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Copyrights
COPYRIGHT DEPOSOi
By WALTER WINANS
The Art of Revolver Shooting.
Royal 8vo. New Edition, Revised and Enlarged. Fully Illustrated
net, $5.00
The Sporting Rifle.
Royal 8vo. Fully Illustrated
net, $5.00
Hints on Revolver Shooting.
i6mo. Illustrated net, $1.00
Practical Rifle Shooting.
161110. Illustrated net, 50 cents
Q. P. PUTNAM'S SONS
NEW YORK LONDON
THE ART OF REVOLVER SHOOTING
^
;,/;!-%
ART OF R SH >TU
ORMAT SINGLE-SHOT PI THEM TO THE BE
BY
INAN
STANISLAUS
TAIN THt
Walter Winans
V1CE-PRES1DEN
MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES. REVOLVE I sTOLET CLUB OF PARIS
MOENT OF ASHFORD k
HEAD AND TAI1
TRY, pur: '.i:rs
YORK AND : fmtcfeerbocher pi-
►
ansniW tojIbW
r
THE ART OF REVOLVER SHOOTING
TOGETHER WITH ALL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE
AUTOMATIC AND SINGLE-SHOT PISTOL, AND HOW
TO HANDLE THEM TO THE BEST ADVANTAGE
BY
WALTER WINANS
CHEVALIER OF THE IMPERIAL RUSSIAN ORDER OF ST. STANISLAUS
OLYMPIC CHAMPION FOR DOUBLE-RIFLE SHOOTING IN 1 008
REVOLVER CHAMPION, FIVE YEARS NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION OF GREAT BRITAIN
SEVEN YEARS OF THE SOUTH LONDON RIFLE CLUB AND TEN YEARS OF
THE NORTH LONDON RIFLE CLUB
ONE YEAR DUELLING PISTOL CHAMPION AT GASTINNE-RENETTe's, PARIS
VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION OF GREAT BRITAIN
MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES REVOLVER ASSOCIATION AND OF LE PISTOLET CLUB OF PARIS
PRESIDENT OF ASHFORD RIFLE CLUB, ETC.
NEW EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED
HEAD AND TAIL PIECES DRAWN BY THE AUTHOR ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHS BY ROUCH, FRY, PURDEY, PENFOLD, AND OTHERS
G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS NEW YORK AND LONDON XTbe IRntcfterbocfeer press
191 1
Copyright, 1901
BY
WALTER WINANS
Copyright, 191 i
by
WALTER WINANS
Ube ftatcfecrbocltcr iprese, ftcw v;ort;
©CI, A 2 sr, 0 0 3
REEACE
I constantly receive letters from all parts of the world asking my advice on pistol and revolver matters. It seemed, therefore, that there was a want of information on this sub- ject. I tried to supply this information in the book I wrote in 1901 called The Art of Revolver Shoot- ing, in which I gave further and fuller details than could be given in separate letters to those who have done me the honour of consulting me.
My book was, therefore, of some use to beginners who have no one at hand to show them how to set to work, but since then many improvements have been made in pistols and revolvers, so that the time seemed to have come for me to write a second edition of the book, in which all the information given would be brought well up to date. This I have done, adding a chapter on automatic and duelling pistols, there not having been any previous work published which deals with the latter.
Working a thing out for yourself is always a much longer process than being started in the right way at first ; and you may get into a bad way of doing things, which
iv Preface
it is hard later to unlearn. Also, you may be working on a line which has already been tried and found wanting, and which therefore renders your labour a mere waste of time.
I do not think that anyone who takes up pistol and revolver shooting — for other than man-killing purposes — will ever regret it. It is not only morally and physically a healthy sport, but it teaches self-reliance, coolness, and the control of one's temper, which last such amusements as croquet and golf, for instance, certainly do not. Pistol shooting is also an accomplishment always useful and sometimes of vital importance. It is thus unlike croquet, cricket, lawn-tennis, golf, and all other games which develop skill only in forms that cannot be of practical use. It may be objected that the games I condemn are useful as exercises for the development of the body ; but there are plenty of forms of sports — shooting, hunting, swimming, polo, bicycling, and so on — which give just as good, or better, exercise, yet at the same time teach skill in some- thing useful instead of in mere play fit only for boys.
