402 lewis's AMERICAN S P Tl T S M A N. 



THE SHAPE OF THE GUN-STOCK. 



Until within a few years the gun-stock was made rather short, 

 with a considerable bend or curvature in it ; now we have gone to 

 the other extreme, and every one is striving for a long and straight 

 stock. This general desire for long stocks is not altogetlicr judi- 

 cious or reasonable, for what suits one sportsman in this respect 

 will not necessarily suit all; but, on the other hand, each one 

 should be guided by the "peculiar build of his own person" when 

 ordering a gun stocked. 



To exemplify what we mean, we may here state that the gun- 

 smiths of England have arrived at such perfection in their pro- 

 fession that they actually measure their customers with as much 

 precision as a flash tailor does a dandy, for the purpose of ascer- 

 taining the style of stock best suited to their handling : the length 

 of the arms, neck, height, and general carriage of the body, are 

 all noted, and the stock is made in accordance with the measure- 

 ment. A clever gunsmith, who understands his business thoroughly, 

 will also observe his customer's mode of raising and presenting the 

 gun, his manner of holding his head while taking aim, and many 

 other little indescribable etceteras which are always overlooked by 

 a common workman, but which are sources of much information to 

 a shrewd mechanic. 



All sportsmen know the advantage of using a gun that " comes 

 up to the shoulder right;" they also know the inconvenience as 

 well as difficulty of shooting with a weapon the stock of which is 

 formed diflFerently from that which they have been accustomed 

 to use. 



It is natural to conclude that a tall, long-limbed man will 

 require a longer stock than a shorter person ; also that a straight 

 stock will answer better for a short-necked, high-shouldered man 

 than for a long-necked, low-shouldered person. 



A stock rather long is decidedly better than one too short, and 

 we would prefer a stock rather crooked to one too straight. 



A straight stock is much more suitable than a bent one for a 



