THE SIGHTING OF HUNTING-RIFLES. 353 



wit, a clear miss three times out of four. It is on 

 the horizontal and not on the vertical line that " a 

 line-shot" that is worth anything for game must gen- 

 erally be made. And this is just the hardest of all to 

 make. Except in a cross-wind the veriest tyro can 

 with ease hit above or below the mark at quite long 

 distances. But to reach the horizontal line requires 

 the very best of work. And it is on this line that all 

 defective work in the rifle, all bad loading, all bad 

 shooting, etc., shows itself three times out of four. 

 And in the long-run, a horizontal line-shot a foot 

 from the center on either side will miss less game 

 than a line-shot six inches above or four inches below 

 the center. 



The top of the front sight should therefore be so 

 flat and broad as to insure the best horizontal shoot- 

 ing without too much sacrifice of accuracy on the up- 

 right line. But it can be made quite flat and broad 

 upon the top without any such sacrifice of vertical ac- 

 curacy as would be supposed necessary. If sharp it 

 cannot be depended on for quick work or in every 

 light; though when there is plenty of time the best of 

 shooting can be done with a sight as sharp as a knife- 

 blade. A front sight about as broad at the top as 

 a common pin-head and perfectly flat will be accurate 

 enough for all hunting purposes when your eye gets 

 used to it. And even if a sacrifice must be made, it 

 had much better be made on the vertical line. It will 

 do no harm to have the top of the back edge slightly 

 sloped off. With a metal sight this had better be 

 done so that a little spot shines there like a star; all 

 below it being kept dull in color, and the star portion 

 being kept polished by a few rubs with a bit of wood 

 as often as it gets tarnished. 



