SHOT-GUN PATTERNS 65 



Wadding: card, felt, i^ in. oakum, felt and card placed as 

 named. 



Target : 6 ft. x 6 ft. 



BLACK POWDER. 60 YARDS. 



The same gun shot on the same day, under precisely similar 

 conditions as to target, range, cartridge-case and size of shot, but 

 with " Colonel Hawker's Punt-Gun " black powder. 



Powder, oz. Shot, oz. Pattern. Velocity in ft. per sec. 



2j 12 372 1093 



2^ 14 309 1160 



2f 1 6 478 1260 



These figures go to show in remarkable degree the very striking 

 superiority of this nitro-compound over black powder as here used. 

 This becomes the more apparent when it is stated that the 

 heavest charge of the nitro did not to all appearance give pressures 

 equal to black, whilst imparting to the pound of shot a velocity 

 higher by 100 ft. per second. 



With respect to the trial of nitro powders in punt, or, 

 for that matter, in any guns, it is highly essential to the 

 attainment of good shooting that a proper and uniform 

 amount of resistance should be offered to the powder in 

 the way of wadding, weight of shot, and turnover of 

 case. All matters involving an increase or decrease of 

 the shot-load ; any great change in the method of 

 priming, or in the powder-charge, should be intelligently 

 approached, and the effect of the alteration determined 

 by actual trial at the target. 



