4 THE GUN: AFIELD AND AFLOAT 



able damage from rusting during the average shooter's 

 lifetime is very slight. 



Quality. If the materials are not good in every part 

 there is the ever-present risk of a breakdown, which as 

 likely as not will occur at a critical time and when the 

 gun can ill be spared. Without good quality the gun 

 cannot be made sufficiently strong, save at the cost of 

 increased weight and bulk, both of which, of course, 

 interfere with the ease and comfort of shooting. Under 

 this heading the question of safety naturally falls, it 

 being so largely dependent upon the soundness and 

 good quality of the materials of which guns are built. 



Workmanship. It is highly essential that this should 

 be thoroughly good, having regard to the life of a gun, 

 as also its safety in working. It cannot be doubted that 

 with many kinds of ammunition in use at the present 

 day a gun is subjected to varying shocks and strains 

 such as were scarcely realised in the philosophy of those 

 responsible for the manufacture and the proof of earlier 

 forms of the shot-gun. A gun of ill construction cannot 

 wear well, for in the first place the least shake in the 

 working parts is rapidly aggravated by the concussion 

 on explosion ; and in the second, the slightest looseness 

 permits the entry of moisture to set up erosion, so that 

 between the two evils the gun is soon rendered unfit 

 for use. The locks must work smoothly and well ; the 

 trigger-pull must be even and not too prolonged, and 

 it is imperative that the whole design and workmanship 

 of the lock mechanism and safety-bolts should absolutely 

 insure against risk of accidental discharge. The risk of 

 accident from such cause is fully apparent, but, apart 

 from this, with the heavy recoil of wild-fowl guns this 

 jarring off might be attended with most unpleasant 



