274 DUCK GUNS. 



length the diameter of the punched wadding; and 

 order your duck guns to be never less than from four 

 to six more diameters in proportion. That is, if 

 your double gun, of fourteen gauge, should be of the 

 common length (2 feet 8 inches), which is forty- 

 four diameters, let your duck gun of seven gauge, 

 and of ISlbs. weight, be never less than from 3 feet 

 6^ to 3 feet 8 inches ; (or, if you can manage kfeet, 

 so much the better) ; and so forth on a still larger 

 scale. The latter gun at forty-four diameters would be 

 3 feet 2^ inches, but with this length it would scatter 

 more at long shots ; and, if properly loaded (say with 

 3^ ounces of shot), would, by flying up forward, be 

 felt too severely to the shoulder. 



Recollect, that although the same ratio might hold 

 good for guns, yet neither the weight of the atmo- 

 sphere nor the muscular power of a man can be 

 made to serve in proportion. If a duck gun is too 

 large in the caliber, in proportion to its weight of 

 metal, it will recoil considerably ; arid if too small, 

 it will not have the desired effect of allowing the shot 

 to lie compactly together. 



A gun fired from a rest \$>felt more than if held 

 out, because the left hand, when grasping it, checks 

 the recoil. The stock of a heavy duck gun should 

 be more bent than that of a common gun, as, when 

 we are holding out a great weight, it is not so easy 

 to lower the head: and it should also be observed, 

 that the curve in the stock tends to lessen the recoil. 



I have of late years had the duck gun stocks. 



