136 BEST GUN FOR SHORE-SHOOTING. 



After writing the above, and no doubt stirring 

 up the wrath and animosity of a number of duck 

 punt owners, I will endeavour to describe such a 

 shoulder gun as will, in my humble belief, be 

 found the most effective weapon for shore-shooting, 

 but it will take a strong man to carry it and use it 

 successfully. 



A 4-bore single-barrel breech-loader, 34 inches 

 long, weighing from \2\ Ibs. to 13 Ibs., moderate 

 choke, and provided with a heel recoil pad. This last 

 addition is necessary, as considerable " kick " may be 

 expected ; but that unpleasantness much depends 

 upon the length and fineness of the taper of the 

 interior segment of the barrel. The probable charge 

 would be about 10 drs. of black powder, and less, not 

 more, than 3 ozs. of shot. However, this can best be 

 known by making a few experiments. 



Such a gun as I have above mentioned, with the 

 exception of length of barrels, I used for the greater 

 part of a season about Albemarle and Pampico Sound, 

 on Cobb's Island, and the Chesapeake, No. I shot 

 always gave me far more satisfactory results than 

 heavier sizes ; in fact, I doubt much now whether 

 I should not prefer for all-round work No. 2 instead 

 of No. I. With heavy mould shot you can, once 

 in a way, make a tremendous long kill, but you will 

 seldom repeat the performance twice in succession. 

 The cause of this is that many more birds are only 

 wounded than disabled at these extravagant ranges, 

 from the pattern of the shot becoming very wide and 

 irregular. A 4-bore should kill with certainty (having 

 an approximate load to that described) a single 

 mallard flying at one hundred yards ; on a flock at 

 twenty yards further its effect would be very severe. 

 Near Pakamoke Sound I killed two swans both 

 young birds at one hundred and one hundred and 

 ten yards in two following discharges, their heads 

 and necks getting the centre of the charge. From 



