170 ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF GUNNERY. 



firing-hole, and either smooth in the interior, or if great 

 accuracy is required, when intended to be used with ball, 

 grooved in a spiral direction. Here, then, we have one 

 great subdivision into smooth bores and rifles, the former 

 being used with shot or ball, while the latter is intended for 

 ball only. But in addition to this subdivision, we have also 

 another most important one, and gradually becoming more so 

 every year. This consists in the method of putting in the 

 charge, which may be either at the muzzle, and the guns are 

 then called muzzle-loaders, or at the breech, when they are 

 denominated breech-loaders. 



SHOT-GUNS CONSIST OF A TUBE MORE OR LESS CYLINDRO- 

 CONOIDAL, CLOSED AT ONE END. 



Whatever may be the method of firing and loading adopted, 

 every shot-gun is composed of a tube of iron, bored so as to 

 represent a cylinder in the greater part of its extent, but 

 more or less conical in the remainder. One end is left open, 

 to allow of the shot escaping when the explosion behind it 

 takes place j the other is closed either by a plug of iron being 

 screwed into it, as in the ordinary muzzle-loader, or by some 

 method to supply the place of this solid breeching, after the 

 charge is introduced at the breech end. Besides the cylinder 

 or barrel, as it is called, there is also a provision for the ex- 

 plosion of the powder, which is effected in different ways, 

 according to the kind of gun which is to be employed. 

 Lastly, the barrels must be made capable of being handled 

 quickly, and applied to the eye so as to get a " sight" of the 

 object against which they are to be directed, and for this 

 purpose a wooden handle called a " stock" is provided, so 

 shaped as to be adapted to the individual for whom it is 

 intended. Here, then, we have the gun divided into the 

 barrel, which is the essential part, the lock which provides 

 for the firing of its charge, and the stock which is added to 

 attach these two together, and also to allow of the ad- 

 justment of the barrel in a straight line with the mark to 

 be hit. 



In the early part of this century, and during the whole of 

 the last, the gun used for sporting purposes was that known 



