48 Sporting Sketches 



it is still more important that he be centred, because 

 the charge has loosened considerably, while the most 

 pellets, hence the smallest gaps in the pattern, are 

 in the centre. For the same reason that necessi- 

 tated holding just ahead at twenty yards, the lead 

 must now be increased one-half to insure the best 

 results at the ten yards of increased range. At 

 forty yards the pattern has opened sufficiently to 

 allow free passage to an object the size of a snipe 

 at several points toward the outer limit, yet there 

 remain enough closely placed pellets at the centre 

 to do the work. If a second smaller circle be now 

 described, which includes all of the paper which 

 shows no dangerous gap, the deadly portion of the 

 charge will be determined. To make sure of a 

 snipe, that portion must cover him at forty yards, 

 and to insure its reaching the proper spot at the 

 exact moment, the gun must be held ahead just 

 twice the distance which the twenty-yard range de- 

 manded. In other words, as the shot leaves the 

 muzzle, the latter should be some inches ahead of 

 the bird and swinging in true time with the mark. 

 At greater distances the lead must be increased in 

 proportion ; but other possibilities now creep in, be- 

 cause, as the charge spreads more and more, too large 

 gaps may appear almost anywhere, which means the 

 extreme reliable range of the gun has been passed. 



A few, possibly successive, extremely long shots 

 prove nothing beyond the fact of the gun's being a 

 hard shooter, as at the same time the patterns might 

 be poor. I have killed snipe when they seemed be- 

 yond the range of the gun ; but^such kills are merely 

 accidental. No wise man would dare wager upon 



