GUNS AND THEIR PROPER CHARGES. 43 



winter. All this work it has stood well. It has 

 never been to a gunsmith-shop to be repaired, 

 and is as tight at the breech and as perfect in 

 the opening and clasping action as ever it was. 

 These facts prove conclusively that there is no- 

 thing wrong in the principle of a breech-loader, 

 and that, if such a gun is properly constructed, 

 it will stand as much wear and tear as a muz- 

 zle-loader. I am, however, of the opinion that 

 shooting the time-matches has somewhat impaired 

 the fine shooting qualities of this gun by mak- 

 ing the barrels so hot. I fancy it does not now 

 throw its shot so close or distribute it so evenly 

 as it did before the barrels were heated in these 

 matches. They got so hot that the resin broiled 

 out of the soldered joints along the rib, and in 

 one instance burned my hand through a buckskin 

 glove. To shoot well, a man must have his gun 

 so stocked as to fit him. Some require a longer 

 stock than others. Some like stocks which 

 are nearly straight, while others can shoot with 

 a gun the stock of which is crooked. It depends 

 mostly on the build of the man. A long-armed 

 man does not want a gun with a short stock. 

 A man with a moderately long neck cannot use 

 a gun which is straight in the stock with ease 



