MUZZLE-LOADERS AND BREECH-LOADERS. 55 



adheres firmly to the sides of the barrel, can imagine 

 the annoyance it causes ; and if the cases get damp, 

 or if refilled ones are used, the difficulty is con- 

 stantly occurring. And then the ' extractor ' is of 

 little use, beyond pulling away the brass bottom, of 

 the cartridge and leaving the paper case more dif- 

 ficult to remove." 



New cases, whether they burst or not, scarcely 

 ever stick in passably well-made guns, and reloaded 

 ones rarely ; but when they do, the extractor will, in 

 nine times out of ten, withdraw them at once ; and 

 if on this tenth occasion the brass capsule is torn 

 off, the extractor, by the aid of a hook at the end, 

 made expressly for the purpose, will tear out the 

 empty paper instantly. 



" Unless the brass pin which explodes the cap is 

 made very precisely, a miss-fire is inevitable. If 

 there is any corrosive substance upon it or upon the 

 sides of the hollow in which it is to travel, the ham- 

 mer will fail to drive it home or explode the cap. 

 The hammer must strike it in exact position, or the 

 pin will bend ; any extra length or protrusion of the 

 pin, or any dampness or foulness which causes it to 

 stick, or if the pin be nipped in any way so as to 

 weaken the force of the hammer, amiss-fire will pro- 

 bably be the result ; and the pins must not be too 

 loose, or they will drop out of the cartridges on any 

 sudden or violent exertion on the part of the sports- 

 man." 



All but the last clause of this paragraph is pre- 

 judice stated as fact, and that is simply ridiculous. 



