284 TO MAKE AN OLD GUN SHOOT WELL. 



common guns, it may not be amiss to mention the 

 following circumstances : An old fisherman, in the 

 country where I was residing, had killed more wild- 

 fowl than any other man on the river, with a gun, 

 which he had picked up for thirty shillings. Pre- 

 viously to his death he gave over shooting, and I 

 bought this gun, from the reported excellence of 

 the barrel, which fully answered my expectations. 

 Finding, however, that the plug and touchhole were 

 rather too much worn to be safe, I had them both 

 replaced by the same country maker who put a new 

 stock and lock. The barrel afterwards shot so slow 

 and weak, that it was perfectly useless ; on which I 

 sent it to be altered by Mr. John Manton, who very 

 civilly undertook the job ; and, by putting in a 

 common chamber plug, and fresh perforating a com- 

 mon touchhole, made this gun shoot so admirably 

 well, that it was not till I had received five best 

 finished duck guns from London that I could get 

 one to equal it. 



We are often laughed at for our expenditure in 

 guns, when an old gamekeeper will sometimes beat 

 them all with a " piece" that has scarcely a choice, 

 whether to prefer firing, or being fired at with it. 

 I admit, that if his barrel happens to be well bored, 

 his mainspring strong, and his touchhole and cham- 

 ber plug well put in, there will perhaps be very little 

 difference in the killing, between his " piece" and 

 the best gun that ever came out of London. But 



