THE COMPLETE GUN-ROOM 43 



together and ready for use. The flat leather cases are simply 

 made for travelling, and are neither convenient nor pleasant 

 to look at when used for storage purposes in a gun-room. 

 The tall cupboard against the wall, with its glass door and 

 row of shining weapons within, focusses the eye at once and 

 gives interest and character to the room dedicated to the 

 service of sport. Gun-cupboards can be bought from gun- 

 makers, but they are generally somewhat expensive. A good 

 carpenter can make an excellent cupboard for a good deal less 

 money than one would have to pay in the shops. Well- 

 seasoned oak is the best material of all, and the inside of the 

 cupboard should be lined with red or green baize. Slight 

 depressions, also lined with baize, should be cut in the floor to 

 take the butts of the guns, and to hold the barrels at about an 

 inch or two from the sight, any one of half a dozen simple 

 devices can be employed. 



I have seen steel rings, screwed into the back wall of the 

 cupboard and covered with twisted yarn to prevent scratching, 

 act very well, but I think that the shelf-rest answers as well as 

 anything. I use a shelf with slots cut in it for the reception of 

 each pair of barrels, each aperture carefully padded with wash- 

 leather. Each slot is opened and closed by a thin piece of 

 oak working up and down on a central pin at one end. 



It is essential that gurj-cupboards should be entirely dust 

 and damp proof. 



It is a sound maxim, especially for wildfowlers, 



CLEANING ^^^^ *^^ Sportsman should always clean his gun 



OF GUNS himself. In the case of big game shoots the keepers 



assemble in the gun-room after the day's drive and 



clean the weapons while their masters dress for dinner. But 



that is not the wildfowler's way, and even so great an authority 



as Lord Walsingham has a strong condemnation for it in 



Badminton. More guns are ruined by careless attention on 



the part of keepers and servants than many people are aware 



