The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent. (Port Gibson, Claiborne Co., Miss.) 1848-18??, 1850-10-11
MISCELLANEOUS.
How to Load a Gun. SC.

The following article is recommended
and endorsed by an experienced Gunner
of our town.
The Rev. DIR. Knight, in an elaborate
article on the "Scientifc use and General
Management of the fowling-peice," ad-
dressed ''to the farming population" gives
the following directions for ascertaining
the proper charge for gun, &c, which
it would be we'll for all young Nimrods to
peruse:
To ascertain the proper charge for a
fowling-piece, the following is the rule to
be obseryed:-Try it repeatedly, in the
first place. with equal buIks Of powder
and shot, till you come to a quantity with
which the gun will not recoil, or but slight
ly. This is the proper quantity of shot
which it will carry: Next, with these
equal quantities of powder and shot, stand
at a proper distance, and fire at board,
and YOU will find the shots scattered in all
directions. Then lessen the quantity Of
powder, and you will find it carries much
closer. Lessen the powder little more,
but keep up to the, same quantity Of shot,
and it will carry still closer. And thus
proceed lessening the powder till you come
to a quantity with which it will carry
quite close. This is the proper charge for
your gun. Ever afterwards use this, and
no other. Have little tin measure made,
one side holding just the quantity of pow
der and the other side the quantity of shot;
and when you load the gun, measure out
the proportions by this, and you will sell
dom have to complain of your gun not
CARRYING far enough, and seldom miss the
mark. A gun thus loaded will never
burst, and child might fire it with ease.
And if at any time you wish it to carry a
little farther than usual, you are not to in
crease the quantity of either ingredient Of
the charge, Bat see that the gam Is perfect
ly clean, and use a larger kind Of shot,
and you will have all the instrument is
capable of doing.
Another point of nearly equal impor-
tance, is the manner of loading the gun.
Some seem to have notion that great
deal of wadding or paper is necessary
Nothing of the kind; the less the better.
The best material Cor wadding is leather
cutters foundihgs, or old hat or cardboard
cut out with a stamp to the size of the
bore. If paper IS used, put in but little
Some persons imagine that great deal ot
humping or ramming down is wanted
and that it gives force to the charge: This is
mistake, for insteadof giving force to the
charge,it only produces a strong recoil. Tc
ascertain these points we have only to con.
sider the, object to be attained. The pa
per over the powder is only to keep it sep.
arate from the shot, and needs to be but
lightly pressed down. The outside paper
is to keep the shot from falling out Of the
gun, and but little ramming down is nee.
essary. That too much wadding or ram.
ming down should weaken the force Of the
proiectile is evident from one of the plain.
est principles of mechanics. Recoil il
rather to be prevented than promoted; ane
a gun with It's proper charge, and thu:
loaded, will go off easily without any dan
ger of its bursting, provided it be clean
But the cleaning Of the gun is matter
of unspeakable importance. Neglect il
| this particular is the great cause Of the
bursting of a gun. A clean gun goes Of
easily. and carries long way; but dirty
gun is different a1air-it produces a dul
report-a heavy recoil--the charge may
! be heard grating along the inside of tft
piece ike a file. it fails Of reaching tht
distance; the bird gets away. And wher