General Remarks.--Breech-loaders.--At the present time when the merits
of different kinds of breech-loader are so hotly discussed, when all that
have yet been invented have some faults, and every month brings to light
some new invention, it would be foolish in me to write anything about
them; it would be obsolete before the great majority of my readers should
have seen this book. Therefore omitting breech-loaders altogether from
the present edition, I will confine myself to repeating what I have said
before upon muzzle-loaders, with additions and alterations.
Size of Gun.--American bushrangers advocate a long heavy pea-rifle, on
the plea of its accurate shooting, and the enormous saving in weight of
ammunition when bullets of a small size are used. The objections to
small-bored rifles are, insufficiency against large game (even with
conical bullets), and a tendency to become foul after a few shots. A
short light rifle, whether with a large or a small bore, is, I believe,
utterly worthless. In the hands of a man trembling with running and with
exhaustion, it shakes like a wand: the shorter the rifle, the more
quickly does it oscillate, and of course, in the same proportion, is it
difficult to catch the exact moment when the sights cover the object.
For the larger kinds of game, such as elephants and buffaloes,
experienced sportsmen mostly prefer guns of immense Bore, carrying round
bullets that weigh a quarter of a pound. The recoil is tremendous, and
would injure the shoulder if the sportsman did not use a pad against
which he rests the gun. The guns must be strong, because very large
charges of powder are invariably used where great power of penetration is
required. African sportsmen found this out experimentally long before the
idea occurred to artillerists.
Sights.--The hind sight should be far from the eye, even though it be
placed half-way down the barrel: else it becomes out of focus and
indistinct, when the eye is firmly set on the object aimed at; this
drawback is never compensated by the advantage of having the front and
hind sights far asunder.
Ramrod.--The guns of servants and indeed those of their masters, should
have thin soft-iron ramrods; the elasticity of these when slightly bent,
will retain them in the ramrod-tubes; both ends of the ramrod must be
forged broad.
Screw to secure the Cock.--In common guns, this screw is very liable to
get loose, fall out and be lost; it is therefore desirable to have one or
more spare screws.
Water-proof Cover should not be forgotten.
Rust, to prevent.--Paraffine and mercurial ointment are perhaps the two
best things to keep rust off iron, in sea voyages or in boat-shooting.
Before embarking for a voyage, it is convenient to enclose the guns in a
leaden case, which, on arrival, can be melted up into bullets. It is
remarkable how much better dirty guns withstand rust than clean ones.
Olive oil, to purify.--Put a piece of lead in the glass bottle that
contains the oil, and expose to the sun; a quantity of cloudy matter will
separate after a few days, then the refined oil may be decanted.
The small of the stock is the weakest part of a gun: it is constantly
broken by falls in travel. Sir Samuel Baker justly recommends that "all
guns made for sport in wild countries and rough riding, should have steel
instead of iron from the Breech-socket, extending far back to within six
inches of the shoulder plate; the trigger-guard should likewise be steel,
and should be carried back to an equal distance with the above rib; the
steel should be of extra thickness, and screwed through to the upper
piece; thus the two being connected by screws above and below, no fall
could break the stock."
Injuries to Guns, to repair.--Ramrod tubes often break off, and it is a
very troublesome accident when they do so. I know of no contrivance to
fasten them on again, except by using soft solder, the application of
which will not in the least hurt the gun: ashes, at a dull red heat, must
be heaped over the barrel to warm it sufficiently, before applying the
solder. If the ramrod tubes have been lost, others made of tin may
replace them.
The Sight of a Gun, if it falls out and is lost, can easily be replaced
by a substitute. A groove must be cut with a file across the substance of
the barrel, if the gun be a single one, or across the midrib, if
double-barrelled; into this a piece of iron, ivory, bone, horn, or hard
wood, with a projection carved in the middle for the sight, must be
pushed, then the metal on either side must be battered down over it, with
a hammer or stone, to keep it firm.
A broken Stock, however much it may be smashed, can be well mended by raw
hide (see "Hides"). Blacksmith's work and carpentering are seldom
sufficient for the purpose. It is within the power of a rough workman to
make a gun-stock, but it is a work of great labour.
A Ramrod may be replaced by cutting a stick from a tree, straightening it
in the fire, and then seasoning it. (See "Green Wood.")
Guns to hang up, to carry, and to clean.--Hanging Guns to a Wall.--Fix
a loop of leather for the muzzle, and a strap and buckle for the stock,
with a piece of sheepskin or canvas nailed so as to hang over it, as in
fig. 1. A more complete way is to sew a long pocket with a flap to it,
which is tied up on to a stick or bar, as in fig. 2: the gun has simply
to be Lifted out and in. The pocket must be made baggy at the part which
corresponds to the cocks of the gun.
[Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 As described in text].
Carrying Guns on a Journey.--"Look at the gun, but never let the gun
look at you, or at your companions," is a golden rule; for among the
chances of death to which a traveller is exposed, that of being shot by
an attendant's gun going off accidentally, ranks high. Servants should
carry their guns with the cock down on a piece of rag, that covers the
cap: take it all in all, it is the best plan for them. A sportsman will
find great convenience in having a third nick cut in the tumbler of his
lock, so as to give an additional low half-cock, at which the cock just
clears the nipple; it will prevent the cap from falling off or receiving
a blow. I have long used this plan, and find no objections to it: many
pistols are furnished with this contrivance. Careless gun-makers
sometimes make this catch so low, that when the cock is lifted a little
back from it, and let go, it strikes the cap by reason of the elasticity
of its metal, and lets off the gun: the traveller should beware of this
fault of workmanship.
