488 THE HUNTING GROUNDS 



making good ball-practice at a target of wliicli the 

 distance is known. 



Blank-Carteidge Firing. — Before the novice 

 be allowed to fire a baU, he should practise a certain 

 routine of blank-cartridge firing, in order to further 

 the same object for which he was exercised in snap- 

 ping caps, as well as to the " recoil " or " kick," 

 which is a backward motion caused by the force of 

 the explosion of the powder acting against the breech 

 of the barrel at the same time as against the bullet. 

 The force of the recoil depends upon the charge of 

 powder, the weight of the bullet, the weight of the 

 rifle, the windage, the rifling of the barrel, the bor- 

 ing of the barrel, (whether purely cylindrical or 

 otherwise,) the friction, and the foulness, which much 

 increases the resistance ofi"ered by the air to the 

 bullet passing up the barrel. The instructor should 

 impress upon the novice the necessity of pressing the 

 heel of the butt well and firmly into the hollow of 

 the shoulder, as the more confidently a man " stands 

 up" to his rifle, the less likelihood there is of ran- 

 dom shooting. 



The position of the body, arms, and hands, and 

 the manner of pressing the trigger, as also the posi- 

 tion of the head when taking aim, are to be duly 

 watched both in this and the former exercise, in 

 order to discover and correct those errors which are 

 fatal to good shootino-, and which cannot be so sue- 

 cessfully corrected when firing ball. 



Judging Distance Drill. — One of the greatest 



