CHAPTER VI 
RECOIL GEARING FOR PUNT-GUNS 
Or the many recoil springs which have been invented, none 
seems to have gained more favour than old Colonel Hawker’s 
famous invention. This cannot be wondered at. For a hard 
and fast means of securing a large fowling-piece, none is more 
simple or effective. To those persons who wish for the use of 
a spring to take up a punt-gun’s recoil we can recommend this 
one. Our sketch is thought to be a slight improvement on the 
original. The back recoil spring is an addition to the gear 
of this type first used. Although the back check can be dis- 
pensed with, its employment is beneficial to the wear of the gear. 
Colonel Hawker’s spring is so well known that we simply 
hope to portray the general idea of the gear in our sketch, 
rather than inserting detail to assist manufacturers. For the 
guidance and safety of intending users we add some particulars. 
Nearly all makers of punt-guns will undertake to supply these 
springs complete with their guns. In the early days of punt- 
gun recoil springs, some inconvenience was experienced with 
broken springs. This, however, can hardly be said of those 
manufactured nowadays, if procured from the right source. 
Amateur tempered springs of this kind, however, should not be 
trusted, because practical and constant experience alone is the 
secret of spring tempering. Our sketch shows a gear suitable 
for a gun carrying a charge of from 16 oz. to 20 oz. of lead. 
If the gun to have this gear fitted is a new one, the spring 
slot or loop can be forged and machined along with the barrel. 
To fit this gear to a gun already built, the loop is fitted into 
the barrel with key pieces and sunken key beds or mortices, 
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