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Arms and the Man, vol 57, No. 14, Dec 31, 1914, page 267
A STUDY IN SMALL BORES.
Bv Lieut.. TOWNSEND WHELEN
0F LATE years the small game rifle has received relatively little attention from American sportsmen. Just why it is not understood because undoubtedly there are several hunters of small game to every one having facilities for hunting large game. Yet the fact remains that there has been practically no development of the small game rifle in the past fifteen years.
At the start it might be well to qualify the words “small game rifle." Such a rifle should have suflficient killing power for small game, but no more lest it unduly mutilate the game for the table or taxidermist. The requirements as regards accuracy, are by the very nature of the target more exacting than with any other class of small arm. It can only be regarded as suitable at that range at which the size of its group does not excccd the vital portion of the anatomy of the small game which is to be hunted.
Considering that the small game will usually be squirrels, rabbits, grouse, and those varmints which by reason of their preying upon our useful animals and birds deserve extermination, it may be stated that the size of the required group should certainly not exceed one and one-half inches.
As regards trajectory, it may be said that this should be so flat that up to the range where the rifle begins to exceed one and one-half inch error, the path of the bullet should be such as to make it unnessary to estimate the range. Let us take these qualities up seriatim.
As regards killing qualities, it is first of all necessary that the power shall be such as not to cause needless suffering. This eliminates the .22-caliber rim-fire riflcs, for while it is admitted that these arms will kill squirrels and grouse often enough to perhaps satisfy the game getter, yet the proportion of wounded game will be so large as to preclude its use by good sportsmen.
Going up the scale of power we come to the .25-caliber rim-fire rifle. Experience has proved this cartridge to have sufficient killing power for the game in question. The .25 rim-fire may then be considered as standing at one end of the list of arms having the requisite killing qualities. The rifle at the other end should not have such power as to blow the game all to pieces. The .25-35, for example, is unsuited for this reason. The limit is probably around the 28-30, unless some special form of bullet is used, which will be discussed later. Thus, from the standpoint of power, we see that our choice is limited to the following cartridges:
.22 W. C. F. .25-20 Repeater.
.22-15-60 Stevens. .25-21 Stevens.
.25 rim-fire. .25-25 Stevens.
.25-20 S. S. .28-30 Stevens.
All these cartridges are old ones and illustrate the statement made at the beginning of this study that there had been practically no development in the small game rifle for the past fifteen years.
Careful tests and experiments with these rifles during the past sixteen years by the writer have shown that they vary but slightly in accuracy, that their ammunition gives a spread of groups to exceed one and one—half inches at from 40 to 65 yards, but that in some of them by careful hand loading, the accuracy can be increased so that they will give groups of one and one-half inches or smaller up to about 75 yards.
Better accuracy than this cannot be expected from these arms and ammunition without resorting to special chambers and accurately reamed shells. As regards accuracy, they are, therefore, unsuited for small game shooting at ranges over 75 yards, and in the hands of the novice not skilled in loading his own ammunition, at ranges over 50 yards.
All these rifles are of low velocity and for the purpose of our discussion their trajectory over a 100-yard range is practically the same. Considering that they are sighted for 55 yards, the path of the bullet over a 65-yard range will be such that a rifleman may be reasonably sure of a vital hit from a properly aimed and pulled shot. The trajectory therefore perhaps slightly decreases the range at which these rifles are suitable for small game shooting.
Summing up, the rifles of size suitable for small game will not be found satisfactory for such game at a range greater than 65 yards in the hands of a skilled operator, or 50 yards in the hands of a good shot, but one not acquainted with the preparation of accurate hand-loaded ammunition.
If an improvement over this is desired, accuracy must go hand in hand with trajectory. As an increase in trajectory is always accompanied by an increase in velocity and consequently in killing power, some form of bullet must be used which will reduce the smashing power which usually accompanies velocity.
Given the finely bored and rifled barrels which our factories are turning out today, an increase in accuracy can only be expected if we adopt some method of chambering and loading which will allow the bullet to enter the bore with less deformity than the present method as seen in these rifles. The loose commercial chamber obviously allows the bullet to lie at the bottom of the chamber before explosion. In such a position it is several thousands of an inch out of line with the axis of the bore. Add to this the fact that factory shells are drawn and not turned or reamed to size and invariably are of slightly different diameter at various points of the neck of the shell, and we begin to realize that it is possible to substitute a method which should result in less deformity of the bullet in entering the bore.
