RECOIL. 1 89 



cushion to receive the force of the recoil on board 

 ships of war, in order to prevent the rolling of the 

 vessel when in action. But they were obliged to 

 discard it, because they thus lost in the discharge a 

 force proportionate to that of the recoil. 



The recoil of a shot-gun, loaded with a ball of the 

 same weight, is much less than when loaded with shot. 

 The reason is, that the ball, being a compact body, 

 starts easily, and moves through the barrel with much 

 less friction than shot. The friction of the ball is 

 on the extreme arc of the circle, or circumference ; 

 while the shot cover much more surface in the barrel, 

 and, being loose, are somewhat wedged in their pas- 

 sage out. 



It is on this account that I anticipate the invention 

 of a cartridge for shot that will produce less friction 

 in its passage through the barrel than now occurs, 

 when the shot are fired in a loose state. 



The amount of friction in different guns is so vari- 

 ous, and the making often so imperfect, that it is im- 

 possible to estimate the recoil, except by a spring 

 or something of the sort. In the ordinary gun for 

 brush shooting, the recoil is probably not far from 

 forty-five pounds. The shoulder is so strong and the 

 pressure so evenly diffused over the body, that this 

 may appear to be overstated. But I am inclined to 

 think that the recoil will usually exceed rather than 

 fall short of the figure I have mentioned. 



Some have thought that the recoil of a fowling- 

 piece depends much upon the manner in which the 

 gunpowder is ignited from the fulminating powder of 



