366 lewis' AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



as swabbing it out ; and, to make the matter still worse, he 

 strongly recommends and insists upon this course as the proper 

 plan to prevent the engendering of rust. Whether or not he 

 also advised the standing of the barrels in a damp cellar for a 

 month or so, we did not ascertain, but might be led to infer 

 that he could not certainly object to this addition. 



When a barrel is fired, the metal of course becomes heated, 

 and the natural consequence of the application of this heat is a 

 rapid condensation and accumulation of moisture upon the in- 

 side of the barrel — the same as we often see collected upon the 

 window-panes of our houses on a cool November morning. 

 This fact may be clearly ascertained, if any of my readers doubt 

 the assertion, by merely thrusting the little finger as far into 

 the muzzle as possible a minute or two after firing, and it will 

 be found that the inside of the barrel is covered with a certain 

 degree of dampness that increases the further he can reach. 

 This moisture, in connection with some of the ingredients used 

 in the manufacture of powder, soon creates a deposition of rust . 

 of a most corrosive character, and which, if allowed to remain 

 for several weeks, will materially injure the weapon. 



When a rust spot or flaw is once made on the inside of a 

 barrel, it is very difficult to be got at ; and even after the most 

 cautious cleaning, a small particle of moisture will be found 

 clino-ino; to its uneven surface, which will continue to corrode 

 the barrel at this point, until, at last, a hole is actually eaten 

 through, provided the gun does not burst before this takes 

 place. A rust flaw upon a fine sword blade is a most difficult 

 thing to get rid of, although easily got at, and will often defy 

 the rubbing and polishing of the most persevering amateur. 

 How much more difficult, therefore, must it be to remove it 

 when entirely hidden from sight far down the barrel. 



Some Shooters are in the habit of putting their guns away 

 loaded, and letting them remain in this condition for weeks at 

 a time, and then fearlessly firing them off, little dreaming of 

 the danger they run by this piece of negligence, owing to the 

 accumulation of rust around the powder and along the barrel. 

 That the corrosive action of rust is the frequent cause of those 

 terrible accidents that often occur among ignorant and careless 

 Shooters no one will for a moment question ; and all have no- 



