LOADING. 245 



beginning with the left barrel, and holding the pouch at an 

 angle so that the hand is not over either barrel. A card- 

 board wad is then put into each muzzle, and the ramrod is 

 again used to push them carefully home, but not to rap 

 them, as before; the less pressure used on the shot the 

 better, so long as the wad barely keeps it in its place. 

 Lastly, replace the ramrod (or loading rod) ; and, taking the 

 gun up in the left hand, with the muzzle pointing downwards, 

 half cock it, and removing the exploded caps, put on fresh 

 ones, pushing them well down on the nipples with the thumb. 

 By adopting this method the least possible amount of danger 

 is incurred ; the only risk being from a piece of tow having 

 been left in the breech, which may take fire, and communi- 

 cate it to the powder as it is being poured down, when, if 

 the powder flask is not properly constructed, an explosion of 

 its contents may take place. On the other hand, if the 

 above precautions are not taken, even if the flask is ever so 

 sound, it may be blown through the hand with great violence. 

 In loading either barrel while the other is loaded, take care 

 that the one containing the charge is at half-cock, while the 

 other has the hammer down, as left by its discharge. In 

 this case the most prudent plan is to turn the gun so that the 

 loaded barrel is the farthest off from the person ; but if the 

 butt is put across the foot, and the hand is not held between 

 the gun and the body, which it never ought to be, this is 

 not of any great importance. 



In order to accelerate the loading of these guns, or to increase 

 tJieir powers, several contrivances have been invented. Of 

 these the most ingenious are the Rackheath and Hall's two 

 kinds, which act on somewhat different principles, and Eley's 

 as well as Joyce's cartridges for increasing the range of the 

 gun ; each being described as follows : 



(a) The Rackheath consists of a case of common cartridge 

 paper, at the bottom of which is placed an ordinary wad, the 

 edges of the paper being gummed over it. Into this the shot 

 is poured, then a felt wad, next the powder, over which the 

 ends of the paper are turned. Lastly, a disk of paper, having 

 a piece of tape attached to it, is gummed to this all round, 

 taking care not to wet the powder in doing this. When this 

 is done the cartridge is complete, and may be carried in the 



