MISSFIRES, CAUSE AND CURE. 43 



throw fire, foul the plungers, and often burn the face of the 

 shooter. Plunges should occasionally be taken out, cleaned 

 and oiled. If the gun fouls much at the breech-work, or in 

 the plungers, by examining a shell after firing it will be 

 found that the primer has been cut through by the blow of 

 the plunger sufficiently to permit the escape of gases. In 

 this case, the plungers are too sharp; flatten them with a 

 file. In recapping, shell primers will be rendered more sen- 

 sitive by having the boss, or projection of the recapper that 

 forces the primer in place flat instead of, as usual, concaved. 

 However, the concave recapper is best, with properly con- 

 structed locks and plungers. 



