1038 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Dec. 29, 1906. 
Old Time Gun-Fitting and Testing. 
We live in an age when scientific gun-fitting is prop¬ 
erly recognized as being an essential part of the educa¬ 
tion of a man wishing to shoot at his best. The system 
of gun-fitting as we know it to-day is of course an intro¬ 
duction of quite recent years, but the try-gun is simply 
an evolution by natural means of certain methods em¬ 
ployed years and years ago by our forefathers and based 
upon observations which they were almost as .well able 
to make in those days as we are at the present time, 
with alb our advantages of modern science. 
As an example, one may quote the remarks of a writer 
on the subject of choosing a gun, the article in question 
having been written about the latter end of the eighteenth 
century. This old-fashioned scribe prefaces what he has 
to say by observing that the adapting of guns to persons 
of different size and makes is a thing of no small impor¬ 
tance, and as such, deserves to be specially considered. 
He then proceeds: “In the choice of a gun there is 
certainly much more to be attended to than the size and 
the bore of it. For instance, in a gun for a broad- 
shouldered man the stock is bent sideways, as if you 
would lay the lock upon your knee and could bend it 
with your hands. The point or toe of the butt turns 
out a little to the right, so as to bring the breech of the 
barrel to his eye in a direct line with the muzzle without 
constraint or bending his head much, which a short¬ 
necked man cannot do without danger of hurting his 
face.” It will be noticed from the foregoing that the 
writer uses exactly the same terms and expressions as 
are in "common usage to-day among the trade, and those 
versed in the technical language of gun-making. There 
was, however, in those days, so it seems, no equivalent 
for our present expressions “cast-off” or “cast-on,” as 
applied to the bending of the stock to the right or left 
respectively. 
We next come to a word or two of advice to slender 
men, as follows: “A gun whose stock is of a middling 
bend and length, and quite straight sideways (i. e., 
neither ‘cast-off’ nor ‘cast-on’) best suits a slender man 
with a longish neck. Suppose the length of the butt 
from the breach (sic) about 15% inches, and if a straight 
line is laid to the barrel, so as to touch the muzzle and 
breach, and continued to the butt, you will find that the 
butt drops about 3 inches from the line (and for a man 
who has a short neck it ought to drop a quarter of an 
inch more) and at about 3 inches from the butt, where 
the face touches, about 2% inches; and if he is broad 
and stout and his arms cannot reach so far forward, 14 
inches or 14% in length from breach to butt may be suf¬ 
ficient.” 
The most remarkable thing about these -observations is 
the excessive amount of bend recommended. “A man of 
slender build with a longish neck” would not be advised 
by his gun-maker nowadays to adopt a gun with a bend 
of 2%—3, but would be more likely to be suited with a 
weapon measuring about 1%—2, or a trifle more. Again, 
the man with the shorter neck would hardly require a 
bend of 3%. inches at the heel of the butt. These meas¬ 
urements seem all the more excessive when one remem¬ 
bers that the guns of that day were of great length in 
barrel—something life 3 feet, and occasionally 3 feet 6 
inches. Every one knows that the tendency of excessive 
bend is to depress the muzzle, which fault would be all 
the more aggravated by the weight and length of the 
barrel. Many of the old guns made a hundred or a 
hundred and fifty years ago, examples of which are still 
to be met with, were very badly balanced, quite apart 
from their clumsiness. Balance, as we now understand, 
it, was, in fact, an almost impossible thing with a gun 
whose barrel was of such a length and thickness that 
its weight was often half as much again as the rest of 
the gun, and the sling which was frequently fitted to 
guns in those days must have destroyed the balance of 
the weapon still more effectually. 
Talking of balance, it may be interesting to quote what 
the writer has to say on this subject, and on the matter 
of “fit.” “Balance the gun,” says he, “upon the fore¬ 
finger of your left hand (which is a proper situation for 
your left hand) then join your right hand with' your fore¬ 
finger, and throwing it off a little space from you in a 
horizontal direction, to prevent it rubbing against your 
shoulder. In taking up the gun, slip your finder off the 
cock, and draw the butt to your shoulder, so as to feel 
it gently, and point the muzzle to any object; and if 
you find the breech in a line with the muzzle, without 
any constraint, it then lies very well to suit you.” It. is 
fairly evident from the foregoing remarks that the writer, 
if when he says “balance your gun,” he really means it, 
expected the left hand to be pushed forward until it 
was so far advanced as to take up sufficient of the 
weight of the' barrel to balance the gun. This mode of 
procedure is a way out of a difficulty in the case of an 
ill-balanced weapon, but it is not at all in accordance with 
present day improved ideas of gun balance, and must 
have thrown a very severe strain' upon the arm of the 
shooter during a long day’s sport. Otherwise, the direc¬ 
tions here given are useful enough, and much the same 
as we should recommend to-day to the would-be gunner 
anxious to know whether the gun he proposed purchas¬ 
ing fitted him or not. 
