FOREST AND STREAM 
245 
oughly mixed before loading, and a very little, just a priming, 
of black powder put in the bottom of each shell to makemue 
of proper ignition. 1R7S 
Jaokaonport Ark., Apt it 15» lore. 
Stalls fob tub Trigoer Finger.- Warsaw, IU., April 2.- 
Edilor Forest and Stream: The mauy controversies carried 
on through the medium of your journal have been passed 
unou and fully discussed by our local authorities, and experi- 
ments resorted to to verify the merits or demerits ofvurious 
arms, equipments, ammunition, etc. I have thought it a little 
strange that no suggestion even was ever made of marksmen 
having a ferrule or finger-stall made to protect the second 
finger of the right hand from abrasion by reason of recoil of 
the gun, especially in snap shooting, when the gun is not 
securely brought to the shoulder. 1 have been annoyed by 
the trigger peeling the skin from my knuckle, when shooting 
in cold weather with abundance of clothing on, which ren- 
dered it difficult to get the gun firmly to my shoulder. As 
such a rupture of the cuticle is generally apt to catch cold m 
and become sore, it would be a great blessing to have a pro- 
tection of some kind ; something a little pliable, so as not to 
hamper the freedom of the finger, would auswer. I know of 
one hunter, a splendid duck shot, who wears a metal band as 
a protection. 
increase the strength of shooting, 'i our correspondent, with 
eves getting dim and nerves shaky, cannot hold flue enough 
for the close work of a choke-bore, consequently , esj^uall y 
for average shooting, prefers a Straight-Bowl 
Newark, N. J., January 5. 
W. W. GREENER’S WEDGE-FAST HAM- 
MERLESS GUN. 
We have lately turned our attention to bree ^°f d * > “f 
without hammers. This description of am 
vantages, and it is the opinion of ninny sportsmenthatit will 
eventually supersede the old style of gun 
course there are objections to this new system, just as there 
were to the breech-loaders some twenty years ago. 
The absence of the hammers maks the gun very convenient, 
CHOKE 
BORES — A RETROSPECTIVE 
VIEW. 
In the early history of the old, long, flint-lock fowling-piece, 
when ammunition was expensive, birds gentle, plenty and 
more in flocks, and it was an object for the sportsman to kill 
a large number at little expense, the prevailing gun was 
straight bored to within eight or ten inches of the muzzle, 
from° which point it opened like a bell. These guns were 
common one hundred and fifty years ago. Occasionally we 
can find one in museums of sporting antiquities. As people 
who liked to shoot became more numerous and game less 
abundant and wild, guns of greater range were required, and 
gun makers, up to the occasion, were making straight-bore 
guns by the close of the eighteenth century. Guns at this 
epoch were small bore, from sixteen to twenty being common 
81 Early in the nineteenth century, in France, choke-bore guns 
were the favorites for fowling, and no doubt a few were made 
in England and other countries. About the time of Napo- 
leon I as it is to-day in this country and in England, 
France had the choke-bore fever badly. England stuck to 
the old cylinder, and, as the sequel proves, did wisely, and 
was the principal gun-maker in the markets of the world. 
The fact is, France was fifty or sixty years in advance of the 
demand for extremely close shooting arms. 
The celebrated French makers of choke-bore guns, of llint- 
lock times, were Boutet, who was armorer to Napoleon I., 
Perin Lepage, Paris, Arnrnnd, Pirmet, Delpire, Autelet, 
Briero, Gasset and others. It is true these makers bored guns 
as ordered, but the choke was the favorite. As early as 1810 
Boutet, in France, occupied about the same reputable posi- 
tion for his modified choke as now Parker Brothers do in this 
In proof of the foregoing we give a few extracts from Le 
Vieux Chasseur” (The Old Hunter), published by Deycux in 
1835 page 28: “Je l’ai vu par un canon legercraeut espin- 
gole a l’orifice, serve au centre ct libre au tonnerre, tel quo do 
bous canonuiers pretendent qui’l est mieux de les etablir ; je 
l'ai vu par un cannon etrangle de deux balles a l’oriflce, et 
par un canon parfaitement cylindrique." (I have seen these 
results produced by a barrel slightly opened at the muzzle, 
choked in the center and free at the breech, sucli ns some 
good gunsmiths pretend is best to make them; I have seen the 
same results by a barrel choked two sizes at the muzzle, and 
by a perfect cylinder gun.) 
