424 CPLAXD SHOOTrse. 



pointing, even in the act of discharge; while, what with 

 the noise, smoke, and recoil incident to the explosion of 

 black powder, it is extremely difficnlt to locate both gun 

 and object aimed at — in fact it can't be done by any but a 

 person of great experience, and to aU such I can give no 

 pointers, while I merely write this article for the guid- 

 ance and help of beginners. Don't be guided in the way 

 of how to handle the gun by the one who is trying to sell 

 it; for, aside from any pecuniary motives, it is always 

 best to put up a gun in the most natural way, and, as 

 nature needs but little instruction, the easiest and quick- 

 est manner will generally prove the best. 



The bore of the gun is, fortunately, a point on which 

 there can not be so much difference of opinion; for, 

 although some isolated cases are found where men stren- 

 uously uphold that a twenty -gattge gun is equal as a 

 game-killer to a ten, yet, forttmately, these are rare; and as 

 the penetration and pattern of any two guns can be readily 

 ascertained, the merits of all bores can easily be discov- 

 ered. For all field-shooting a twelve-gauge gun should 

 be large enough, while such a one. if of sufficient weight 

 to withstand heavy charges with comfort to the shooter, 

 is also a very serviceable weapon on wild fowl. Such 

 game as prairie chickens, quail, snipe, woodcock, all of 

 which are usually killed inside of thirty-five yards, 

 excepting the first mentioned where cover is short, or late 

 in the season, can readily be killed with twelve or six- 

 teen gauge guns, and as every ounce iu weight operates 

 against the sportsman in a hard day s tramp, a field-gun 

 should not weigh over 7^ to eight pounds, while if a gen- 

 eral utility gun is needed, a twelve of 8| to nine pounds 

 will prove a very handy weapon; yet it will not be 

 the equal of a nine-potmd, ten-gauge, neither will it 

 handle as easUy or freely as one of small bore and less 

 weight. 



