, there is a vibration or jar at the time of
explosion, which takes a certain effect upon the direction of the ball.
This is necessarily increased by the use of a heavy charge of powder;
and it is frequently seen that a rifle which carries accurately enough
with a very small charge, shoots wide of the mark when the charge is
increased. This arises from several causes, generally from the jar of
the barrel in the stock, proceeding either from the want of metal in
the rifle or from improper workmanship in the fittings.

To avoid this, a rifle should be made with double bolts and a silver
plate should always be let into the stock under the breech; without
which the woodwork will imperceptibly wear, and the barrel will become
loose in the stock and jar when fired.

There is another reason for the necessity of heavy barrels, especially
for two-grooved rifles. Unless the grooves he tolerably deep, they
will not hold the ball when a heavy charge is behind it; it quits the
grooves, strips its belt, and flies out as though fired from a
smoothbore.

A large-bore rifle is a useless incumbrance, unless it is so
constructed that it will bear a proportionate charge of powder, and
shoot as accurately with its proof charge as with a single drachm. The
object in a large bore is to possess an extra powerful weapon,
therefore the charge of powder must be increased in proportion to the
weight of the ball, or the extra power is not obtained. Nevertheless,
most of the heavy rifles that I have met with will not carry an
adequate charge of powder, and they are accordingly no more powerful
than guns of lighter bore which carry their proportionate charge--the
powder has more than its fair amount of work.

Great care should be therefore taken in making rifles for heavy game.
There cannot be a better calibre than No 10; it is large enough for any
animal in the world, and a double-barreled rifle of this bore, without
a ramrod, is not the least cumbersome, even at the weight of fifteen
pounds. A ramrod is not required to be in the gun for Ceylon shooting,
as there is always a man behind with a spare rifle, who carries a
loading rod, and were a ramrod fitted to a rifle of this size, it would
render it very unhandy, and would also weaken the stock.

The sights should be of platinum at the muzzle, and blue steel, with a
platinum strip with a broad and deep letter V cut in the breech-sights.
In a gloomy forest it is frequently difficult to catc