An improvement can be made by accurately reaming the mouth of the shells and accurately and tightly chambering the rifle for this special reamed shell. The bullet will then lie with its axis in line with the axis of the bore before explosion of the powder, or at least as nearly so as is possible with fixed ammunition. Such a method will increase the accuracy to the extent of just about doubling it. A rifle so chambered and correctly designed and loaded in other respects will give groups of one and one-half inches or less up to the range of about 100 yards.
An increase in trajectory is easy to obtain by increasing the size of the shell and the size of the powder charge. In this we are assisted by the telescope sight, which is necessary at ranges over 50 yards to enable us to clearly aim at small game, especially in its habitat. The telescope sight being an inch or more above the bore, has the practical effect of flattening our trajectory. From a practical stand point nothing more is required than a charge of about 22 grains of Du Pont military powder No. 20 in a shell the size of the .25-25, This combination, with telescope sight mounted on top, will have such a ‘trajectory as to make it unnecessary to allow for distance up to the accurate small game range with our improved rifle—-100 yards. But such a charge will give too much smashing or killing power with ordinary bullets. What is needed is a small game .25-caliber bullet weighing about 86 grains, full jacketed, with a modified spitzer point.
This brings us to the conclusion that the ideal small game rifle, as far as our present knowledge and ability will enable us to construct it, should conform to the following specifications:
Caliber, .25; shell, .25-35 or similar; powder charge about 22 grains of Du Pont military rifle powder No. 20; bullet, spitzer, full jacketed, 86 grains; shells accurately reamed at mouth; chamber accurately made to just chamber shell with no allowance for variation in ammunition; telescope sight.
Such a rifle will enable us to make sure shots at small game at twice the range that we can now make them with our present arms; therefore such a rifle is twice as good, or worth twice as much, as our present arms.
The above sounds like theory but. as a matter of fact, it is founded on actual experience, an experience covering sixteen years by the writer, during the last three years of which not less than 15,000 rounds have been fired from .25-caliber small game rifles in experimental work. These experiments were made with all the .25-caliber rifles mentioned in the list at the beginning of this study, as well as with two specially chambered rifles.
Arms and the Man, vol 57, No. 14, Dec 31, 1914, page 267
A STUDY IN SMALL BORES.
Bv Lieut.. TOWNSEND WHELEN
0F LATE years the small game rifle has received relatively little attention from American sportsmen. Just why it is not understood because undoubtedly there are several hunters of small game to every one having facilities for hunting large game. Yet the fact remains that there has been practically no development of the small game rifle in the past fifteen years.
At the start it might be well to qualify the words “small game rifle." Such a rifle should have suflficient killing power for small game, but no more lest it unduly mutilate the game for the table or taxidermist. The requirements as regards accuracy, are by the very nature of the target more exacting than with any other class of small arm. It can only be regarded as suitable at that range at which the size of its group does not excccd the vital portion of the anatomy of the small game which is to be hunted.
Considering that the small game will usually be squirrels, rabbits, grouse, and those varmints which by reason of their preying upon our useful animals and birds deserve extermination, it may be stated that the size of the required group should certainly not exceed one and one-half inches.
As regards trajectory, it may be said that this should be so flat that up to the range where the rifle begins to exceed one and one-half inch error, the path of the bullet should be such as to make it unnessary to estimate the range. Let us take these qualities up seriatim.
As regards killing qualities, it is first of all necessary that the power shall be such as not to cause needless suffering. This eliminates the .22-caliber rim-fire riflcs, for while it is admitted that these arms will kill squirrels and grouse often enough to perhaps satisfy the game getter, yet the proportion of wounded game will be so large as to preclude its use by good sportsmen.
Going up the scale of power we come to the .25-caliber rim-fire rifle. Experience has proved this cartridge to have sufficient killing power for the game in question. The .25 rim-fire may then be considered as standing at one end of the list of arms having the requisite killing qualities. The rifle at the other end should not have such power as to blow the game all to pieces. The .25-35, for example, is unsuited for this reason. The limit is probably around the 28-30, unless some special form of bullet is used, which will be discussed later. Thus, from the standpoint of power, we see that our choice is limited to the following cartridges:
.22 W. C. F. .25-20 Repeater.
.22-15-60 Stevens. .25-21 Stevens.
.25 rim-fire. .25-25 Stevens.
