360 lewis' AMERICAN SPOETSMAX, 



per distance before firing ; either of these plans will supersede 

 all the difficulties. 



In Pigeon-shooting matches, cartridges are far superior to loose 

 shot ; and one of the best Pigeon Shooters among our friends 

 informed us, no later than yesterday, that at a match shot by 

 him and some others of our acquaintance a few days since, the 

 only two Birds that he missed were those fired at with loose 

 shot. This experience certainly is very strong in favor of the 

 cartridges. In fact, so much superior are plain shot cartridges 

 considered to loose shot, that their use has been ruled out of 

 Pigeon matches pretty generally. 



In Wild Fowl shooting, as before stated, shot cartridges 

 made of strong paper are of great advantage, and the distance 

 that Eley's patent wire cartridges will kill is almost incredible. 

 We have seen Canvass-Backs killed with a small Partridge- 

 gun loaded with Avire cartridges at a heiglit that would seem 

 to preclude the possibility of reaching them even with a large 

 Duck-gun. 



Eley's patent cartridges are a most excellent invention; the 

 shot is inclosed in a thin sheet of wire gauze, which of course 

 will not burst so soon as the paper frame, and consequently will 

 carry its contents much further in a mass, and tlierefore for 

 general close shooting are more objectionable than our home- 

 made ones. In Wild Fowl, Squirrel, Deer, or even Grouse 

 shooting, wire cartridges will bo found to be of incalculable ad- 

 vantage; and the only objection to be urged against them in 

 these cases is their high cost. 



When using paper cartridges, it is more necessary to examine 

 the state of the second barrel after the discharge of the first 

 than when using loose shot, as paper cartridges arc more apt 

 to loosen and move up the barrel than when loose shot has a 

 tight-fitting wadding put over it; this danger, however, may be 

 obviated by placing a wadding over the cartridge, and in this 

 way it will be doubly secure. 



Paper cartridges are used very extensively in Eail-shooting, 

 owing to the facility of loading with them, and also from their 

 being less liable to lead the barrels than the loose shot. 



Some persons are in the habit of pasting the edges of their 

 cartridges with a trifle of gum Arabic or trag;acanth. We do 



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