FOR THE HIMALAYAS. 27 



the cutter and enable the small piece of wax to be withdrawn 

 inside it. 



Gunpowder. For gun cartridges, Curtis and Harvey's No. 4 

 grain ; for rifle ditto, the same makers' No. 6 grain, " extra large 

 size for rifles." 



Cases, powder, and jute wads must be bought ; for the latter may 

 be substituted those cut with a punch out of cardboard, but they 

 are not so tough or impervious to the wax. 



Loading. To measure the powder the greatest care is necessary, 

 for the accuracy of the rifle depends greatly on the charges being 

 uniform. Weighing the charge is too slow a process, when a 

 hundred cases have to be loaded ; but the following method is slow 

 also, so the loader must please himself. Too much care cannot be 

 taken ; it is time well spent. Pour the powder into a bowl, scoop 

 the measure three times through it, to fill it properly. Then take 

 a piece of smooth wood (say a pencil), and sweep the surplus off, 

 leaving the measure quite full and even with the brim. Pour the 

 powder into the case gradually, tapping the latter gently on its 

 base edge as the powder flows in ; this will get the excess charge 

 into a comparatively small space. Place a jute wad over the 

 powder, and press it down gently with a rammer. Next press 

 down the wax wad (lubricator) ; cut out the centre with the spiral 

 cutter, place the bullet in the case, and press it in. Then take up 

 the cartridge in right hand, with its base against the palm, rest 

 the bullet on some soft but unyielding surface, such as the cloth 

 on the table, and press gently down on it, so as to insure its being 

 well home on the wax and powder. The loading is finished, and 

 the cartridge will be found all that can be wished. 



Recapping Cartridge- Cases. With reference to this subject, it 

 is probable that many readers would like complete details or 

 plans, and I believe what I describe below cannot be beaten with 

 any other machine. I have reloaded many hundreds of gun and 

 rifle cases, and can honestly say I have been well repaid for my 

 trouble. 



I used machines of one pattern for 12 and 16 bore guns, and 

 450 and *500 bore rifles ; they were all identical, except in their 

 dimensions. On a small base A A rest two cores B B' of such 

 diameter that they fit pretty closely inside an empty cartridge. 

 Both are hollow on the top, but inside the hollow of one, B', pro- 

 jects a sharp steel pin C. A lever D is hinged on an upright 



