24 THE COMPLETE SHOT 



is important ; and some day the gun that has not passed a 

 master in the prime of critical observation will have an 

 accident and break down, just at the wrong moment probably ; 

 whereas the best work of a best gun-maker will wear out its 

 barrels, and then another pair, before anything goes wrong with 

 its works, and before its splendid fitting and superior metal 

 allow the barrels and the action to suggest divorce proceedings, 

 by gaping in each other's presence. 



But if one cannot name the best makers and continue to live, 

 it is possible to get over the difficulty by suggesting that most 

 gun-makers have price lists of second-hand guns in their 

 possession, and from these lists the status of the various gun- 

 makers in the country can be gathered. But even this is not 

 quite a reliable method, for those makers who turn out second 

 and third quality guns may be represented by their best, or 

 their worst, in these lists, whereas the men who have only one 

 sort can only be represented by the best. 



Then, again, the fashion changes, and guns which a few 

 years ago were best and latest fashion are soon out-dated, and 

 then they rank in price with second or third quality guns that 

 are made in the latest fashion. Thus a hammerless gun is not 

 now fashionable ; it must be hammerless ejector, and for choice 

 with a single trigger. Then hammer guns of the best make can 

 be bought for a sixth of their original cost, just as muzzle- 

 loaders are totally unsaleable except in the Colonies. 



Instead, therefore, of giving 180 guineas for a pair 

 of hammerless ejectors by a best maker, the novice may for 

 about a third of the sum procure a pair in every way as good 

 by the same maker, if he foregoes the ejector part of the latest 

 fashion. But, in order to make sure of fair treatment, dealing 

 only with the most reputable establishments is advised, because 

 it has been known that the less particular traders have them- 

 selves altered an old-fashioned gun into an ejector, and sold it 

 as the gun of a first-rate maker, whereas it would have been 

 more properly described as their own work. However, there is 

 always a check on this kind of thing, because every gun is 

 numbered by those makers whose weapons are worth having, 



