90 THE GUN: AFIELD AND AFLOAT 



It will be gathered from the foregoing tables that 

 in several instances there are considerable variations 

 in the number of pellets per ounce of shot as sized 

 by the different makers. This is an important con- 

 sideration when shooting guns at the target, for the 

 mere mention of name or size of the shot used will 

 afford no true indication of the value of the work 

 accomplished unless the number of pellets per ounce 

 is also given. The difference of only half-a-dozen 

 pellets per ounce in shot of the larger sizes materially 

 affects the verdict on the result of any target experi- 

 ments. It might be excusable to overlook a difference 

 of half-a-dozen pellets with sizes such as No. 6, or 

 smaller, but variations in the number of pellets con- 

 tained in charges of the larger sizes cannot under any 

 circumstances be overlooked if really reliable com- 

 parisons are desired. It should also be borne in mind 

 that successive batches of shot from the same maker 

 are liable to vary to the extent of a few pellets per 

 ounce. In those sections of the book treating of game 

 and wild-fowl shooting, specific advice will be offered 

 respecting the sizes of shot best adapted for the ready 

 despatch of the quarry in each branch of sport. 



Much has been written at one time or another re- 

 specting the varying velocity of the pellets during the 

 flight of charges of small shot. I am of the opinion 

 that the falling off of speed of the laggard pellets is 

 in great measure attributable to their disfiguration. 

 This may not account for the whole of the stringing 

 which takes place, for there must always be some 

 tailing off where the pellets vary in weight, but it 

 may, I think, be assumed that a battered shapeless 

 lump of lead will not fly so far, neither will it preserve 



