This is what I found in "The Art of Shooting" by Charles Lancaster, 6th edition 1898:
Lord Walsingham on Damascus and Whitworth Barrels, interesting point of view!
(or point of sound) Any doubt, that he hasn't enough experience? ;-)
Gunwolf
Note the choke on those guns: NONE! " . . . with cylinder 30in barrels, not choked". Then go back to Dig's thread on Brit 2 1/2" "High Pheasant" loads. One ounce, cylinder bore, and Walsingham is killing with regularity. We are talking grouse there rather than pheasants, but I believe those are the same guns he used on driven pheasants as well. In his book on shotgunning, Brister talks about the great patterns you get with cylinder at 25 yards. Most driven birds won't be a lot higher than that, other than in the places they specialize in the very high birds. And to get them that high, you need hills with shooters in valleys below, and tall trees help a lot as well.
