278 



DUCK GUNS. 



Subjoined is another trial, made in 1820, between the smallest sized 

 duck guns, and fourteen gauge double guns (at thirty-eight yards), wit! 

 twelve sheets of thickest brown paper put up afresh for each shot. 



GENERAL REMARKS. A damp, windy day ; and therefore much against the force 

 of powder. The eighth part of a sheet of letter paper was pasted on every front sheet, 

 as a bull's eye ; and, on an average, received about five grains of shot. All the barrels 

 were made by Charles Lancaster, except the one of Mr. D. Egg, and were well worked 

 and dirtied previously to being tried. The same measure of powder as of shot. 



* On Mr. Joseph Manton's first principle, which was discarded from being so trouble, 

 some to clean ; and which owed much of its strength to having more weight of metal ; 

 and so small a vent-hole, that it was repeatedly missing fire. 



f Recoiled severely, if loaded higher, from being too short in proportion to the bore, 

 and therefore would not answer my purpose for wildfowl. This gun was made to my 

 order by Mr. Joseph Manton, and is the same with which Mr. Osbaldiston, in 1824, 

 won a five hundred guinea match, and since that, several others. This gentleman re- 

 fused one hundred and fifty guineas for the gun. 



