HOW TO CLEAN THE GUN. . 53 



not so substantial as a good large rod of oak or hick- 

 ory, which any gunsmith will make for you. Experi- 

 ence will teach all other. details about the cleaning of 

 the gun that are not given here. 



To prevent Gun-barrels from Rusting. 



When you put away your gun for the winter, in 

 order to keep the barrels from rusting, fill them with 

 melted mutton-tallow that has been properly purified. 

 Then put percussion-caps on the nipples, well filled 

 with the same, and press them home by the hammers. 

 Afterwards grease the outside of the gun, the barrels, 

 locks, and stock, and set it away in a safe place, with 

 the cloth cover over all, in a perpendicular position, so 

 that, in case the tallow gets melted, it need not run out 

 and stain the floor, and make your wife dislike a gun. 

 If your barrels are treated in this way, no rust will in- 

 jure them. When the gun is wanted in the spring, set 

 it upright for a while in a warm room, put the breech 

 of the barrel into a pail of hot water, and keep it there 

 until the tallow runs : then pour out and clean. An 

 easier way, though not quite so thorough, is to oil the 

 barrels well inside with clean mutton-tallow, and heat 

 them by holding them inverted over a hot stove, let- 

 ting the hot air pass up through the nipples. When 

 the barrels are well heated inside, put them into the 

 stock, arranging the nipples as in the other method. 

 Drive down into the chambers a well-oiled tow wad, 

 followed within the distance of about a foot by a tight 

 cut wad. Let there be another wad between this and 



