Beretta. Available at all leading. 85 Chambers Street, New York 7, New York.
Gun Dealers. Shooters: FREE Illustrated Color Catalog. See coupon an Page 66
...
THE RAWEST RACKET
BERETT
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the World's finest Pocket Pistol Is America's Largest Selling Pocket Pisto
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Americans appreciate fine quality. You want only the finest in a pocket pistol for your own self-assurance and self-confidence. You depend upon these silent companions for your protection at home, or on your hunting and fishing trips. You enjoy plinking and sport shooting in the woods, and your personal safety is ensured when you carry a Beretta. Yes, there is a reason Beretta leads all other pistols-each gun carries more cartridges for its weight and size than any other-it's important.
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BANTAM .25 CAL. Only 4%" overall length. 10 02s. 8 shots. Beretta Bantam Blue ............. $32.00 Blue with Pearl Handles ..... $37.75 Beretta Bantam Chrome ....... $37.75 Chrome with Pearl Handles ......................................$43.50 Engraved Chrome ...................$42.50 Engraved Chrome, Pearl Handles ....................................... $49.50
I
Beretta makes the world's only genuine featherweight pocket pistol.
Automatic single action %fan."H"n$Ybarre~. 10 ozs. 7 shots. M2 (Overall length 4%") .......................... $33.50 M4 (Overall length 6W) ........................... $35.00
JETFIRE .?5 CAL. -Automatic single action design. Hinged barrel. 10 ozs. 7 shots. Beretto Blue Jetfire .......................... ............$a 3.50
LY 1C 2 S OR1 OR LR-winner of t h e Olympic Matches. Olympic .22 Short Cat.............................. $187.50 Olympic .22 LR Cal. ..........$187.50
5%" overall length. 18 EFYs,i%, -50 with Mother -75 Beretta Puma Chrome .................................. $51.00 ~25 Chrome with Pearl Handles..-...... ..........$*0
POWER..
.
from the hands of experts..
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BERETTA since 1680
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Overall length 6" PLINKER .22 LR CAI,Weighs only 17 02s. 10 shots. Beretta Plinker Blue ....................................... $43.95 with Mother of Pearl Handles ................$53.50 Comb. 2 Barrels 3%". 6" ...........................$55.00
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COUGAR -380 CAL, 5%" overall length. Weighs 24 02s. 8 shots, 6lue with pearl ~ ~ ~ d ~ ~cougar ~ chrome ~ t t ~ Chrome with Pearl Handles.................. $62.09
J. L. GALEF & SON, INC., 85 Chambers Street, New York 7, New York Shooters: FREE Illustrated Color Catalog. See coupon an Page 66
Beretta Available at all leading Gun Dealers
l
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FASTEST GUN GOING!
Guns
8
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FEBRUARY, 1957 .
VOL Ill. NO 2-26
ISSUE ...
IN THIS
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shooting
THE SHOOTING PRIEST OF TEXAS. THE CASE FOR LEGALIZED MACHINE GUNS
hunting
^ . . . ..-.
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3
, INL. 1 2 2 0 3 GfnJ A m Lms A n t i c l x Cnlif
Since 1931 my favorite rifle has been a .270; first a Winchester Model 54, and later an F. N. Mauser with 4X Bear Cub scope. It is more accurate than any big game rifle I have tested, holds its zero better, and I can hit with it at longer estimated distances. It has killed everything 1 shot at, including two bull moose, with a single shot.
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-At
Guns *Ammo Guns lAmmo
THE ULTIMATE-THE MOST POWERFUL RIFLE IN THE WORLD Only Remaining Stock In the World THE SUPERBLY ACCURATE 5-SHOT, BOLT-ACTION R.B. MARK IANTI-TANK RIFLE.
I
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t!$.tl~~ta;i~,*~
the
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You may have preferred ALCOHOL and TOBACCO as your first choice, even when Taxed, but that was before you saw the Old Hunter's 'OSCARS TO NIMRODS! Remember that it i s always A. T. U. (AIways Tremendous Unveilings) with the Old Hunter!
NEW CARGO! JUST LANDED! FAMED ORIGINAL
LIHESTER M 67's
HERE'S WHERE YOU GET THE BARGAINS YOU READ ABOUT ELSEWHERENo phon lists of useless or rejected ports no fake claims orunder-selling no U-build-it kits of obsolete junk model guns, worth less when you finish than disassembled-just solid T.S. and B.S. (Tremendous Surprises and Big Specials) to last you forever at the cheapest prices ever offered.
AMERICA'S MOST POPULAR
British
Now! THE OLD HUNTERS ELASTIC CREDIT PLAN
Canaand U . 5.
!I
.22 RIFLE
Payment in full with every order assures you carry-tree future!
T.S. (Tremendous Surprises1 in FINEST A M M O
.
Made In Emlad bv R.5.A. with rouad muute-brmko ."d nlomwod. Slightly tamad ~ i a ~ m .
Equipped Wifh Inue Fadory Sights
fan Model-Marked US. 6ort. Property CAL 45-70 60YT per 100 rdh.. received tabulcnu . b l D o w n t
Jmt ~
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.00 .......$6rm Incredibly
8
% M=--&T . ~ t Cuxter'a Conmundt
~
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CAL. 45-70 60W. Black Powder, per 100 rds.. .$8.50 FUued 46-70-600 black Powdar aiamo which could Bat be lulled In time tor th* Civil W M Wtor Mr a fatmu b ~ r o f l ! l g r f mmw w b a um Old mm* amu
..........
...........................
.......$3.00
.50 CALIBER
CONVERSION KITS. '
.....$39.95 CAL 303 BRITISH, per 100 rds..
...........................
%%k%d?b~i
!
TWO RAREST RIFLES IN T H E WORLD
CAPTURED RUSSIAN PTRD SUPER AT RIFLES
$66,363.63 of Surplus Going For 0 P o w w Charleston!
55,161,151 Items in Stock Anum Po-
At the result of huge'demand. We again offer Caliber -50 Conversion Kits, thereby enabling your favorite gunsmith to convert the R. B. MARK 1 rifle to fire .50 caliber ammunition. These kits consist of set of sights, breech cover, .50 caliber barrel, muzzle broke cover and cheek-piece.
THE
1
Shoots .22 short, long or long rifle; single shot bolt action. You cannot duplicate these beautiful rifles anywhere in the world at under $27.25. The OLD HUNTER il giving them away in virtually new condition for only l b W O d $9.95. ( A d d $1.55 to cover cost of postage anywhere in the U.S.). Weight including all accessories, 5% pounds; barrel length, 27".
Availability!
...... el-away r l a for thaw entire APT NU. Thà Pri& the N ~ W I thrmachu
md the
Bow War.
.........$4 00
Ew%k%t% American Prune". etc.
EAL. 30 Ml CARBINE, per 100 rdh.
K%:%n:l :2Y%GE nflltarv bullot. h o
d In
of
.....$6.00
................$29&. 95
g*i5. 1mmmI
y& l ~tMPgy&~e
fun-
tn t1me for the
CARTRIDGE COLLECTORS-AMMO.
. ... .......
German 20 rd. 7.92mm box magazine.. .$1.50 150 Johoson LMG magazine.. Schmeisser MP38/40 box magazine. 8.95 Sten Mark I, II, Ill, IV, V box magazines. 4.95 .14.W Thompson 50 rd. drum magazine.. 9.95 Luger 32 rd. drum magazine.. Ultra rare essential Luge? dust cover for spare Luger magazines.. .ea. 1.30
E~% U.S.
EL? % S b - T 0 2 Urn* for tbn "POW ~ e t l o i
n Korea". :AL. .50, per 100 rds.. It last a a u m l y of .50 caliber ammo for
B.S. (Big Specials) in RAREST MAGAZINES ..... .....................
..... .......... .........
BUGS111
1
RARE OLD MODEL WALTIER . SPORTER PRESENTATION. CASES Sfi.05 a.I I . -
POLISH M35 7.92mm Ultra-Velocity AT RIFLE THIS IS IT!
U.S.
Caliber
Boat was latel-JUST ARRIVED STEMS11
.50 but MADE
BUMTOu.5.
ul. .W.rd. Wà mado for the U.5. In during WW 11. Never again ¥vailabl at only 75e.
ywcltiaf
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U.S. GOVT. CAL. 30-06 BARRELS. .Only $3.95
Yon00,1hwoseentheseulmtlwd8ttnaundnr prices elsewhere bat now bur them at orifà tht you to rdxurel-~~w~W hand new, 4groove IT 8 Omt. manufactured to hlfhest Gort. ~uece,' WUlfit reoeimn with under \IW t h r ~ d ~ 4130 Preolalon rtwL Jwt mrfeot for relnrreUlu thou JIM Knà 8B Mausera C*TCUKMe t a Bar them by the cue of 20 ba& for only 1~6.001 Add 760 for DuJdiig md
Polish
7-92 mm ultrcveioci Highoat v l o c i over touted3in %%aisÑoÈ 4100 FMÑÈÇ 1 over ç25.0 a tho old Huntor w h i h the r ; d C k t COMPLETE SET OF A L L 4 ABOVE "RAREST ROUNDS" Including R.B. MK. I C l i p . . .$S.Sa
apt;l;;Tz
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The Old Hunter's True-Blue, Tin-plated LeadWWpoed, Radiation-Proof Guaranteel I f you ain't ¥at d return goods nremid in 2 davs after ~i ceipt-well e rpaf your money back. Send checkor money order. Don't SEND NO CASH. C.O.D. orden Ñn be accompanied by 50% deposit.
We're forced to evacuate '01 Virginie, so don't send no more reb money.
