322 THE STILL-HUNTER. 



Suppose a fifty-pound anvil hung in air by a cord 

 with a hole bored in one side that will admit a bolt of 

 lead of the same weight as the anvil itself. If the bolt 

 were fired from that hole with a fuse, the anvil and bolt 

 would both move in opposite directions at the same 

 rate of speed. This would be the case whatever 

 amount of powder were used, the increase in charge 

 only increasing the speed of both. If now the hole 

 and bolt were both gradually reduced in size, the 

 motion of the bolt would increase and the motion of 

 the anvil decrease in the same ratio, until with a small 

 enough buckshot and a few grains of powder fired 

 from a short hole there would be no motion in the 

 anvil perceptible to the eye without instruments. 

 And even this small amount of motion would not 

 begin until after the escape of the ball. 



Recoil, therefore, depends 



i st. Upon the relative weights of gun and projec- 

 tile. This is the most important condition. 



2d. Upon the time allowed for continuance of the 

 backward pressure. Length of barrel may, however, 

 by its additional weight cancel this effect. 



3d. Upon the quantity of gas evolved and quick- 

 ness of evolution. 



Many brains have been badly racked over the effect 

 of " air-pack" in the barrel, the " backward rush of air 

 into the barrel," etc. etc. Even if there be anything 

 in these ideas, they are of no use for us to consider, 

 for they cannot be obviated or allowed for; and we 

 therefore might as well confine ourselves to consider- 

 ing those conditions that we can control or make 

 allowance for. 



It is probable that in every case where a respectable 

 load is fired the gun yields slightly while the bullet is 



