THE TAEGET.l 



SHOOTING, 



[tue target. 



ings ; and, being satisfied of their soundness, 

 strengtli of parts, and general unity of action 

 tliroughout, the next step is to try the shooting 

 of the gun yourself. Gun-makers will them- 

 sches try a gun before you, and many of them 

 will do it fairly ; but others have various modes 

 of giving unfair advantages to the gun, and 

 taking them also tliemselves. In the range, 

 for instance, there are methods of slightly 

 balling the shot, so as to make them exhibit a 

 most tempting garnish. If you are on the prem- 

 ises of the gun-maker, unless he can show a 

 space of fifty yards in length, how can you 

 form an opinion of what may be the killing 

 extent of the range of this, or indeed of any 

 gun you may try there ? And even if you are 

 satisfied the piece will carry its shot so far with 

 a fair elevation only, do not fail to mark the 

 depth of indentation the shot make on the wall 

 or target. AVithout this proof of the strength 

 of the delivery of its charge, the shot may ball 

 among the feathers of the game when you 

 come to use it, but not enter the vitals or break 

 a wing. Let a good-sized trimmer be set afloat, 

 and blaze away at that, having some observant 

 person with you to mark the effects of the shot. 

 Suow on the ground afibrds a good indication 

 of the range and garnish of a gun, as well as 

 of its elevation, if you actually measure the 

 distance." 



The Taeget. — An iron target will be found 

 sufficiently efficient for trying tlie range, gar- 

 nish, and force of the shot upon. Chalk it 

 well over, and renew the chalking after each 

 firing. A large linen sheet, or several large 

 sheets of white paper pasted together, should 

 be placed under the target to catch the shot ; 

 the figure of which, by being more or less 

 indented, will show the greater or less force 

 with which they were propelled against the 

 • iron. The surface of the paper laid down should 

 be considerable, or the rebound of the shot 

 will carry them beyond its limits. The trials 

 should also be varied by using different pro- 

 portions of powder and shot, not only as 

 regards their own relative proportion towards 

 each other, but likewise as they relate to the 

 qun. Daily trials should also be made under 

 every variety of circumstance; as the modes 

 of loading the gun, of holding it, its state of 

 being clean or foul ; and under every atmo- 

 spheric condition. 

 522 



Por the target, milled-board will form au 

 excellent substitute, where iron cannot be 

 had ; and each sheet should be suspended by 

 tenter-liooks against a wall ; or, what is still 

 better, to a square or boarding raised on a 

 pole. " The dimensions of the square (or it 

 may be a circle if the trier pleases) will rest 

 with the sportsman ; we should recommend 

 one about a foot and a-half, marked off iu 

 squares, and the same crosswise, if a circle be 

 employed. The paper, when it is used, should 

 also, like a draft-board, be squared around 

 by chalked lines, drawn an inch and a-half or 

 two inches apart. At proper distances, on the 

 outer circumferences of the target or wall to 

 be shot against, tenter-hooks should be placed 

 to secure the brown paper. Measure off the 

 ground to certain distances, commencing at 

 fifteen yards, and increase each trial by five, 

 until it arrives to fifty yards, with as many 

 more as tlie trier pleases. As soon as a shot 

 has been made, note the range, the charge 

 used, the number of shot which have entered 

 each sq^imre, and the depth to which they have 

 penetrated. Chalk over each indentation, and 

 repeat the experiment at another distance." 



The Encyclojpcedia of Hural Sports recom- 

 mends the squares or circles within the circles 

 of the target to be marked in such a manner 

 as to represent the dimensions of the various 

 kinds of game usually shot at. Thus, the first 

 square may be two inches, which will take iu 

 the snipe ; as that of two-and-a-half may be 

 considered appropriate to the dimensions of 

 the quail ; of tliree-aud-a-half to the woodcock 

 and young partridges. Older birds would 

 spread their limits to four inches; the grouse to 

 four-and-a-half; and the pheasant, if a hen, to 

 five ; and a full-grown cock would hardly escape 

 any shot that struck within the limits of the 

 square of five-and-a-half. Of course, the tips 

 of the wings of the birds here mentioned 

 might meet with a shot that extended beyond 

 the limits appropriated to it. We only give 

 some clue to a knowledge of what may bo 

 expected from the garnish of a gun as dis- 

 played on the trial. AVe have not yet ob- 

 served, that when much accuracy is required 

 in the trials, particularly if made by an un- 

 steady hand, a " rest" will be a great assis- 

 tance in gaining a just indication of the shoot- 

 ing of the piece. It is not unlikely that scmA 