HU.NTERS LODGE
ahiDClcB charm.
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DOES Y E OLD HUNTER SWAP?ÑSur i and will trade anything here to help build hh famous collection of Colt percussions, Colts autos, Lugers, and semi-auto military rifles-writ* your deal and the Old Hunter will take eon of ~001 All Guns and Ammo sent F.O.B. Arlington 9, Vo. Send 3c stamp for any letter requiring a reply. Send 10c stamp or coin for FREE Surprise Catalog. Ed. GRN-15. Send 25c stamps or coin for amazi let of fabulous values and story of h e r & % famed and most biggest Arms Merchant. ,
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By H. Jay Erfurth
Znterarmco Walther Hlk I 1 Pistols
HE NEW SERIES of Walther TMark I1 automatic sport and defense pistols imported by Interarmco
in Washington, D. C., are all basically
FINER OPTICS Hensoldt, noted for optical quality since 1852, has brought the modern rifle scope to its highest development. Thanks to scientifically balanced optics, each Hensoldt model, for its size and power, offers the utmost in field of view, sharp definition and brilliance. ....See more, see sharper, make cleaner kills. Rugged, dust and moisture-proof. Eyepiece adjusts to your vision. Choice of graticules. No parallax. Take standard mounts. Models of 2% to 8x. plus the Diavari D, adjustable from 1% to 6x.
the old reliable Walther double action autos. But some changes have been made, making them even more suitable for American shooters. New, grooved triggers and wide, square-notch rear sights are now fitted to all models, except the "Sporter" and "Competition" types which have screw-click adjustable rear sights. We tried out the .32 and .22's in the PP and PPK patterns, but shot more
unscrewed and the sight slipped on fur dismounting. Then the slide can be tipped up and slid forward as with the shorter barreled pistols. Any change of impact due to wear would be slight, apparent only in a machine rest. For all practical match purposes, shooter's error is greater than any slight change in sight setting due to replacing the front sight of the Sporter. The Sporter frame butt is about the depth of the PPK. The magazine bottom is of plastic, the "griff verhngerung" introduced in Germany in 1939-1940. Now reintroduced by In-
At leadhg gnusmitbs. Write for literature. CARL ZEISS, INC.. 485 Fifth
Açe.
New York 17
TURRET MODEL
Shot Shell Loader Dies Interchangeable In either model
p e e
/4fUM^Af\ Shot Shell Loader Loads 3 in. iagnum
1
change $13.50
complete
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A-
1
Mark I1 Walthers have grooved new sights. PP .380 (left) shots. Sporter (top) has grip-lengthener magazine bottom.
$7150
FOR FULL
$3900 Â 514 N. State St. Chicago 10, Ill.
extensive1y with the Sporter model and the powerful .380 PP, which today rates as the most powerful pocket auto pistol caliber on the American market. Barrel length of the P P series is 3.85", same as pre-war. Overall length is a shade over 6W. The .380 functioned completely satisfactorily, as these guns are tested at the factory with American ammunition. While they are made in the French Manurhin plant, many former Walther workmen are on the job, under the supervision of Fritz Walther. The grips, of brown mottled plastic, are actually made at the Walther works in Ulm-Donau, not many miles, away across the Franco-German border. The .22 Sporter has a 7%'' barrel. Front sight is splined and fastened with a knurled collar. This collar must be
terarmco, it serves to give a full hand grip to conventional PPK pistols of pre-war and post-war make, and makes the Sporter grip a full target handle for best control. T h e typical Walther hammerdropping safety is fitted to all models. This is a good and reliable safety when the hammer-blocking member is properly hardened. However, I once owned a PPK .22 of Spanish War vintage. engraved with the date 1937, which had a defective safety. While proving it was safe I shot a hole in the wall. As with any firearm, even the new Mark I1 Walthers should never be pointed at anything you do not intend to shoot. The reason for the malfunction-and-fire in my old Walther was the ro- (Continued on page 40)
r-1
...YOU CAN HAVE YOUR OWN CUSTOM SPORTER in less than I lion WITH THIS BIT
COLLECTORS-MUSEUMS
-.--.-"
NOW
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A N D BARREL
C
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7 .... from any..
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MAUSER '98, ENFIELD'17 or SPRINGFIELD'03 A l l the hard work i s done for you. Simply install this NEW BARREL and STOCK-then have head Hotchkiss Light Portable Machine guns, (lame as U.S. Rifle 1909 & Benet Mercie), Carefully de-activated under supervision 6 approval of Treasury Dept.-nction and feed mechanism work as always. No registration A required. Working parts can be disassembled. vintage piece of fantastic machining complexity, a handsome addition t o any collection of guns. Illustrates pre-Browning designs, gas operated, used i n early aircraft, armoured cars, as well as by ground troops. Q u i r uçe by U.S., France, Japan and many South American countries. Complete w i t h 2 feed strips, handsome adjustable miniature tripod, shoulder rest, issue wrench s h i p p e d Express (not prepaid) i n original field carrying Special price while few laçt____$46.s ea. box. (Extra ammo, strips, 10 i n metal bound field box, $4.93 -Cased set of loading machine 6 strip r e - s i z e r ~ c o t t $97.00 t o make _____________$7.95)
W
FINISHED
PlUS St W ÈOSIAG ACTION "01Includd BARK1 ALONE.. .S1**5 ItOCK ALONE S1à tl u
...
Â
CUSTOM SPORTED a t lowest possible t o s t Remember. a l l the hard work i s done f o r you A l l you have t o do i s ¥cre out old barrel and ¥cre i n the ncw'on-nd tighten stock ¥crews minor inletting may be required on stocks used w i t h m i l i t a r y barrels o r barrels of other than our make. ALL STOCKS SHIPPED INLETTED FOR OUR $PORTER ¥ARREL
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I :CLOSEOUT-SPECIAL II 1
while few remaining in stock
last
TARGET
SPORTING REAR SIGHT
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HUGE BARREL SALE
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N e w lengths
OCTAQONALS
1/2 ROUNDS
*
-N e w Calibers
RARE LENGTHS Mmzt
;ht$Zam$l parad n$"",reag~"etog z yn ;,t.
nearly 40 years of storage. A l i are Special Smokeless Steel. Â Special notes411 Mdl. 9 s & 9 3 barrels interchange on their actions without alterations, regardless of caliber. Special difcounts-if 2 Marlin bbls. are ordered a t same time deduct' 10% om~ered at onevtime, deduct i s e x . three Or ADD SOf postage f o r each barrel, give second choice when possible. limited supply on many numbers.
:for Mauser, Sprln field, laps & Enfleld (with "earÈ removed) Fast coin slot adjustment for @windage and elevitlon Completely milled no c h d & TWO @stamplngs. Furnished w i t h mounting 8cr&  ¥ s i g h discs (one fine, one medium).
SHORT RIFLE BARRELS Sold for use on p r t o l s etc. Not legal for use on rifles unless barrel extension bringing barrel t o 16" i s used. A l l new. Winchester 4 4 / 4 0 Mdl. 9 2 14" $5.95 1s" S4.50 Marlin 2 5 / 2 0 Mdl. 9 4 - - 15" $&So Marlin 3 2 / 4 0 Mdl. 9 3 Marlin 30130 or 3 2 Spec.. Mdl. 9 3 o r 15" $4.50 36
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---------------.
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MISCELLANEOUS BARRELS
feet,
$6.00' ea. plus $1.25 .22
pp.
RIFLE BARRELS
...........................
9 MM138
9
STANDARD BRASS SHOT. GUN SIGHTS. large bead, regular 5x40 thread. in constant demand. usually $1.00 installed or 50e ea.
BARRELS
$7.56.
(Tap
REDUCED T O
SALE
1 straight f l e d t u b 7 diameter, Sedgley made-.3S7 boreÑNEW
~ ~ ~10 i %packets . 8 $ ? k(& 'l&0 ~ s 1 g$ ! bts) for only above
SPECIAL
-
$4.95.,,,
for
OELUX~~~%AO%
RED
BEAD FRONT S H O T G U N SIGHT. Eye rapidly & almost automatically centers on lares bead. Re threads usually
a
SE. SO^.
$%&5g?
f%'ab%f05xE ~
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3 0 SHOT CARBINE MAGAZINES Brand new fits a l l U.S Carbines $4.95 en., 2 for $8.50. Reguiar i s - s h o t mags,
:I% %%E2, S)
FREE w i t h each barrel,
? & ~ i 2 . ~ 2:u~T:$i 7;
$2.45. Each magazine supPlied w i t h free waterProof cap as issued.
@~I-T-I-I-zL-
G A R A N D RIFLE CONVERSION K I T reduces to 5 shots, only way to make Garand fully c~~g;tes~~i follower & 2 five shot clips $3.95. Extra 5 shot CliPs. 9Sf ea. Standard 8 shot dips, $2.00 per dozen.
;y&;~p;t2fV$.
U
yy
new pair of Walnut grips.
.45 CALIBER PISTOL BARBELS
&:;;I
S. CARBINE STOCKS
G ~ A N DB A R R E L S Ã ‘ B ~ n~e~w ,
1
Used,
v. g. t h r o u g h o u t
.30
.-....
4-groove, 1 11 16" a t shoulder.
on threads, i - t u r n I n 1 0 standard rifling. A g'yaw oodproduct heavy-tapered, turned barrel at less than on cost! Only 94.95 plus SSf postage.
shoulder)
W i l l not fit receivers w i t h over 1 1/16"
e
L Y M A N RAMP SIGHT HOLDERS
E ::
z2 %eY%bPEr,&2 and can therefore b e reamed
1.d. over desired. Less t o a%size than price a t 82.95 ea. (It y ~ o $ g ; M d i s m ~ ~ ; ~& .a 8 25 and w - A f Y gold
CHAMBERING REAMERS .45 ACP caliber, floating p i l o t & straight shank-Pratt & Whitney make, finest possible. Also usable for .45 lone Colt caliber b y runn i n g reamer slightly deeper & l i g h t l y polishing out. These art .00 quality reamers, w i l l last for s. Special price $S,9S rougher S7.95 finisher.