If men spent in seeking to attain proficiency with the rifle, the pistol, or even the shot-gun, a twentieth part of the time they at present devote to playing useless games, they would make their country invincible. Well- ington is said to have declared that battles were won on the playgrounds. That may have been the case in times when men shot with "gas-pipes" and needed only to "loose off," the direction of the bullet having little re- lation to the aim taken. With modern arms of precision, however, the battles of the future will be won in the forest
Preface
V
and at the rifle-range. The difficulty of finding sufficient rifle-ranges in a densely populated country is one that will increase as time goes on, but meanwhile it should be borne in mind that, with gallery ammunition, a five-yards' range in any odd corner or cellar is ample space for pistol prac- tice. It may moreover fairly be claimed that the greater difficulty of pistol shooting makes it a valuable training in the use of the rifle, though the converse by no means holds. The nation that is not a "shooting nation" will "get left" in war time. I hope, however, that as countries become more civilised they will pay greater heed to the idea of arbitration in place of war, the idea which was so nobly inaugurated by His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Russia (my fatherland), and that by the time the pistol becomes obsolete there will be no need of a weapon to take its place, but that the revolver and war will die out together.
W. W.
surrenden park,
Kent, England, 1910.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. — Personal ....... i
II. — Personal (Continued) .... 7
III. — Evolution of the Revolver . . .10
IV. — Selecting a Pistol ..... 20
V. — Ammunition ... . . . -33
VI. — Cleaning and Care of Weapons . . 42
VII.— Sights .46
VIII. — Learning to Use the Pistol 55
IX. — Pistol and Revolver Clubs . , . 85
X. — Practice and Training .... 109
XI. — Gallery Shooting . . . . .116
XII. — Gastinne-Renette's Gallery in Paris . 126
XIII. — Le Pistolet Club . . . . .144
XIV. — Competitions with the Devilliers Bullet 146
XV. — Duelling . . . . . . .154
XVI. — The .22 Calibre Single-Shot Pistol . 167
XVII. — National Rifle Association Meeting at
Bisley . . . . . . .176
viii Contents
CHAPTER PAGE
XVIII. — Bisley Continued — Disappearing Tar- get . . . . . . . .190
XIX. — Bisley Continued — Rapid Firing . . 208
XX. — Bisley Continued — Traversing Target . 217
XXI. — Bisley Continued — Advancing Target . 225
XXII. — Bisley Concluded — Stationary 50 Yards
Target . . . . . . 229
XXIII. — Team Shooting and Coaching . . . 232
XXIV. — General Remarks on Shooting in Com- petitions ...... 238
XXV. — -Automatic Pistols ..... 241
XXVI. — The Revolver in War .... 247
XXVII. — Stage Shooting 255
XXVIII.— Trick Shooting 266
XXIX. — Blank Ammunition for Stage Purposes . 270
XXX. — Big-Game Shooting with the Revolver . 273
XXXI. — Target Shooting off Horseback . . 290
XXXII. — Small-Game Shooting .... 294
XXXIII. — Pigeon Shooting with the Pistol . . 296
XXXIV. — Clay-Pigeon Shooting with the Pistol 299
XXXV. — Shooting in Self-Defence . . . 302
XXXVI. — Pistol Shooting for Ladies . . . 315
Contents
IX
CHAPTER
XXXVII.— Shooting from a Bicycle XXXVIII. — Revolvers for the Police XXXIX. — Killing Disabled Animals XL. — Shooting in the Dark Appendix Index
PAGE 320
323 326
330 336
345
ILLUSTRATIONS
FULL PAGE The Author ...... Frontispiece
The Four Principal Revolvers .....
Smith & Wesson ("Winans* Model")
"Bisley" Colt
"Target" Webley
Smith & Wesson Military
The Author's Shooting Position .
Badges Won by the Author
The Gastinne-Renette Challenge Trophy
Position for "Attention" ....
Position when Shooting ....
The Author .......
The Position of some Duellists at the Word "Atten tion" . ......
