LOADING THE GUN. 33 



A Charger for weighing Powder and Shot. 



I have had made for my own use a charger, that 

 answers the purpose of testing the weight of powder 

 and shot in any powder-flask or shot-pouch that may 

 be used ; and I find it a very valuable article. It is 

 made as follows : Take, in the first place, a cylinder 

 tube of brass about one fourth of an inch in thickness 

 and five eighths of an inch calibre, and adjust thereto 

 a flat piston-rod half an inch wide by one fourth of an 

 inch in thickness, — one side being marked for pow- 

 der, and showing plainly the number of drachms and 

 decimal parts thereof; the other side being marked 

 for shot, and showing a scale of ounces with their 

 decimal parts also ; — and attach to the upper end of 

 the rod a dasher made so as to fit the tube perfectly. 

 To the lower end of the rod affix a stopper long 

 enough to be also used for a handle. 



By taking hold of the handle of the stopper and 

 drawing down the piston, a space will be left between 

 the dasher and the upper end of the tube, into which 

 can be put a quantity of powder and shot, and the 

 exact weight of the same will be indicated on each flat 

 side of the shaft. 



This charger will readily denote how much shot 

 and powder the sportsman is using in his flask or 

 pouch more correctly than many of the flasks now 

 in use. It can also be made to indicate the pro- 

 portionate quantity of each. If, for instance, the 

 quantity of shot, as shown by this charger, be found to 

 weigh one and a quarter ounces, by turning over to 



