Colonel Fosbery has succeeded in perfecting the ‘Paradox’ system for large bores, such as 10 and 8, and in 1891 one of the latter weapons when tested before the editor of ‘The Field,’ with the full charge of 10 drs. of powder, and a hardened conical solid bullet at 50 yards range, made the extraordinary diagram in six consecutive shots into a space 1¼ in. by 2½ ins. (shown in fig. 16), beating all the records of big rifles at the ‘Field’ trials.
Fig. 16
It should be only a matter of time for weapons made upon this principle to supersede large-bore rifles for big game shooting. Everything is in their favour. An 8-bore ‘Paradox’ weighs some 2 to 3 lbs. less than an 8-bore rifle, and mounts to the shoulder with the handiness of a gun. The accuracy of the ‘Paradox’ is greater than that of an 8-bore rifle, the recoil less (as the bullet passes freely up the barrel, instead of having to cut its way through severe rifling, the ‘Paradox’ being rifled at the muzzle only), and the velocity or striking force is superior.
Fig. 17.—Diagram of 8-bore ‘Paradox’ bullet
Several of these weapons (8- and 10-bores) have already been tried upon elephant, buffalo, &c., in Africa and India, with the most satisfactory results.
Small Bores for Elephant Shooting.—No doubt some sportsmen have been successful in bagging elephants and other big game with .450-bore rifles, firing a moderate charge of about 3½ drs. of powder and a long solid bullet, such rifles giving great penetration, but no shock to the animal unless a vital part is reached. If the game be found in fairly open country, so that accurate shooting can be made, this weapon may answer in the hands of a good shot; but in most parts, and in grass country, particularly where an animal has frequently to be shot at very close quarters, and where the chances of being able to make a run for it are very much restricted, one would much prefer to rely upon the paralysing blow given by an 8- or 10-bore loaded with a heavy charge of powder and a conical bullet; in fact, even the admirers of the .450 warn sportsmen that such rifles are useful under certain conditions only, and this warning is absolutely necessary, several fatal accidents having taken place through sportsmen having misread or not properly appreciated the accounts of the shooting made with these small weapons and the circumstances under which they may judiciously be used.
Systems of Actions for Rifles.—Different kinds of ‘actions’ are constantly being invented for double-barrelled rifles, but very few, if any, have the sterling qualities of the old double-grip lever, especially when used for rifles shooting heavy charges. No doubt snap-actions of various kinds are made which are sufficiently sound to stand the strain of the charges fired, especially if the ‘body’ be long and deep, but none of them have the binding down power of the grip lever, which is really a kind of screw-grip. Another point in favour of the grip lever is that, should there be a piece of cap or other obstruction between the action and the barrels, the grip lever will have sufficient power to force the action to close and allow the rifle to be fired; and the same thing applies when a very tight cartridge, or one with somewhat too thick a rim, requires to be forced home. Now, under the same circumstances, a rifle with a snap action could not be closed at all, or, at all events, only with great difficulty and with unusual force, because all spring bolt systems require that the barrels should close up freely upon the action before the bolt can move into its proper position for fastening down the barrel.