20 BARRELS. 



to demonstrate why length has the advantage at long 

 distances. But, on the other hand, go almost close to 

 the paper, the short funnel will lay the whole of its 

 circle within it ; and the long one can do no more, and, 

 therefore, at this distance you give no trial. So it is 

 with barrels that are tried in a gunmaker's yard, and at 

 the usual distances. Moreover, the extreme friction 

 that is absolutely required to send a charge strong has 

 the effect of scattering and recoiling so much in a short 

 barrel, that a certain sacrifice of power must be made. 

 But in a long barrel, which admits of greatly increasing 

 the relief, the shot are kept without any sudden check 

 so long together, after this violent concussion, that we 

 are enabled to combine both strength and closeness in 

 the most powerful degree ; and this, together with less 

 recoil, and a better aim. We have, therefore, been half 

 a century making, as it were, the tour of the world in 

 guns, and at last come home again to discover, that, 

 in regard to the length of barrels, we were not so near 

 the mark as our grandfathers ! 



Mr. Durs Egg, in opposition to the whole trade, and 

 all the sportsmen, weathered the storm, and always 

 maintained the same opinion. We all laughed at him, 

 and now it is his turn to laugh at us, as he may, with 

 justice, say that on this point he knew more than all of 

 us put together ! 



Be cautious, therefore, of shortening an old barrel 

 that shoots well ; and recollect, also, that, if much of 

 the length is taken off, you alter the relief. 



As a gun, which is topheavy, is inimical to quick 

 shooting, the usual plan, unless the barrels are very 

 short, is to make them " light forward ;" that is, thin 

 towards the muzzle. This I conceive to be bad ; as a 