Page 30 : “ Le canon dont 1’onfice est trop etrangle ne 
carnet pr’e 3 que jamais au centre. Le canon dont l’orifice est 
trop ou vert garnit extremement de pres et perd plus promp- 
teiuent sa portee qu’un autre. Le canon parfaitement cylin- 
driquo ne porte pas anssi bien que lorsque 1 orifice est par 
uoe insensible diminution, retreci dune balle an moms sur 
la longueur de 20 pouces.” (The barrel, whose muzzle is too 
much choked, very seldom makes a good pattern in the center 
of the target. The gun, whose muzzle is too open, shoots 
very close at short range, but loses its strength quicker than 
anv other. The perfectly cyndrical gun does not shoot as 
well as the one whose muzzle is by an insensible diminution 
contracted of at least one size on a length of twenty- six 
inches. ) On page 62, after giving a description of a shot gun 
inclosed in a walking cane, he says : “ Od confectionne dans 
ce memi systeme de petites Cannes a feu qui tuent tree bien 
l’oiseau avec 10 degres de prondre commune, mais, dans ces 
dernieres, l’orifice du canon est etrangle, pour donner plus do 
su cces a une petite charge de poudre qui pousse avec succes 
une quantile double de plomb. (They manufacture in that 
same way small fire-canes, which kill birds very well with 
common powder ; but in these latter the muzzle of the bar- 
rel is choked, to give more strength to a small charge of 
powder which shoots quite well a double quantity of shot. ) 
Near the beginning of the present ceutury there was exist- 
ing at Tower Hill, England, an establishment for the manufac- 
ture of very fine guns ; and these guns that have fallen under 
mv notice, the barrels were about 3 j feet long, single, cylinder 
bore stub and twist, gold bushed, and the outside construction 
of the barrel was converged from the breech to within about 
nine inches of the muzzle, where, perhaps, it was about 1-10 
of an inch thick, and from which point it diverged to full A of 
an inch thick at the muzzle. In the old flint-lock days, for 
gentlemen possessed of means, the Tower Hill gun was regarded 
a rare acquisition, as they really were guns of great power. It 
will be seen that, notwithstanding these Tower Hill guus were 
straight in the bore, by their external construction of the bar- 
rel, at the muzzle they choked or compressed the charge 
slightly. How much, really, is the question ? Simply the 
thick rigid muzzle arrested the expansion that attended the 
passage of the charge through the barrel up to this point, and 
caused it to pass through a non expansive muzzle. Nearly 
thirty-five years ago, in New York city, Mullins made graded 
draw-bore guns. To give a general view of Mullins’ plan, we 
would say : Start at the breech with half a size, contract up 
about eight inches three-eighths of a size, and from tins point 
to the muzzle one-eighth of a size. 
There are many of Mullins’ guns (muzzle loaders) about now, 
and I do not know but Mr. Mullins is also. The guns were 
good even, hard shooters. I have owned a Mullins gun twen- 
ty-six years, and for twenty years I only occasionally used any 
This is exceedingly simple., and effectually bolls the triggers 
from behind. It can be worked by the thumb of the right 
hand whilst gripping the gun. For extra safoty the triggers 
may lie bolted before the gun is loaded, and the bolt can be 
withdmwu 'in the act of niisiug the gun to the shoulder) by 
the thumb. We can also make this safety self-acting by con- 
necting it with the lever that secures the breech action. In 
this cose it is necessary to unbolt the gun each time before 
firing, which would by some sportsmen be considered an ob- 
jection. Wo, ourselves, are iu favor of the safety bolt not 
self-acting as being more simple in construction. 
Tina gun has already been thoroughly tested by a numlier of 
first-class sportsmen, who have expressed themselves as being 
highly pleased with its mechanism and performance in tho 
field. 
Besides the actions and safeties already described, wo make 
the Westley Richards & Co.’s guu us they themselves make 
It, at two guineas extra. 
Gentlemen iu search of hammerlcss mins should, before de- 
ciding, inspect tho wedge-fast principal, as It will meet all tho 
requirements that a sportsman can desire. Wo do not ap- 
prove of tho self-cocking guns with the hummers on the out- 
side, as made by some of the London makers, as they possess 
no advantage over the ordinary gun. 
St. Mary's IPorA, Birmingham , England. [ -Irfo. 
PIGEON MATCHES. 
How to Prkuark Scores.— In sending their scores clubs 
arc requested to give the following particulars : Place, date, 
name «f club and of the competition, kind of trap used, dis- 
tance of rise, boundary and rules governing. To insure inser- 
tion in current issues of our paper, scores should be scut so 
as to reach us on Tuesday, and earlier, if possiblo. 
especially for covert shooting. , , 
In adopting a lmmmerless gun we have carefully considered 
the important questions of durability and simplicity, com- 
bined with safety and easy manipulation. 
The wedge-fast hammerlcss gun will be found to possess 
these qualities in a high degree. The breech action lias been 
well tested in every country for four years, and has been pro- 
nounced to be strong, durable and handy. The top lever is 
decidedly the best arrangement for the hammerlcss gun. 
We adopt the Anson and Deeley lock arrangement for ex- 
ploding the cartridge ; the self-cocking is effected by the rais- 
ing of the breech ends of the barrels for loading, and works 
smoothly and without requiring much force to open the gun 
and cock the locks, the great objection to other hammerless 
guns being the great force required to open them, but in the 
wedge-fast hammerless gun tbisobjection is eptirely overcome. 
All the parts of the lock work are exceedingly strong and 
durable, especially the tumbler and scears. The locks con- 
tain fewer pieces than those of an ordinary gun (and the 
swivel, which is considered the weakest part of a gun lock, is 
the cartridge. (See drawing No. 1, which shows tho looks in 
a cocked position. . .... 
