Part 4 (2/2)

As marksmen become skilful, they notice errors in shooting; if they possess enthusiasm enough to become experts, they are constantly studying to improve their shooting, and a large share of their attention is devoted to the ammunition. It is not uncommon to find cartridges with the bullet improperly seated in the cartridge-case or sh.e.l.l; the bullet is sometimes jambed over one side of the sh.e.l.l, and instead of being wholly seated in the sh.e.l.l has the full length of the bullet on one side exposed. The common mode of lubricating by dipping in the lubricant, after the bullet is seated in the sh.e.l.l, hides many defects in factory-made cartridges, and the indifferent shooter fires the cartridges without thinking or investigating the cause of wild shots, until he notices what is technically known as ”key-holes,” or the bullets going through the target sideways instead of point on.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE WINCHESTER RELOADING TOOL FOR PISTOL AND REVOLVER CARTRIDGES.]

Other faults in factory-made ammunition are caused by age, which deteriorates the cartridge, causing the powder to cake, and the sh.e.l.l, bullet, and lubricant to oxidize; the latter cause also affecting the efficacy of the primer. As some cartridge companies have used one formula for making lubricant for cold weather, another for warm weather, and as lots of ammunition get scattered in all sections, and sometimes carried in stock for several years, it can be said that one would not be likely to get so good results from factory cartridges as from those freshly prepared of home make.

There are other reasons why many of the shooting fraternity prefer to reload their ammunition; it is a piece of economy not to be despised, and being located in an inaccessible place, away from towns or cities where cartridges can be purchased, compels some individuals to make their own ammunition.

The marksman, in attempting to reload ammunition, will be beset with many obstacles, and is not likely to produce so good cartridges at the first trials as he can purchase in stores where they have been received fresh from the factories; but to those who desire to prepare their own ammunition, the following mode, practised by different pistol and revolver experts, will doubtless prove a guide to many.

If the finest work is to be attempted, the use of new sh.e.l.ls is recommended. If old sh.e.l.ls are to be reloaded, the exploded primer should first be removed, the sh.e.l.ls then washed and thoroughly rinsed in water, warm if convenient, and, if desirable to remove the stains from the sh.e.l.ls, a little acid may be dropped into the water. After was.h.i.+ng thoroughly, dry perfectly, but do not heat enough to draw the temper.

Special care should be taken to have the water dried out of the pockets or primer-holes. The next process, if the sh.e.l.l was previously crimped, is to expand it at the mouth.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE IDEAL RELOADING TOOL, FOR PISTOL AND REVOLVER CARTRIDGES.]

The reloading tools supplied by manufacturers are advertised to expand as well as decap the sh.e.l.l, but do so very ineffectually, and a tool is recommended specially for this purpose. Unless the sh.e.l.l is sufficiently expanded, the bullet cannot be properly seated in the sh.e.l.l, and this is one of the first difficulties the beginner is likely to encounter. After expanding the sh.e.l.l, the next operation is to reprime the sh.e.l.ls. It will be found necessary to use the copper primer for most of the American sh.e.l.ls. Considerable care should be used in seating the primer, as most of the sh.e.l.ls are not solid head, and a heavy pressure on the capper will seat the primer too deep, and often force it through the pocket and spoil the sh.e.l.l. If the full charge of powder is to be used in the cartridge, the sh.e.l.ls should then receive it; but if a reduced charge is to be used in a large calibre, with the object of making cartridges for in-door shooting, many experts use a wad of pasteboard of the exact size of the inside diameter of the sh.e.l.l, with a hole about one-half the diameter of the wad in its centre. The wad is seated in the base of the sh.e.l.l, and the light charge of powder poured in. The object of this wad is to have the powder ignite quicker than it is supposed it would if spread over the base of a large sh.e.l.l. By the hole in the centre of the wad, much of the small charge of fine powder is directly in front of the primer, and the theory of experts is that the full force of the charge of powder is more quickly secured than if spread over the base of a large sh.e.l.l.

The question of powder is a very important one, and has provoked an endless amount of discussion and experimenting among manufacturers and shooters. The most desirable point is cleanliness, as much fouling means inaccurate shooting; and as that is a very marked defect in nearly all black powders at the present time, many believe that the effectiveness and accuracy of the revolver will be increased when improvements in powder are made.

In the smaller calibres and in short-barrelled pistols a finer grain of powder should be used; the fine-grain powder is also better for light charges.

A request to the leading American powder manufacturers to state the brands of powder they recommended for pistol and revolver shooting brought the following responses:--

Boston, Ma.s.s., 1887.

_Editor of The Rifle_:--

_Dear Sir_,--I enclose one of our later folders, by which you will see that, in sizes, the Telegraph runs from No. 1 to No. 5, inclusive. I think, however, for pistol cartridges I should not recommend anything coa.r.s.er than No. 2; _i.e._, Telegraph, Nos. 2 to 5; Rifle Cartridge, Nos.

3 to 5 (No. 2 is used in rim-fire cartridges, which are not reloadable); also ”Dead Shot.” Yours,

F. A. ADAMS.

DUPONT'S POWDER, 87 BEAVER STREET, NEW YORK.

_Editor of The Rifle_:--

DEAR SIR,--Yours of 10th inst. duly received, and in reply would say that for pistol cartridges we would recommend the powders specially made for that purpose and known as _FFF B_ cartridge powder, and also _FFF A_ powder.

The Eagle Duck No. 3 is also used for pistol cartridges; but Mr. Conlin, the expert in such matters, and who keeps a gallery in this city for pistol-shooting princ.i.p.ally, states that ”the _FFF B_ brand of powder, introduced to revolver shooters, would prove the best adapted to revolver cartridges, as I find it to be the best that I have yet tried.” Yours truly,

E. I. DUPONT DE NEMOURS & CO.

BOSTON, Dec. 15, 1887.

_Editor of The Rifle_:--

<script>