The Author's Position at "Attention"
Correct Position at the Moment of Firing
Pistols by Gastinne-Renette
Bisley Prize Certificate ....
27
59
115 138 148 150 152
155 157 159 163
175
xii Illustrations
Position for Shooting at an Advancing Object
PAGE
Some of the Author's Championship Badges . . 177
Some of the Revolver Prizes and Championship Badges
Won by the Author ...... 193
The Author's Championship Diploma Awarded at
Olympic Games in London, 1908 .... 233
Diagrams of Twelve Highest Possible Scores Made by Author in Revolver Competitions at 20 Yards
in 1895 235
Shooting on Horseback — Pursuing Shot . . . 249
Shooting on Horseback — Retiring Shot . . -251
Shooting with Revolver Upside Down . . . 257
Deer Shooting off Horseback — A Running Shot . 275
Deer Shooting off Horseback — Two Hit . . . 277
Deer Shooting off Horseback — "One, Two, Three" 279
Deer Shooting off Horseback — Breaking up the Herd 281
Deer Shooting off Horseback — Overtaking the Herd 283
Deer Shooting off Horseback — "Riding out" a Buck 285
Deer Shooting off Horseback — "A Right and Left" . 287
Shooting off Horseback — Charging . . . .291
Self-Defence — At Bay ...... 305
309
[The Author takes this opportunity of recording his appreciation of the great pains taken by Mr. W. Rouch, of 191 Strand, London, in connection with the series of horse studies in the above list.]
IN THE TEXT Original Colt Revolver ...... 4
"Troika" in a Snowstorm ...... 6
The Author with his Cat " Matty " .... 9
Ancient Flint-lock Pistols . . . . .11
Illustrations xiii
PAGE
Ancient Flint -and -Steel Revolver — Age, 170 to 200
Years . . . . . . .12
Bow-Pistol — 1300 . . . . . . 13
Match-lock — 1525 ....... 14
Wheel-lock— 1625 . . . . . . .15
Flint-lock — 1776 ........ 16
Percussion-lock — 1830 . . . . . 17
Revolver — 1865 . . . . . . . .18
Extension Stock as Applied to .44 Single - Action
Revolver ........ 19
Dick Turpin's Ride ....... 19
Smith & Wesson New Solid - Frame Revolvers for
Smokeless Powder . . . . . . .21
Engraved .38 Smith & Wesson ..... 22
Engraved Russian Model Smith & Wesson ... 22
Section of Cylinder, Showing Hardened Steel Shims,
Unfinished ........ 22
sldeplate of military revolver, showing raised steel
Bosses ......... 22
Elaborately Carved Revolvers, Owned by the Author 24
Smith & Wesson .44 Double-Action Revolver . . 26
Smith & Wesson Military Revolvers .... 29
Cartridges 34, 35, 36
Smith & Wesson Self-Lubricating Cartridge . . 37
Cut Showing Details of Construction of the Self- Lubricating Bullet ......
37
XIV
Illustrations
Automatic Shell Extractor as Applied to all Jointed- Frame Models of the Smith & Wesson Revolvers
Reloading Tools
Target Sights ....
Special Target Sights
Winans' Revolver Front-Sights
Olympic Target ....
Patent Safety Butt
How to Cock a Revolver
The Correct Way to Hold a Revolver
The Correct Position for the Thumb
Two Systems of Ejecting, Smith & Wesson
Author's "Best-on-Record" Score, at 20 Yards — Stationary Target — Eleven Shots
Author's "Best-on-Record" Score, at 20 Yards — Stationary Target — Ten Shots ....
Author's "Best-on-Record" Score, at 20 Yards — Nine Shots ......
Twelve Shots at 20 Yards, by the Author
Shot by Author, Sept. 22, 1892
Ten Shots at 20 Yards by the Author
Standard American Target
Belgian Single-Shot Pistol — Saw-Handle
Styles of Smith & Wesson Engraving .
