^08 COLONEL hanger's 



best marksmen could do ; they have con- 

 stantly told mc that an expert riflemen. 



knd do great execution, at by far a greater distance 

 than where the musket leaves off, what is the use of it? 

 In my humble opinion very little. The rifle-guns used 

 on service, by the 95th regiment, are well made, 

 and will shoot as well as any rifle, the barrel of 

 which weighs onl^ four poundsy and carries a 

 hall, w^eighing tzs)C7ify to the pound; but, I do assert, 

 that they are not properly constructed to be used at 

 long distances, on service, with certain effect, and pos- 

 sess not that great advantage, namely, of beginning to 

 do execution to a certainty, at that distance where the 

 musket ceases to have any certain direction or effect. 

 By saying that they are not properly constructed to be 

 used on act ice service, i mean, that the barrels are too 

 light ; they weighing only four pounds, and carry too 

 large a ball, (namely, a ball tzcenty to the pound,) in 

 proportion to the weight of the barrel. If this be 

 doubted, let one of them be produced, and I will pro- 

 duce a rifle I have, the barrel of which weighs six 

 pounds fozir or five ounces, and carries a. ball weighing 

 only thirty to the pound, loaded with one half of the 

 weight of the hall in powder ; and this gun shall go ofl' 

 pleasantly and without the least recoil. But then I 

 will not begin to shoot under 350 yards, and from that 

 distance we will extend our practice to 600 yards. 



Reader, do not be surprised at my speaking of QOO 

 yards practice, — for I do not mean to say, that I can 

 hit a horse or an elephant at that distance ; but I will 

 prove to you, that I can throw a ball into a piece of 



