296 VARIETIES OF SHOT-GUNS, ETC. 



muzzle-loaders are concerned; but breech-loaders cannot be 

 reduced so low by at least 8oz. 



LENGTH OF BARRELS. 



In length of barrel there is no difference between the 

 various kinds of guns, excepting where there is a chamber 

 that is opened to receive a cartridge, which is then pushed 

 forward into the breech, as in Needham's and the Chateau- 

 villier gun. These two are, therefore, of necessity somewhat 

 longer than the old percussion or the crutch guns; but, as in 

 Mr. Needharn's gun the lock is also contained in this chamber, 

 the whole length of it is not to be added, but only about one 

 half, or two inches on the average that is to say, one of his 

 guns, with barrels 28in. long, will be in its whole length, (if 

 adapted to the same person's shooting,) two inches longer 

 than it would be of either of the other kinds. 



PATTERN. 



All guns should be so bored that they will deliver their 

 shot in such a pattern that at forty yards a partridge or 

 grouse has little chance of escape, if properly covered. It 

 has been shown at p. 243, that to do this there ought to be 

 in a thirty-inch circle from 150 to 160 pellets of No. 6 shot, 

 and in this respect all the varieties are capable of being 

 made nearly equally good. 



PENETRATION. 



By referring to the table at pp. 298-9, it appears that the 

 ordinary percussion guns have a trifling advantage in strength 

 of shooting. 



ABSENCE OF RECOIL. 



In this respect I believe that there is very little advantage 

 to be found in any particular kind of gun, though among 

 individual specimens of the various kinds, the recoil differs 

 considerably. 



