his inclusion will be incomprehensible; but I know my gun crank as I am
one myself!

Army Springfield, model 1903 to take the 1906 cartridge, shooting the
Spitzer sharp point bullet. Stocked to suit me by Ludwig Wundhammer,
and fitted with Sheard gold bead front sight and Lyman aperture
receiver sight. With this I did most my shooting, as the trajectory was
remarkably good, and the killing power remarkable. Tried out both the
old-fashioned soft point bullets and the sharp Spitzer bullets, but find
the latter far the more effective. In fact the paralyzing shock given
by the Spitzer is almost beyond belief. African animals are notably
tenacious of life; but the Springfield dropped nearly half the animals
dead with one shot; a most unusual record, as every sportsman will
recognize. The bullets seemed on impact always to flatten slightly at
the base, the point remaining intact-to spin widely on the axis, and
to plunge off at an angle. This action of course depended on the high
velocity. The requisite velocity, however seemed to keep up within all
shooting ranges. A kongoni I killed at 638 paces (measured), and another
at 566 paces both exhibited this action of the bullet. I mention these
ranges because I have seen the statement in print that the remaining
velocity beyond 350 yards would not be sufficient in this arm to prevent
the bullet passing through cleanly. I should also hasten to add that I
do not habitually shoot at game at the above ranges; but did so in these
two instances for the precise purpose of testing the arm. Metal fouling
did not bother me at all, though I had been led to expect trouble from
it. The weapon was always cleaned with water so boiling hot that the
heat of the barrel dried it. When occasionally flakes of metal fouling
became visible a Marble brush always sufficed to remove enough of it. It
was my habit to smear the bullets with mobilubricant before placing
them in the magazine. This was not as much of a nuisance as it sounds. A
small tin box about the size of a pill box lasted me the whole trip; and
only once did I completely empty the magazine at one time. On my return
I tested the rifle very thoroughly for accuracy. In spite of careful
cleaning the barrel was in several places slightly corroded. For this
the climate was responsible. The few small pittings, however, did not
seem in any way to have affected the accuracy, as the rifle shot the
following groups: 3-1/2 inches at 200 yards; 7-1/4 inch