Styles of Smith & Wesson Engraving
Smith & Wesson Single-Shot Target Pistol
38 39 47 50 53 56 61 64
67 68 76
89
89
93
93
97
97
in
117
119
121
123
Illustrations
XV
PACE
Gastinne-Renette's Gallery . . . . .128
Underground Gallery for Heavy Charges . .129
Gastinne-Renette's Gallery — Firing Points . . 130
How Some Hold the Duelling Pistol — Figure 1 . . 131
The Author's Way of Holding the Duelling Pistol —
Figure 2 ........ 132
How Some Hold the Duelling Pistol (Another View) —
Figure 3 133
The Author's Way of Holding the Duelling Pistol
(Another View) — Figure 4 . . . 134
Silhouette Showing Spots Made by the Author in Com- petition AT THE GASTINNE-RENETTE GALLERY, APRIL
7, 1910 136
Duelling Pistols by Gastinne-Renette — The Property
of the Author ....... 137
The Gastinne-Renette 16 Metres Target . .139
Duelling Pistols by Gastinne-Renette . . 141
How to Hold the Duelling Pistol with Guard for
Shooting Devilliers Bullet .... 147
.22 Calibre Target Pistol by Leeson . . . . 149
Pistols by Gastinne-Rennete . . . . .168
Wurfflein Pistol . . . . . . .169
Smith & Wesson Pistol . . . . . .169
Stevens Pistol — Gould Model . . . . .169
Stevens Diamond Model Pistol . . . . .170
.22 Smith & Wesson Pistol with Interchangeable
.32 Barrel ........ 170
xvi Illustrations
PAGE
How to Hold the Gastinne-Renette Modification of
the Stevens . . . . . . . -171
Stevens " Offhand Target " . . . . . -171
Stevens "Lord" ........ 172
Stevens Vernier New Model Pocket " Rifle " . . 172
Stevens New Model Pocket or Bicycle "Rifle" . 172
Stevens "Tip-up" ........ 173
Stevens "Diamond" ...... . 173
Webley Man-Stopping Bullet . . . . .181
Author's "Best-on-Record" Score, 20 Yards Disap- pearing Target . . . . . . .195
Author's "Best-on-Record" Score, 20 Yards Disap- pearing Target ....... 200
Author's "Best-on-Record" Score, 20 Yards Disap- pearing Target ....... 204
Author's " Best-on-Record " Score, 6 Shots in 12 Seconds 209
Rapid Firing — Author's "Best-on-Record" for Military
Revolver and Sights . . . . . .211
Author's "Best-on-Record" Score, 20 Yards Rapid-
Firing Target . . . . . . .213
Police Target — Double- Action Colt Revolver . .215
Author's "Best-on-Record" Score for 3-inch Bull's- eye Traversing Target, 20 Yards . . . .219
Author's "Best-on-Record" Score for 2-inch Bull's- eye Traversing Target, 20 Yards . . . . 222
Bisley Camp by Night ...... 224
Author's "Best-on-Record" Score, Advancing Target . 227
"Best-on-Record" — Made by Author — 50 Yards Target 230
Webley-Fosbery Automatic Revolver . . . 242
Colt Automatic Pistol, Pocket Model, Calibre .32 . 242
Colt Automatic Pistol, Calibre .32 ... 243
Illustrations
XVH
Colt Automatic Pistol, Military Model, Calibre .45
Colt Automatic Pistol, Military Model, Calibre .38
Lugar Automatic Pistol ....
New Army Colt Double-Action Revolver
New Navy Colt Double-Action Revolver
New Service Colt Double-Action Revolver
Russian Model Army Revolver, Smith & Wesson
Shooting with Revolver Upside-Down — Figure A
Shooting with Revolver Upside Down — Figure B
Revolver Half Canted to the Right— Figure C
Revolver Half Canted to the Left — Figure D
Extension Stock, as Applied to .44 Single-Action Revolvers ........
How to Hold the Shot Pistol . ....
Smith & Wesson Hammerless Safety Revolvers — .38 and. 32 Calibre .......
Mechanism of the Smith & Wesson Hammerless Safety Revolver .....
Colt Derringer, .41 Calibre, Rim Fire
Automatic Extractor ....
Smith & Wesson Bicycle Revolver
Statuette Designed by the Author
The Greener Killer — Manufactured by W. W. Greener
The Pocket Pattern Killer
Pocket Colt Double-Action Revolver
Police Colt Double-Action Revolver
Winans' Patent Electric Sight ....
