SPORTING RIFLES Modern sporting rifles using smokeless cordite, nitro-glycerine or nitro-cellulose powders are various and differ according to the requirements they are wanted to fulfil. Dangerous and non dangerous game call for different requirements and the former can be subdivided into thick-skinned animals, such as elephant, rhinoc eros, buffalo and bison; and thin-skinned, such as lion, tiger and leopard. For dangerous game a heavy bullet of big diameter with sufficient velocity to give a paralyzing blow is essential, but in addition high penetrative power is also required when engaging thick-skinned beasts.
Modern sporting rifles run from .600 in. down to .240 in. in bore and their ammunition also varies in weight and velocity of bullet, as well as its capacity to penetrate or expand on impact.
In the United States many sporting rifles of medium caliber and velocity are manufactured with tubular magazines under the barrel, and a breech action operated either by means of a finger lever or a sliding forearm. Such rifles will handle cartridges of medium breech pressure, suitable for American game, very i effectively, but are not satisfactory for heavier cartridges neces sary for the larger game of other continents, nor do they usually quite equal in accuracy the magazine rifles built on military bolt actions.
Such rifles usually take the form of either single barrel, double barrel or single barrel magazine weapons, the latter usually being on the lines of one of the well-known types such as Lee-Enfield, Mauser, Mannlicher and Ross.
Miniature rifles are used for instructional and competitive target shooting at short ranges and also for small game shooting, etc. The most usual bore is •22 in., taking a rim-fire cartridge. Care should be exercised when using these in the field in closely culti vated countries, as this little bullet is capable of an extreme range of 1,250 yards.
Miniature rifle shooting has now become a favorite sport in Great Britain and the United States. It can be carried on almost anywhere as quite safe ranges can be built in or close to the larger cities. Firing is done up to 200 yards. In the United States a •22 calibre miniature rifle similar to the Model 19°3 military rifle has been issued to all troops, and has been found to be a very great aid and economy in target practice,