At this point in his article the writer goes into an 
elaborate and somewhat- abstruse dissertation upon trig¬ 
gers and trigger-guards, which, according to his way of 
thinking, were not usually constructed in the most con¬ 
venient fashion. He is speaking, of course, of the straight 
trigger, such as one finds in most guns of the period, 
and his chief objection to the way in which it was fitted 
appears to be that its angle caused one’s finger to slip 
up close to the stock, and so make the pull very hard. 
He therefore advocates the setting back of the end of 
the trigger nearer to the guard, as well as greater length 
of trigger, in order that the finger might obtain greater 
leverage and be able to regulate the pull to a nicety. 
Our author was evidently a man of thought and ob¬ 
servance, but he failed to see what gunmakers have dis¬ 
covered since, viz., that the curved trigger would ob¬ 
viate the chance of the finger slipping in the act of pull¬ 
ing. Nowadays, too, triggers are arranged to pull off at 
a resistance of so many pounds, and can be regulated 
so as to suit the peculiarities of any individual—an 
obvious advantage in the case of excitable or nervous 
persons. 
There now follows what is, perhaps, the most curious 
of all the remarks contained in this old writer’s disser¬ 
tation upon shooting matters. Talking of accidents, he 
says: “We cannot be too minute in giving directions 
which may prevent any accidents attending this sport, 
and on that account cannot caution gentlement too much 
against a fondness for short guns. If short guns go off 
by accident while loading they (i. e., the gentlemen 
aforesaid) are the more exposed to danger, as they more 
naturally lean over the muzzle, which, however, ought 
to be avoided either in long or short guns. We have 
had an instance of a gentleman, who, being out a-shoot- 
ing by himself, had his skull laid bare by his gun going 
off, though he knew of no defect in the lock, till it was 
afterward examined. He had, no doubt, leaned over 
his gun, and many other cases might prove that no per¬ 
son is so much exposed" to accidents of this kind from 
long guns as short ones.” One would hardly have 
thought that it were necessary to warn sportsmen against 
the danger of looking down their gun barrels in the act 
of charging a muzzleloader, but no doubt that strange 
section of humanity which so often figures nowadays in 
reports of shooting accidents was not unknown in the 
days of our forebears. Muzzleloaders are very rarely 
used nowadays, and so accidents of the kind referred to 
by our old-time writer are not common; but we have 
quite as many, and probably more, of that irresponsible 
class of human idiots that, having shot some one. tries 
to save its face by remarking that it-“didn’t know it was 
loaded.” • 
The following description of what was considered in the 
year 1792 a really good gun is given in this interesting 
article: “First, the barrel should be a tolerable large 
bore, and very smooth, with a handsome outside; the 
length from 3 feet to 3 feet 6 inches; the lock rather 
small, with good and strong springs; the stock neat, not 
too much burnt (?) in the butt; and upon the whole .the 
piece to rise light and handy to the shoulder. The 
mounting may be according to fancy; however, brass, for 
weather and convenience, is certainly preferable to steel. 
As for the intrinsic value of a piece, that can only be 
known by trial, without which no new one should be 
purchased.” 
Then follows an elaborate and, as we should consider, 
a somewhat severe test for proving the capabilities of the 
“fowling piece.” Our author says: “For the purpose 
of trial, we would advqise a young sportsman to stand at 
at distance of 70 yards from a clear barn door or any 
*uch place, so that the degree of scattering the shot will 
be better observed. At his first charge let him try the 
common charge of a pipe of powder, and a pipe and a 
half of shot; and to do the gun justice, let him be as 
steady as possible in his aim. If you find that you have 
thrown any at this distance into the card, you may 
safely conclude the piece is a good one; if you haye 
missed the card, perhaps through unsteadiness, and 
thrown a tolerable sprinkling into the sheet, you may 
have the same good opinion of the gun; but if you find 
none in the sheet and are sensible of having shot steady 
try then an equal quantity of powder and shot (which 
some barrels are found to carry best) at the same dis¬ 
tance; and if you then miss giving the sheet a tolerable 
sprinkling, refuse the piece as being but an indifferent 
one. if you arc determined to have one of the best sort, 
which certainly is most advisable; and this trial may be 
considered altogether sufficient for a gun that is recom¬ 
mended by any gunsmith as a first-rate one.” It is a 
pity that no statement is made as to the size of the 
“card” referred -to in these instructions for gun-testing, 
but we may note that this rough-and-ready method of 
“plating” a gun was universally adopted until quite re¬ 
cently, and doubtless is still practiced in some out-of-the- 
way places, for one can hardly find a barn door in any 
part, of the country which has not been peppered with 
shot pellets at one time or another. 
