Interesting discussion.

Brings to mind fellows like the Marquis of Ripon in the 1800's and the VAST numbers of birds some of the gentleman sportsman of the day and later right before WW1 shot and the skills they thereby developed.

I would NOT want one of them taking a sling at me while I was buttoned down inside a wood-and-canvas plane chugging along at 90 or a 110 miles an hour in a strafing run over a couple hundred yards of trench...and I doubt it would even take a .577 to get my attention!