174 ADVENTURES OF AN ELEPHANT HUNTER CH. 



others with identically the same shots from a 



'577- 



When using double-barrelled rifles against big 



and dangerous game, it is of supreme importance to 

 have a thoroughly reliable ejecting mechanism, and 

 I find that a single trigger is avast improvement on 

 the old double-trigger, for, apart from eliminating 

 the risk of a bruised finger, the single trigger is 

 infinitely quicker, enabling a double shot to be 

 placed almost simultaneously, if necessary. I have 

 used the single trigger for some years and would on 

 no account go back to the double. Another factor 

 to be considered with regard to a rifle for big game 

 is the length of the barrels. It is my opinion that 

 they should be as short as possible, certainly not 

 longer than twenty-six inches ; for a rifle with 

 barrels exceeding this length is extremely awkward 

 to manipulate in bush country. The double- 

 barrelled '577 which I have used for several years 

 and found admirable in every detail was built for me 

 by Westley Richards & Co., of Bond Street. The 

 construction of the locks is excellent and simple to 

 a degree, so that should anything go wrong with the 

 mechanism in the bush, where you cannot take a taxi 

 to your gunmaker, there is no difficulty in instantly 

 detaching a lock by hand and replacing it with a 

 duplicate. The single trigger and ejector attached 

 to this rifle have on no occasion failed to act. 



