LOADING THE GUN. 2J 



taneously adopted whenever you have any work to do 

 about the gun. In general, always keep your fingers, 

 arms, face, and body as much as possible away from 

 the muzzle. 



After letting your powder into the charger, close the 

 flask by a clear snap ; and before pouring the powder 

 into the barrels, see that the charger is full, allowing 

 for the depression made by the ball of the finger. 

 Pour it into the barrels with a side movement, keep- 

 ing the hand as much as possible from the muzzle ; 

 if it has just been discharged, there may be fire left in 

 the barrels^ in which case you would run a risk of los- 

 ing your right hand. But by following carefully the 

 rules here laid down, such a loss might be compro- 

 mised by that of the tip of one or two fingers. Now 

 put in your wad, which should be one size larger than 

 the bore of the gun. Should it go hard, enter it edge- 

 wise, and turn it when in the barrel. Draw the ram- 

 rod from the pipes and ram home ; but not so hard as 

 to consolidate the powder. This may happen if the 

 gun is foul, and will prevent the powder from igniting 

 quickly. I have often seen sportsmen ram for a long 

 time, as though the powder would do wonders if only 

 well pounded. Next enter your shot from the pouch, 

 with another wad upon it. When convenient, let this 

 wad be lighter than the other, and do not pound down 

 the shot ; both the heavy wad and the pounding add 

 much to the recoil. Before the wad reaches the shot, 

 as the gun stands perpendicularly, strike the barrel a 

 slight tap, which will level the shot within, before the 

 wad is driven down upon it. Now recover the gun to 



