RECOIL R OPE. 405 



becomes as an iron rod. Tarred rope is much the 

 best. The outside coating of tar soon wears off, 

 and it is then smooth and pliant. It is, however, an 

 error to suppose it stands the water longest, it does 

 not, as has been often proved on shipboard. But 

 whatever breeching is used let it have a chance of 

 drying now and then, and do not attempt to cover it 

 with leather or canvas ; it will rot twice as quick when 

 so shut up, will never dry thoroughly, and you will 

 not know the state it is in till some fine day it parts. 

 Tarred rope alters its length but slightly under any 

 conditions of weather, and it will not stretch too 

 much, so as to make the gun kick unpleasantly, or 

 too little to make it bounce up from its stiffness. 

 There is a certain size of rope which will suit best 

 every charge. * A far smaller rope would hold the 

 gun with perfect safety, but would, from its elas- 

 ticity, cause a dangerous fly back and run forward, 

 besides giving soft shooting as well. To nullify this 

 a good stout rope is best, and is besides perfectly 

 safe, from its extra thickness no small matter in 

 itself. Some shooters, when their guns are of moder- 

 ate size (a very large one would rend all), fix them 

 from any movement, or even recoil. This is done 

 by means of a plain forked stanchion, to which the 

 barrel is pivoted, shipped down into a block of wood 

 riveted to the floor or into an iron frame. This plan 

 causes a gun to shoot very hard without doubt, and 

 is handy in many ways. It, however, strains every- 



* For a 2 Ib. shooting-gun, rope of 5 in. circumference answers 

 well ; for a I Ib. gun, rope of 3! to 4.7 in. will do. Always choose for 

 a breeching what is called bolt or sail-edge rope, which are the same. 

 This kind is very flexible and much stronger than ordinary rope, as 

 it is made from fine-spun yarn of high excellence closely laid. 



