Post by steve stanley on Feb 12, 2009 20:42:46 GMT 1
The ordering and managing a Gun.
WHEN a perfon is mafter of a good Piece, the keeping it in proper order is a main article to the doing execution with it: it is neceffary the infide of the barrel, the touch. hole, and the lock, be kept clean; and the fprings and moving parts of the lock properly oiled. The barrel fhould be wafhed at leaft after every eighteen or twenty fires, where the beft fort of powder is ufed; but if the gun- powder is an inferior fort, then the barrel will require the oftener wafhing. The beft method of wafhing a barrel is, by taking out the britch- pin; but as this can feldom be conveniently done, take the barrel out of the ftock, and put the britch-end into a pail of warm water, leaving the touch-hole Open; then, with an iron rod, with tow or a bit of linen rag at the end, draw up and down in the fyringe manner, till it is quite clean ; changing the water, and rinfing the infide, as the foulnefs requires: when the barrel is perfectly clean, its infide muft be dried by tow, or linen rags; and when this is done, it will be proper to put in a red-hot iron, of fix or eight inches in length (which any blackfmith will furnifh), and move it up and down to dry any remaining damp: the outfide of the barrel fhould be well dried, and a little oil rubbed over every time of cleaning.
The Appendages of the Gun.
THE neceffary appendages to the Fowling- Piece are, an iron-rod, with a fcrew or worm at one end, and a fcrape to clear ruft or caked powder) at the other, which rod is to be ufed for the wafhing and dry-cleaning the infide of the barrel, and a turn-fcrew fhould be kept for the ufe of the lock : A flafk, or horn, for the carriage of the pnwder, the fize and fhape of which may be according to fancy; however, It will be proper to have the rneafure of the charge to hold the exact quantity the gun is found found to carry. A leather pouch, or fmall canvas bag, to carry the fhot ; with a tin, or other meafure that will hold the exact charge of the gun : this article of the exact meafure for the powder and fhot fhould be particularly obferved ; as it not only faves trouble, but is charging with more certainty and exactnefs.
Steve