Inferior guns were not expected to stand so searching 
a test as the foregoing, although the ordeal through 
which they were supposed to go was severe enough to 
please the most fastidious. The advice given is as fol¬ 
lows: “For the second, or more indifferent sort (of a 
gun) let 55 or 60 yards be the distance of trial, and a 
judgment formed according to the above rule; but it 
must be observed that as some pieces carry a larger 
quantity of powder and shot than others, so it will be 
advisable to try three or four different quantities; but 
never to exceed a pipe and a half of powder, and the 
proportionable quantity of shot as before mentioned.” 
What delightfully haphazard methods our forefathers 
adopted. And yet, who shall say, taking all the dis¬ 
advantages of those days into consideration, that they 
were any worse shots than ourselves, with all our smoke¬ 
less powders and generally improved ammunition, our 
ejectors and our single triggers? — East Sussex in Shoot¬ 
ing Times. 
Baltimore Shooting Association. 
Baltimore, Md., Dec. 22. — A turkey shoot, at which 
white fliers were the objects, had thirteen contestants 
to-day. The scores follow: 
Francis ... 
Hawkins . 
Denny 
Reinhardt 
Armstrong 
Mears .... 
Kessler ... 
France .... 
Hood _ 
Moxley .. 
Harker .. 
Fisher 
Tracey .. 
15 
12 
12 
12 
11 
13 
13 
14 
15 
12 
12 
11 
13 
11 
15 
11 
10 
10 
12 
12 
15 
ii 
13 
10 
11 
13 
12 
9 
7 
12 
12 
9 
ii 
12 
9 
12 
10 
12 
13 
10 
15 
ii 
11 
15 
5 
12 
13 
10 
10 
12 
Winners of turkeys were Francis, Armstrong, Denny, 
Harker, Moxley and Hawkins. 
Trial races will be held next Thursday for the team to 
represent Baltimore vs. Philadelphia. 
The shoot of the Boston Athletic Association, at 
Riverside, Dec., 22, was notable for good shooting. Dr. 
E. F. Gleason won the 100-target handicap with a score 
of 95, from scratch. There were twelve other contestants. 
Flori’st Gun Club. 
Wissinoming, Pa., Dec. 20. —The weather was about 
as disagreeable as a downpour of steady, cold rain could 
impose. Fog added to the difficulties of making good 
scores. Only a few shot at the total of 175 targets: 
McCarty . 
.. 20 25 21 24 22 19 20 
Shot 
at. Broke 
175 150 
Mink. 
. 21 18 21 22 20 23 23 
175 
148 
Eames . 
. 21 16 22 16 20 20 18 
175 
133 
McKelvey .... 
. 22 19 20 23 .. 
10O 
84 
Browhurst .... 
.16 16 18 19 15 .. .. 
125 
84 
Buttler . 
. 22 20 18 20 . 
100 
80 
Huber . 
. 20 20 13 20 . 
100 
73 
Hoor . 
. 23 19 23 .. .... .. 
75 
65 
German . 
. 22 17 24 . 
75 
63 
German . 
. 22 17 24 . 
75 
63 
Dr Smith . 
. 17 15 14 11 . 
100 
57 
A Smith . 
. 11 15 14 . 
75 
40 
Pennington .. 
.20. 
25 
20 
Lohr . 
. 19. 
25 
19 
On Dec. 21 
thirty-four contestants took 
part in 
the 
amateur Eastern Pennsylvania handicap championship. 
The conditions were 100 targets, handicaps, 14 to 21yds.; 
entrance $2, targets included, cup and trophies to the 
three high guns. 
The contest resulted in a tie between G. S. McCartv 
and P. B. Pflegar, on 90, and on the shoot-off Pflegar 
won by a score of 23 to 21. Scores: 
TAR Elliott, . 
.18 
25 
22 
24 
23-94 
L S German. 
.18 
25 
23 
25 
24—97 
W II Heer. 
.IS 
23 
22 
23 
22—90 
C 11 Newcomb. 
.18 
18 
19 
21 
20—78 
G S McCarty. 
.IS 
25 
18 
23 
24-90 
M Hawkins . 
.18 
23 
17 
24 
23-87 
S Glover . 
.IS 
19 
21 
21 
22—83 
N Apgar . 
.18 
21 
17 
23 
21—82 
F E Pennington. 
.17 
19 
13 
22 
19—73 
A Smith . 
.17 
12 
16 
17 
18—63 
F M Eames. 
.16 
23 
20 
22 
19—84 
F E Butler. 
.16 
21 
19 
19 
23—82 
L R Huber. 
.18 
23 
18 
22 
18—81 
C E Mink. 
