I have frequently heard persons of great experience dilate with
satisfaction upon the good shots made with their little '450 hollow
Express exactly behind the shoulder of a tiger or some other animal. I
have also heard of their failures, which were to themselves sometimes
incomprehensible. A solid Express '577 NEVER fails if the direction is
accurate towards a vital part. The position of the animal does not
signify; if the hunter has a knowledge of comparative anatomy (which he
must have, to be a thoroughly successful shot) he can make positively
certain of his game at a short distance, as the solid bullet will crash
through muscle, bone, and every opposing obstacle to reach the fatal
organ. If the animal be a tiger, lion, bear, or leopard, the bullet
should have the power to penetrate, but it should not pass completely
through. If it should be a wapiti, or sambur stag, the bullet should
also remain within, retained in all cases under the skin upon the side
opposite to that of entrance. How is this to be managed by the same
rifle burning the same charge of powder with a solid bullet?

The penetration must be arranged by varying the material of the bullet.
A certain number of cartridges should be loaded with bullets of extreme
hardness, intended specially for large thick-skinned animals; other
bullets should be composed of softer metal, which would expand upon the
resisting muscles but would not pass completely through the skin upon
the opposite side. The cartridges would be coloured for distinction.

If the metal is pure lead, the bullet '577, with an initial velocity of
1650 feet per second, will assuredly assume the form of a button
mushroom immediately upon impact, and it will increase in diameter as it
meets with resistance upon its course until, when expended beneath the
elastic hide upon the opposite side, it will have become fully spread