[Sketch of gun as described].
As this book may fall into the hands of persons ignorant of the danger of
carrying a gun with the cock down on the nipple (to which cause I find
that three-fourths of gun accidents are owing, having once kept a list of
those that were reported in the newspapers), I will remark that when the
cock is down, a heavy blow on its back, nay, even the jar caused by the
gun falling on the ground, will cause the cap to explode. Again if the
cock catch against the dress, or against A twig, it is liable to be
lifted, when, on being released, it will snap down upon the cap. When a
gun is at half-cock, the first of these accidents obviously cannot occur;
and, as to the second, if the cock be pulled back and let drop, it falls,
not down upon the cap, but to half-cock again, except only in the case
where the trigger is also pressed back. The objections to carrying a gun
at half-cock are, that careless people occasionally leave it on full-cock
without perceiving the difference, and that there is a probability of
weakening the main-spring, if day after day it be kept on the strain.
Carrying Guns when Stalking Game.--In creeping after game, the gun is
always troublesome; there is no better plan than pushing it as far as the
arm can reach, then creeping up to it, and again pushing it forwards.
Carrying Guns on Horseback.--Allow me very strongly to recommend a trial
of the following plan, even for a shooting-pony in Scotland. It is the
invention of the Namaquas. I and all my party in South Africa used it for
a year and a half, and many persons have adopted the plan in England
since I first published a description of it. Sew a bag of canvas,
leather, or hide, of such a size as to admit the butt of the gun pretty
freely. The straps that support the bag, buckle through a ring in the
pommel; the thongs by which the slope of the bag is adjusted, are
fastened round the girth, below. The exact adjustments may not be hit
upon, by an unpractised person, for some time; but, when they are once
ascertained, the thongs need never be shifted. The gun is perfectly safe:
it never comes below the armpit, even in taking a crop leap: it is pulled
out in an instant by bringing the elbow forwards in front of the gun and
then backwards, pressing it against the side; by this manner, the gun is
thrown to the outside of the arm: then, lowering the hand, catch the gun
as near the trigger-guard as you can, and lift it out of the bag: (it is
a bungling way to take out the gun whilst its barrel lies between the arm
and the body). Any sized gun can be carried in this fashion, and it
offers no obstacle to mounting or dismounting.
I hear that some sportsmen, who were probably unacquainted with this
method, have used a bag or pocket of stiff Leather attached to the side
of the saddle, just behind the right leg; into this, when tired of
carrying the gun, they push the butt. It is said to lie there securely
and to give no trouble, the barrel passes forwards under the right arm,
and the muzzle is in front of the rider.
[Drawing of horse, rider and gun as described above].
The French dragoons carry a gun in a way that is convenient for military
purposes, because it does not interfere with the immense housings that
cavalry soldiers require; but it is not so handy, it does not lie so
freely as the above, nor is it as well suited to a traveller or a
sportsman. The gun is placed butt downwards, as in the Namaqua method,
and leans backwards in the same way; but the under side of the gun,
instead of being backwards, or towards the horse's tail, Is towards his
head. The butt lies in a shallow bucket, secured by two straps fixed to
the front of the saddle; another strap, leading from the pommel, and
passing over the right thigh of the rider, is hitched round the barrel of
the gun, and has to be unbuckled and cast off when the gun is taken out.
All ways of carrying the gun with its muzzle downwards, are very
objectionable; since the jolting tends to dislodge the charge; if it be
considerably dislodged, the gun will probably burst, on being fired.
Also, a very little shaking, when the muzzle is downwards, will shake the
powder out of the nipple, and therefore, a gun, so carried, will
constantly miss fire.
At Night, to dispose of Guns.--A gun is a very awkward thing to dispose
of at night. It has occurred more than once that a native servant has
crept up, drawn away the gun of his sleeping master, and shot him dead.
The following appears to me an excellent plan:--"When getting sleepy, you
return your rifle between your legs, roll over, and go to sleep. Some
people may think this is a queer place for a rifle; but, on the contrary,
it is the position of all others where utility and comfort are most
combined.
[Sketch of man and gun as described].
The butt rests on the arm, and serves as a pillow for the head; the
muzzle points between the knees, and the arms encircle the lock and
breech, so that you have a smooth pillow, and are always prepared to
start Up armed at a moment's notice." (Parkyns' 'Abyssinia.') The longer
the gun, the more secure is the sleeper from accident. The sketch is not
quite accurate, for, in practice, the weight of the gun is never allowed
to rest so entirely on the arm, as it is here represented: if it did so,
the arm would soon be numbed. The gun-stock may be a little bolstered up
if desired, to avoid any troublesome pressure on the arm.
Cleaning Guns.--A bit of rag does as well as tow, and can be used over
and over again. A top furnished with a sponge, to screw to the cleaning
rod, is convenient. "A leaded barrel must be cleaned with fine sand."
(Hawker.) Quicksilver, if it be at hand, will dissolve out the lead at
once.