1
ppd. each.
CAL. BARREL-24" BRAND NEW1 CHAMBERED FOR 30-06
--------------......._ s 5 SO .2ZDOt;d, 24"__ ~_,__-66----______.-$ 6:50 $ 7.SO .2S r.f. round, 24'1 _-----------_______ Finest 4130 steel (slight pitting out, new in, 1 1 / 1 6 thread, 1 3 / 1 6 .22 round, 20"
$14.95 .$9.95
....... ....
thread.
COLT CHECKERED GRIPS NEW! 2 2 CALIBER RIFLE BARREL
of
tmite
colored, wearing, new,
os
for .45
Autos.
Walnut
g i v e s a g o o d grip, checkering issued,
long
sharp, pr., 2 pr.-
stays
$1.25
$2.25.
$37,000 PAID U.S. CARBINE TOP GRADE LEATHER SCABBARD complete w i t h straps i f made commercially would cost 18.00 to $20.00, our price, brand new while few fast --s4.9s
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VE HAVE OVER 15,000.000 GUN PARTS ModernÑObsolete~Foreign For free quotation e n d broken part or rough sketch w i t h f u l l information. -
rUMRICH ARMS CO. WEST HURLEY 3, NEW YORK
SATISFACTION ALWAYS GUARANTEED!
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Father McGiin's rugged Irish face is grim as he point-shoots with sightless .257 Mauser at San Antonio range.
\ r 7
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THE SHOOTING PRIEST OF TEXAS Â
Firing from bench rest with set-trigger 222 Varminter job, Father Oswald McGmn squints through Unertl2" varmint scope on 100 yard range to place his shots carefully. The shooting priest placed five shots in under 1" at that distance.
14
Unerring sense of gun-pointing allows eminent Catholic divine to fire rifle without sights in many trick posilions. Father McGinn (right) checks 100 yard 222 group.
FATHER McGINN AT 78 MAKES OWN -
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RULES FOR SHOOTING AND PROVES
FI
THEM,ALL WITH BULLETS, WITH OR
WITHOUT SIGHTS, FROM ANY POSITION Ã & .
By KENT BELLAH
F YOU WANT to out-shout and out-hunt the experts, take
the sage advice of one of the world's best shooters and hunters, the Rev. Oswald T. McGinn, a 78-year-old Catholie priest now in retirement. The finin-toting nadre has not technique violates every rule in the book, except the Good Book. Seeing some of the many exhibition shoots he ha? given might make one wonder if his bullets are guided b\ the sure hand of God. Not so, says the shooting priest. He puts it this way: "I feel that I can hit anything I can possibly see through the sights of a gun within ranee " of an accurate shoot&' i r o n . " ~ h a t is a pretty broad state-
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On 100-yard range at San Antonio, Texas, where the g d father spends his winters, he checks out a friend's 2 5 7 Roberts sporter. Rapid fire group of 15 shots made by Father McGinn at this distance spanned no larger than 10-ring of target.
~~~k ho0hgwihFrontier a t is one of smne in a m k g p&& repertoire which he displays when lecturing on gun safety at schools.
111entfrom a man of the cloth, or anyone else, yet it is. not a boast. He converts unbelievers with a simple demonstration. That statement isn't -quite right, either, because Father McGinn's demonstrations are not so simple. He shoots with extreme accuracy and speed, with the gun and himself in many different and d ~ c u l t pasitions, and his feats amaze the rnultiudes. One exhibition stunt of Father McGinn's is to split a bullet on a ,razor blade, causing the split pieces to hi1 small targets on either side of the blade. Just to prove the gospel he preaches at countless lecture-exhibitions at p~bIicand parochial SC~OOIS and civic clubs on how to shoo4 he will hold a rifle or revolver upside down or backwards, or both. An amazing demonstration of practical shooting by the father is to place three bullets in a % inch target at 100 yards. This is not a %" group, but three cohsecutive hits in the tiny bull. This is a feat of vision as well as of accuracy. Many young men find it extremely difficult even to see a target of that size at that range. Father McGinn doesn't spend much time sighting, but sometimes fires without seeming to aim. He explains
Sighting over tops of his bifocals, Father M c G h who is at home behind a spotting scope, in the woods hunting elk, or in the vestments of the church, calls. his shots in firing close bench rest group with borrowed -222 Varminter.
the fact that he always shoots quickly Father McGinn finds point shooting is easy when scope sight is removed from with, "1 couldn't hit anything if I sporter if he holds gun upside down to allow him good view of target. didn't. Shooting is a matter of coordination between sight, judgment and muscular reaction., V&ei you judge you are in sight, you squeeze the trigger simultaneously." The shooting priest can use a rifle without sights for close range work. Practice, and being familiar with the gun is all that's necessary, he says. "I do not commercialize on this because shooting has always been my delight and my hobby," Father McGinn told me. "1 have said many times that the uninterrupted single line of thought befogs the mind, clouds the intellect and leaves one's mental vision in a ham. People who have accomplished anything in life never followed a single line of thought. Practically every outstanding person had a hobby or diversion that gave their minds a rest and enabled them to do better work. A good hobby is another definition of rest. ''Hence, I'm happy to say I have greatly enjoyed shooting, and i t has greatly benefitted me in my work. There is nothing like shooting to develop coordination. The nearer to perfect the coordination, the nearer to perfect the scores. Too (Continued on page 43)
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Swedish civilian shooter squints over sights of BAR machine gun during match competition with intentness of any ritleman determined to win prize.
Machine - gunner with Browning's b i p d folded and bolt open ready to fire advances to line at match.
Full magazine of 6.5 mm loads is inserted during hectic combat event by this Swedish machine gun owner at target match.
CIVILIAN MACHINE GUN
DEFENSE W I T H NO INCREASE I N CRIME
B y NILS KVALE
by civilians is ~ h hottest c topic M in the arms field since they outlawed th: crossbow. Possession of an unregistered machine gun in the U.S. is ACHINE GUN OWNERSHIP
a crime. The sale of machine guns is taxed. Instead of the nominal 10 percent excise tax collected on ordinary firearms, machine guns are taxed $200 for each sale or transfer. This has effectively removed these guns from the hands of ordinary shooters in the U.S. Since the war more and more gun fans are becoming interested in this fascinating form of weapon, despite the red tape which surrounds them. The legislation banning machine guns is basically the National Firearms Act of 1934, passed during Prohibition when A1 Capone's gangsters made the weapon infamous. One of the world's foremost machine gun experts, Lt. Col. George M. Chinn of the US. Marine Corps, has stated: "No single law has done more to damage the national defense of the United States than that machine gun act." Since saying this, Col. Chinn's views became stronger. With typically Marine di-
Blacking sights with match flame, machine-gunnet- makes use of techniques learned in regular target shooting.
m
rectnessy he says: "Many of America's greatest inventors have gone abroid to get &eir ideas accep&d. In America if you have a machine gun they indict you. Abroad they knight you." i b r o i d they do more than that. Light machine gum are owned and used by Swedish target shooters, where the importance of the citizen's knowing how to shoot is recognized by the government. States General-Lieutenant Count C. A. arensvard, commanding general of the Swedish armed forces: "During recent years the V o l u n t ~ yRifle Association has also added to its Drogram the training of its members with military types of a tomatic weapons and their use under combat conditions. his effort to keep pace with modern development guarant s that the Voluntary Rifle Association in the future will stand as a valuable support to the Armed Forces.'' In Sweden the civilian shooters own and learn how to use heavy automatic weapons. Possession of firearms of all kinds is under the jurisdiction of the national government, and the civilian shooter is encouraged in every way to know how to shoot a machine gun. Instead of penalizing the machine gunner, the Swedish government supplies light machine guns through the civilian shooting clubs. The club member may buy a light machine gun without paying a heavy tax. Most of the Swedish sportsmen who enjoy shooting the automatics own cheaper M45 submachine guns, but some who can pay the higher price possess the Swedish equivalent of the BARya highly refined Browning automatic rifle in 6.5rifle caliber. A light weapon weighing several pounds less than the American BAR, the Swedish Browning has a quick-change A
w
I!
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While team leader stuffs 9 mm &ells into dip (left), BAR man (right) checks adjustment of gas cylinder for cold weather and other shooters talk with referee. H ost dub loans some ma&& guns, others are owned by competitors. Average gun fan wearing target shooting glasses and visor works in factory, but is an expert machine gun marksman.
barrel, carrying handle, and the advantage of a light caitridge giving little kick. Firing the light automatics .really peps up up a conventional shooting match. Blasting a clip of shells at a paper bdseye target does little more than prove the bullets are coming out of the front end. Entirely new targets have been devised simulating combat conditions. To add a little salt and pepper to their ordinary matches, Scandinavian shooting clubs often arrange an "extra" military-style shoot, where each club competing in the target match enters a team. It is the team spore, not the individual score, which counts in the specid prize list for the combat shoot. Along with the old Swedish Mauser and the new semi-automatic army rifle, light machine guns and sub-machine guns, with which every civilian shooter is familiar, are used. Regular army men may participate in this match but they do not always have the edge over the civilians, despite their military training. Because of the number of sniper riflemen in the civilian clubs, they often beat the army teams when points are counted. Machine guns and automatic rifles are lent by the host club to those who do not have their own. Machine guns are issued to shooting clubs on much the same basis that Garand rifles are issued to American rifle clubs by the U.S. Director of Civilian Marksmanship. Not many shooters buy the expensive light machine guns, but the submachine-gun shooters often use their private guns. The team usually of six men regard themselves as an infantry squad. Each rifle or semi-automatic rifle shooter gets 40 rounds, the machine- (Continued on page 42) 21
Using long range rifles like Guymon-Springfield with Leupold scope and Sha-Cul brake (left) five Wyoming sportsmen got bucks by end of day's stalk. Some, however, are not so sporting.
