CHAPTER II 



WILD-FOWL GUNS 



VASTLY important improvements have been effected 

 in this class of arm within the past twenty years 

 or so. Still, looked at from the sportsman's standpoint, 

 there yet remain directions in which improvement may 

 be made in the generality of shoulder wild-fowl guns. 

 Beginners should ever bear in mind one or two things when 

 making choice of a gun for wild-fowl shooting. Avoid 

 choosing unmanageable weapons through entertaining the 

 idea that power is everything in a gun to be used for this 

 sport. Certainly it is well to have a sufficiency of power 

 for the work in hand ; and for daytime shooting, both 

 ashore and afloat, where long shots are the order of the 

 day, powerful guns must of necessity be carried. At 

 the same time it is one thing to carry a thoroughly 

 manageable weapon and quite another thing to out-gun 

 oneself; it is as well to recollect that to discharge even 

 a ton of shot is of little use unless the gunner can direct 

 its flight to just that spot where it will do most execution. 

 Many people are of the opinion that in wild-fowling 

 only long shots are to be obtained, and that, as a con- 

 sequence, only close-shooting guns are of value. This 

 however is an impression that had better be dispelled. 

 As remarked, this holds good to a certain extent when 



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