52 DIRECTIONS FOR 



rod drives the dirt into the chamber, from whence it 

 becomes difficult to remove it without water. 



The tow proper for cleaning guns is that fine sort, 

 which is called surgeons' tow, and sold by the chemists : 

 but, for cleaning barrels, the breechings of which can- 

 not be readily seen through, and particularly those of 

 DETONATING guns, I should recommend using nothing 

 but cloth, which answers nearly or quite as well, and 

 by which means you are not liable to the serious ac- 

 cident that might happen from having tow left in the 

 chamber ; arid this you cannot always guard against in 

 guns which have not the inverted breeching. 



Cloth is also more portable for travelling, as the 

 same pieces of it may, by being washed, serve for 

 several times. 



Some of our moderns recommend a sponge ! fitted 

 to the end of the cleaning-rod. Let us have a receipt 

 to kill birds without shot, and this will do vastly well ; 

 but unfortunately guns, after being fired, become 

 leaded, and then of what avail is a sponge ? 



We are told, that a barrel should be cleaned after 

 having been fired about twenty rounds ; but, as it is 

 not every manor that will now afford so many shots 

 in a day, it becomes a query, how often we may venture 

 to put away a gun which has been vised. I think, that 

 if eight or ten shots have been fired from each barrel, 

 it will be best to have the gun washed on returning 

 from the field ; and, if not, the way to prevent it hanging 

 fire (if kept loaded) is simply to prick the touchhole, 

 put fresh prime, and give the but a few smart strokes 

 with the hand : or, with a detonater, to prick the hole 

 of the nipple, and lodge therein a few grains of powder, 

 before you put on the cap, which, by the way, should 



