Plegg and Worrell missing. Scores: 
The 10-bird event resulted 
Redman .1101022210— 7 
Thomas .2212222022— 9 
F Paulson ... 0121101201— 7 
Worrell .22222*2222— 9 
Hewett .0210*20122— 6 
as follows: 
Clegg .2222122222—10 
Hoffer .1100021201— 6 
Fleming .....2022202220—7 
Knowles .2221022001—7 
Mr. Clegg won a large 251b. turkey, being high man. 
Thomas and Worrell each got a turkey for killing 9 
birds each. 
Miss-and-out: 
F Paulson . 
.2220 
Thomas . 
.10 
.20 
Clegg . 
.2220 
Hoffer . 
.20 
A match at 50 birds each 
Worrell 
Redman 
Tones . 
Hewett 
.2220 
.1112 
20 
.210 
was arranged between Sloan, 
of Haddington, and McDowell, of Delaware county, for 
$50 a side, to be shot on Wednesday of this week; also 
a 10-bird event. 
Concordia (Kansas) Blue Ribbon Gun Club. 
Concordia, Kans., Dec. 15.— Sewart was high man 
with 58 out of 60; Myers second with 56. Following are 
the scores made: 
Events: 
Targets: 
Sewart 
. Myers ... 
'Krohn ... 
Empson . 
Eckstrom 
Price .... 
Caldwell . 
A1 Cole . 
Snyder .. 
Mackie .. 
G Krohn 
12 3 4 
Shot 
15 15 15 15 
at. 
Broke. 
.. 15 13 15 
60 
58 
14 14 13 15 
60 
56 
14 13 15 13 
60 
55 
14 13 13 13 
60 
53 
14 12 13 13 
60 
52 
11 13 12 12 
60 
48 
13 12 10 12 
60 
47 
.. 15 15 14 
45 
44 
11 13 11 .. 
45 
35 
11. 
15 
11 
15. 
15 
15 
j. F. Caldwell, Sec’y- | 
