The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1907-04-11
Defense Tried Hard to lmpeach Evidence of States Witness
es--H j. Loud Attempted to Contradict Evidence of
A. j. Westerchill, States Expert on Ammun.
tiOn and Firearms

The witness stated that at the
present time he is travelling in
the interests of the Peters Cart
ridge Company of Cincinnati, for
the purpose of demonstrating as
we'll as advertising the superior
qualities of their shells and cart
ridges. His demonstration work
consists of fancy rifle, pistol and
shot gun shooting; he has been
with this firm a little over two
years, has had extensive expert
ence in shooting the various CAL
lbres being a decided fire-arm
enthusiast, while his practice
has not been confined solely to
giving fancy exhibitions of shoot
Ing, but he has had actual and
extensive experience in killing
various game with rifles of nearly
all the standard calibres and
therefor is we'll posted as to their
action on flesh and bone tissues,
not only that but he IS we'll post
ed on The various breech pres
sures and trejectories of the var
ious calibres of modern sporting
rifles from a practical stand
point.
His testimony indicated that
the chief difference be-
tween a 38-4O and 3O3 savage,
lies in the difference of velocity
of the two calibres.
The velocity of a 38-4O being
about 1850 feet per second, while
that of a 3O3 is nearly 1910 feet
per second. The BOB savage hav-
ing a sharp pointed bullet will
enter given substance more
easily and will leave a smaller
hole at it's point of entrance than
the .384O, which on account of it's
greater diameter lower velocity
as well as a fat point will enter
with crushing force leaving a
ragged hole at the point of en-.
trance much more so than the
BOB, because the great velocity at
which the 1903 travels does not
give it time to mushroom on first
impact with either flesh or bone,
for instance in shooting 1903
into wood the first one half inch
of it's penetration will show
scarcely any mushrooning of the
bullet, same being the case in
shooting the bullet into a quart.
er inch plate of machine steel,
there being scarcely any differ
ence in the diameter of the open
ing at the point of entrance and
the point of exit.
| The tearing power of 1903
can be best demonstrated by
shooting at can of water or to-
matoes.
| The bullet entering the can
will leave hole, but slightly lar.
]ger than it's own diameter, but
the instant it comes in contact
with the contents of the can, such
I as water or tomatoes, it will
send these flying in every dir
ectlon With such force as to tear
the can wide open, and the water
!, will disappear in mist. ~.
i The reason for this is that the
striking power Of the cartridge
being about 400 pounds per
inch. It seems that this water
or tomatoes, will be put under
such pressure at the instant of
the impact with the bullet,
and such pressure, of course is
sufficient to tear the can.
Therefore. while the tearing
power of 1903 will be a great
deal stronger after it has en-
tered a given substance it's point
OF entrance will be a great deal
smaller than of the 38 40
The point of a 38-4O will be
scarcely any larger than it's
point of entrance, unless it has
met with serious resistance,