202 ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF GUNNERY. 



amount which is used, but for sporting purposes, other than 

 for punt guns, either No. 2 or No. 3 is always selected. The 

 choice between these will depend upon the mode of firing 

 it, for if the ordinary nipple and percussion cap are used, the 

 combustion of No. 2 is not too rapid, and it will answer the 

 best; besides which, the size of its grain allows it to pass up 

 the nipple, which No. 3 will not do. Where the firing is 

 more central, as in the various breech-loading cartridges of 

 Lefaucheaux, Lancaster and Needham, the coarser grain of 

 No. 3 should be selected, as it is found to burn entirely 

 before it leaves the muzzle in the ordinary charge of 2^ to 3 

 drachms ; and so also, in the case of rifles, where there is 

 more resistance to be overcome and more time occupied in 

 doing it, the coarser powder is to be preferred. It is usual 

 to judge of powder by its appearance when rubbed in the 

 hand, and it is considered that when rubbed on a moderately 

 dry palm it should leave the faintest possible stain of lead 

 colour only. If it blackens the skin it is to be rejected^as 

 such powder is found to foul the barrel in a similar manner. 



There is very little difference in the quality of the powder 

 made by the various eminent firms who now divide the 

 trade between them. They are Messrs. Curtis and Harvey, 

 Pigou and Wilks, Lawrence and Son, Hall and Son, in 

 England ; and in Scotland, the Kames Company, who have 

 offices in Glasgow, Liverpool, and London. With a recoil 

 machine, such as that I have described at page 196, I have 

 tested nearly all the above, and find so little difference that 

 it is scarcely worth attempting to make an invidious selec- 

 tion. This is far the best and fairest mode of making a com- 

 parison, for in proportion to the recoil (with the same gun in 

 a similar state, and with a corresponding projectile in front 

 of it, also a similar weight of powder) will be the amount of 

 explosive force of the powder. This test also shows the 

 degree of fouling produced after three or four dozen dis- 

 charges with each kind of latter. Here I have detected a 

 greater difference; but as the experiments were made with 

 powder obtained from sources not equally reliable, I shall 

 forbear to mention the results. There can be no question, 

 however, that the recoil with No. 3, after 30 discharges in a 

 breech-loader, is much less than with a similar number while 

 using No. 2 powder. 



