74 DETONATING SYSTEM. 



against the side of the cap, the gun will most probably 

 miss fire. 



Another important observation should be made 

 under this head : people try copper-cap guns in a 

 shop, and fancy they are safe if the copper does not 

 fly about. This is no trial at all; because the way 

 that accidents happen is through the recoil of the 

 gun forcing the cock from the nipple, and then all 

 security is at an end. Try this by having a heavily 

 loaded gun with a weak mainspring, and the cock 

 will fly up so far as to catch at the half, if not the 

 full, bent, unless you happen to have a nipple-hole 

 so small that it would be for ever missing fire. To 

 obviate this, be sure that your mainsprings are strong, 

 and have their greatest force on the first pull ; and, 

 as a still further security, you might have an extra 

 shield or fence round the cock. 



THE SIDE-NAIL 



SHOULD be made of the best tempered spring steel, 

 and stouter than that for a flint-gun. 



All side-nails, whether for flint or detonaters, 

 should go through both locks in a double gun, and 

 have a notch at each end, so that, if they break, they 

 may be screwed out, and replaced by an extra one in 

 the field. 