PAGE 244
244
245 248 250 252
253 260 26l 262 263
288 297
303
304 312 321 321
323 327
328
331 332
333
WORLD'S CHAMPIONSHIP GOLD MEDAL OLYMPIC GAMES 1908
THE ART OF PISTOL AND REVOLVER SHOOTING
CHAPTER I PERSONAL
S probably no one has done more pistol and revolver shooting, or shot with pistols and revolv- ers on a more systematic and experimental basis, than I have, the rough notes in this book may be of use to those who desire to take up this class of shooting as a pastime. I had the further advantage of the instruction, advice and help of the greatest revolver and pistol shot who has ever lived, — the late Chevalier Ira Paine.
Sir Joshua Reynolds, when asked with what he mixed his colours, replied: "With brains." I found that Ira Paine's secret of success was that he shot "with brains." He thought out everything, and in consequence got from the pistol results which, until he did so, had been con-
2 Art of Revolver Shooting
sidered beyond the possibilities of the weapon, and some of his scores constitute, to this day, world's records. The gold medal revolver score framed at Gastinne Renette's gallery, for instance, is by far the best score there.
When I first began revolver shooting I read in a standard book on shooting that to hit, at a distance of ten paces, a mark the size of a man, was about as much as anyone could expect to do with a revolver! To-day if a man at that distance cannot hit the pip of the ace of hearts he has only himself to blame.
The nature of this work — the book contains practically an account of my personal experience with pistol and revolver — renders it almost imperative to use frequently the pronoun "I," which, though certainly egotistical, enables me to put my thoughts and instructions in ex- actly the way I want to. Also by giving diagrams of my "best on record" scores I enable the pistol shooter to compare scores when he himself shoots.
I do not, except in the chapter on Self-defence — on which subject I am glad to say my personal experiences are nil — quote from other writers. Therefore I cannot say, " Pistol shooters do so-and-so." All I say is, "I do so-and-so." Also I ask to be excused for using shooting and other slang, for often it is possible to express in one word of the kind what might otherwise require a whole paragraph of description.
Other ways of getting at results with the revolver may perhaps be, and probably are, better than those which I recommend; but I have been fairly successful with my way, and this is my excuse for describing it. A man is
Personal 3
born a pistol shot, just as he may be born an artist, a mathematician, or a horseman. The expert is there in embryo and needs only to be developed. All the same, most men can learn to shoot fairly well with a pistol if they have not a trembling hand and if their eyesight is not too bad. A little shakiness in a beginner is not of consequence, and it may come from gripping the "hand" of the pistol too hard. But I have never known a man do much good with the pistol who was more than a very moderate smoker or drinker.
My advice to all pistol shots is: Never fire a shot carelessly or at random. If you are getting tired, stop shooting. A few shots fired carefully are worth hundreds "blazed away."
Think out the reason for any shot not having struck "plumb centre"; find out the reason for the failure, and never rest satisfied until you know why the bullet went wrong. Discover if it was inevitable, as, for instance, in the case of a gust of wind catching your arm, or a bad cartridge, or, in the case of a muzzle-loading duelling pistol, if the bad shot was due to a variation in the powder charge. If it is remediable, remedy it with the very next shot, and make up your mind that that mistake at any rate shall not occur again. I always presuppose the use of an accurate weapon. Practice with any other is waste of time.
Many people say: "Oh, pistol shooting is such a use- less accomplishment; such a waste of time!" Is it? How often is a man's life — or a woman's, for that matter — saved by knowing how to shoot a revolver? I do not
4 Art of Revolver Shooting
mean necessarily a man's own life, but that of someone dependent upon him. There is no necessity to be a bully, or, in most cases, to take human life; it is the mere knowledge that you have the upper hand that often gives the safety, and puts a physically weak person on an equality with the strongest. Also there are cases where money damages are out of the question, and resort to the duelling pistol the only possible thing to be done.
I remember, many years ago, my father was travelling to St. Petersburg from the frontier, before the railway was completed. It was winter; the driver lost his way, and the sledge got off the road in a snow-storm at night.
