The advantage of high initial velocity is greater with large shot than with small ones, because the latter are less able to maintain speed. Extra powder charge, with fine shot, is wasted, just as an athlete's strength would be wasted in trying to throw grains of sand to a distance. Still, it seems feasible to give number 7 shot a somewhat higher remaining speed at duck ranges than 6s have with their present standard charges of powder, and number 9 shot a higher remaining speed at quail ranges than 8s now have. When this is accomplished, the six and three-fourths pound 20-gauge of the future will be as effective with seven-eighths ounce of shot as our seven and one-half pound 12-gauges of to-day are with one and one-eight ounce, as regards both spread and density of pattern. Of this, more anon.

We may now take up the four classes of shotguns, seriatim, namely: upland, wildfowling, trap, and all-round guns.

1. Upland Guns

For hunting snipe, plover, woodcock, quail, and the larger grouse, we do not need very powerful arms, but light weight of gun and ammunition are essential. When a man has tramped the fields from morn till noon with a seven and one-half pound gun, he will be in ready mood to swap for something lighter. Five yards greater killing range does not compensate for stiff muscles and the lassitude that comes from overexertion. A tired man is too slow.

There is an opposite extreme to be avoided: the feather-weight. A certain weight is required to steady one's swing. Men of average physique will make fewer misses, in an all-day hunt afield, with a gun weighing between six and seven pounds, than they will make with either a heavier or a lighter arm.

Now, what power is needed for upland shooting? and can we get it in such light guns? and what kind of gun will give us the most power with the least fatigue in handling it?

Nine-tenths of upland game is killed within thirty-five yards. Any gun that will make the minimum killing pattern at forty yards (say 235 number 8 shot within a thirty-inch circle) has ample power for the purpose. This is done by a quarter-choke with one and one-eighth ounce of shot, by a half-choke with one ounce, and by a full choke with seven-eighths ounce, regardless of gauge. So much for long range.

But we also must have, for upland work, an open pattern at short range. How short a range? Not fifteen yards, because, at that distance, a forty per cent cylinder bore will bunch its full charge within a ten or twelve inch circle, and blow a bird to pieces, or at least make it unfit for table. At twenty yards, then? Yes, at twenty yards we want a pattern that will not mangle. This we can get with a cylinder bore using one and one-eighth ounce of shot, with a quarter-choke using one ounce, or with a half-choke using seven-eighths ounce.

Hence our conditions are met by a light 12-gauge with right barrel cylinder bored and left barrel quarter-choked; also by a 16-gauge of quarter and half-choke; also by a 20-gauge of half and full-choke.

We now are on the firing line of what has sarcastically been called " the battle of the bores." Let us compare the guns last named, testing them side by side, for spread and density of pattern, both at average (twenty-five yard) and extreme (forty yard) upland ranges. First with number 8 shot.

Patterns With Number 8 Shot

Patterns With Number 8 1/2 Shot

Comparing these figures with the preceding table, we find that, with suitable chokes, and normal loads, a 16-gauge using number eight and one-half shot excells a 12-gauge with number eight, up to forty yards; and that a 20-gauge gives a denser pattern, with killing circle only four inches less at twenty-five yards than the 12-gauge, under same conditions. If number nine shot were used, the guns might be bored more open, and still maintain killing patterns, but the effective range would be cut down to thirty-five yards.

For the larger grouse we must use larger shot and the patterns need be no denser than 165 at extreme range. Testing the small bores last mentioned (16-gauge cylinder and quarter-choke, 20-gauge quarter and half-choke) with number seven and one-half shot, we get the following averages, as compared with the 12-gauge.

" Killing circle " refers to the area over which the shot spread uniformly, and " pattern" means the number of pellets within a 30-inch circle.

Anybody can see, from this, that at medium range the large bore has the advantage, if chokes are as here given; whereas at long range the smaller bores surpass it.

If we give the 16-gauge the same chokes as the 12, and give the 20-gauge a quarter choke right and half-choked left, then these small bores will do better at twenty-five yards, but will sprinkle too thin at forty yards—provided we stick to number 8 shot.

These are the reasons for conceding, as nearly everyone does, that small-bores are only for the expert who can center his bird time after time, and that they are poor weapons for ordinary marksmen, because their killing circles are too small.

Now comes up a point that seldom is considered. Up to forty yards, number eight and one-half shot have killing penetration for all upland game except large grouse. Suppose we try number eight and one-half in a 16-gauge with right-barrel a cylinder and left quarter-choke; also in a 20-gauge, right quarter-choke, left half-choke.

Patterns With Number 7 1/2 Shot

If larger shot than number seven and one-half is used in the small bores, then our 16-gauge must be half-choked, and the 20-gauge full-choked, or the pattern will be too thin for any but short distances. Guns so choked are only for the expert marksman, and for open country at that. In ruffed grouse hunting, or brush work generally, they would be well-nigh useless.