The Hunting Grounds of the Old World, by 'The Old Shekarry', H.A.L.

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1860. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... PART IY. PRACTICAL HINTS ON FIREARMS AND THEIR USE. CHAPTER XXVI. The advantage of breech-loading guns and rifles.--The different systems.--Advice on purchasing fire-arms.--The theory of rifle practice.--Aiming, position, judging distance, and practical hints on shooting.--On the colour of sportsmen's dress.--Table of experiments with targets. * A T a time when cannon and rifles form the subject . *. of so much discussion and conversation in every circle, it were well if sportsmen would give some consideration to the breech-loading system as adapted to sporting-arms. Cannon and small arms are both in a transition state, and in the course of a few years we may expect to see great changes in the armament of our land and naval forces; for Sir William Armstrong and Mr. Whitworth, of Manchester, have satisfactorily proved that rifled cannon on the breech-loading system exceed all others in length of range, power of penetration, and accuracy of fire; and all our first-class gunmakers, amongst whom I may enumerate Purdey, Lancaster, Lang, Westley Richards, Boss, Moore, Terry, Needham, Whitton and Daw, and Leetch are manufacturing small arms (both guns and rifles) that load at the breech, of one description or another. Lancaster, Westley Richards, Terry, and Leetch have peculiar systems of their own invention, but most of the others have adopted that of La Faucheux, which, although it has been invented for upwards of five-and-twenty years, was very little known in this country until that excellent shot and practical mechanic Mr. Lang, of Old Red House notoriety, took it up; and it is to him that we are indebted for the efficient carrying out and improvement of a principle, which is almost as great an era in gunmaking as the invention of the copper cap. The follo...