200 VARIETIES OF SHOT-GUNS, ETC. 



plans, and is intended to prevent the case from being spread 

 too wide to fit the chamber of the gun. In loading Lan- 

 caster's cartridge, care should be taken that there is not a 

 shot or a piece of any hard substance beneath the centre of 

 the capsule, as if there happened to be such a thing, in 

 ramming down or turning over it might cause an explosion, 

 and seriously injure the hand. This caution has been pre- 

 viously given, but for fear of accidents, it is repeated here. 



CLEANING. 



The cleaning of all Creech-loading shot guns is a very simple 

 process, as they do not lead, nor do they become foul in a 

 day's shooting to any extent. This exemption arises from 

 the charge of powder being inserted at the breech, so that 

 none adheres to the sides of the barrel as it does when poured 

 down in the ordinary muzzle loader. In cleaning these guns, 

 therefore, after the hardest day's shooting, all that is neces- 

 sary is to open the breech, and then taking a rod, armed 

 with tow, wipe them out till no black comes off on the tow, 

 after which a very little oil protects the interior from rust. 

 The locks and exterior should be treated the same as the 

 ordinary gun. When the barrels will not admit a cleaning 

 rod at the breech end, as in Needham's, Bastin's, and the Cha- 

 teauvillier guns, they may readily be cleaned from the muzzle. 

 In all these guns water is seldom or never required to be used. 



In cleaning Mr. Needhams lock extra care is required in 

 taking it to pieces for the purpose of oiling, for without some 

 caution the needle may easily be projected into the eye of 

 the cleaner, or that of some bystander. To avoid all risk of 

 accident, the arm of the scear should be lifted by a turn- 

 screw, so as to drive the needle out as in firing, and then the 

 plug (fig. 41 a) being unscrewed, the needle, striker, and main- 

 spring are left loose in their proper places, and may be taken 

 out and oiled. To replace them, put them back as before, 

 taking care that the notch in the striker (fig. 43 c) is turned 

 so as to catch the scear ; then pushing the needle against a 

 piece of soft wood till the scear catches the notch, the lock is 

 cocked and may be bolted, and the plug screwed on. This is 

 the easiest way to a novice, but it incurs the risk of bending 



