20 BARRELS. 



admits of greatly increasing the relief, the shot are 

 kept without any sudden check so long together, after 

 this violent concussion, that we are enabled to com- 

 bine both strength and closeness in the most power- 

 ful degree ; and this, together with less recoil, and a 

 better aim. We have, therefore, been half a century 

 making, as it were, the tour of the world in guns, 

 and at last come home again to discover, that, in 

 regard to the length of barrels, we were not so near 

 the mark as our grandfathers ! 



Mr. Durs Egg, in opposition to the whole trade, 

 and all the sportsmen, weathered the storm, and 

 always maintained the same opinion. We all laughed 

 at him, and now it is his turn to laugh at us, as he 

 may, with justice, say that on this point he knew 

 more than all of us put together ! 



Be cautious, therefore, of shortening an old barrel 

 that shoots well ; and recollect, also, that, if much of 

 the length is taken off, you alter the relief. 



As a gun, which is topheavy, is inimical to quick 

 shooting, the usual plan, unless the barrels are very 

 short, is to make them " light forward ;" that is, thin 

 towards the muzzle. This I conceive to be bad ; as 

 a barrel, which is everywhere tolerably stout, is not 

 so liable to expansion, and, consequently, will shoot 

 stronger, and last many more years, than one which 

 is rendered so by being in any part too thin. A gun, 

 thus substantial, can always be made to mount well, 

 by being properly balanced with lead under the heel- 

 plate, which will be far more convenient and neat in 