THE.RAWEST RACKET IN HUNTING DRIVING PRONGHORNS AND OTHER BIG GAME W I T H PLANES AND SHOOTING FROM BLINDS AT TRAPPED WATER HOLES REDUCE HUNTING TO SHEER BUTCHERY By COLONEL CHARLES ASKINS
the band of Tpronghorn. The circled pilot, incongruous HE LIGHT PLANE
in ten-gallon hat and cowboy boots, banked sharply as his companion, ear phones clamped over a tousled shock of auburn hair, talked into a hand mike. "Boss, we're lookin' down on a right fair sized bunch four mile east of Big
Rabbit where Snake Coulee hits the Little Hoss. Over." The booted radioman dropped the mike in his lap, awaited reply. In the pickup truck atop the hill hard by ranch headquarters, the wizened little man beneath the wheel talked into his transmitter;
Checking antelope past game warden, two successful hunters in car smile while ma1 ho flubbed long range t wears wry grin. "Fixed" hunts where pronghorns are herded with planes produce 100 percent kills, 0% sportsmanship.
"This is the ramrod. Ah reads yuh loud an' clear. Now listen! Git down 'till yuh ain't mor'n sixteen hands off'n th' ground any haze them pronghorns into Big Pasture. I gotta pickup load of dudes right now an' we'll be headin' out fer the South Rim. Yuh got that?" "Yeah, I read yuh," replied the airborne cow hand. "We're movin' out." The light craft tipped up, mushed around and flew directly away from the milling band. At a distance of perhaps a half-mile it commenced a slow 180-bank and gathering steam bore down on the pronghorn, bare feet above the brown earth. The antelope ceased their milling. Now aware of the danger and sensing its direction, they strung out behind the herd leaders and at full throttle angled away in the direction of the Big Pasture. The pilot did not over-run the band. He was far too old a hand at this kind of aerial herding. A good furlong short of the trailing does, who were anxiously shepherding the rapidly tiring fawns, he pulled up in a sharp bank, near to stalling. He gained a couple of
O n pack trip in Dakota hills Colonel Askins examines plane used on modern stock ranches, too often by racketeers to drive game for hunts.
23
With light planes, usually hard-to-stalk antelope are hazed across prairie right up to muzzles of guns on ranches where hunting has become big business.
Fine high velocity pachmayr sporter shooting flat -270 is often used for antelope hunting. 24
hundred feet of altitude, kicked the rudder hard over and again made his pass. During the next fifty minutes the maneuver was monotonously repeated. The buz, the pullout, the laboring climb and slow turn. The antelope tired quickly. Creatures of the 45-mile-perhour sprint, a gallop of ten minutes will exhaust the toughest buck. Does, fawns, and the old studs dropped out to stand heads between their forelegs, flanks going like bellows, trembling and ready to drop. Only the youngest and strongest continued to gallop from the awful terror in the skies driving them onward. Big Pasture came into view, a great sink in the surrounding plain. The remnant of the herd, numbering fully two score of animals in spite of losses, tipped over into the huge basin. The herder on the radio twirled a dial, made talk. "This is Art. Come in, Boss. We've jist dropped the band into Big P. Come in. Jist dropped the critters into Big Pasture." The radio in the bouncing half-ton pickup truck answered. "Pull off an' circle tha rimrock. We're jist beyon' South Rim an' I aims to hit 'em in about three-four minutes. Stan' by in case these dudes need 'em hazed some more. Yah knows how dudes shoot." The truck ~ u l l e dup. The hard-featured little herder turned to face his
charges. "Them antelopes is jist over yonder rise. See whar mah ship is circlin'. We'll barrel over this hump an' be in among 'em 'fore they knows it. Don't nobody jump out'n the pickup, fer we may hafta chounce 'em fer a mile er so. Whin I draws this veehicle to a stop, unlimber yer artil'ery." There were six sportsmen in the cargo space of the truck. There were no seats, steel bows for a tarp-now removed-served as handholds. All were well gunned. Good guns and new. The best of our antelope killers. Flat trajectory .24s, and .25s, a .270, and a 7 mmmagnum. Not a piece but sported a scope. These huntsman might be new to the fleet pronghorn but they had brought along' proper medicine for taking him at the long ranges at which, legend has it, he must be killed. A typical crowd of city hunters. They had traveled almost two thousand miles, sacrificed generous slices of the annual vacation, delivered up five hundred dollars as guide fee, and now with the game scarcely more than a long bow shot distant, though not yet in sight, they were eager to squeeze from the coming play all the drama, suspense, and long-range gunning they knew it must hold. The words of the little sheepmen were stunning of import. "You mean," asked one of the hunters, dismay running through his words, "we aren't going to stalk the
Antelope was brought down by Montana hunter using rechambered Enfield cut out to .300 Magnum. In true sportsmanlike fashion, rifleman crawled along draw to within 250 yards of small herd, killed buck with one accurate shot.
antelope from here? I thought it was The party loaded back into the pickagainst the law to shoot from a truck or up. The passengers were confused and car? Aren't we apt to shoot some does uncertain, disappointed at this sudden if we fire into the herd indiscriminate- turn of events, of a mind to call a halt ly?" to the whole sordid affair. But the "Look, friend," the little foreman careening truck permitted only seconds scowled, "this here ranch is in the for soul searching. It was obvious all guidin' and antelope shootin' business were about to become parties to a to make money. We g'arantees an ante- crudely fashioned massacre. The ethics, lope fer yer fiv' hunnert bucks an' thar of the thing were plain. But what to they is right over yonder hill. We ain't do? Each was aware of the thousands got tha time to go a-stalkin' 'em." of miles of journey behind him, the five The hunters looked at each other, hundred bucks anted up the evening doubt written large on each face. The before. Here was a dish unpalatable spokesman ventured one last timid and noxous. The pickup rammed over question. the high ground and was among the "We do not wish to kill any does. spent and panting pronghorn. How can we be sure when we fire into "Git to yer business," bellowed the the band that we won't bring down an wizened foreman, whipping a heretoillegal female?" fore concealed .30-30 quickly over the The ramrod snorted. "Jist don' you car door. worry about that, mister. Didn't yuh The game was far too spent to run. hear me a-talkin' to the airplane fer Those not standing heads down, blowtha last hour. That chouncin' th' Piper ing until it seemed their lungs must gave 'em took care of the does." burst, moved off at a teetering trot.
Mostly they just stood there, bunched and beat. The guns fired wildly. The range was maybe 55 yards. It was impossible to miss. Antelope fell. Others staggered, running and falling, bleeding profusely. A buck, both forelegs shot off at the hocks but somehow galloping on the swinging stumps, disappeared over the farther rise. A fusillade failed to bring him down. "Keep shootin', you dudes," the ranchman bawled. "Iffen yah kills mor'n tha limit well jist stow 'em away in tha deepfreeze." Cripples were dispatched. Throats were cut. A half-hearted swing in the pickup to finish the buck with both legs gone was fruitless. "Th' wolves 'ill git 'im," the foreman spoke callously. Finally a tally was made of the kill. Sixteen pronghorn. Every one a buck. Ten over the legal limit. "Don't you boys give no never-mind to gittin, a (Continued on page 46) . *.
.,.--a
25 E
PISTOL SHOOTING AT RIFLE R Ã ‘ I G E HANDGUNS CAN BE DEADLY AT RANGES OF 100 YARDS AND MORE I F SHOOTER
has floated around in Texas lore for A years about a man armed with a pistol who committed suicide by opening fire on a rifleman at 100 yards. The N ANECDOTE
joke wasprobablyfitting enough in its time, but it is out of date now. I have worked with several men in the last few years who are deadly with a good pistol at 100 y a r d s or further. There have been instances of Border Patrol officers armed with revolvers. .38 Special caliber, beatingoff attacks by riflemen at ranges up t o 150 yards. It is quite true that, in unskilled hands, a pistol is not effective further than across a room-and plenty of shots have missed even at lesser ranges. But a really skilled pistolman can hit targets the size of the vital area of a deer or man, and can hit them consistently, at ranges up to 100 yards. With a weapon as potent as the .44 Special with maximum handloads, or with the .357 Magnum, he can
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Target made at 100 yards with .45 automatic by Bill Toney in off-hand stance has shots in hat-size 'group.