ORIGINAL COLT REVOLVER
The driver began unharnessing the horses (it was a "troika"), intending to ride off and abandon my father and his sister, who was with him, to their fate. My father happened to have in his pocket one of the first Colt revolvers ever made, presented to him by Colonel Colt, and he took it out and asked the driver to reharness the horses and remain in the sledge. They waited thus all
Persoital 5
night, and in the morning found their way back to the road. That is a case in which a revolver saved two lives without its being discharged.
As they say in the States: "You seldom need a revol- ver, but when you do you need it mighty badly."
Others say: "What is the use of learning revolver shooting? Anyone can use a revolver at the short range required for self-defence without special training. " Can he? To begin with, many revolvers shoot almost a yard too high; besides which a "duffer" with a revolver and especially an automatic pistol is one of the most dan- gerous persons to himself or his friends, and about one of the safest things that a man who is a good pistol shot can tackle.
Being able to shoot with gun or rifle does not neces- sarily enable a man to hit even a large object with a pistol. It is very important that anyone who is armed with the shorter weapon should learn how to handle it, and not trust to his skill with other firearms as an excuse for not studying the peculiarities of the one-handed "shooting-iron."
I find confirmation of my contention that ordinary shooting does not teach revolver shooting, in a letter from Mr. G. D. Giles, Special Correspondent of the Daily Graphic, dated February 28th, 1901, from Koodoosberg Drift. He writes:
" Having got the rations, in the shape of live-stock, the next thing is to kill it, and this, in the absence of butchers, is not such an easy thing as might be supposed. . . . An officer, armed with a revolver, tries to get into a favourable position for a shot. The
6 Art of Revolve?" Shooting
cattle will not stand still, and the officer with the revolver walks round them, the muzzle occasionally pointed in the direction of the spectators. Suddenly there is a bang, followed by the ping of the bullet as it flies across the camp, and the bullock turns unconcernedly away. Then one of the men says: 'I think it dropped in the Lancers . They shouted ! ' "
This exactly corroborates my statement that a "duffer" with a revolver or an automatic pistol is more dangerous to spectators and himself than to the object which he wants to hit.
The man who knows nothing about a revolver will, most likely, carry it in his pocket with the hammer down on the cap of one chamber; then the slightest jar may send it off. Or, thinking he "knows all about it," he carries it at half-cock; then, when he draws in a hurry, the hammer catches in his pocket, and he shoots himself. With an automatic pistol there is even greater danger, especially in returning it to the pocket after one shot has been fired.
Another advantage in pistol shooting as a sport is that it is a " clean ' ' sport. There is no gambling or rough play. No man who drinks or smokes heavily can possibly shoot a pistol accurately. If he wishes to excel, he must get into training as strict and regular as if he intended to row in a boat race.
■■
TROIKA IN A SNOW-STORM
CHAPTER II
PERSONAL {Continued)
$ jfvs' *ft-
3
'i /[tT,
T is a fact that I became a pistol shot because I was forbidden to shoot. My parents natur- ally, but, as I thought at the time, most unreasonably, forbade me to have firearms when I was a very small child. As a shot-gun or even a gallery rifle would have ' ' given me away," I was reduced to smuggling in a French Flo- bert pistol. But as I found that the Flobert car- tridges made too much noise, and would be likely to attract attention, I got the breech caps with only fulminate in them and then filled them up with bread. The bread pellet, driven by the fulminate of the cap, had just sufficient power and penetration to go through paper targets and the "running deer" which I made. Also I used to "snuff" candles with it, and knock over tin soldiers. In fact I was always playing with this pistol. I re- member one day how my cat Matty, and I, were after a mouse. I got a shot at the mouse, using a bulleted cap,
7
8 Art of Revolver Shooting
but I do not recollect hitting it. I think this constant familiarity with the pistol made shooting with it become second nature to me.
In taking aim, I do not close the left eye; indeed I am physically unable to close one without shutting both, but I can ignore what I see with either eye, being able to look through a telescope with both eyes open, though all the time seeing only with the one that I happen to put to the eyepiece of the telescope. My eyes are equal as to sight and strength, which is, I understand, unusual, most men having a "master eye."
