Here in Britain we are not so rifle-minded as we might be, writes Scolopax in the "Field. The gun is, of course, the popular weapon. It comes in for everything and does for everything. Indeed it is probably the most universally useful weapon in any part of the world, whether against twisting snipe or a dangerous gangster at close range. But except in the case of Scotland and of course in clubs and the Services, the rifle is not in common use.
The restrictions imposed by the Firearms Act that followed hard on the heels of the last war have not helped to extend its use. We do not, as a nation, take too kindly to filling up forms and completing formalities. a result, many a rifle remains unsold. This seems a pity, for several reasons. It has not been good for trade, it has hindered the rising generation in their aspiration and it has encouraged, perhaps. excessive use of the gun. For there are so many uses to which a rifle may more suitably be put on every estate and about many a country place. It is without question the weapon for rook shooting and for shooting young rabbits in the summer. In expert hands it can be turned against all kinds of vermin and even pigeons. A weapon of great precision and superb accuracy, it demands a high degree of fkill in the user and inculcates the habit of concentration and nerve control It also necessitates physical fitness and sobriety. A man may lead an intemperate life and for a time manage to shoot well enough with a gun. But with a rifle he will not be able to get away with it at all.
While there is scope for the ordinary 22 i1 practically every corner of the country, there is use also for more powerful weapons in places other than the wilder areas of Scotland and Ireland. For, in addition to the red deer, there are the fallow and the roe which inhabit the thickly wooded districts of southern England in considerable numbers, as has been mentioned. Of course, care has to be exercised in enclosed or semi-enclosed country.
Angle of Fire and Back Ground Studied But then no irresponsible person should ever be allowed to shoot with any kind of weapon. And so long as angle of fire and background are studied, there need be no fear of accidents. It one is going over new ground or suddenly launched in, unknown territory, it will be as well to get acquainted with the lie of it before setting out on serious work. There may be sunken roads invisible to the inexperienced eye or cottages behind a belt of timber. A little local knowledge is most advisable.
For sporting work of this type a hollow-point bullet will almost exclusively be used. What iberi helps to lessen the chance of accidents is the fact that such missiles, break up easily and the dangers of ricochet are greatly reduced. It is not as though one were firing a metal-jacketed solid bullet at super-high velocity. Yet. should it be desired to test out a high-powered weapon, it is generally possible to find a chal's pit or bank as a bullet stop situated so that sufficient room is available for sporting-range shooting. The rough and ready informality of such target work adds to the enjoyment.
Touching again briefly on ballistics and the everlasting theme of bullet weight and killing power, it would be interesting to know whether, given equal striking energy in ít. lbs. in the case of a light bullet and a heavy bullet, there would be any difference in killing effect. In theory, results should be similar. Would the; be so in practice? It is not possible to say. Nor is it easy to test. But the heavy bullet, though moving at a lower velocity, should cause larger wound.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.