THE BARREL. BREECHING. 233 



by covering them with animal charcoal, in a box which is 

 then exposed to a certain heat, and after a time, the object 

 is effected ; but this requires practical skill, and no descrip- 

 tion without it will suffice. 



CHAPTER II. 

 THE MUZZLE-LOADING PERCUSSION GUN. 



THE BARREL VARIOUS KINDS OP BREECH THE LOCK THE STOCK 



RAMROD OR LOADING- ROD THE ENTIRE PERCUSSION GUN AND ITS 



PERFORMANCES LOADING AND CARTRIDGES CLEANING THE GUN- 

 CASE AND ITS CONTEXTS PRICE OF GUNS. 



THE BARREL. 



The barrels of the ordinary percussion-cap gun loading at 

 the muzzle are made, as described in the last book, of any of 

 the materials and in either of the modes therein mentioned. 

 As received from the barrel-forger, they consist of a mere 

 cylinder, which receives provisional proof in that form, and 

 has afterwards to be breeched, stocked, percussioned, proved, 

 and regulated. 



BREECHING. 



The breech formerly was a mere solid plug screwed into 

 the end of the barrel, which was tapped to receive it; and 

 the touch -hole was drilled so close to its internal end as to 

 cut a shallow groove in it. The invention of the patent 

 breech has however quite superseded this clumsy form, which 

 is now never adopted, except for the purposes of provisional 

 proof. For all percussion cap guns the barrel is now tapped 

 for about half an inch, and into this female screw a piece 

 of iron is adapted, with a shoulder bringing up the external 

 part to a level with the outer surface of the barrel. 

 Within this breech, partly opposite the screw, and partly 

 within the shoulder, a cavity is hollowed out, in which the 

 powder is to lie; and this chamber is variously formed, 



