LOADING-ROD FOR M. L. PUNT-GUNS. 419 



again, lower it, and all is clear for action. The 

 ignition or priming can be seen to at leisure, or when 

 fowl are likely. If in a double punt, all this can be 

 done as your man is actually paddling towards fowl, 

 or else in the direction you wish to go in quest of 

 them. (For loading- rod, charger, &c., see sketch.) 

 If powder cartridges are used as hereinafter de- 

 scribed, loading is a simple matter, and a very quick 

 and easy one ; but some might consider them too 

 troublesome to make, and I therefore give a sketch 

 of the handiest spoon measure as well ; one which 

 can be filled without lifting the rod, which I find a 

 great convenience. 



It may be taken for granted that three ounces 

 of powder to a pound of shot is a good and full 

 working proportion. It is well to have too much 

 rather than too little powder. Shooters who, by 

 reason of too light a charge, have to aim over birds 

 at sixty yards are at a great disadvantage. You 

 want to see the fowl fair and plain, and to aim 

 straight at them when in range ; this cannot be done 

 with light measures of powder. When you hear of 

 or fancy that guns (I mean punt-guns) shoot badly 

 some high, some low, some weak, some strong 

 you may depend upon it, nine times out of ten, it 

 is caused by bad loading and nothing else. When 

 the gun carries over a pound the powder must be 

 increased ; for one' and a half pounds you will want 

 five ounces, or a little more if the bore is near two 

 inches. A small bore might be used with somewhat 

 less, a very large bore with a little more. I know 

 several shooters who use in their guns of two-inch 

 bore (charge two pounds) an honest half-pound of 



