THE TRIGGER AND GUARD. 229 



block, called a " check piece." All that part behind the handle 

 is called the " butt" (d), and the lower or back end of this is 

 the " heel" (e), in which is generally let an iron plate the 

 " heel-plate." The form of this is somewhat familiar, being 

 intended to adapt it to the muscles of the shoulder, for 

 which purpose it is nicely hollowed out in its long diameter, 

 and slightly rounded in the opposite direction. 



In addition to the adaptation in length and bend of the 

 stock, it is also " cast off" that is to say, it is bent sideways; 

 and it is especially here that good stocks differ from bad 

 ones. If the barrels are heavy forwards, the stock must be 

 loaded at the heel, to make the gun balance ; but in the 

 present day this is seldom needed. At the front of the 

 handle the false breech (/) is fixed above, and the trigger 

 and guard (g) below, both of which will presently be de- 

 scribed. The false breech is merely a piece of iron, which is 

 securely let in and screwed there, so as to give a firm point 

 of resistance for the true breech, which recoils against it. 

 Many stocks are highly varnished ; but as they are liable to 

 scratch, and sometimes, when in the sun, the varnish flashes 

 in a way to alarm the game, it is a better practice to have 

 them only oiled. 



THE TRIGGER AND GUARD. 



The trigger is simply a lever, intended to raise the scear 

 out of the bent or notch in the tumbler, when the gun is at 

 full cock ; and also to lift it out while the striker is being 

 lowered from full cock to half cock. There is little diffe- 

 rence in its construction among the various guns, even the 

 needle-guns having one nearly similar to that of the old 

 flint and the modern percussion. By a casual observer it 

 might be supposed that what is called a " hair trigger" 

 that is, one which will liberate the cock with the slightest 

 touch of the finger would show some difference from the 

 ordinary kind; but the fact really is, that this variety 

 depends entirely for its delicacy upon the scear and tumbler, 

 which are made of a correspondingly delicate shape and size 

 in the parts which are concerned namely, the bent of the 

 latter and the tooth of the former. In order to guard 

 against the trigger being touched in the handling of the 



