ISO THE SHOOTER'S GUJDK. 



different lengths, are charged with the same quantity 

 of powder, the longer piece will, apparently, com- 

 municate the greater velocity and force to its ball or 

 shot. Experience, however, has proved the fallacy 

 of this theory ; as short guns are frequently found, 

 not only to throw their shot with greater force, but 

 farther, than long ones. 



The compiler has two guns, the barrel of one 

 thirty-two inches, the other twenty-seven; both 

 equally good to appearance. After repeated trials, 

 I have been unable to ascertain which is the best. I 

 have conversed with many sportsmen on this sub- 

 ject, as well as several well-informed gun-smiths, who 

 agree that a barrel of from twenty-six to thirty 

 inches, is the best calculated for the sportsman ; not 

 only on account of its being lighter and more con- 

 venient than a longer one, but that it will kill 

 equally as far. 



The circumstance of a duck gun killing at a 

 greater distance than a fowling-piece is not owing 

 to its length, but to the greater width of its bore ; 

 by reason of which it takes a much larger charge, 

 and the barrel is made stronger in proportion, 



My opinion on this subject is, that much depends 

 on charging the piece properly ; also, that the shot 

 should leave the mouth of the piece the very moment 

 the elastic fluid, caused by the explosion of the 

 powder, has acquired its greatest strength : if, for 

 instance, after this identical period, the shot has one 

 quarter of an inch of the barrel to pass, the force with 



