58 ON THE WING. 



nor a treble charge to three times the distance the sin- 

 gle charge does. 



" This arises from the great resistance given by the 

 air to the motion of the ball or shot, and which is 

 proved to be fourfold if the velocity be doubled, and 

 ninefold when the velocity is trebled, by an increase of 

 powder. 



" So great is the change in opinion of late, with re- 

 gard to the proper length for gun-barrels, that many 

 gunsmiths will now tell us that short barrels carry far- 

 ther than long ones ; and the reason they give for this 

 is the greater friction of the shot or ball in passing 

 through a long barrel, by which their velocity is re- 

 tarded and their force diminished." 



Many sportsmen use very short guns in covert- 

 shooting, and indeed for all kinds of brush-shooting, 

 thinking that they can sight their game much more 

 quickly with them. I doubt somewhat the correctness 

 of this theory. Allowing that the 24-inch barrel can 

 be handled more quickly than the 30-inch, it is never- 

 theless well known that very short guns are more dif- 

 ficult to hold up to their true aim than those of medium 

 length. Nor are the 'latter, on being discharged, so 

 apt to get out of the true line of sight as are the very 

 short guns. This may readily be observed if the 

 length of the barrels is reduced to the usual pistol 

 length. The pistol-barrel is much more quickly 

 brought to the sight, but it is also much more difficult 

 to keep in the true position when discharged. 