Standard unsupported straight-arm hold will give good long-range results with correct sight picture and squeeze.
make clean kills. It's not the gun that demands short ranges; it's the shooter. People who have hunted successfully with pistols have proved their potential in the proper hands. Doug Wesson is reported to have killed animals as large as elk, moose, and grizzly bear with the first Smith and Wesson .357 Magnum pistols. Because of his interest in the pistol, some people may consider that a stunt, but the animals were just as dead as if it had been routine. Elmer Keith writing on pistols and pistol loads reports killing elk, both mule and white tail deer, black bear, coug'ar, and smaller animals. He tells of killing 125 jack rabbits in three days with a Smith and Wesson .357 Magnum revolver. Keith is primarily a rifle man and he believes in hitting game hard with calibers big and powerful enough to put them down and keep them down. He has no motive to boost pistols as hunting weapons, and he does not advocate
Colt .45 auto pistol was fired by Toney in determining practical value of long range pistol shooting with military type combat gun. Heavy weapon with which Toney scores high in matches performed accurately at 100 yards. that people throw away their rifles and hunt with pistols, but he has a very high regard for a good revolver as a complement to a rifle. His preference in revolvers tends toward the .45 and .44 Special calibers in the Colt Single Action Frontier Model using his own handloads. His 235-grain hollow point and 250-grain, solid, flatnosed .44 Special bullets backed by about 18% grains of Hercules No. 2400 rifle powder make about the most destructive revolver cartridges known. They have great stopping power on men or animals. Keith says they are deadly on game as large as elk or deer, and I believe him. These loads have twice the shocking effect of a factory .44Special or more. Others have turned out hotter handloads. Keith has Prone position offers maximum Special "Trooper" is
loaded some with a greater powder charge himself, but he came back to 18% grains of No. 2400. A good rule of thumb to follow in handloading heavy calibers at near the maximum is, "Don't go beyond Keith." He squeezes just about everything out of a load that can be had from it. Handloaders realize that manufacturers guarantee their revolvers only when they are used with standard factory ammunition, and they work up to maximum loads gradually. charlei W. Rossi of Corpus Christi, Texas, has had more success hunting deer with a pistol than anyone else that I have known He told me that at the end of the 1954 hunting season he had shot at a total of 40 white tail and mule deer with a revolver and had killed 39 of them. He admits that
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for long range work with a handgun. Toney's two-hand hold on .Colt .38 hand gripping gun with left hand curled outside, contacting ground or rest.
Magnum .357 (top right) shot at 600 yards tests proved value of pistol for long range. Even earlier, shooters had used Colt. 45's for hunting and combat.
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the one he missed was a poor shot which he should not have taken in the first place. How many old deer hunters can tie that with a good rifle? Two of those deer were killed at distances of 125 to 150 yards. One dropped in his tracks. The other ran about 30 or 40 yards before he fell. Nearly all of Rossi's other deer were killed at distances of 40 to 75 yards. Most of his deerhunting is in the brushy mesquite and live oak section of South Texas where shots can be had at that distance, but he occasionally hunts further up in the mule and blacktail country and sometimes in the northern woods. Rossi has killed three mountain lions with his revolver. One was shot in a tree at about 20 yards. He measured eight feet and two inches in (Continued on page 44)
7
Seated hold using bent knee for rest helps set sure hits.
A
I
Do-it-yourself holster fits rugged contours of .257 Roberts rolling-block single-shot pistol and meets maker's requirements as to style and decoration.
A
A FEW HOURS AND A FEW DOLLARS WILL TURN OUT HANDSOME HOLSTER EVEN FOR HARD-TO-FIT GUN
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By ALFRED J. GOERG
A HOLSTER for your favorite shooting iron MAKING is an easy task and an enjoyable one. The phrase "an
l Even "problem"
evening's work" is really not true-a holster can be cut, punched, mounded, sewn, and finished in less than an hour if you rush it. But there is no need to make a jiffy job of it. Take your time and you'll have some fun. There are many reasons for making a holster, but I built one recently for a special purpose. My .257 Roberts-caliber rolling block pistol was so different in shape that no standard holster would fit it Collectors who own and shoot oddly-shaped old revolvers, or modem targeteers who like
of unusual shape can be fitted. Leather is first bent over gun for rough estimate of holster size.
p"
i
After folding, wet leather is nailed tightly to back board in rough outline of holster and then hand-moulded to fit gun.
Leather is then allowed to dry thoroughly before being cut to desired style. If not sure of exact cut, make it oversize.
Holes, in addition t o nail holes already made, are punched or drilled but should be evenly spaced for neat stitching.
Outside edges are stitched with heavy linen fishline. For strength and beauty, lacing goes over stitching.
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to protect carefully blackened sights on their pistols, may want to work up something new or different in holsters. Custom leather workers will make holsters to special order, but the cost is high. So instead of shelling out the shekels by mail order, hie yourself to a leather supply house-look under "Shoe Findingsv in the Red Bookand pick up a large piece of oil-free collar leather. Be sure to get a piece large enough so you can shape it to the desired style. By taking your gun along, and bending the leather double over it, you can get an idea of the size. Collar leather is suggested because it is oil-free and absorbs water. This is an important step, for the leather should be soaked in water for fifteen minutes to make it soft. Meanwhile, case the pistol in a plastic bag held by a number of rubber bands. The plastic bag is superior to the old method of coating with grease, because the bag completely prevents moisture from contacting the gun. The pistol should, of course, be lightly sprayed with gun oil before putting in the bag. A board of scrap plywood, a tack hammer and some small nails are next needed. Mould the water-limp leather
over the pistol and nail the leather to the board with the ~ i s t o still l inside it. Do not nail the leather too close to the pistol, but leave a little clearance. Then let the leather dry very thoroughly, shaping it to the contour of the gun. After drying, cut the leather edge in the style you want. If you are not sure of the exact cut, make it a little oversize until further work has been done. A sharp knife can be used to slit the leather, although a &od leather knife makes it much easier. My own holster was purposely cut. very wide along the barrel to give a decorative flare or skirt and to hold one cartridge loop. When I tacked the leather to the board the nails were evenly spaced so that the stitching would be uniform. The holes for stitching or lacing may be made with a Moto-tool, hand drill, or punch. A common leather punch is useful, but Boy Scout knives have leather punching points which will serve. Heavy linen fish line was used for the sewing. A lock stitch was used and the entire job. done without a needle. This is easy if the holes are made large enough. Then the outside edge of the holster was prepared for lacing. This adds strength, making the edge quite rigid. 21
Now cut to desired pattern, top leather is folded back, stitched, and reinforced with brass rivets to hold weight.
Lacine is done with boot lace leather, thin rawhide. plastic, o r whatever pleases you as to looks. The holes for lacing should be punched so that the lacing covers the sewing " wherever nossible. Excess leather can now be cut away, keeping in mind the shape and strength you will need for the belt loop. My .257 rolling block pistol holster was left rather wide along the top edge and folded down in back. Then I cut a separate piece of leather in a rectangular shape for the little laced section that went around front of the holster. This back piece is sewn and reinforced by brass rivets. When the back piece was folded to the front, I had two "wings" which were to be joined by decorative lacing. The holes for lacing were punched and I tentatively pulled the wings tight to see where the safety strap and the cartridge loop should be placed. Finishinrc the holster can be done with neatsfoot oil anplied first L a preservative and softener. If you want to stain the leather, put the shoe dye on before oiling. A little fanciful tooling, pressed into the leather wings by wetting them again and stamping or punching in a design, will add a gay touch. Then stain, oil, t a d wax if you want a glossy @ finish. ,
R It*
snap-down safety strap, a cartridge loop on skirt are finishing touches. Colored lacing outlines gun and covers stitches.
Finished holster is treated with neatsfoot oil as preservative and softener. Note how holster fits heavy four-pound pistol.
-"r.
'9
PENRRATION TO KILL I S NEEDED"TO DOWN
TSECANADIAN BIG
HONKER* ..
-4.
By WALLACE LABISKY
1HE WATCH GANDER heard our
Hunter used lyz ounces shot, 2% inch magnuii load in 12 gauge M95 Winchester shotgun to drop five-pound snow goose.
"come hither" on the call, and led the clamoring flock of Canadas low over the golden stubble, directly toward the decoys. As they swung past a scant 50 yards away, Jack and I stood up with roaring guns. But only one honker crumbled as the result of our five-shot barrage. That bird caught a charge of chilled 4's from my second barrel. Jack had never hunted geese before, and ducks only a few times, but he was a pretty nifty wingshot on other species. He just sat there shaking his head, unable to account for his three misses. It was possible that Jack had been plagued with a mild case of buck fever at the sight of those bomber-size Can-
For goose shooting over grain-field decoys where range is between 55 and 60 yards, No. 4 shot in 12 gauge guns gives pattern 'and penetration needed for kills. Buckshot under similar conditions may carry but lacks pattern to insure hits.
ucks. But it wasn't probable. He just wasn't the type. ~ a t e r ,when w e r e turned to the car, I caught a glimpse of an empty shell box my partner had discarded, and I knew then for certain what was wrong. The printing across the flap read: Size 00 Buckshot-9 Pellets. "There's your trouble," I told him. "No pattern." Jack was reluctant to accept this
explanation until after we ran some tests the following day. I collected several four-foot squares of wrapping paper and dabbed black paint in the exact center of each to serve as an aiming point. Then we drove out to an abandoned farm where there was a tumble-down shed on which to tack the paper. As I fastened the first sheet in place, Jack paced off 40 yards. We then proceeded to fire a total of five
Cosmi $1000 three-shot automatic equips hunter for fast action at geese.
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Stevens M77-SC shown with Savage Super Choke suits pump action addicts.
in gauges .410 to 12, sells for $395.
