igS THE COMPLETE WILDFOWLER 



shot much better. Consequently the earHest breech-loading 

 punt-guns did not meet with favour in the eyes of men who 

 knew what wildfowling was ; and one could not wonder that 

 these serious matters of extra weight and worse shooting 

 could be overlooked for the sake of being able to push in or 

 pull out a cartridge easily at any moment — a thing they all 

 knew in practice was of little value, since they generally set 

 out in quest of a certain kind of fowl, and loaded with a shot 

 size most suitable for the work expected, and for which they 

 were, as a rule, fully prepared. Thus we may see how 

 hard the old muzzle-loading punt-guns have been to obliterate, 

 even with amateurs. 



We are now in the days when the most modern weapons 

 find a place with the amateur, no matter what has been or is to 

 be. So to our subject. Before attempting to have a M.L. 

 punt-gun converted, it would be well to have expert opinion 

 on it as to whether the weapon is sufficiently good and strong 

 for the purpose. As a rule, most M.L. punt-guns are strong 

 enough in the breech to convert, but, as we have said, their 

 charge invariably has to be reduced. If the barrel is a good, 

 stout one, then it can be re-bored, and, although the gun may 

 fire a smaller charge, this charge can be made to give a better 

 pattern by choke-boring. Some M.L. punt-guns cannot be 

 converted, having in the first instance been built as light as 

 possible. These weapons are generally of the small class, 

 built to be fired on the boot-jack recoil system, and weighing 

 from fifty to seventy pounds. 



To those who have muzzle-loading punt-guns and wish to 

 have them converted, we trust our design will prove of assist- 

 ance. It is not original on the part of any single person, but 

 is the result of several trials and improvements gained from 

 experiments and practice with many converted weapons of this 

 kind. Of course, a better gun might be constructed, but 

 remember we have in hand only an old gun to start with. 



