406 BIG GAME SHOOTING 



be closed with ease. It is desirable to have cartridge-correctors 

 made the exact size of the chambers of each weapon. 



Rebounding Locks. Many sportsmen think that when the 

 hammer is at the rebound or half-cock it is in a safe position, 

 but sometimes it is quite the reverse. This is because some 

 rifles and shot-guns are made with the face of the hammers too 

 close to the end of the strikers ; when this is so, it will be 

 found that, should the hammer be pulled up nearly to full 

 cock and then let down again (without touching the trigger) j 

 there is sufficient 'give,' or 'spring,' in the parts of the lock to 

 allow the hammer to just reach and to ' flick' the striker hard 

 enough to fire the rifle. The danger of this defect must be 

 obvious. The face of the hammer when pushed forward as 



Fig. 18. Illustration of adaptation to Sir Samuel Baker's 

 577 rifle 



far as it will go (without the trigger being pulled) should be 

 well away from the end of the striker. If there is any doubt 

 as to whether there is sufficient space or not, hold a flat piece 

 of metal or card against the face of the action, lift the hammers 

 nearly to full- cock, and then release them ; if the metal or 

 card be marked by the end of the striker, it is evidence that 

 the space between the hammer and striker is not sufficient. 

 This should not be done often, as it has a tendency to injure 

 the end of the scear of the lock. 



Stocks, Loops, Stops, Cases. In ordinary rifles do not have 

 the stocks made the same shape as in your guns. Most sports- 

 men miss birds by shooting under them, but with a rifle more 

 game is missed by being shot over. It is desirable to have the 

 stocks of rifles made a quarter of an inch more bent than those 