Few pellets in buckshots loads fail to give pattern necessary for sure hits on geese. Better choice is smaller shot combining pattern with penetration.
loads of size 00 buckshot. Pattern density is figured according to the number of pellets striking inside a 30-inch circle at a 40-yard range, and the circle is drawn after firing to encompass that part with the greatest number of hits. The way Jack's 12gauge pump gun performed with these outsize buckshot pellets is typical of the average full-choke barrel. The best pattern of the lot showed four hits in-
side the circle, two pellets printed at the extreme outside edge of the paper, and three pellets were unaccounted for. One glance at the results and Jack realized that he could kill just as many geese on the wing by shooting rifled slugs. Then he became angry. "If I could get my hands on the joker who sold me on the idea of using buckshot," sputtered Jack, "I'd shove the rest of these loads down his craw!" But I think he was more angry with himself for being" so gullible. Webster defines buckshot as "a coarse leaden shot for large game." And that's precisely what it is. It was designed in England many years ago expressly for shooting a species of small European deer with a shotgunhence the name. It is still used by deer hunters both here and abroad. But since World War 11, waterfowl hunters in this country have probably fired- many, many more rounds of buckshot than deer hunters have. Why? The answer is simple. During the war years, ammo was mighty hard to come by, and buckshot loads were about the only shotgun fodder that passed over the counter. Those who qualified oc- (Conil'nued on page 50)
Nine body hits with No. 2 shot on nine-pound Canada goose (left) prove patterning quality of load. Goose (right) was killed cleanly with three body hits.
Three of the most popular shot sizes for shotgun hunting are seen in pails before loading. No. T^/i shot is favorite for upland game and also for trap shooting. Duck hunters use No. 6 or No. 4 shot loads, while geese shooters choose No. 4.
By HARVEY SCHUR
Veteran hunter at 15, Harvey Schur of Scarsdale, N. Y., has realized his fondest African safari. Strapping youth has also bagged big game in Alaska.
dream-
hunter ever to travel all by himI self to Africathe toyoungest shoot jungle game. GUESS I AM
I was 15 when I made the trip last summer from my home in Scarsdale, N. Y., to the world's wildest continent. It was a thrilling experience but by no means a new one. I was already a veteran marksman and used to locating good hunting places on my own. When I was 12,I went alone to Maine where I joined an older friend, Roger Holt, and brought down my first deer with a .32 Winchester Special. Since that time, always get-
ting there by myself, I have gone after deer, bear, and moose on the frozen wastes of Alaska and Newfoundland. Safaris in the snow were lots of fun. But a lad with hunting in his blood sometimes tires of the same kind of country as he does of the same kind of gameand guns. I was forever thinking of Africa, that torrid but happy hunting ground for the world's adventurers, as I kept adding pelts to my trophies and rifles to my arsenal. I studied the travel literature and hunting regulations of many different African countries. I finally decided on a
TEENAGER TRAVELS ALONE
Harvey selected a .577 Westley Richards for big game at moderate ranges. Rifle was one of three carried on hunt in Portuguese West Africa.
Home again, with school ahead, Harvey relives his experiences on safari by showing his sister, Mrs. Elaiie Batchker, how he aimed Model 70 Winchester.
jaunt to Portuguese West Africa, also called Angola, because game is thicker there and laws are more liberal regarding bag limits. It was no trouble getting an African travel visa from the Portugese consul in New York or getting a yes from'my father. Dad himself is a fair marksman who remembers hunting deer as a rancher in Texas, though nowadays he manufacturers buttons in New York. "You stand six feet high and you've been shooting since you were six years old," Dad was quick to answer when
I asked him about it. "So go ahead, son. Here's a check." A minute later I was phoning the airport and booking
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my flight on a fasttrans-Atlantic plane. Three days later, on June 3, 1955,I found myself in Nova Lisboa (New Lisbon), hunters' headquarters for Portuguese West Africa, a territory almost twice the size of Texas and with ten times as much good hunting area. I saw nimrods from all over Europe and America thronging the sidewalks, swapping lies and trading tips. Swarms of native meat hunters, laden with carcasses of freshly-slain
beasts. were moving" around. Gun and ammo shops were as thick as candy stores in New York. Any place with varmint-and-powder smell is home to a hunter. I sniffed the air and marvelled at the kills. Something told me I had landedin the right country for the right sport. I had plenty of opportunities to team up with fellows who were making their first hunts on this terrain. But I said no, because most of them were packing .22's which are well on the way to being outlawed throughout Africa. I had been told before leaving New York that the .22 crowd invariably starts banging at every animal in sight as quickly as they hit the jungle and colonial officials are getting on their ears because 95.per cent of such shooting results in the poor beast escaping, full of bullets, to die later in agony. Twenty-two's were old stuff to me. I used one, when I was six, to pot rabbits that invaded our home vegetable garden. Here, in new country, I meant to try out guns I had never used before on beasts I had never shot before. For hunting mates, I wanted men who knew the game ranges of Angola as I know the deer and moose pastures of Alaska. I had brought three rifles-all that Portuguese law allows-from my private battery of different make, different shooting capacity guns. Those three were a regular .30-06 Model 721 Remington with a 2v2 X Weaver scope; a .300 Winchester Model 70 with a 4 X B. and L. Balvar and a .577 Westley Richards double rifle selected for 100 Harvey Schur's bedroom is filled with hunting trophies, pictures, and equipment. yard shots. Lifelike head of Kodiak bear is one of the trophies of his earlier trip to Alaska. I sold the .30-06 and picked up a 10.75 x 68 FN Belgian Mauser, a make Leopard skin s read on lawn of Schur home is one of young Harvey's proudest I'd never tried. In the same mood of trophies. H e killed b e a t with 10.75 M a n e t for his biggest African thrill. experimentation, I bought a stock of Kynoch cartridges, the first I had seen. Luck and knowing how to pick my company then led me to a trio of hunting partners who rate among Africa's best. They were Everett Jewell, an American missionary, gentle in appearance but deadly on the trigger; George Hott who makes regular safaris to Africa from his home in Miami Beach, Florida; and a well-known local marksman of Nova Lisboa named Beltran. A few days later, on a warm June morning, my African adventure began. My 10.75 had been carefully checked and oiled. My cartridge belt was loaded with Kynoch shells. I was primed for game. Along with two native helpers, we
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piled into a half-ton Chevrolet truck and rode 20 miles from Nova Lisboa to a swamp which Mr. Jewell declared was teeming with animals. At the swamp's edge we madecamp. Then all of us waded into the muck for a kill. We had gone but a short distance when we sighted a herd of roan antelope on a patch of dry ground 300 ~ a r d away. s We advanced cautiously to within 200 yards of the beasts, then halted, waiting for Mr. Jewell to give the shooting signal. The antelopes grazed on without sight or smell of us. Their sleek hides and the polished barrel of my Mauser gleamed with the reflection of the morning sun. I drew a bead on the biggest one; my hand clutched tightly at the pistol grip. My new gun, and with it, I'd be slaying, in a second or two, my very first game on my very first African hunt. "Fire," Mr. Jewell whispered. Smoke enveloped my face. Something tore at my shoulder and I felt that it was coming off of my torso. Forty pounds of kick, that confounded gun carried. The smoke cleared. Fleet and unscratched, the antelopes were sprinting like olympic runners toward a dense patch of jungle. The rifle slid from my hands to the ground. I stood there in gaping anger. My first hunt-and my first shots had missed. I had better luck with BB's on squirrels in Westchester. Mr. Jewell spoke sympathetically, "Too bad, Harvey. But that's the way those 10.75's work. Bullets drop five or six inches no matter how straight you aim. The gun itself is not very accurate beyond a range of 100 yards. And it takes an average of two shots for every animal you bring down with' it." I began to understand. "So the 10.75 has more kick than kill to it?" I asked my hunting partner. "Right," Mr. Jewell answered. "But I wanted you to find out for yourself." He bent down,lifted the Mauser and handed it back to me. "It's a costly contraption, Harvey, so hang on to it. And don't expect to break records on your starting day in new country." Decent of him, I thought. Straightening out my bent ego and all that sort of thing. But consoling words didn't help much. I felt like the dumbest greenhorn in Africa when I scrambled back into the truck. We rode slowly along an ascending elevation. Two more antelope appeared within 50 (Continued on w e 56) ,
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Harvey keeps an arsenal of 14 rifles in his room, probably the largest battery of big game guns owned by an American teen-ager. Map helps chart future hunts.
Rifles in Harvey's collection include this
348 Winchester Model 71. H e prefers this gun for deer, bear, and moose.
Another of Schur's favorites is this Winchester Model 94 .30-30. He likes guns' quick lever action and easy handling.
Franchi 12 gauge shotgun is excellent for upland bird shooting. Harvey prefers the autoloader for small game.
GUN RACK (Continued from page 12) ating safety bar, which successive hammer- gloss buffed, but the finish was regular and maps had peened flat so that the hammer even without scratches, and the blue of good sould reach the firing pin. While the new color and density. Price of the new Side listols are entirely safe, and repeated ham- Kick is $36.75. The other H & R revolvers ner snaps with all models failed to show remain unchanged. ip any defect, examine the safety block is ilways a good idea in a dropping-hammer ~ r o w n i n.25 ~ Pocket Pistol , listol. A little gun with a big bite for the vest Neatest of the series is the 15-oz. "superlight" alloy frame 33. PPK. I t has been said pocket is the Browning .25 automatic. Of that this model comes with an alloy slide, the model known before the war as the but the sample PPK slide was of steel. The "Baby" size, the new Browning is revamped 1956 Walther catalog lists only the dural by use of an alloy frame, making it extremely frame job. This gun is surprisingly accurate light in weight. The regular "baby" Brownand concealable. Yet the long grip magazine, ing is so small it can be carried in the change which sells separately and increases capacity pocket in a coat side pocket without sagging, from 9 to 10 shots in the PPK 32, allows a and the new alloy model is even more convery firm hold for fast firing. Red enamel- cealable. outlined rear sights and luminous bead front The 3 5 cartridge is one of the most kicked sights on all models increase visibility for about loads ever devised. Browning himself snap shooting, but may be easily smoked cooked this one up over 50 years ago. Yet black for target work if desired. despite its weak power and poor ballistic Prices for the new Mark I1 Walthem range from (57.50 for 3 0 and .32 P P up to $87.75 for the Competition Sporter 2 2 with dural slide, muzzle brake, and detachable target weights.
