26 ON THE WING. 



LOADING THE GUN. 



IN loading the double-barrelled shot-gun, let the 

 barrels be held perpendicularly, and fronting the 

 sportsman, so that the right-hand barrel will come to 

 the right. There will thus be no mistake as to which 

 barrel is loaded first. My rule is to begin with the 

 right-hand barrel. If both are empty, put the powder 

 first into the right barrel and then into the left, follow- 

 ing each with a cut wad and the shot, then the caps 

 alternately. This is far preferable to the practice of 

 loading one barrel entirely before beginning with the 

 other. The latter method is not so expeditious as the 

 former, and the loader is more likely to get confused 

 by handling the powder-flask and shot-pouch a second 

 time. If you have but one barrel to load, and have 

 forgotten which is empty, cast your eye down to the 

 hammers. The hammer of the loaded barrel will be 

 at half-cock, while that of the empty barrel lies down 

 upon the nipple. Always half-cock the loaded barrel 

 before reloading the empty one, in order to prevent 

 accidents. As the gun faces you perpendicularly, hold 

 it by the left hand between the two upper fingers and 

 the thumb, taking hold just below the muzzle. To 

 guard against accidents, be very careful to keep the 

 wrist and arm clear of the muzzle. By practice this 

 method will become so natural as always to be spon- 



