34 BREECHING. 



To treat on the various kinds of solid breechings, 

 that have been made since the original invention of 

 Mr. Nock, would be wasting time, and consuming a 

 volume, when we can at once warrant, that there are 

 none superior to the one above-mentioned. 



For example, a breeching on Mr. Manton's construc- 

 tion places the touchhole literally to the chamber, and 

 thereby not only cuts off all superfluous angles, which 

 impede quick firing, and collect dirt, but the narrowness 

 of this chamber admits of the outside metal being filed 

 away, with the most perfect safety, and lets in the lock 

 so far, that the pan is brought close to the charge of 

 powder, by which means the discharge of the gun be- 

 comes as instantaneous as possible. All this, however, 

 may be more clearly demonstrated by a reference to the 

 sections of all the different gun breechings, of which 

 there are now published so many engravings, and in 

 comparing which the other decided advantages of this 

 improvement are fully manifested. 



Should it be suggested, that the narrowness of this 

 tube renders it difficult to be ' cleaned, let it be re- 

 membered, that the rod, when it goes to the bottom of 

 the breech, forces the air through the centre tube with 

 such violence, that neither oil nor damp can be left 

 behind ; and, in the event of any dirt falling in, there 

 is a probe, which you screw on the ramrod : and this 

 little appendage is, or should be, attached to your flint- 

 case. 



It may be well, however, to observe, that many of 

 the gunmakers, who now adopt this breeching, commit 

 a sad fault, by making the centre tube too small; they 

 are led into this error by knowing, that the narrower 

 the tube the stronger the gun will fire, and are satisfied 