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num receiver. effect, the .25 has done a job of killing when necessary, and, unhappily, when unnecessary. For this reason alone, the 2 5 will remain in the lists of firearms for years to come. The little Browning is as old in design as the cartridge, but considerably more reliable. The incredible margins of safety and surity of functioning built into Browning guns are exemplified by this simple yet compact package. Almost too small to be held by a normal person's hand, the tiny vest pocket .25 is a palm-full of assurance which many a woman alone on a dark street, and many a plainclothesman, has had occasion to be thankful for. Ballistically, the experts can assemble reams of guff to prove that the .25 is a nogood cartridge, but the facts remain: a .25 Browning has been a handy deterrent to violence on more than one occasion. The standard version, of this kitten-sized wildcat sells for $29.95 in satin blue and the light weight with bright plated slide and nacrolac pearl grips comes to $42.50. These Brownings also have bigger brothers in sets which furnish a pistol for every purpose. The big 9mm High Power, while designed as a service pistol, is as accurate as many accurized jobs in the centerlire autos. I t comes in full blue for $74.50 and with lavish, deep-cut, knock-your-eye out engraving and nacrolac pearl grips for $200. Between the Big Nine and the Baby is the pocket .380, a standard, reliable design which is "modern" in style and purpose. In blue finish it is priced at $49.95. All three pistols come in a plain blue set at $148.95, or fully engraved and in a beautiful walnut case, fit for a king or a connoisseur, for $390. (B
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1 Using resized .30 brass to form 8 mm Mauser shells caused- blown up rifle when hand-loaded 8 mm was fired in fine Model 95, creating 100,000 Ib. pressures.
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HANDLOADING BENCH (Continued from page 41) accounts, at least partly, for the fact that I have found as much as four full grains variation in factory loads of the same make. Don't start out trying to load extremely light or heavy charges. The first is bad, the other worse. Some beginners are overcautious, like the 10-mile-per-hour slowpoke on a fast hiway. Handloading is not hazardous, even if the big ammo makers do try to promote that idea. Handloading accidents would be front page news in every daily paper if they happened. How many have you seen? Don't overload old guns that are weak. worn or stressed. Mechanical defects should be repaired. Military salvage arms, either "as is" or clobbered up into so-called "custom" guns, can be dangerous with normal loads. The majority of accidents with handloads are caused by the guns, rather than the loads. Quality custom guns, of course, are entirely satisfactory and safe, but the price is not always an indication of quality. Bolt action rifles of the Mauser type are the strongest, and most accurate. F. N. Commercial Mausers are the standard of quality around the world. They are exceedingly fine rifles and actions that have been copied, modified and imitated. I sectioned a Mauser chamber, and made a photo for GUNS,to show how the chamber encloses the vital case head. The '03 Springfield is a modified Mauser "type>r rather a perversion, as shown in the view of the sectioned chamber. Note the chamber does not support the entire case web. If a defective case ruptures near this point, the rifle is apt to be blown up, and a number have. I have never figured out why the Springfield was made with this glaring error in design, in order to use longer locking lugs in a gun that would take more pressure than the case will stand. Winchester and Remington make excellent modifications of the Mauser action. Don't use old or much-fired brass for hot loads. Cases that may take 10 to 50 normal loads may stand only two or three hot ones. Brass becomes defective after much firing, overworking, or high pressure. Don't use full charges in rifle cases that have fired squib loads. If cases are driven too far into the chamber, low pressure won't form the brass back to full chamber size, which results in excessive headspace. All hot listed loads should be cut 10% or more, and carefully worked up in your gun, with your components. Some Wildcats give better ballistics than standard rifles because they use more pow: der, an old method of increasing velocity. Pressure often runs higher too, with less margin of safety than any big arms maker would risk, and ballistics are not always as good as listed. A little extra velocity, often not too important anyway, could cause an accident. Handloading is safe unless we make it otherwise, and Wildcats are okay; but let's be sensible. Don't load cases, new or fired, with visible defects in the body or head. If a primer can be seated with little or no pressure, that case is ruined. Cases are ruined if they leaked gas at the primer pocket, indicated by black smudges on the head face. Keep
only the can of powder you are using on the bench. With several cans, sooner or later you will pour the right powder back in the wrong can. Stock powder should be stored in a drawer or on a shelf away from the bench. A can of powder in your home is less hazardous than a bottle of lighter fluid. A canister will not explode, even in a fire. Don't throw charges from a measure set by numbers or a chart, until the charge weight is checked with good scales. Don't fire a batch of high pressure rounds to "get the cases." If a bullet puller is not available, break down the fodder by placing the cartridge neck on a solid surface, and tap the neck all around with a hammer. The bullet will drop out and the case can be resized and re-used.
Don't fire any gun until you take a looksee down the barrel. Bore obstructions are the most common cause of wrecked guns being sent back to the maker for replacement. Better save your postage, because you won't get a new gun. Commercial arms have passed a proof test and won't blow up with any normal factory or handload, unless they have a mechanical defect. Don't charge cases during a "bull session." There is much pleasure and companionship when "the gang" is gathered around the loading bench. New friends are made and old friendships are cemented. The stress of mode m living is forgotten. Loading bench groups get tighter than bench rest groups. If I were a doctor, I'd prescribe a loading bench for what ails toany patients. The same if I were a marriage counselor. But chatter is taboo when you fill the hulls with powder. Most of all, don't be afraid to start hand @ loading.
THE CASE FOR LEGALIZED MACHINE GUNS (Continued from page 21) gunner gets 80 rounds, and the submachinegunner, usually the squad leader, carries two clips or 72 rounds. In a matter of minutes, magazines are filled from ammo issued by the club, the snipers have blackened their sights, the machine gunner holds a flame carefully to his sights to dull the glare, and the squad is ready to advance through the brush. In imitation of actual combat, the team is told that scouts have spotted trenches abandoned by the "enemy" on a sloping hill opposite a small creek. But enemy soldiers are reported trying to filter back into the trenches to control movement on the highway, and probably build up strength to attack a nearby crossroads. The job of the squad is to prevent this. The team may have worked out special systems for their shooting, with special tricks to fit a shooting match instead of a battle. The leader does not need many seconds to decide where to place his LMG man, his snipers or himself on the firing line. The squad leader is a key man. Knowing his fellow shooters, he will distribute them so they will be most effective. A good team leader will have his best long-range match shooter working on the more distant, more difficult targets, and his volume-of-fire experts will be assigned to the nearer, larger figures. On the "enemy" side, too, there is a lot of unseen activity. In safe trenches at the left side of the open area are the members of the host club with levers and wires in their hands, their eyes on numerous stop watches and tediously worked-out time tables. They have spent several afternoons digging the trenches, setting up pop-up targets of cardboard, stringing wires and levers which actuate the targets. The shoot for each team lasts just 3% minutes. The six-man team must burn up 392 rounds in that time. The main rule of the game is that each target hit counts five points to the team, each addional hit will count one point, and for remaining rounds of ammunition they will get one point per five rounds. As the referee signals, the team leader shouts "fire," and the word is drowned in the crackle of small arms "fire. The riflemen snipers have discovered "enemy" cutouts
popping up and black earth puffs behind the pasteboard show that they are hit. Suddenly from another trench two "men" pop up and as the bullets from the light Browning drum into the ground behind them, they fall. From another point, three targets are exposed for five seconds and are hit with heavy fire from the machine gun, all twenty shots from one clip. Then a t close range, four targets representing enemy soldiers with bayonets fixed suddenly rise in a !'charge9' from beneath a heap of twigs, and the short staccato bursts from the team leader's M45 submachine gun mix with the spat of rifle fire and the brrrmp burst from the Browning. Three and a half minutes pass quickly in the excitement. When the referee's whistle sounds "cease firen the gun barrels are so hot they can't be touched. Since the combat matches are pretty tough on guns, many shooters bring an extra rifle for this event, but all have sturdy receiver. sights of targetshooting style. Often the older team members wear special adjustable shooting glasses and padded shooting coats. They know these aids improve their shooting and they rely on such equipment and would use it even in time of war. Not many gunners would wear adjustable shooting glasses behind a machine gun, but these men do, and find the tricks of civilian shooting have value also for this combat style of competition. Machine guns are not at all easy to learn to shoot well. Because of their high rate of fire, only a gunner completely familiar with the weapon can avoid wasting ammunition on sudden targets. No one in Sweden thinks of war without shuddering-it came too close with the occupation of neighboring Norway. Swedes hope that it will never be necessary to dig real trenches again. But shooters there realize that every country must have an army, and that citizens must pass through their regular military training and annual reserve maneuvers. They shoot in .uniform, and when they are out of the army, they shoot for fun. These shoots add new color, new excitement, new spectator interest to the usual target shooting program. They help also to fill in the waiting time between the formal matches-a matter of real importance where
