66 SHOOTING THE DUCK 



course, there come many moments when he wishes 

 he held such a gun in his hands instead of the 

 i2-bore or light lo-bore which he carries. 



My own best work among duck inland and on 

 the shore has been done with a 1 2-bore, full choke in 

 both barrels, chambered to take the 3-in. brass case, 

 and regulated to shoot the short paper-case charge as 

 well and experience has convinced me that, if he 

 has the gift of holding fairly straight, a gun of this 

 type is the most satisfactory that a duck-shooter can 

 carry. The gun should weigh about 8 Ibs. over 

 rather than under for the shoulder needs saving 

 before the arm. With a load of if oz. of shot the 

 gun is equal in performance to any lo-bore one can 

 carry comfortably, while with the ordinary paper case 

 and load it is equivalent to a modified choke game- 

 gun, pattern about 170. The variety of charges one 

 can use in this gun prepares the duck-shooter for 

 practically every need. With a game charge of No. 6 

 in the right barrel and i^ oz. or i| oz. of No. 4 in 

 the left, he is ready to make certain of a teal at 

 forty yards or a mallard at sixty. If a bunch of teal 

 are marked down in the stream, he can attend to 

 them with No. 6 in both barrels ; if mallard are likely 

 to be found in that favourite rushy pool, or if duck 

 are about in the creeks by the shore, his loads of 



