Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1876 edition. Excerpt: ...spite of every precaution after washing out a gun with water. The better plan for carrying turpentine is to have a glass-stoppered bottle fitted into a wooden case. I am quite convinced that any person who once tries turpentine for gun-cleaning will discard water and oil for ever after. It is a wise precaution to have with you in reserve a pair or two of spare mainsprings, at least two sets of ramrod fittings, and not less than three pairs of nipples; the latter I prefer 'inverted, ' and bouched with platinum. Experience has clearly proved to my mind that with inverted nipples there is not nearly so great a liability to miss-fires from damp, neither are you annoyed with a small column of smoke curling up from each nipple when you fire. Further than this, I find the ordinary shaped nipple rapidly wears, and the hole soon becomes sufficiently large to admit of an escape of gas sufficient to blow the hammer back to half-cock--a mishap very likely to break a mainspring. I have never known this to occur when the inverted pattern was employed, hence I invariably use them. During the Commission I can safely say, for four years I fired my double-shot gun on an average a great many times every day, carried it on horse and mule-back, and also used it constantly in boat-shooting, but with the exception of replacing the nipples occasionally, and the loss of a ramrod or two, it was never once damaged or disabled. A breech-loader might have done as well, but I cannot quite admit it as an established fact until I have better evidence adduced than I am in possession of at present. GET YOUK GUN-CASE MADE. 157 If you use a gun-case, by all means have it made of strong leather, such as trunks are constructed of; wooden cases or such as are covered-with black..
