14 BARRELS. 



every gun he shot against. It is but justice to say 

 that Mr. Westley Richards was the maker.] 



Gunmakers, who know their business, form their 

 calibers more or less, according to circumstances, on 

 the plans already stated ; except those of rifles, and 

 guns for firing ball, which must be regularly tighter 

 all the way out, as with these we have no reason to 

 fear the want of strength, or the risk of a recoil, and 

 the only object is to keep the ball in the sir (lightest 

 possible direction, and regulate the barrel to the 

 most accurate line of aim. This should be done by 

 having the gun of the utmost length that can be 

 used, and steadied by immense substance and weight 

 of metal. 



The farther the sight at the breech is placed from 

 that near the muzzle, the more accurate, of course, 

 must be the line of aim ; and the heavier the gun, 

 the more likely you will be to preserve it in firing. 



With regard to having a barrel too far opened 

 forward, when left with mere cylinder behind, and 

 the various tricks that are played to ease the ex- 

 plosion, for the sole purpose of throwing the shot as 

 close as possible, it will be needless to trespass on 

 the reader's patience. Suffice it therefore to say, 

 that by adhering to the methods previously ex- 

 plained, a gun will drive the shot with such force, 

 that one pellet will do more execution than four or 

 five from a barrel otherwise bored. It will go off 

 so instantaneously, that the pull of the trigger and 

 death of the game will be all in one motion, provided 



