The Sporting Rifle
and How to Use It
by Stillman Taylor
Sportsmen are interested in rifles and rifle shooting largely from the hunting standpoint, although target shooting is a favorite sport with many of them. This discussion of the sporting rifle will be concerned, therefore, principally with the hunting aspects, other forms of shooting being considered as good methods of practice, and the development of skill in the use of hunting weapons. The novice, as well as the good shot, must have a suitable weapon, and should have at least a general knowledge of the types of rifles available, and their common uses. A number of representative types of rifles are shown in [Fig. 1], and the details of the breech mechanisms and sights in [Fig. 2]. Targets and a homemade device for backing them are shown in [Fig. 3]. The [full-page illustration] shows several positions in the use of the rifle; a moving-target arrangement, to be constructed by the ambitious shot; a diagram of the trajectory of a rifle bullet, and several diagrams of the vital shots, in hunting common big game.
The single-shot rifle, shown at A, [Fig. 1], has been largely supplanted by the repeater and the automatic, so far as hunting is concerned. For use exclusively in indoor shooting, a heavy rifle of the “Schuetzen” type is best suited. A high-grade ornamented rifle of this type is shown in the headpiece of this article.
The most popular type of American rifle is the repeater of the lever-action variety, shown at B. The lever action embodies many good points: quickness of fire, ease of operation, freedom from jamming at a critical moment, strength, and plenty of stopping power. The mechanism of the lever-action repeating rifle is shown in detail at J, [Fig. 2], and that of the falling-breech-block type of single-shot rifle, at K. Several other types of lever-action rifles are shown in [Fig. 1].
Almost all lever-action repeaters are of the tubular-magazine type, the magazine extending under the barrel, sometimes the full length—full magazine; or halfway—half magazine. Rifles of these types are shown at B and C, and a hammerless repeater at D.
The trombone, or pump-action, repeating rifle, shown at E, has a mechanism similar to that used in the repeating shotgun, the sliding forearm loading and ejecting the cartridge. The merit of the military bolt-action rifle lies in its great strength and simplicity. A weapon of this type was used by Roosevelt in Africa, and by other big-game hunters. It is shown at F.
The chief advantages of the automatic rifle, shown at G, which is a comparatively new weapon, are its speed in firing and its almost noiseless action. This rifle has a recoil-operated action of the blow-back type. That shown at H has a box magazine, and the automatic action is based on the sliding of the barrel within a steel jacket. The rifle shown at I may be used either as an automatic or as a pump-action weapon.
The subject of stock and trigger adjustment is one to which every experienced rifleman devotes considerable attention. The regular stock rifle is built to standard dimensions, and often the stock is found a trifle short. For the man of average reach, a 13³⁄₄-in. stock, with a 1⁷⁄₈-in. drop at the comb, and about 3 in. drop at the heel, will be found satisfactory.
