INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 



Never put the cocks down upon the caps when 

 the gun is loaded, as it compresses and spoils the 

 detonating powder, and is very dangerous; the cock 

 being liable to be lifted up, by catching hold of any 

 substance, and then falling, will explode the gun ; 

 but if left at half-cock, it cannot possibly happen. 



Keep the copper caps dry; if exposed to the fire 

 for a few minutes, when required for use, in damp 

 weather, they will never fail. Take care that no oil 

 or grease get to them. 



The caps made with the purified detonating pow- 

 der should always be used in preference to those 

 which are made with fulminating mercury, and called 

 "anti-corrosive." This powder is dangerous, as it 

 inflames with a veiy slight pressure, and detonates 

 with such extreme violence as frequently to burst 

 the shields of the cocks, and split the pegs, and 

 wear them out in a quarter of the time the other 

 does : it is likewise very foul, and will not keep. 

 It also injures the inside of the barrels and 

 breeches. 



From the peculiar construction of detonating locks, 

 they should not be snapped either with or without the 

 copper caps, but in the act of shooting. When the 

 gun is loaded, the flash from the detonating powder 

 never enters the inside of the barrel ; but if snapped 

 upon the caps, when the gun is unloaded, it drives the 

 detonating gas into the barrels, which creates rust; 

 and if done without the caps, the works are liable to 

 be injured, by reason of the cocks meeting no resist- 

 ance in their fall, as in flint locks. 



