It goes waay further back than that.
Purple Heather,m writing in 1891 in “Something about Guns and Shooting” at page 13:-
“My first game gun was a double-barrelled muzzle-loader by old Sam Nock. This was a “joint-stock affair” for my brother was to be allowed the use of it too. The gauge was 16, barrels 30 inches in length, known as the best “stub-twist”, weight between 6 1/2 and 6 3/4 lb. Young as I was never felt any great inconvenience for carrying it of a day, as long as there was something to shoot at.”
At page 26, in the early 1860’s his brother having taken the Nock abroad he is given a genuine Joe Manton ( some 30 years after the death of that great Gunmaker).
“I had never, hitherto, seen a double gun of so small a bore, and so light a weight.
The gauge was 22, and the gun weighed 6 1/4lbs.”
Bought from Whistlers in the Stand, converted from flint to percussion, 32 inch barrels. Case with 3/4 or 7/8 oz. Shot flask and 2 1/4, 2 1/2 and 2 3/4 dram powder flak.
“After carrying out a series of trials I discovered that 2 1/4 dr. Was the best charge of powder, and there was not much to chose between 3/4 oz and the 7/8 oz of shot. As to the size of the shot No. 7 decidedly suited best. It shot fairly well with No. 6; indifferently with No. 5; extremely well with No. 4.”
“With No. 7 I often killed partridges at distances between forty and fifty yards, but very rarely over fifty”
Last edited by Parabola; 06/21/22 03:39 PM.
