DIRECTIONS FOR TRYING BARRELS. 29 



it in time from this sort of wadding. In such a case, 

 I conceive, that putting something wet into the barrel, 

 and softening the paper, by using a little friction with 

 the ramrod, would, most probably, disengage it ; and, 

 by holding the gun with the muzzle downwards, after 

 the paper had sufficiently absorbed the moisture, the 

 shooter would have less risk of wetting his powder. 



DIRECTIONS FOR TRYING BARRELS. 



A MAN may be taken in with a horse, or a dog, but 

 never with a gun, after being simply told how to try it. 



Having taken out the breeching, and ascertained 

 thai the barrel is free from flaws, or unsound places, 

 let him fire about a dozen or twenty shots at a quire 

 of the thickest brown paper, by which he will know, to 

 a certainty, both the strength and closeness with which 

 the shot is driven ; and he should remember, that the 

 strongest and most regular shooting gun is the best, 

 provided it does not throw the shot so thin as for a 

 bird to escape between them. 



The same quire of paper might do for all, if one 

 fresh sheet is put in front of, and another behind it, 

 every time the gun is fired. 



Before concluding on the examination of barrels, it 

 may be proper to|observe, that a barrel may be pretty 

 good and perfectly safe, and yet not able to bear the 

 scientific inspection of a first-rate maker or judge. That 

 is, to hold the barrel up to the window, and gra- 

 dually raise it till the shade, from above the window, 

 runs along its surface, by which inspection you will 

 easily discover the most trifling want of finish. For 



