The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-24
DANGER IN NEW MURINE R1rD Es.
sportsmen Afraid OF Their I,onp Range nnd
Great Power OF Penetration.

When one comes to discuss rifles. range. and
tho average distance at which .amcis shot. oncis
likely TO strike contradictory opiuions. pt,,.
inent hunter, in speaking recently of tho rr.,r
effectiveness OF the American rifle, said that in
his experience. ok, inou.c, bears. and white.
tailed deer were most generally Killed within a
range of 175 yards; and that this was so be.
cause they were apt to b. discovered within
this distance, not because of any lack of carry.
ing power in the rifle. When this statement is
contrastod with the prospectus Of the latest
rifle, which has II first sight OF 40 Yards, a
fiat trajectory and n maximum range of =, zoo
yards. what Is the average hunter to ihiuE3
or one thing there is no room for uoulf, and
that Is that this year many people are ,par-
ing to go to the woods deer shooting, and will
take with them the new rifle. Its wonderful
range and penetration are due to Tho now
smokcloss powder employed in conjunction
with n bullet shcathed in copper so as to present
II harder surface to the riding than lead. This
projcctile Is forced through II barrel from
30 to "a inches long, the rining OF which has
about one turn to every y inches. Tho great
objection raised by experienced hunters to such
an arm as this is that with the long range ono
never knows where tho bullet is likely To bring
up once 1T has left the gun. A few years ago a
hunter fired at n deer at II distance OF lS3 yards
MS measured after death. The animal was
standing Mt the foot OF a slight blur { lonmy
sand in which not u stone or rock was to be- seen.
The rifle was fired and the deer fell, the bullet
having gone clear through the heart and miss
ing the ribs on both Sides. Immediately after
u hail was heard from u point about 200 yards
back of the shooters. and an angry man was
heard asking where in thunder they were shoot.
ing, as the bullet had just skimmed over his
head. A close examination showed Craze and
icni n"Ies four feet above the heads of the
the bullet had trnvcrsod two sides of Il triangle,
from the rifle TO the quarry. and back from tho
quarry to the other base corner of the triangle.
IL such II thing is possible with an ordinary
rife sighted to 100, 100, 300, and 500 Yards,
coppcr-shcathc bullet, low trajectory. and
ZOO yard range in a wooded district
York, CHANGED upon a moose feeding about 200
yards away, and, with the idea of taking tho
amateur, to try the first shot. The bullet was
seen. TO strike, the ground nearly four feet in
When an examination was made it was found
that there had been two moose feeding within
trail OF the far one was blood. Following tho
trail the moose was eventually bagged. and it
was found that the bullet had entered at the
lower side of the stomach, and was lodged in the
fat OF the hump, showing clearly that the ami
NAL had been hit by the ricochettingi missile.
An examination of the spot where the turf
flew showed a fiat piece of rock. an inch or so
under the SURFACE. which the bullet had hit and
glanced from. Many similar stories might be
related of the vagarics OF glancing bullets, and
the possible dangers arc making a number OF
hunters very chary of going out with these new
rifles, which, whatever advantages they may
nave in other places. are not believed to be
suitable for deer shooting in the eastern States.
Apparently, English sportsmcn are also enter
tanning similar fears. for IL prominent big game
shot recently advocated "A restriction in the
matter OF the ritiing.
Both English and American hunters appear to
hold the idea that the wound inflicted bv the
mctal-shcathcd bullet fired from the exceedingly
long.range rife is not of the type best calculated
TO stop the game. but that he bullet will. rather,
pass completely through the body without shat.
tering opposing bones. or tearing u large hole
in the softer opposing substances. so that il the
animal be not hit in tho brain or heart it may
travel a long way before loss of blood brings it
favor of a I5-calibrc bullet composed of one
part tin and forty OF lead. weighing $50 grains,
and propelled by from 80 to 40 grains OF good
black powder. This bullet will not have the
same ricochetting power as the other.