158 ALLOWANCE FOR WIND. 



of air is necessary to ensure thorough com- 

 bustion. 



The base of the bullet should rest evenly upon 

 the powder, and its axis be in line with that of 

 the barrel. 



For fine shooting, care should be taken that 

 there is no hidden defect in the bullet, for if any 

 part be hollow or imperfect, the centre of gravity 

 will not be in the line of the axis, and conse- 

 quently there will be a deviation in its flight. 



I shall now notice the causes of irregular firing 

 over which the rifleman can have no control, but 

 which may, to a certain extent, be rendered less 

 injurious to " the score " if the following obser- 

 vations are carefully attended to : 



Allowance for First > the wind affects the % ht of 

 the bullet to a considerable extent in 



firing at long distances, diverting it from its true 

 course, and accelerating or retarding its progress 

 according as it blows with or against it. When 

 the wind blows from a quarter exactly opposite 

 to the direction of the bullet, it experiences a 



