The record-union., 1893-07-08
GAME AND GUN.
The Dove-ShOoting Season viii Open
Next Saturday.
Nitro Powders and Thin Primers
Cause of Accidents That should
be Guarded Against.

be Guarded Against.
One week from to-day it will be lawful
To shoot doves in this county, and sports
men are anticipating good shooting, as
the crop of birds is said to be good one.
The State law fixed the opening of the
season at August LIST, but the Supervisors
OF this county have made it two weeks
earlier.
Sacramento sportsmen should be care
ful, however, not to cross the lines into
Yolo, Placer or Ell Dorado Counties on
the 18th in quest of doves, as it is not
known that these counties have changed
the law, at least to include the date men
toned. Placer, it is said, has placed the
opening of the dove season at the 22d of
this month, but this statement is not
given as a fact.
Persons who go out to shoot doves at
this season of the year cannot be too care
full, as the dry grass is very intlammable,
and the least spark is liable to start fire
that may cause great loss. While the
danger is slight, if good ammunition Is
used, still the shooter should use caution.
The new nitro powders are more dam
gerous in this respect than the black, as
some of the grains often burn slowly
after the discharge of the gun. They are
dangerous in other respects, and any per-
son who values his life and his gum will
do well to avoid their use.
THESE NITRO EXPLOSIVES
Have ruined many fine gun, although
when properly loaded-which is not al
ways the case-the liability to accident is
greatly leSSeneQ,
There is one Eastern firm engaged in
the manufacture OF nitro cartridges that
uses a very poor grade of primer, which
has been the cause of many serious acct
gents. These primers are made exceed
lngly thin, In order to avoid miSS1ires in
cheap guns with poor locks, and when
struck by the plunger of hammerless
gun with strong action these thin
primers are pierced and the explosive gas
Is forced backward Through the hole in
the standing breech) into the lock action.
1t must have an outlet somewhere, of
course, and usually finds it by blowing
out the side OF the breech.
a CASE IN POINT.
The other day a RECORD UNION re-
porter met an acquaintance entering a
gunsmith's place to make complaint
about his gun, which had been injured in
this way. He had an excellent gun, the
locks of which had been made very
strong for the purpose of avoiding miss
fires, yet he used ammunition that was
made with view to meeting the de-
mands OF those who used cheaply-con-
structed guns. The result was that the
thin primer was punctured, the nitro gas
was driven back past the plunger into
she Iock-action space, and the side of the
breech blown out in consequence.
This man kicked because his gun would
not shoot ''all kinds of ammunition" yet
all he had to do to obtain the best posi-
Bile results was to ignore a certain
quality Of cartridge which it should be
made a crime for any firm to manu-
facture.
ON THE WRONG TACK.
Instead of ammunition manufacturers
making cartridges with primers so thin
that they will not stand the hammer
ing OF a good strong lock, they should
strive to make sale article that would
encourage the demand for good guns.
There is one European company that
understands the situation. They know
the danger of the nitro explosives, and
are guarding against accidents by retus-
ing to sell their powder loose to be loaded
by persons who do not understand its
power. They have also adopted good.
strong primer, that will not break when
hit and allow the gas to escape. The
Walsrode people do not go into the
market, like some American firms, with
a dangerous compound and an inferior
primer, to be loaded and handled bv in
experienced parties, and which are caus-
ing accidents innumerable with all makes
OF guns.
GUNS NOT AT FAULT.
AS this is a matter of much importance
to all sportsmen, owing to the growth of
the demand for nitro powders. the re-
porter asked Henry Eckhardt, the we'll
known gun dealer, if he had heard many
,I,,f,,
to their weapons from the causes men
toned.
well, not many" replied Mr.. Eek
hardt but occasionally we find a man
kicking about what he regards as a weak
ness in his gun. Now, the funniest part
of it all is that it is the strength OF the gun
and the weakness of the ammunition that
causes these accidents TO which you refer
since the advent of the hammerless
gun and the nitro powders, the primer
makers have reduced the thickness of the
metal and added more illuminate until
some OF the cartridges are positively dan
gerous, and whenever customer asks
Tor them l always warn him not to use
them in a gun that has strong locks.
In view Of the fact that there is a de-
mand tor smOkeleSs powder, nearly all
manufacturers are looking to produce
one, and some spOrtsmen are so taken
with 1t that they insist on shooting it.
even " hCLA LAAtg hllON IL Is To Do used with
thln primers that are liable to blow out.
The makers OF primers should not re-
sort to putting on the market thin ones
that VIII not hold the gas when struck bv
the nose OF the hammer. Certainly the
makers Of good, strong guns should not
be asked to put weak locks into them SO
as not to break these thin primers. on
the contrary, the shooters should demand
good ammunition for good guns, and
then the thin primer will have to go"
THE REMEDY.
Mr. Eckhardt is certainly right on this
proposition. No man who owns strong.
good shooting gun like the Parker, the
Colt, and some others, should condemn
1t because thin primers burst under the
force of their hammers. On the contrary.
he should refuse to use such dangerous
ammunition. and thus compel the DOW
der men 10 protect their cartridges with
good, safe primers, which they would
have to do rather than lose their trade.
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR.