72 DETONATING SYSTEM. 



Another important observation should be made under 

 this head : people try copper-cap guns in a shop, and 

 fancy they are safe if the copper does not fly about. 

 This is no trial at all; because the way that accidents 

 happen is through the recoil of the gun forcing the 

 cock from the nipple, arid then all security is at an end. 

 Try this by having a heavily loaded gun with a weak 

 main-spring, arid the cock will fly up so far as to catch 

 at the half, if not the full, bent, unless you happen to 

 have a nipple-hole so small that it would be for ever 

 missing fire. To obviate this, be sure that your main- 

 springs are strong, and have their greatest force on the 

 first pull; and, as a still further security, you might 

 have an extra shield or fence round the cock. By far 

 the best striker is the moveable one that Joe Manton 

 always used, and with which I never heard of an acci- 

 dent ; because, with this, the cock may be set mathe- 

 matically true, on the nipple, before the striker is added. 

 But now the trade have no better guide than the mere 

 sweep of a pair of compasses; and " serve you out" 

 with a frightful-looking thing called the " dolphin"- 

 cock. Why is this? because any tolerable workman 

 can make half a dozen of the one, while it requires a 

 first-rate mechanic, with as much time and expense, to 

 complete a pair of the others ! 



COPPER CAPS. 



The copper cap is now in general use for detonaters, 

 and it gives me satisfaction to see it ; because, from 

 the first, I always pronounced it to be the best mode 

 of priming, and even in opposition to Joe Manton 

 himself. I do not mean to say that I was the inventor 



