SHOOTING THE DUCK AT SEA 39 



tained that the muzzle-loader is equal to the breech- 

 loader. 



A swivel-gun, according to the size of the punt 

 and the quality of the sport to be expected, may be 

 anything between a gun measuring 5 feet in the 

 barrel, weighing 50 Ibs. and firing a shot-charge of 

 about 4 oz. to one weighing upwards of 200 Ibs. 

 with a 9 ft. 6 in. barrel, and capable of shooting 

 40 oz. of shot with safety and high penetration. 

 A gun which can readily be used in either a single- 

 handed or a light double-handed punt may be a 

 i|-in. bore firing up to \\ Ib. of shot. Such a gun 

 is powerful enough for any sport the wild-fowler is 

 likely to encounter on our coasts in these days. The 

 length of the barrel is a little less than 8 feet, the 

 total weight about 100 Ibs. A light single-handed 

 punt may be equipped with a ij-in. gun firing a 

 shot-charge of from fib. to \\ Ib. Messrs J. and 

 W. Tolley make a particularly handy and effective 

 gun bore a fraction over i inch, weight 50 Ibs., 

 barrel 5 feet for use on a fast punt. Large guns 

 for double-handed punts are usually 2-in. bores. 

 Double-barrelled swivel-guns deserve everything that 

 has ever been said in their favour, but they are heavy 

 and very costly and are seldom used. 



TKe wild-fowler has small scope for choice in 



