428 UPLAND SHOOTING. 



respectable gun-maker can possibly object to his 

 gun being tried in the open, and by the would-be pur- 

 chaser, for such men are bent upon pleasing their cus- 

 tomers, knowing full well that one good gun sells others, 

 and so on ad infinitum. 



TRAP-GUNS. 



Trap-guns may be said to be of two kinds only, viz., the 

 ten-bore, at any weight, and the twelve-bore, under eight 

 pounds; and just so long as guns of smaller gauge are 

 not allowed the handicap in rise allowed a twelve over a 

 ten, the smaller bores can never come into general compe- 

 tition with the wider ones. It seems absurd to give an 

 advance of two yards to a twelve over a ten, when the 

 sixteen-gauge, which is four sizes smaller than the twelve, 

 has to toe the same scratch; nor is there the least bit of 

 justice in this, for it is well known that an eight-pound 

 twelve-gauge will outshoot any sixteen-gauge, at their 

 ordinary weight, and both charged to their utmost limit. 



There are many places where guns go in according to 

 their gauge; but until this obviously just ruling prevails 

 everywhere, the narrow bores will be merely dotted here 

 and there, and never be recognized as of full force in an 

 open competition. 



One of the most arbitrary rules governing any kind of 

 sport, is that which limits the weight of the twelve-bore 

 to eight pounds; and it is a mark of the advance of liber- 

 alism to learn that Hurlingham has outgrown the tyran- 

 nical prejudice that brought trap-guns under the scale at 

 that weight. For instance, why should a strong, able- 

 bodied man be pulled down to an eight-pound gun when 

 he can do better shooting with one that weighs more? 

 Again, the limit of powder being liberal, why make the 

 gun come under a weight that will preclude using the 

 full charge permissible under the rules ? No man can 



