The keen shot's miscellany - Peter Holt

The Keen Shot's Miscellany is a collection of over three hundred entries on the subject of game shooting past and present. Articles range from short snippets containing irresistible information such as the fact that a shotgun should weigh six pounds for every ounce of shot that it is likely to fire, to one thousand words on sculptor Sir Francis Chantrey's right and left of woodcock with one barrel, the most talked about shooting event of early Victorian Britain.

Everything to do with shooting is covered here, such as tips from legendary nineteenth century shot Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey on the qualities of the sporting gentleman. Modern day shoots are also covered and there are gems from the late Sir Joseph Nickerson such as 'A lady begins to know she is shooting well when the men stop telling her she is.'

There are plenty of anecdotes from across the Atlantic with profiles of keen shots such as rock star Ted Nugent and George Ligowsky who invented the clay pigeon after watching children skim sea shells at Coney Island. And did you know that America's first country sports writer was a drunken English eccentric who stood in front of a mirror and shot himself through the heart when his friends deserted him?

Full of fascinating facts and stimulating information and detail, this book will delight every shooting enthusiast.