MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 427 



than those which are rough and uneven in their surface. If a gun 

 leads quickly and a great deal, it is certain evidence that it is im- 

 perfect in its bore, and will give the sportsman much trouble in 

 rapid shooting, owing to the difficulty of loading his piece. 



The wire brush we have before spoken of is an excellent instru- 

 ment with which to free the barrels of the leading, and is the only 

 one that will do it effectually ; even washing will not relieve the 

 barrels when they are very rough, as common guns generally are. 



TO PREVENT RUSTINQ. 



A great many different modes have been resorted to to preserve 

 gun-barrels free from rust when laid aside for a season, more par- 

 ticularly by gunners living near the sea-shore, where the atmosphere 

 at all times is strongly tainted with the oxidizing components. In 

 our climate, under ordinary circumstances, remote from the sea- 

 shore, there is little danger of rust collecting on the barrels in 

 sufficient quantities to be of any particular injury to the metal, if 

 proper care be taken to clean and oil them before putting away. 

 The barrels should be rubbed perfectly dry inside and outside, and, 

 as has been recommended by Blain, a piece of iron a little smaller 

 in diameter than the bore of the piece may be heated to a frac- 

 tion short of red-heat, and by means of a string let down into 

 the barrels and moved up and down two or three times, so as effec- 

 tually to dispel every particle of moisture that may be lingering 

 in the interior of the gun. 



This being accomplished to our satisfaction, the fowling-piece 

 may be oiled very slightly, inside and outside, and the muzzles 

 stopped up with a woollen cloth. Neatsfoot-oil is esteemed the best 

 kind for this purpose. There should not, of course, be a particle 

 of salt in the grease which is used to protect metal of any descrip- 



