THE GUN AND ITS VARIOUS PARTS. 409 



what the Sportsman wishes, if he be not able to describe 

 minutely and superintend in a measure the building of it him- 

 self. The reason of this is that our mechanics have so many 

 tastes and fancies to please, owing most generally to the ignor- 

 ance of those who order guns, that they have adopted no gene- 

 rally acknowledged standard or style to guide them in the 

 getting up of guns suitable for certain kinds of sport. 



We wish our readers to acquire a certain degree of information 

 on these points, so that they may find themselves qualified to 

 sit at home in their easy chairs and give an order for a gun to 

 be made in some distant city, using all the terms and techni- 

 calities appertaining to the instrument in such a businesslike 

 manner that their descriptions may be perfectly comprehended 

 not only by thetnselves but also by the Gunsmith, and which 

 will prevent the occurrence of any mistakes on the part of the 

 mechanic, or disappointments to the Sportsman. All this in- 

 formation can be obtained by a few hours of reading and ex- 

 amination of the various parts of the gun. The first thing to 

 be acquired is a knowledge of the terms used by Gunsmiths when 

 speaking of a gun ; and we will therefore commence our lesson 

 by an alphabetical list of these terms, with which every Sports- 

 man should be familiar. 



Bolts. — Pieces of iron which fasten the barrel to the stock. 



Bridle. — The polished piece of steel which caps the tumbler ; 

 it is secured by two screws, and also to the scear screw. 



CajJ. — The covering for the worm of the ramrod. The 

 metal finish at the extreme point of the stock. 



Chain or Swivel. — A little catch attached to the neck of the 

 tumbler, which receives the end of the mainspring. 



Chamber. — Centre tube in breeching. Antechamber, in the 

 smaller tube, leading from this to the touch-hole. 



Cock-screw. — That which fastens the flint. 



Cup. — The concave at the top of the improved breeching. 



Escutcheons {ornamental). — Pieces of silver to prevent bolts 

 from wearing the stock ; and also the shield on which the crest 

 and cipher are engraved. 



Face of the Hammer. — The part which, by coming in contact 

 with the flint, strikes fire. 



False Breeching. — The part where the nose of the breechings 

 hooks in before the barrels can be laid in the stock. 



