BARRELS. 9 



which many do to prevent the confined air from 

 resisting the ramrod. 



A barrel mth t flaws has the same disadvantage of 

 not keeping the powder air-tight from the shot. If, 

 however, a barrel is very short, you are almost obliged 

 to reverse the mode of boring in order to get strength 

 by friction ; consequently it recoils, and never an- 

 swers so well. 



For a duck gun, or piece of any considerable length, 

 the barrel should be bored so as to feel more and 

 more tight on ramming down the wadding, parti- 

 cularly on coming just above where the shot lies; 

 and with a very little opening, from where the shot 

 lies, down to the breeching. This you will perceive, by 

 a relief to the ramrod, just before the wadding reaches 

 the powder. If, however, the gun is very long, you 

 may then, of course, have the barrel further opened 

 behind, in proportion to the length; and, thereby, 

 give more force to the powder, which will enable 

 you, with propriety, to extend the relief forward, and, 

 by that means, get close shooting combined with 

 strength. This is the reason why long barrels may 

 he made to shoot further than short ones. Thus the 

 shot has friction by being forced through the cylinder, 

 and is then gradually relieved all the way in going 

 out; and this more in proportion again as the shot 

 leaves the muzzle. In a word, the shot should receive 

 all the force of the powder while tight in the barrel, 

 and then, as before observed, go easier and easier 

 all the way out of it. This mode of boring is the 



