The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1897-01-23
KEEPING THE FAVORITE WEAPON
FIRE FROM SPOTS.
Game bird Gives the Idea That He
Is Making Greater Speed Than
He Really Is.


keen a gun clean. says II. H. Benson in
Harper's Round Table T''-~ residue left
in the barrel a1ter firing contains acids,
which will soon eat pits" or spots In the
metal. and when once started, it is almost
impossible to prevent them increasing in
size and number. When badly pitted, the
recoil is increased by the roughness in
the barrel A gun can be cleaned by the
following directions. The cleaning rod
should have at least three tools-a wool
swab, a wire scratch brush, and a wiper
to run rags through Have plenty Of wa
ter at hand-warm If you have il, if not
cold will do nicely Put the swab on the
rod, and some water in a tin basin or
wooden pail. BY placing one end of the
barrel in the water, you can pump 1t up
and down the barrel with the swab. When
1t is discolored take fresh water, squeeze
out the swab in 1t and repeat the opera
ton, until the water comes from the bar
rel as clear as it went in. If the gun has
stood overnight, or longer, since using,
it is best to put on the scratch brush af-
ter the first swabbing and a few passes
with TINS will remove any hardened pow
der or leading. The next step is to fill the
wiper with wooden or cotton rags. and
dry the barrel thoroughly. When one set
becomes wet take another, until they
come from the barrel perfectly dry. Then
stand the barrel on end on heated stove,
changing it from end to end, taking caro-
that 1t does not become overheated. By
the time it Is well warmed up, the hot air
from the stove will have dried out every
particle of moisture left in the barrel If
no stove is at hand the last set of drying
rags used must be piled vigorously up and
down the barrel until 1t becomes quite
warm from the friction. Drying is the
most important part of cleaning, and if
the least particle of moisture is left in the
barrel it will be a rust spot the next time
the gun is taken from it's case. The gun
may now be oiled, inside and out with
sewing machine oil or gun grease, which
can be had in any gun store. The wooden
rags used for greasing soak up a great
deal of oil, and should be dropped into the
gun cover for future use.
Cartridges can be bought ready loaded,
by hand or machinery but most sports
men prefer to load their own for several
reasons. They find it much cheaper, and
the shells can be loaded to suit each
ones individual notion.
Safe Handling of Guns.
In regard to the safe handling of guns,
almost all rules center in that of always
carrying the gun in such a way that If it
should be accidentally discharged it
would do no harm. If this rule Is born in
mind, and strictly obeyed in the begin
ming, 1t becomes a habit. and is followed
intuitively. The gun may be carried safe
ly on either shoulder, or in the hollow of
either arm. with sharp upward slant.
When momentarily expecting a bird to
rise. and obliged to have the gun cooked,
1t should be carried across the breast with
sharp upward slope to the left. This
is the only way the gun should be carried
cooked. A breech loader is so easily IN
loaded that there Is no excuse for getting
into a wagon or boat, or going around a
house, without unloading. Never hand
loaded gun to any one who asks to look
at 1t. Whenever you pick up any kind of
gun to examine it, always open it and
see If 1t is loaded. and the habit will grow
so that you will do this almost without
knowing it. 1t seems needless to say
never pull a gun toward you By the muz-
zle through a fence or out OF a wagon or
boat, yet the violation of this rule is the
cause of more accidents than anything
else. Never climb a fence with your gun
cooked.
In learning the art Of shooting on the
wing-and this is the only way in which
a shot gun should be used-the following
amount of printed directions can teach
you to shoot. Practice is the best teach
er. Nine out of ten young sportsmen
shoot too quickly. A game bird rises
with startling whir of the wing (and
sometimes when least expected), which
gives the idea that he Is making much
greater speed than he really is. Begin
ners are apt to become excited, and throw
up the gun anywhere in that direction
and blaze away with no definite aim. For
this reason It is best to begin with black
birds, rice birds and rails
In almost every shot 1t is necessary to
hold ahead of the bird, to allow for the
time it takes to explode the cartridge and
throw the shot to the bird. Even in this
short space Of time a cross-fying bird
would be safely out of the shot circle il
you aimed right at him. II a bird lies
straight away from you, neither rising
nor dropping, you should aim right at it,
If flying straight across, you should hold
well ahead Of it, If quartering, still hold
ahead, but less.
Many will ask how far to hold anead
and this is a difficult question to answer
accurately, as we have no means of know
ing just how far ahead we do hold One
might say six feet and another six inches
What might appear to be an inch at the
muzzle of the gun might really be a foot
in front of the bird 40 yards away It
must be learned by experience. and when
accustomed to 1t the aim will be taken
almost instantly, governed by the drec-
ton of flight the speed of the bird, ana
the distance from the shooter.
1t is best to ask permission of the owner
to shoot over his land. You will seldom
be refused. and will frequently be given