How to Catch a Pig by Denis Boyles

Author:Denis Boyles
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780061974809
Publisher: HarperCollins

HOW A SHOTGUN IS MADE

Hunting and fishing have always held the most important places in the field of sport. Primitive man was an expert hunter and a skilled fisherman. He had to be in order to secure food and skins, and while but few men are now dependent upon this method of getting a living, the call of the outdoor world is still heard by millions of men and women. This, then, may be reckoned the inheritance that our primitive ancestors have bequeathed to every man, and every man will find health and recreation through it. It would be interesting to begin this chapter at the start and set down the history of weapons, trace the evolution of the hunting arm all the way from the bow down to the modern hammerless shotgun, but as this is a practical article on how to pick out a good gun and the knack of using it, only modern weapons will be discussed. The novice needs to know something of the way in which a serviceable weapon is manufactured, for with this knowledge he is better qualified to pick out a suitable arm for his own particular use.

The frame of a shotgun—that is, the part to one end of which the barrels are affixed, the stock being bolted to the other—contains the lock mechanism, and that the weapon may give the utmost satisfaction for many years, the lock must be of good quality, of the requisite temper, and the bolting mechanism—securing the barrels to the frame—must be simple, yet strong and serviceable. For the frame, a solid drop forging is milled to make a shell into which the working mechanism is fitted, and two types of frames are used in making modern shotguns. The side-plate lock is really a development of the old hammer lock, with the striker inside. This lock is preferred by some shooters because of its neat and graceful lines, and some manufacturers use this type because it enables them to make use of a lighter frame.

The box type of frame likewise has its champions and possesses certain advantages. Certainly it makes a strong and rigid frame, and for inexpensive weapons it would be difficult to improve upon. While its square, boxlike form is not graceful in line, it enables the maker to use a spiral, or coil, spring instead of a flat spring for operating the locks, which is an advantage. In brief, the merits of both types may be summed up in this fashion: The use of the box type of lock enables the maker to turn out a better quality of gun at a low price, but in the case of a well-made gun, selling for a reasonable figure, there is very little choice between them so far as dependability and long service are concerned. Both are much used by manufacturers of the finest weapons, hence the shooter may pick out the one that best suits his fancy.

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