. There is no half-cock, but in its place there js a safety bolt 
° Mr Mullins used to regard venting guns as an advantage, r that works on the left side of the gun, as shown in the ac- 
nd probably it did help the combustion of tho powder and 1 panying drawing. 
HIGH SCORES AT THE TRAP. 
Jackson, Miss., April 3-1, 1878. 
Editor Forest and Stream and Rod and Gun : 
I have noticed an advertisement of Mr. W. W. Urccnor in 
Forrbt and Stream, iu which he claims the shootiug done 
by Mr. Oholmondlcy Pennell, at Monaco, in February, 1878, 
where that gentleman killed 15) birds out of 20, at say, 29 uml 
33 yards (London Feld says 82) rise, as “ acknowledged to ho 
the best shooting on record.” According to tho report of tho 
Loudon Field tho birds shot at were not fast birds, and tho 
“ only dashing, twisting blue rock easily eluded Mr. Pennell.” 
At the Nashville Field Trials in December, 1877, Mr. K. T. 
Martin, iu a match with Mr. Tucker, killed 19 birds out of 
20 at 40 yards rise, the latter killiug 20 birds straight at 31 
yards. In “ the second event,” Mr. Martin iu a match with 
Mr. Cheatham, the former killed 15 straight at -10 yards rise, 
the latter 12 out of 15 birds at 31 yards. 
Please remember the shooting at Monaco was under the 
Hurlingham rules, allowing both barrels ; at Nashville only 
one barrel was allowed with 1 { oz. of shot. There are 
other scorcB on our record that would beat Mr. Pennell’s, but 
I do not remember any but those of Messrs. Martin and 
Tucker. I am not a pigeon shot, ami consider trap shooting 
but a sorry amusement, neither do I know any of the gentle- 
men ubove mentioned, and call your attention to the fact only 
because Mr. Greener’s statement has been allowed to go un- 
challenged. Yours truly, Geo. C. Ernioir. 
TitAi'-BnooTiNo Extraordinary.—' Though not partial to 
pigeon-shooting myself, I havo just received from Baltimore 
Md., an account of the winning of a match over the traps 
well deserving a record in your widely circulating journal 
Mr. Donncl Swan, one of twin brothers— both of whom I 
saw shoot hay birds at Cobb’s Islaud before they were in 
their teens— laid a wager with some friends of tho Mary- 
land Club, that he would score ninety-four out of a hundred 
birds at twenty-one yards rise. He used a 1 3-boro 711). Dou- 
gall gun, 3 drs. powder, oz. shot ; 21 yds. rise, 80 yds. 
bounds, H and T plunge traps, with tho following results, 
which, while it would lie remarkable in a veteran professional, 
is really astonishing for au amateur : Killed straight, 27, 
missed 1 ; killed straight, 11, missed, 1 ; killed straight, (10 ; 
or 98 out of 100. The shooting was done inside of forty-six 
minutes. The shells were loaded by Alexander McComas, 
who was selected by tho parties to the match. It will be ob 
served that he used 12-bore guns. No larger calibre is tole- 
rated by the Maryland Gun Club, nor by the clubs of Europe 
This restriction should bo adopted by our clubs generally, 
most of which, I believe, tolerate blunderbusses. The quail 
in this (Hamilton, Ohio) county, are exceedingly numerous 
this spring, and have already mated. F. G. B. 
Titrowtno Glass Balls — Editor Forest aiul Stream. — In 
your issue of April 111 notice “ that 8. A. Roberts did some 
novel shooting at glass bolls at Buffalo," by having them 
thrown from behind him by another person. Over ono year 
ago a friend and mysolf whilst at tho pastime of glass-ball 
shooting were unfortunate enough to break tho India rubber 
springs to our trap early in the sport, and were compelled to 
invent something to tako its place, and before we had finished 
our morning's shootiDg we had, In my opinion, as excellent 
practice os it is possible to have, except at living flying birds. 
The method we adopted was tho following : One of us stood 
close behind the shooter, whosaid “ Ready, "and as the ball wus 
was discharged from the hand in any direction, tho word “Fire” 
was at tho same instant pronounced (Irmly ami sharply by tho 
person discharging it. You would be amused to see in how 
many directions the shooter often looked before he could get 
his eye, much less the gun, upon the ball. We found it very 
exciting, and the word “Ready” from the shooter and “Fire” 
from the lips of the one delivering the hall, out of sight of the 
shooter, seemed sufficient to cover all contingencies. To vary 
this, one of us paced twenty-one yards directly in front of 
the shooter, and then turning u direct right angle to the right, 
proceeded some twenty-five yards in that direction and dis- 
charged the bails (at the same words “ Ready ” and “ Fire ”) 
across the shooter at directly a right angle to him. This we 
also changed by discharging the ball from the left toward the 
right in the same manner. The balls were thrown exactly as 
a base ball is delivered, and they passed with great speed 
through the air, and the direction of flight, especially in the 
