CHOKE-BORES. 303 



breech end of tlie barrel and revolved rapidly, moving- 

 it gradually toward the muzzle as it cuts its way. 

 The boring may be performed in a lathe with the bar- 

 rels fixed firmly in an automatic carrying-block, the 

 best plan for smooth, nice work, or, the barrels being 

 held tightly in a vice, an ordinary carpenter's brace 

 turned by hand may be employed. 



At the first insertion, the bit is usually allowed to 

 pass through the muzzle, then withdrawn, slowly turn- 

 ing it meanwhile, and an adjustable stop is then fas- 

 tened to the handle to arrest further cutting beyond 

 the desired point near the muzzle, ^ to ^ inch from 

 that end. Another sheet of paper is then added to 

 the packing, and the boring is continued ; more paper 

 being added from time to time, particular care being 

 taken to adjust it evenly so as not to change the bear- 

 ing-points of the bit. When it is thought sufficient 

 cutting has been done, the gun may be tried at a tar- 

 get and its effect determined. If the gun still scat- 

 ters too much, more boring is needed, or perhaps the 

 taper of the constriction is too long or too short ; the 

 former is more often the case, and its alteration may 

 produce the desired results. It may be necessary to 

 add as many as 25 strips of paper (I have known 35 

 strips of ordinary newspaper to be used) or perhaps 

 six or eight will be sufficient, according to the shoot- 



