300 VARIETIES OF SHOT-GUNS, ETC. 



The following report of their performances is also extracted 

 from the Field of July 9th, 1859, having been drawn up by 

 myself. I have omitted such parts as have no permanent 

 interest. 



RECOIL. It may be remembered that last year we at- 

 tempted to measure the recoil of the guns by a machine 

 designed by ourselves, but the spring (Salter's improved 

 balance) only registering 601b., it was not strong enough for 

 the purpose, and we were obliged to abandon this test. On 

 the present occasion, however, we were enabled to apply it to 

 all but four of the shot-guns, and with complete success, its 

 simplicity and accuracy being much approved of by (we be- 

 lieve) all those who witnessed its operation. By examining 

 the table given below, it will be seen that the average recoil 

 of the guns of a 12 and 13-bore was 66|lb., and of 14, 15, and 

 16-bore, 64j|lb., the highest recoil in Class 1 being 761b., and 

 the lowest 591b. In Class 2 the highest was also 761b., and 

 the lowest 441b. These results are of great interest, and 

 establish the fact which we always contended for, that the 

 recoil is not in exact proportion to the shooting force of each 

 gun, for taking the gun which heads the first class, the two 

 barrels penetrated through 28 and 33 sheets respectively at 

 40 yards, yet the recoil was less than that of the next, by 

 Mr. Prince, which pierced 28 and 22 sheets, and still less 

 than the third in that class, which penetrated 25 and 28. 

 The same holds good throughout the series, and we think it 

 may be alleged that, granting the truth of the test, the pro- 

 portion of recoil to shooting power varies considerably, and 

 that the greatest kicker is not necessarily the strongest shooting 

 gun. Another interesting point here established is, that the 

 Joe Manton gun sent by Colonel Whyte is by no means re- 

 markable for its amount of recoil, the average of its two 

 barrels being 31b. under that of the average of all the guns 

 tested in its class ; and lastly, the breech-loaders are shown 

 to be quite equal in recoil to the average of the muzzle- 

 loaders. 



THE PATTERNS made by the several guns exhibited were, 

 on the whole, extremely good, and in some cases extraordi- 

 narily so. By comparing the two classes, it appears that the 

 average number of shots put into the 30-inch circle at 40 



