CHAPTER VI 



RECOIL GEARING FOR PUNT-GUNS 



Of the many recoil springs which have been invented, none 

 seems to have gained more favour than old Colonel Hawker's 

 famous invention. This cannot be wondered at. For a hard 

 and fast means of securing a large fowling-piece, none is more 

 simple or effective. To those persons who wish for the use of 

 a spring to take up a punt-gun's recoil we can recommend this 

 one. Our sketch is thought to be a slight improvement on the 

 original. The back recoil spring is an addition to the gear 

 of this type first used. Although the back check can be dis- 

 pensed with, its employment is beneficial to the wear of the gear. 

 Colonel Hawker's spring is so well known that we simply 

 hope to portray the general idea of the gear in our sketch, 

 rather than inserting detail to assist manufacturers. For the 

 guidance and safety of intending users we add some particulars. 

 Nearly all makers of punt-guns will undertake to supply these 

 springs complete with their guns. In the early days of punt- 

 gun recoil springs, some inconvenience was experienced with 

 broken springs. This, however, can hardly be said of those 

 manufactured nowadays, if procured from the right source. 

 Amateur tempered springs of this kind, however, should not be 

 trusted, because practical and constant experience alone is the 

 secret of spring tempering. Our sketch shows a gear suitable 

 for a gun carrying a charge of from 16 oz. to 20 oz. of lead. 

 If the gun to have this gear fitted is a new one, the spring 

 slot or loop can be forged and machined along with the barrel. 

 To fit this gear to a gun already built, the loop is fitted into 

 the barrel with key pieces and sunken key beds or mortices, 



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