354 



THE SPOUTING RIFLE. 



PATCH CYLINDER (SLIGHTLY 

 REDUCED). 



fig. 92 a. Preparing for the field 

 at home, I load as many of the cy- 

 linders as may be desired, by placing 

 the patches on the trumpet-mouth 

 (using cruciform patches), and then 

 pushing them down with the bullet 

 into the cylinders. The bullets are 

 pushed down till the fiat end comes 

 within one-eighth of an inch of the 

 other end of the cylinder, leaving, 

 therefore, one-eighth of an inch of the dome-shaped end of 

 the bullet protruding above the trumpet-mouth; this pre- 

 vents the patch from being chafed out of place in the pocket, 

 bag, or cartouche pouch. The appearance of the loaded cylin- 

 ders is shown in section fig. 92 d. Loading is done thus : 

 Placing the cylinder on the mouth of the rifle, press down 

 the dome end of the bullet, just entering the flat end into 

 the barrel, and pluck off the cylinder, and return it empty 

 into the pocket. A slight tap of the hand forces down the 

 bullet and patch into the barrel, and the ramrod is then 

 applied. I find this plan to answer perfectly. 



P. J. J. (Derby)." 



CARTRIDGES. 



Cartridges for rifle balls are made in various ways, as 

 noticed under the head of each particular kind of rifle. 

 Most sportsmen, in using the muzzle-loader, prefer to load 

 from a powder-flask; but even then it is well to carry the 

 bullet prepared either with a patch in a tin tube, as described 

 by " P. J. J.," or enclosed in paper according to the following 

 directions, which are those of a " Welshman," whose great 

 experience has already been alluded to : 



" It is not probable that, for ordinary practice, volunteers 

 will go to the trouble of making up regular cartridges, but 

 will generally prefer to load from a flask, and carry the 

 bullets separate in a pouch. A good mode of preparing the 

 bullet to be used in this way is to roll it in paper in the 

 following manner: 



" The paper is first cut into trapezium-shaped pieces, the 

 depth of each piece exceeding the length of the cylinder on 



