Annie Oakley Scrapbook

MISS ANNIE OAKLEY'S SHOOTING IN LONDON.—London, England.—Editor American Field:—On August 10 I had the pleasure of an invitation from Mr. Chas. Lancaster, the well-known London gunmaker, to witness a private exhibition by Miss Annie Oakley of a pair of twenty-bore hammerless shotguns that he had just finished for her. Miss Oakley commenced the exhibition by shooting at composotion balls, thrown in the air, two at a time. She then threw the balls herself, shooting with one hand, and did some wonderful shooting. Starlings were then introduced from five traps, five yards apart, twenty-one yard rise. Of these Miss Oakley succeeded in killing 9 out of 12, and then killed 12 straight. Blue rocks were then introduced, and a finer lot I never saw. They did not stay on the trap, but made their way off the moment the trap was pulled. These birds are wonderfully hard flyers and will carry away a great deal of lead. Miss Oakley used on the first dozen birds a twelve-gauge Lancaster hammerless, as she thought her twenty-bores were not up to shooting blue rocks from the trap at twenty-five yards rise. She killed 9 out of 12, and then, to oblige Mr. Lancaster, who had great confidence in the little twenty-bores, she consented to shoot at half a dozen with the result that she grassed them all in fine shape without the use of the second barrel at all. The gentlemen present were highly delighted with the work of the little twenty-bores in the hands of Miss Oakley. She then gave an exhibition of quick shooting, using a Spencer repeating shotgun. She had five balls thrown in the air and smashed them in from three to four second. This she did repeatedly. A Mr. Wentworth, who was present, then asked Miss Oakley to shoot at half a dozen more blue rocks, using her twenty-gauge, which she did. Of these she grassed five out of six, the other being hard hit. Miss Oakley then did some rifle shooting and several of those present also joined in. Some fance rifle shooting was then done, at balls, by sighting through a looking glass, holding the rifle on the head, and holding the rifle on the arm and pulling the trigger with the thumb. Everybody present was delighted with the performance, and Mr. Lancaster was pleased with the record made with the twenty-bores. The scores were as follows:

At 15 starlings, 21 yards rise, 5 traps, 5 yards apart. Miss Oakley 110111011111101—12

At 12 starlings, same conditions: Miss Oakley 111111111111—12

At 12 blue rocks, 25 yards rise, 5 traps, 5 yards apart, using a 12-gauge gun: Miss Oakley 110110111101—9

At 6 blue rocks, 25 yards, same traps, using a 20-gauge gun: Miss Oakley 111111—6

At 6 blue rocks, same conditions: Miss Oakley 111011—5

The twenty-gauge guns weighed five pounds, ten ounces each, and the charge was 2 1/2 drams EC. powder and 3/4 ounce shot, No. 8 for right barrel and No. 6 for left. One of the birds was killed with the second barrel at 53 yards. The stocks are very straight and have quite a little [t-off?] to them. They are the nicest shaped gund I ever handled. Miss Oakley returned to the city well pleased with her two new shotguns and she expects to do fine work with them in her exhibitions. I should advise the American cracks to look out for their laurels, as Miss Oakley is doing some wonderfully fine wing shooting.

WING SHOT.

MR. GRIFFITH TO DR. CARVER.

NEW YORK.

EDITOR AMERICAN FIELD: - When I landed here, a few weeks ago, my attention was drawn to a letter in your issue of July 9, by Dr. Carver, in which a statement was made that the Schultze gunpowder was a "most dangerous compound." This coming from one, who, when in England used the Schultze gunpowder with such success, astonished me.

However, had it appeared at home, where this powder has for so long established itself as a safe and reliable explosive, I should not have troubled you with any reply; but as I find there still exists in some quarters in America a lingering prejudice against the nitro-compound powders (among which Schultze gunpowder is classed as the oldest and best known), and as such a statement from so great an authority as Dr. Carver is liable to increase rather that allay this prejudice, I must ask you to allow me a little space in reply.

