SHOT, POWDER, SHELLS, WADS AND LOADING. 333 
started to use it, refrain fromchanging. For, although 
he may not believe it, there is such a great difference 
in brands, that when he has started to use, and does 
use a given brand for any length of time, he will see a 
difference in his shooting, and the change usually 
proves detrimental to good scores. The powder should 
be strong, clean and moist, leaving in the barrels, even 
if fired throughout the entire day, asoft residue, which 
is easily wiped out. Butlet the reader bear in mind 
that the atmosphere has the greatest influence on the 
powder on hot, dry days. The powder will cake in the 
barrels forming a crust that disgusts every hunter. On 
the contrary, on cool, moist days, the effect is seen just 
the contrary. As water is always in close proximity 
to the shooter while duck shooting it is a very simple 
matter to have clean barrels, which can be done by 
dipping the barrels into the water. Should the be- 
ginner notice red streaks or flaky substances in the 
muzzle of the gun, after it has been fired, pay no atten- 
tion to it, it amounts to nothing, and is no indication 
of lack of strength or of impurity in its manufacture. 
The sized grains of powder used in wild fowl shoot- 
ing is generally FG. This is pretty coarse. FFG 
being finer, and FFFG still finer. The coarser the 
powder the slower it is and greater the penetration. 
Should one constantly shoot FG at ducks, then use the 
finer grades, he would speedily detect the difference,— 
as the finer would give greater recoil, and being quicker, 
less time allowance would be necessary. | am _ partial 
to FG, and use that size at ducks and at the trap; at 
the same time, I have seen very fine and extra coarse 
powder used with equally good effect. This being the 
case. we are led to the conclusion, that no particular 