.25-20 S. S. .28-30 Stevens.
All these cartridges are old ones and illustrate the statement made at the beginning of this study that there had been practically no development in the small game rifle for the past fifteen years.
Careful tests and experiments with these rifles during the past sixteen years by the writer have shown that they vary but slightly in accuracy, that their ammunition gives a spread of groups to exceed one and one—half inches at from 40 to 65 yards, but that in some of them by careful hand loading, the accuracy can be increased so that they will give groups of one and one-half inches or smaller up to about 75 yards.
Better accuracy than this cannot be expected from these arms and ammunition without resorting to special chambers and accurately reamed shells. As regards accuracy, they are, therefore, unsuited for small game shooting at ranges over 75 yards, and in the hands of the novice not skilled in loading his own ammunition, at ranges over 50 yards.
All these rifles are of low velocity and for the purpose of our discussion their trajectory over a 100-yard range is practically the same. Considering that they are sighted for 55 yards, the path of the bullet over a 65-yard range will be such that a rifleman may be reasonably sure of a vital hit from a properly aimed and pulled shot. The trajectory therefore perhaps slightly decreases the range at which these rifles are suitable for small game shooting.
Summing up, the rifles of size suitable for small game will not be found satisfactory for such game at a range greater than 65 yards in the hands of a skilled operator, or 50 yards in the hands of a good shot, but one not acquainted with the preparation of accurate hand-loaded ammunition.
If an improvement over this is desired, accuracy must go hand in hand with trajectory. As an increase in trajectory is always accompanied by an increase in velocity and consequently in killing power, some form of bullet must be used which will reduce the smashing power which usually accompanies velocity.
Given the finely bored and rifled barrels which our factories are turning out today, an increase in accuracy can only be expected if we adopt some method of chambering and loading which will allow the bullet to enter the bore with less deformity than the present method as seen in these rifles. The loose commercial chamber obviously allows the bullet to lie at the bottom of the chamber before explosion. In such a position it is several thousands of an inch out of line with the axis of the bore. Add to this the fact that factory shells are drawn and not turned or reamed to size and invariably are of slightly different diameter at various points of the neck of the shell, and we begin to realize that it is possible to substitute a method which should result in less deformity of the bullet in entering the bore.
An improvement can be made by accurately reaming the mouth of the shells and accurately and tightly chambering the rifle for this special reamed shell. The bullet will then lie with its axis in line with the axis of the bore before explosion of the powder, or at least as nearly so as is possible with fixed ammunition. Such a method will increase the accuracy to the extent of just about doubling it. A rifle so chambered and correctly designed and loaded in other respects will give groups of one and one-half inches or less up to the range of about 100 yards.
An increase in trajectory is easy to obtain by increasing the size of the shell and the size of the powder charge. In this we are assisted by the telescope sight, which is necessary at ranges over 50 yards to enable us to clearly aim at small game, especially in its habitat. The telescope sight being an inch or more above the bore, has the practical effect of flattening our trajectory. From a practical stand point nothing more is required than a charge of about 22 grains of Du Pont military powder No. 20 in a shell the size of the .25-25, This combination, with telescope sight mounted on top, will have such a ‘trajectory as to make it unnecessary to allow for distance up to the accurate small game range with our improved rifle—-100 yards. But such a charge will give too much smashing or killing power with ordinary bullets. What is needed is a small game .25-caliber bullet weighing about 86 grains, full jacketed, with a modified spitzer point.
This brings us to the conclusion that the ideal small game rifle, as far as our present knowledge and ability will enable us to construct it, should conform to the following specifications:
Caliber, .25; shell, .25-35 or similar; powder charge about 22 grains of Du Pont military rifle powder No. 20; bullet, spitzer, full jacketed, 86 grains; shells accurately reamed at mouth; chamber accurately made to just chamber shell with no allowance for variation in ammunition; telescope sight.
Such a rifle will enable us to make sure shots at small game at twice the range that we can now make them with our present arms; therefore such a rifle is twice as good, or worth twice as much, as our present arms.
The above sounds like theory but. as a matter of fact, it is founded on actual experience, an experience covering sixteen years by the writer, during the last three years of which not less than 15,000 rounds have been fired from .25-caliber small game rifles in experimental work. These experiments were made with all the .25-caliber rifles mentioned in the list at the beginning of this study, as well as with two specially chambered rifles.