Full details are always necessary to establish any fact when experimenting; these details are not given by Dr. Carver; it is consequently rather difficult to follow his experiments. But it appears the outcome is that Dr. Carver can make Schultze gunpowder "ball" the shot! Very probably he can; I never yet experimented with any powder of sporting strengths, black or nitro-compound, which could not be made to "ball" the shot by judiciously adopting the loading necessary to produce this effect. Lenght of case and quality of wad are prime factors in such manipulation and with a little adjusting "balling" can be generally readily produced.

So far the only fact demonstrated by these experiments is that Dr. Carver has loaded cartridges in a method unfair to the Schultze gunpowder, and contrary to the printed directions which plainly state no ramming should be used and I appeal from Dr. Carver to the whole body of loading houses, large and small, who for two years have loaded Schultze gunpowder cartridges by the million, to uphold me in tating "balling" is never found by them.

The statement that Schultze has a "liability to smash things to pieces at any time" I most absolutely deny, and again I must appeal from Dr. Carver to the thousands of English and Continental loaders of Schultze gunpowder, whether they will bear out Dr. Carver's statement or my contradiction.

I can mention elaborate experiments carried out by the editor of the London Field to determine whether increase in temperature increases rending force in Schultze gunpowder, and to his report in which he states no increase in temperature makes Schultze more rending than black powder

Also to experiments carried out by the English proof house guardians, resulting in their finding that Schultze gunpowder gives less rending force than black No. 4.

Also to Messrs. Curtiss & Harvey themselves, for in a pamphlet recently issued they give, as resulting from their experiments, the rending force of Schultze as less at the powder chamber than their own No. 4. black. And finally I refer to the large and increasing body of users of Schultze gunpowder over the world, including Miss Annie Oakley who is using Schultze regularly in her performances at London) and ask how long would these depend for pleasure and profit upon an explosive, were it one-tenth as uncertain a compound as Dr. Carver would try to make us believe.

I need hardly say how sorry we were to hear of the accident to Dr. Carver, and glad to know of his recovery.

I cannot quite understand this accident; but I am told it resulted from a delayed ignition in the cartridge, which, consequently only exploded as the gun was being opened. On this matter I would say, such an accident could only be possible to one who can use a repeating gun with Dr. Carver's rapidity; but that, as Schultze gunpowder is regulated by Eley's ordinary primers, which are, I believe, a little stronger than the American primers, it is possible there may have been a little delayed ignition with an American primer, to obviate this the cartridge inventors are now experimenting with a view to produce a primer equal to Eley's in strength, and with which any delayed ignition will be impossible. R. W. S. GRIFFITH,

Superintendent Schultze Gunpowder Co.

The Rifle.

MISS ANNIE OAKLEY, the expert rifle, shotgun, and pistol shot, now exhibiting her skill in London, with the Wild West Show, celebrated her twenty-first birthday on August 13. The little lady held a reception in her tent at the exhibition grounds, and there received the host of friends she has made while in England. A great many magnificent presents were sent to her, among which was one from H.R.H. the Princess of Wales. The floral offerings were so numerous as to nearly fill her tent.

Miss Oakley has given private exhibitions to some of the best gun clubs in England, and during the Wimbledon meeting, visited the range, and shot at the running deer. The London News says of her shooting at Wimbledon"

"Miss Annie oakley appears to have been more successful at Wimbledon yesterday than her 'comrade in arms' was on the previous day. She made a fairly good record in shooting at the running deer, and was complimented by the Prince of Wales, who shook hands warmly with her on her arrival at the shooting station. His Royal Higness is, apparently, as much interested in the success of the Wild West Show as the most patriotic Western man could be. But, then, the prince is very keen on good sport of all kinds."

THE BAT. SEPT. 27, 1887.

AN interesting little book, which will doubtless find hosts of readers, has just been published on the life and adventrues of "Little True Shot," whose marvellous shooting has proved one of the greatest attractions in connection with the Wild West Exhibition. Miss Annie Oakley's performances all through the season have invariably been excellent, while in her manner before an audience there is a marked absence of the affectation so frequently assumed by music-hall and circus professional shots. I regret that the limited space at my disposal prevents me giving a more extened notice of hte little volume.