CYLINDER AND CHOKE-BORE GUNS. 21 



where a bird may escape, and corresponding areas where 

 the shot is bunched. These irregularities of pattern will 

 account for unaccountable misses, and for instances where 

 the game is cut to pieces. But when a gun is made by a 

 first-class maker, to give a pattern of 130, one can depend 

 upon receiving a gun that will give an even and regular 

 pattern, and a gun approaching its standard. 



For upland shooting I prefer a 12-gauge gun, with each 

 barrel 130 ; with such a gun one can shoot birds at 15 

 yards' distance without smashing the game, because the 

 gun gives a regular spread of shot ; and he can do good 

 work up to 50 yards — all depending upon the method of 

 loading the cartridges. 



Many persons prefer a gun with one barrel a cylinder, 

 and the other constricted at the muzzle to the extent of 

 producing a modified or full choke. 



When the greater part of one's shooting may be for 

 snipe, pinnated grouse and ducks, the gun should be a full 

 choke. 



My impression of an all-round-gun for upland shooting 

 is, that it should give a pattern of 130 for the first barrel, 

 and 150 for the second. But the successful duck-shooter 

 usuallv arms himself with a lO-sfausre full choke-bore srun, 

 weighing from 10 to 11 pounds, because the larger the 



