60 THE COMPLETE SHOT 



use of the possible 80, instead of 40, expansions, with an 

 accompanying still further reduction of lost powder - gas 

 momentum, or loss by "blast," and its automatic accom- 

 paniment of more reduction of recoil. 



Of course short cartridges in long chambers are not to be 

 thought of from the standpoint of improvement, and in many 

 guns they ball the shot in a most dangerous way. Thicker 

 wadding is more objectionable than coned cases, unless it could 

 be made lighter than the greased felt wad is now, and not only 

 lighter but less compressible, because to compress it is to hinder 

 it from bridging the cone between the mouth of the cartridge 

 and the barrel proper, and it also enlarges the powder chamber 

 in practice. 



Some few years ago the cartridge-makers and the gun- 

 makers came to an agreement, that there should be a maximum 

 size for cartridges for each gauge and a minimum size for gun 

 chambers. This was very wise and proper. These sizes are 

 well known to all gun-makers, to whom they are important, but 

 they have no interest for shooters, because the latter have not 

 the instruments to measure either chambers or cartridges, and 

 the usual and very proper practice is to make the seller 

 responsible, and return cartridges that are too big to go in the 

 chambers, or too small, so that they shoot weak, or burst the 

 cases, or both. 



Herein lies a great advantage of taking your gun-maker into 

 confidence about cartridges. We cannot, as a rule, give bigger 

 or smaller cases to fit chambers that may have been made, or 

 grown, bigger before or since the agreement was come to ; but 

 if chambers are rather large for cartridges, and consequently 

 shooting is somewhat weak, he can suggest a grain or two of 

 additional powder to the usual charge. It is the belief of the 

 author that a gun-maker usually delights in turning his 

 customers out to do the best possible work, and will take any 

 trouble to that end, not only because it is business, but because 

 it gives personal pleasure. 



Shot sizes are mentioned under the headings of the game 

 to which they arc most fitted ; but although a slight advantage 