.18 
20 
24 
24 
21—89 
W J Lohr. 
.18 
21 
21 
20 
20—82 
1 P Stone. 
.16 
12 
13 
12 
12—49 
W W Sharpless. 
.17 
19 
17 
21 
17—74 
T F Pratt. 
.16 
16 
21 
15 
18—70 
M R Darlington. 
.15 
16 
18 
20 
19—73 
W R Iluttenlock. 
.17 
22 
16 
19 
17—74 
G Anderson . 
.IS 
17 
14 
18 
17—66 
L R Little. 
.17 
21 
21 
19 
20-81 
T Tansey . 
.17 
20 
21 
19 
22—82 
1 S Carrington. 
.16 
18 
11 
14 
13—51 
C Danenhauer . 
.16 
17 
16 
15 
11—58 
H S Welles. 
.IS 
19 
19 
22 
18—76 
P B Pflegar. 
.17 
22 
23 
22 
23—90 
Mrs Park . 
.16 
23 
24 
19 
18—84 
H L Landis. 
.18 
22 
22 
23 
18—85 
B Crowhurst . 
.15 
14 
14 
10 
8—46 
T F Home-wood. 
. 16 
17 
23 
23 
18—81 
W G Allen. 
.15 
17 
21 
17 
16—71 
T W Allison. 
.16 
18 
19 
16 
18—71 
Shearer . 
.16 
17 
15 
22 
16—70 
Shoot-off of tie, 25 targets: Pflegar 23, McCarty 21. 
Glenside Gun Club. 
Skaneateles Junction, N. Y., Dec. 19.—The afternoon 
tournament of the Glenside Gun Club* was a very pleasant 
affair, with, twenty shooters present. High average was 
won by C. L. Frantz, Seneca Falls. 
The monthly trophy five-man team event, 100 targets 
per team, was won by the Masonic Temple Gun Club, 
of Syracuse' score S3. Auburn scored 78, Baldwinsville 
74. J. H. Briggs, the popular trade representative, was 
present and ably assisted. 
Events: 1 
Targets: 10 
Whyte . 6 
Frantz . 9 
Knox . 8 
Connors ’ . .■. 4 
Chas Cottle . 7 
Corfield . 9 
Post . 8 
Knapp . 5 
J Cottle . 8 
Hookway . 9 
Burgman . 6 
Dailey . 10 
O E Carpenter. 6 
Smith . 8 
Davy . 7 
Phillips . 6 
Ernshaw . 8 
Hall . 3 
Doman . 
Carpenter . 
2 
3 
4 5 
6 7 
8 
9 
1010 
10 25 
10 10 10 10 
Total. 
7 
9 
6 14 
8 9 
8 
9 
76 
9 
10 
9 15 
9 10 
9 10 
90 
9 
3 
9 14 
6 10 10 
9 
78 
6 
6 
7 15 
7 8 
8 
6 
67 
S 
8 
9 20 
8 10 
5 
9 
84 
7 
6 
6 .. 
9 7 
4 
7 
55 
7 
5 
7 .. 
9 8 
7 
6 
57 
9 
7 
8 15 
9 10 
8 
8 
79 
7 
8 
4 .. 
8 8 
9 
9 
61 
7 
6 
5 18 
6 10 
8 
5 
74 
7 
8 
10 17 
9 8 
8 
7 
80 
9 
8 
10 14 
8 8 
7 
S 
82 
8 
8 
10 19 
10 8 10 
9 
88 
10 
9 
10 15 
9 8 
8 
9 
86 
6 
5 
7 14 
7 8 
5 
7 
66 
8 10 
7 IS 
10 7 
9 
7 
82 
9 
8 
8 17 
9 10 
.9 
5 
83 
1 
2 
5 10 
. 9 
30 
9 
9 
4 9 
24 
4 
6 .. 
18 
J. N. 
Knapp. 
Wykagyl Country Club, 
New Rochelle, N. Y.—Conditions were unfavorable 
for high scoring at the weekly shoot of the Wykagyl 
Country Club at New Rochelle on Saturday, Dec. 22. 
Two members' and two visitors, Von Deestert and 
Ketchum, faced the traps, and in spite of the wind, rain 
and snew, made some very good scores. Pelham, shoot¬ 
ing from scratch, won a leg on the Sauer gun, one of 
the season* prizes, after two-shoot-offs. In the third 
event, Brennan and Calhoun both" had full scores, the 
former winning the tie, scoring a leg on the Remington 
gun Bavier, an old-time rifle shot, but new to the^ game 
of trapshooting, won the fourth event for the 1. L. 
Jaques trophy with another full score. Ogden also had 
a perfect score in the fifth, as did Scoble in the sixth. 
The full scores follow: 
