Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-04-17
HOW TO HANDLE A GUN
ADVANTAGE OF sPORTSNEN WHO
BEGAN TO SHOOT EARLY.
Tips That IL Observed VIII Make the
Aim Sure and the Sport Safe
Fit of the Gun Essential.


! Shooting has become a branch of sport
80 generally INDUCED in that the safe han
ding of firearms is a matter of grave i'm
portance. How to carry the gun, how and
when to shoot. accuracy of aim and how
to put ourselves and our fellow men in
the least possible danger may be termed
the most important things TO the gunner.
To become proficient must begin
young. Familiarity with a gun when ac-
quired at late stage IN life gives evil
dence that it is not natural. but is more or
less put on. There Is no reason. however.
why person OF mature age cannot learn
to carry a gun in a proper manner and
with a few simple precautions place acct
dent beyond possibility.
A gun pointed at no object or person can
do no harm even If it does go of acct
dentaliy. 1t is very easy to carry the gun
with the barrels pointed earthward or sky
ward When the gun is carried with the
barrels pointing toward the earth and the
trigger guard resting on the wrist 1t Is
apparently in position to do no one any
harm. but a foot has been shot off more
than once by gun held in this position.
To make this method absolutely safe the
simple preCaution of breaking the gun
should be followed With the gun broken
il is impossible for it to go off accidentally.
and it is a matter of but a small part of a sec
oud to close the barrels. Closing the gun
and bringing it to the shoulder for aim
can be accomplished IN motion.
II
trigger guard should be uppermost This
will bring the barrels into position point
Ing almost directly Shyward. If the reverse
method Is used-that is, the trigger guard
down-the barrels win be on level with
any one trailing in the rear Many acct-
dents have been caused by crossing fence
with loaded gun in hand. These accidents
may be avoided by laying the gun down
within reaching distance of the other side
A stil safer method Is to withdraw the car
tridges from the gun before crossing any
INSTR Ion, last had
possibility of accident One famous old rule
formulated in behalf of safety was to carry
the gun always at half cock. but the re-
bounding lock now used. which necessitates
the gun always being at half cock, has
done away with this.
Rules for Personal Safety.
Never shoot In the direction of any one,
no matter how great the distance. Guns
sometimes carry marvellous distances, and
the range OF danger cannot be gagged &C.
curateIy. for of two shells. though they
are marked the same, one Is often more
powerful than the other. A trif1e more
powder may have been put in one or the
difference may be in the explosive strength
OF two equal amounts of powder. The con-
dition of the atmosphere often has a great
deal to do with the distance gun will
carry.
If walking in line never change your posi-
ton by stepping ahead CT dropping behind
II spread apart tn the right and left this
rule should be even more closely followed.
I Ne person on the extreme right is In the
safer position on account of the tendency
to shoot to the left. whereas the person in
the center will probably have the better
sport The left is the more dangerous po-
sluoE because Of the tendency to swing the
gun In that direction. ON the other hand
the more reckless shot should be placed on
the left.
The first handling Of gun rnolds the
Career OF the future sportsman and for this
reason he should be put in the hands of a
STRICT instructor. The policy of beginning
with single barrel gun is a thing of the
past IL Is very easy to have the lock of
= one barrel fixed and then. when the time
comes to use the second barrel all there
Is to do is to free the fixed lock. The OBJ
Jcct OF allowing the beginner to use ONLY
one barrel at first is to make him careful
OF his aim. If he began with both barrels
he would think If he missed with the first
he would bring down his game with the
second anyway. This would tend to make
>hfnn careless with his first barrel, and this
carelessness once acquired cannot easily be
got rid of. If he began with single bar
rel gun he would have to begin all over
again with double barrel gun, for he
would have a strange weapon
10 have beginner measured for a gun
Is no longer a matter Of mere theory but
IS the most important feature 1t is really
the first step in the art of shooting Take
the beginner TO gunshop and pick out
several guns. Then let him try the guns
placing the stock about an inch from the
chest and three inches below the shoulder
ieL the neck of the gun be slightly grasped
close To the trigger. The left arm should
o. extended along the barrel. with a slight
Denn NJ the elbow ana the left hand grasp
Ing the barrel firmly. Ii the gun ia fr
an upward motion of both hands will nor
only bring the stock into proper position
but viii bring the barrel in the direct line
CT the eye and of any object to which the
attention OF the eye is directed. When the
eye Is conferred on any object the hands
act IN unison and the gun is mechanically
pointed in that direction.
shoot First at a Target
The next important step is the position of
the legs. This should be very steady. with
the left foot straight in front, and the
right at right angles to the left In this
position one can shoot to the right or left
without moving either foot Perfect bal
hhce Is necessary, and when 1t is once sc-
auired II Is never lost If the beginner
stdiLdS with MS legs apart he has to move
them when changing the direction of his
shot and this disturbs his aim
Let the beginner shoot first at target
SO that he can see the effect of his aim
10 not allow him to poke his gun about
and seek his aim he will acquire the
following trick which has spoiled many
fdence that his gun is leveed right and
has attained the knack of shooting at an
inanimate object then let him try a Sit
ting bird or Squatting rabbit Follow
ing this let him try a moving mark begin
: ming with the game going straight from
HIM This will be practically an easy
me- M dl'Si ms former training and will
not give him any difficulty. After this it
becomes more complex in allowing for
movement both in direction and speed of
the proposed victim. Whether fying or
running straight or Obiiquely. detection
from a straight line. distance and rate OF
speed are all problems that must be solved
In the fraction of a second.
The judging of distance is the most diff
cult and can be acquired by practice alone
In nine cases out of ten the first shots
VIII fall behind the object. There are
some rules for this. of which is called
'chuCking the gun" which Is first to cover
The object, then a slight quick movement
OF the barrels ahead, pulling the trigger
. at the same instant. Another rule that is
much followed. but Is very Inaccurate is
TO pitch up the gun and fire at the spot
which YOU think will be the point of con-
tact The first is much preferable and de-
NelOpS Surer shots.
Lively rabbits are the best marks for a
beginner. There is chance for aim
AT whatever point the rabbit is to be shot