Q 



78 lewis' AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



gun during the idle season, and we know of no better plan than 

 melting pure mutton suet, and filling the barrels with it, and 

 also giving the outside a coating of the same, which may be 

 easily done by pouring or smearing it over the barrels when in 

 a semi-liquid state; this plan, to be sure, is not a very nice one, 

 but nevertheless it is a very effectual one. 



Another plan, and perhaps a more agreeable method to many, 

 is to give the barrels a light coating of simple varnish, which 

 will protect them equally as well from the action of the air. 



If, however, the operation of filling the barrels with mutton 

 suet be not convenient or agreeable, they may be oiled and 

 filled with a rod covered over with a woollen cloth of some kind, 

 and made so as to exactly fill the caliber of the gun, and by 

 this means exclude every particle of air from them. The 

 breeches should be removed for examination, and oiled before 

 being put away. 



Neatsfoot oil is the only kind of oil admissible for these pur- 

 poses. This oil, however, is hardly pure, or thin enough to be 

 put on the machinery of the lock. Mercurial ointment is 

 highly recommended by Hawker for Duck-guns, as also the fol- 

 lowing compound, taken from Daniels' Rural Sports. We 

 have tried both, and found them equally efl&cacious in prevent- 



mg rust. 



RECEIPT. 



Three ounces of black-lead, half a pound of hogs' lard, one 

 quarter of an ounce of camphor, boiled upon a slow fire; the 

 gun-barrels to be rubbed with this, and, after three days, wiped 

 off with a linen cloth. Twice in a Winter will keep off the 

 rust, which the salt water is otherwise sure to be continually 

 bringing out from the iron. 



In spite, however, of all these precautions, or perhaps owing 

 to the negligence of the Sportsman, rust will sometimes accu- 

 mulate on the surface as well as the interior of the barrels, 

 which not only renders them unsightly, but is really very detri- 

 mental to the metal; therefore we are constrained to give in 

 this place some instructions for the removal of this troublesome 