a major match may draw a thousand competitors and time between turns on the firing line may stretch into hours. The question naturally arises, how would such shoots work i n America? Under existing firearms regulations they would, of course, be impossible. But the organizational framework through which they could be handled is already in existence. The National Rifle Association is certainly as respected and as well organized as the Swedish Voluntary Rifle Association and could perform the same functions i n this type of shooting as does its Swedish counterpart. Since its formation in 1871, the National Rifle A d a l l o n tea pnnntd AuKAxng as a sport among civilians in the interests of national defense. Its programs have always included courses of fire with infantry weapons-the Springfield '03, the Colt .45, and now the M l rifle. Today, when full-automatic weapons are being issued by the thousands to recruits or draftees, it seems fairly logical that civilians-pre-inductees, and the backbone of every war-time army-should be trained also in the use of machine weapons. I t would seem desirable in the interests of national defense that the thousands of young men in rifle clubs over the nation be taught to use the weapons they will be called upon to use in time of emergency. In order to legalize the possession of fullautomatic weapons by civilian target shooters it would be necessary to revoke certain sections of the Federal Firearms Act, and particularly the section imposing the $200 tax. No doubt there would be strong opposition to any such move. I t would be argued that legalization of machine guns would be dangerous to society i n that the weapons would fall into the hands of criminals or be used by hunters. If valid, these complaints are important. But are they valid? I t can at least be argued that they are not valid. Machine-type weapons are no longer the preferred tools of crime; and this is not because they are illegal-the criminal is not concerned with laws. Neither is i t because they are overly difficult to obtain. The gangster who really wants a full-automatic weapon can usually steal one, either from the nearest military installation or from a police organization. The fact is that criminals find it better for their purposes to use cheap revolvers or pistols which can be thrown away after a crime, or sporting weapons (rifles or shotguns) which need not incriminate the bearer merely by possession. Machine weapons have been used by a few idiot hunters in this country, in spite of the laws against them. But it is doubtful indeed that legalization of the guns would increase this practice, since it would meet with unanimous disapproval from other hunters, to say nothing of existing laws governing sporting arms. Certainly there has been no increase of such misuse of full automatics in the countries where civilians may legally possess them. A sportsman veteran of the Korean action says, "We had every conceivable type of automatic weapon available, and tons of ammunition in the dumps. But what the men chose for hunting was the old long Japanese 7.7 bolt action rifle." From a purely practical viewpoint, what sane hunter would lug a 20-pound BAR in the woods i n preference to a light, handy sporting rifle? And with whom would h e associate after his hunting companions caught him so weaponed? The first cry heard when legalization of
automatics is mentioned is, "What do you want to do-give everybody a machine gun?" The answer is, "No," and this, too, needs only commonsense thinking to support it. I n the first place, relatively few people would want them for personal possession. I n the second place, relatively few people could afford them. Even after the removal of the federal tax, a working machine gun would be an expensive item. The tripod alone for a Browning light .30 costs over $100 new from the factory. A heavy .50 Browning is worth in the neighborhood of $250 in the international market. Thorason submachine guns are worth from $50 to $200, possibly i&ore,
depending ç the uwlal aad whftlhia
a collector or a police department buys it. Today, all possible implementation of a civilian shooting program by the NRA adapted to training the young shooter in modern weapons is stifled by the present law. Research and development along automatic weapons lines is impossible, except b y a very limited few engineers i n the arms industry, "The German government picked the brains of all their gun nuts, no matter how crazy,"
Colonel Chinn has said. "They turned out some mighty good stuff under pressure. They are doing the same thing under pressure in another country now. "In America there are three fine schools, West Point, Annapolis, and the new Air Force Academy. I have nothing but respect for these academies," Chinn said, "but what America needs is a Gun-nut academy. We need to get people interested in machine guns, and put everybody with an idea, no matter how goofy, into a school with a sane man in charge. We'd better do it pretty quick, too." But at $200 per gun, studying machine gun& is a p e ~ w y i t l y pftltlau£the a w age gun crank and target shooter. Yet many authorities feel that "this law is about a s outmoded as the law that requires that a car be preceded by a man waving a red flag by day, or a lantern at night.'' Thousands of shooters and. gun cranks interested i n machine guns declare that it is about time to do away with this hangover from prohibition days and let Americans learn about, and learn to use modern weapons. @
THE SHOOTING PRIEST OF TEXAS (Continued from page 17)
much stress is placed on stance and holding. A gun will hit, even if it's held upside down and backwards, over your head or between your legs. Shooting needs your undivided attention. Don't worry about your pose or how your clothes fit. 'Shooting quickly is important too. Few people can hold a gun longer than a few seconds without an infinitesimal variation." The priest puts a high value on fast sight alignment, which may account for the fact he gets almost bench-rest accuracy with snap-shots. Inquire about his favorite gun and you get a surprise. Any gun that is accurate and adequate will do. He is really a rifleman, but handguns play an important part in his shooting, because they help develop a perfect trigger squeeze, and fast sight alignment. He isn't a "group" shooter, but a "target" shooter, because he says ten shots in one hole that miss the target is poor shooting, while one shot in the target is sufficient. Sportsmen frequently ask the father's advice about how to bunt big game. He stalks game by moving into the wind, or quartering it. Antler-rattling for deer is a practice he considers decadent, and a deer's poor eyesight makes it unnecessary. Nor does he consider a gun necessary for protection against animals. Fear of animals will cause them to attack a man at times. Once he was with an Indian when a pack of wolves were returning to the carcass of a deer they had killed. The Indian fled, and the wolves took after him, just as many dogs will chase a fleeing person. The priest saved the Indian's life with accurate shooting. Once he turned a stampeding herd of elk by merely hollering and waving his arms. Father McGinn has some excellent answers for these kind hearts and gentle people, who are often very quick to criticize a man of God for killing game. Once i n a hospital, some patients asked Father McGinn to shoot a rabbit they had seen outside, so they could have some rabbit stew. When a Sister of Mercy protested the slaughter, Father McGinn said, "Sister,
yesterday I was looking out the window at some beautiful flowers when someone came along and cut them down and carried them away for bouquets." That was as far as he got, because the good Sister walked away. "She was the one who cut the flowers, and they are living forms of matter also. Meat, fish, and vegetables have been providentially provided for us to use," said Father McGinn. The Irish marksman was born in Cheboygan, Michigan. I t was some 68 years ago that he started out as a professional hunter in a small way. Shooting sparrows for the state bounty of 3 cents per head seemed like an easy way to earn spending money. Many sparrows fell before his BB gun. Satisfied the boy was very careful and could shoot, his father got him the finest gift of all, a genuine .22 caliber rifle. Deadly accuracy started paying off in the form of small eating game such as ruffed grouse and snowshoe rabbits. H e was very careful to shoot grouse in the head, so no meat would be spoiled. Hunting big game was the next step. There was and still is excellent deer and bear hunting in Michigan, and with better equipment he got his share of small and big game. As he grew older, his hunting territory was extended until it eventually included many trips in various parts of North America, three to Europe, and four trips into the sub-Arctic regions. This remarkable man is at home in Mexico or Alaska, in clerical appointments or hunting garb. Moose, bear, elk, deer, caribou, and wolves are favorite game. I t is claimed that he has brought in more moose from Canada than any hunter from the border states. The good father has lived the good life, and a full one, I n the process, he found the real meaning of Ponce d e Leon's elusive fountain of youth. Ordained a Catholic priest in 1907, he had the long, hard, classical course that included six years of Greek, Latin, German, and t h e sciences, before taking up the study of philosophy and theology.
43
A pretty old timer to be hunting and shooting, isn't he? "No," he says, "a man is only as old as he feels." How old does he feel? Last season while hunting deer in the hill country of Texas he was by far the oldest one in the party, but the only one who traveled the rough terrain without assistance. He gives his hobby much credit for his ability at his age to get around like a 20-year-old with a keen mind and a sharp eye. During the summer months Father McGinn has a mailing address at 9000 Ruth Street, Allen Park, Michigan. That means his mail will be forwarded to wherever he is-often far away. In recent years he has spent the winters in San Antonio, Texas, since he froze an arm in the arctic. There he was hunting and studying the characteristics of big game. Caught in the cold, he was hospitalized for six months., He could not turn his head or move his arm. Twice
SPRINGFIELD MAUSER
the doctors decided it was either amputation of the right arm or death. They were wrong, because he regained the normal use of his head and arm, to return to his old. time shooting form. In San Antonio he shoots twice a week on the range. Though he doesn't seek publicity and tries to avoid it, it seeks him. His doctors and the bishop advised him to winter in a mild climate where he is unknown, to rebuilt his strength and avoid lecturing. Father McGinn firmly believes that hunting is a wonderful diversion and is, he says, "Good medicine, easy to take, besides producing game dinners. But the meat is only an after consideration. I greatly enjoy the great outdoors. That good fresh air out in the open, the tansy odor of the forest, and the fact your mind is completely off your regular daily line of thinking, makes it mighty good medicine indeed." CB
PISTOL SHOOTING AT RIFLE RANGES (Continued/ram page 29) length. The bullet entered the base of the skull on the right side knocking a hole through the bone about one inch by one and one-quarter inches and cracking it in nearby areas. The exit hole on the left side was about one and a half inches long breaking ASK YOUR DEALER OR ORDER DIRECT out the entire lower skull and fracturing the ALLEN TIMNEY CO. upper part. 131 18 GRANT AVE. Rossi, however, is no ordinary plinker from the forks of the creek either. He has been PARAMOUNT. CALIFORNIA highly interested in pistol shooting and very good at it for several years. In match shooting he has won various trophies and accumulated about 400 medals at last count in the master and expert classes. In 1947 he placed third for the Southwest Regional Pistol Improved Minute Man Gun Championship. The same year he set a naBlue Instantly pnwrms and tional individual center fire pistol record on m n a w steels and iron surthe 25-yard slow fire target. I n 1950 he was No heating noouury Comn eomglete with all necon a team that set a new national record over diary Mulgment. W IMPROVE' the NRA Short Course with the 33, caliber. GUARANTEED - T o t e d and proven over 40 years by He had been shooting a pistol seriously for , n g n t i a l n to utlifled uwn. SEND about two years before he felt confidence in MONEY BACK GUARANTEE his ability to kill game with it at reasonable
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