GUNS. 555 



'• There are but very few choice guns made in this age, either 

 in this or foreign countries, which may not be called choke-bores, 

 for the calibers of the barrels are smaller at the muzzle than they 

 are at the breech. If any person doubts this statement, let him 

 apply the calipers to the Parker, Remington, Schaefer, Tonks, Scott, 

 Greener and other guns. I am inclined to think that there are many 

 persons who have guns of recent make and good shooters, and who 

 call their guns straight-bores, would find them to be, on close in- 

 spection, choke-bores. The true principle of choking, I think, is to 

 have the taper as long, as gradual and in as perfect a circle as pos- 

 sible, and terminating some half-inch from the extreme end of the 

 barrels, being careful to avoid all abruptness in the beginning and 

 end of the choke, and leaving a perfect surface. I regard 1-16 of 

 an inch as the extreme choke for any gun ; I prefer 1-32 of an inch. 

 As I almost uniformly discharge the right barrel first, I have this 

 barrel choked a trifle less than the left." 



The Use of Firearms. — We enjoin upon all sportsmen a care- 

 ful obsen^ance of the following rules in handling guns, which are 

 given by a prominent member of the New York State Sportsmen's 

 Association : 



ist — Never in excitement nor in fun point it towards any human being. 



ad— Never carry it so that if accidentally discharged it would endanger the life 

 of a dog even. 



3d — Always think, when walking, which way your gun is pointed, and if a com- 

 panion is in the field with you, no matter ho<V near and how temptingly the game 

 appears, do not shoot until you know just where he is, and that a stray shot may 

 not possibly strike him, for one little pellet is sufficient to destroy an eye forever. 



4th — Never get into a wagon without taking the cartridges from the gun. 



5th — Never get over a fence without either taking the cartridges out, or placing 

 the gun through the fence on the ground, so that if you fall or the fence breaks it 

 cannot be discharged. 



6th — Always carry the gun at half-cock. 



7th — Never let the hammers rest on the "plungers," or pieces which strike the 

 cap. 



8th— Never try to close it when the hammers are down. 



9th — Never get in front of it yourself. If you see you are about to fall, drop the 

 gun so the muzzle will be from you. Occasionally a cartridge will stick after it has 

 been fired. A stout thin blade of knife will generally extract it, if not remove the 

 other cartridge, and then cut a straight stick and poke it out from the muzzle, but 

 even then don't place your body in front of it, but content yourself with using the 

 hand. 



loth— After firing one barrel, take the cartridge from the other and examine the 

 wad over the shot to see that it is not loosened by the concussion as it very fre- 



