12 SHOOTINa. 



force, it becomes difficult to tlirow even "with a strong main-spring. 

 This is not only a sad fault, but the hammer, by thus coming do^vn, 

 escapes, in a certain degree, from the influence of the spring, and 

 consequently loses its pressure on the pan ; by which defect the 

 priming is not so closely covered, and the hammer is apt to re-act, 

 mstead of obeying the main-spring. The proper plan is, to let the 

 hammer shut do^vn dull, and fly back smart. The main-spring, to 

 be properly regulated, should at fii'st pull up very hard,_ and then 

 draw progressively easier ; and for this reason, it requires an ac- 

 cession of force after it has recovered the first sudden escape from 

 the scear-spring, otherwise it wUl go slow Avith a flint, and be liable 

 either to cause a snap, or allow the cock to be bloAvn back with a 

 detonator.* Gun-flints are obtained in those parts of the kingdom 

 that abound with chalk. "\'\Tiat portion of them are still used, are 

 chiefly obtained from Wiltshire and Norfolk. Those of a black 

 colour are considered the best. 



_ The Percussion-lock being now in almost universal use, we shall 

 direct the reader's attention to it, as briefly as we can. Like all 

 other great alterations, the innovation met at flrst with considerable 

 opposition. Tor long it was prognosticated it would prove a 

 failure ; but this has not, however, been the case. It has had now 

 more than thirty years' trial, and has during the whole of that period 

 gone on in a progressive order in gaining the sportsman's support 

 and approval. _ The Rev. Mr. Forsyth was the inventor of it, and 

 his patent expired in 1821. Smce then there have been considerable 

 improvements made on it, and it is at this moment looked upon as 

 one of those pieces of mechanism which has attained its zenith of 

 human skill and pohsh. 



The important point gained by the percussion-lock is the quick- 

 ness of ignition. " In a flint-gun," says Colonel Hawker, " when 

 the powder is ignited, it keeps rushing out of the touch-hole, there 

 being no hindrance that way; and the train, as we may term it, 

 has to keep burning until a much greater degree of force is generated 

 than can escape througli that rent, or a sufiicient power is created 

 to move the body of the charge. Iivthe percussion-gun, as soon as 

 the fire is communicated, the touch-hole is partially closed, and an 

 obstacle presented to the escape of the powder that way ; so that a 

 force equal to move the charge is generated in one half the tune. 

 It is this circumstance that constitutes the difference between the 

 flint and the percussion gun."_ We may observe in passing that the 

 reader who feels an interest in the question as to the comparative 

 Talue of the flint, and the percussion-locks, wiR find the experi- 

 ments of Mr. Noble, detailed in the Sporting Magaziiie, \o\. xx ; 

 these having been conducted to test the qualities of both kinds of 

 locks. Colonel Ha^yker's opinion on this question, will be found 

 in the last edition of his work,. 



There have been various atteuipts made, from time tc time, to 

 form a complete safety lock ; such a lock, in fact, as would secure 



* Colonel Hawker. 



