WILD-FOWL GUNS 21 



only with guns some sizes larger in the bore, and, of 

 course, with heavier charges ; even then, with extraneous 

 aids in the form of wire-cartridge, or shot-concentrator, 

 the shooting was not so regular nor so reliable as that 

 now produced by choke-boring. 



Another reason to which this change in the direction 

 of smaller guns may be assigned is the use of longer 

 paper cartridge-cases, and of thin metallic cases. These 

 cases, both the long paper and the thin brass, naturally 

 hold much larger charges than can be inclosed in cases 

 of ordinary length and substance the former by reason 

 of increased length, and the brass cases because of their 

 thinness, they being wider in the bore than paper cases 

 of the same denomination. Thus it comes about that 

 with a choked 12-bore gun of /J Ib. or 8 Ib. weight we 

 now get better shooting than could formerly be obtained 

 with cylinder-bored lO-bores and guns of more imposing 

 dimensions and weight. These causes are chiefly re- 

 sponsible for the change, which indeed is but natural 

 evolution, in fact one further step forward towards that 

 ideal gun which shall combine in itself the maximum of 

 effectiveness with the minimum of weight. 



Possibly one reason why wild-fowl guns of large 

 calibre are unpopular in many quarters is that these 

 guns, in many instances, do not receive the same amount 

 of care and attention with regard to the form and 

 symmetry of their stocks as is bestowed upon the 12- 

 bores. Hitherto it would seem to have been an all too 

 prevalent idea with gun-makers that so long as the 

 shooting of the heavy shoulder-guns was assured, little 

 else was required. As a matter of fact, however, the 

 gunner who handles heavy 8- and 4-bore guns requires 

 to be fitted with quite as much exactitude, care, and 



