The morning call., 1890-11-16
THE GUN.
Bagginr Ducks on tho sacramento-Hov
10 Clean a Gun.

Bayginr Ducks tho Sacramento-How
10 Clean a Gun.
Snortsmeu who cannot afford the time or
expense ola shoot on some OF the Islands OF
the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, are
praying for a good rain SO as to have some
sport on The marshes convenient 10 the city.
Reports from BOuldin Island are very favor
able but this year some of the best shooting
grounds adjoining the island are under pre-
serve rule. There are, however, many
places on the San joaquin River at which
the steamers stop on their up and down
trims that will afford good sport to any
hunter who is satisfied with a bag of
few dozen birds in a days shooting
The good shooting now to be had near Sui
sun on the preserve grounds is attributed to
the good feeding the birds have in the
ponds, which have been baited with hum
dreds of sacks of grain as means Of Turing
the birds from other grounds less favored
with food. Teal aud mallard are very plen-
tiful. and the members of the clubs. who
generally visit their shooting quarters on
SATURDAYS, are said to be enjoying splendid
fiock-shOoting, although few Of the men,
beers, who are expert wing shots, prefer to
bring down the game by singles or doubles,
as the opportunity presents itself.
How many times have hunters been heard
to remark that they are posseSsors OF the
best shooting guns in America. AS gen.
eral thing these guns, which are so highly
priced for their shooting QUALITIES etc, are
kept In wretched order. Their owners,
with few exceptions, cast them aside after
a days shooting in rusty, dirty condition,
to be cleaned when the rust has taken a
firm hold on the barrels Guns should be
wiped clean and dry after using, and if a
sportsman places any value on his fowling-
piece it should be cleaned in this manner:
After washing and cleaning the barrels
thoroughly push some clean tow several
- ,,rrt, no har md tho-, oil
piece of soft cloth, and lastly, piece of
tow soaked in vaseline. By putting
yaSeline ON a gun at the end Of days shoot
ing any rust formed during the day will be
softened by the following morning and can
be easily wiped off with q cloth without any
violent exercise. The action OF a gun and
its bolts and Jumps are made to lit SO close
and alright that the less rubbing they re-
ceive the longer will their parts lit without
becoming shaky. Speaking of guns and the
ways OF cleaning them an Old sportsman and
gunsmith says:
Itpossible the action and breech end OF a gun
should never be cleaned save with wad of low,
A soft cloth or Old silk handkeIchief Tor rubbing
ami seIuDbiug their Interstces and angles with
4 piece Of stick. wire brush, and (heaven pre-
serve the guuD with emery Ia any fOim, are
M thnds always TO he avoided. Ii IS not that
piece OF stlca IL ITSELF could wear the fittings OF
gun; II is he atoms OF iusl or grit that The app-
cation Of tile suck grindS almost ike sand .Oth
against tile metal work.
~
sheltered from The atmosphere that they Will
keep clean and dry In The worst OF weather, and
should be rs little interiered with as poSSibe-a
thin coat or vaseline their fiat surfaces, and
touching their working parts very lightly with
fine SOFT paint-bl ush, dipped 10 sweet OIL once
durlng The year, should be enough for them. IL
gun-OCks are Tusted, no amateur can possibly
set them right again.
Taking the loo s of a gun of viii eventually
cause their accurate flt INTO The woodwork OF
the stock to suffer; and minute crryiceS Will APP
pear round lie edges OF tie lock- plates, and
water and air will be admitted, and rust be The
result, though the said creylces would scarcely
admit the point OF a needle.
Round The cages of the metal work is one OF
the FIRST places where an inferior gun will fail
and show gaps. very often through The wood OF
the stock shrinking from improper seasoning, IS
| we'll as from the lock-platrs themselves or the
! metal, being Incorrectly fitted.
The members of the Alameda Sp0rtsman's
| Club formally opened the season at their
preserves on the SOnoma marshes last Sun
| day. The club has lease of several thous-
| and acres of marsh land, over which it in
| tends to allow 10 person TO shoot this sea-
son, except guests holding permits. Secre-
! tary Harry H0Ughton, i. is said, intends this
| winter to enforce the rule, mo shooting al
| lowed"
A party of about ten hunters will go to
MERGED tomorrow with the courSiDg men,
for the purpose of having a couple of days
| shooting at ducks and geese. which swarm
! by thousands on the plains near the artesian
| bitches.