BREAKING AND HANDLING. 323 



pattern at forty yards, and a maker dislikes to send out a gun 

 that makes a pattern which might be considered inferior. 

 The economy in the cost of shooting, ease of manipulation 

 and comfort in carrying a sixteen gauge is much in its 

 favor, and its capabilities are adequate to the requirements 

 of quail shooting. If the shooter can afford it, it is much 

 better to own special guns, a sixteen, ten and twelve gauge. 

 The ten gauge should weigh from nine to ten pounds, and 

 is superior for ducks and geese. It is commonly used with 

 from four to six drams of powder, and an ounce and one- 

 quarter of shot. The smaller bores will shoot small sizes 

 of shot with nearly as much force as the ten bore, but the 

 killing circle is less. The large sizes of shot can be used 

 better in the ten bore. As for the smaller bores being equal 

 in shooting capabilities to the large bores, it is an absurdity. 

 Weight of powder, lead, bore and metal is palpably an ad- 

 vantage, else there would not be any more force in a can- 

 non than a twenty bore. 



The length and drop of stock must be determined by the 

 sportsman himself. Every one has some peculiarities of 

 physical structure which must be considered in selecting a 

 gun which will fit properly, and the fitness can only be de- 

 termined by actual trial either with an adjustable gun which 

 large dealers usually keeps for a purpose, or by selecting 

 one out of a large number. In shooting, it is a matter of 

 prime importance to have a gun which is so shaped that it 

 can be thrown into position easily and accurately. 



Usually the large manufacturers or their agents give a 

 discount of twenty-five or thirty per cent, from the list 

 price, which would make a gun, listed at fifty dollars, cost 

 thirty-five or thirty-seven dollars and fifty cents. This is as 

 low as a purchaser should go in prices if he wishes to get a 

 serviceable, reliable gun. The cheaper grades of American 

 guns are far superior to those of foreign make of like grade 