When travelling from the frontier to St. Petersburg, a revolver which was hanging in our six-horse travelling carriage would have come in useful ; but at that time I was only six years old. I was with my aunt, nurse, and brother, the last named an infant. It was a pitch-dark night, and we had just changed horses. The driver, in getting up, swung his cloak; the horses started, the man fell, and we were off into the darkness! My aunt opened a door, lowered the folding step, and, kneeling on it, tried to get hold of the reins of the galloping horses but could not reach them. She then got back, shut the door, and prevented the nurse throwing herself and us children out. All the time, the revolver instinct being latent within me, I kept calling out : ' ' Take the pistol and shoot the horses ! ' ' But nobody paid attention to me. Finally, some mounted men overtook us, one or two of the horses fell, and this stopped the rest.
Now, thinking the matter over, the course that I then suggested is what I still consider would have been the
Personal 9
best thing for a revolver shot to do under the circum- stances. Had he lowered the front window and broken the backs of the prestashki (outside horses) , these would have dragged their hind quarters under the front wheels and so stopped the carriage without upsetting it. He would then have had time to kill other of the horses if necessary.
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THE AUTHOR WITH HIS CAT " MATTY "
CHAPTER III
EVOLUTION OF THE REVOLVER
HE single-shot pistol, as soon as rifling and the copper cap were invented, quickly at- tained great accuracy. In fact the modern duelling pistol, the most accurate up to the present time of large calibre pistols, is practi- cally identical with the Joe Manton pistol, though the revolver is still being improved upon. For accuracy it is to-day ahead of automatic pistols. The revolver is by no means the embodiment of a modern idea; some of the very earliest firearms involved the principle of a revolving cylinder or of revolving barrels, but none was practicable with flint-, wheel-, or match-locks. The introduction of the copper cap enabled Colonel Colt to make the first practical revolving pistol, and "fixed" ammunition made possible the production of breech-loading revolvers.
There have been a few attempts to improve on the re- volver by going back to modifications of the old "pepper- box," or many-barrelled pistol, but the mechanical
10
Evolution of the Revolver
ii
difficulties of making so many barrels shoot "together" do not hold out much hope of success in that direction. Before Colonel Colt took up the problem of designing a practical revolver, many such attempts had been made on wrong lines, and even the purpose of a revolver was misunderstood. Even now this is not clearly grasped
ANCIENT FLINT-LOCK PISTOLS
by some, for only a few years ago a man gravely assured the public, in letters addressed to various news- papers, that a revolver was of no use because he did not consider that it shot accurately at two hundred yards and upwards! Imagine anyone wanting to shoot at such distances with a revolver ! Still, up to four hundred yards it is possible to hit a "second-class" rifle target.
Owing to the shortness necessary to make a revolver
12
Art of Revolver Shooting
a portable arm, the barrel cannot be made to shoot as accurately as a long rifle-barrel will shoot. Also, owing to the sights on a revolver being necessarily so close together, at long ranges the accuracy of aim
VIEW SHOWING BARRELS HALF REVOLVED 1
BARRELS IN THE FIRING POSITION I
Colonial flint-and-steel revolver. Age, 170 to 200 years
attainable with a rifle cannot be Obtained with a revolver, even supposing that the barrel of the latter could be made to shoot as well as a rifle-barrel. Match rifle-shots have, for this reason, their hind-sights
1 By permission of the Scientific American.
Evolution of the Revolver 13
placed at the end of the stock instead of on the breech end of the barrel, in order to have the sights as far apart as possible, while the modern Belgian match pistol, described
later, is sighted on a somewhat similar principle. The adjustable butt shown here is intended to enable the revolver to be shot accurately at its extreme limit of range.
H
Art of Revolver Shooting
Colonel Colt, however, knew better than to think that a revolver should shoot well up to two hundred yards. He understood that there was need for a very small,
compact arm, which could be fired very rapidly for self- defence at close quarters, still more at "half-arm distance," when a rifle would be useless. The single-shot pistols left a man defenceless after he had fired his one shot,
Evolution of the Revolver
15
unless he stuck his belt full of pistols like a stage pirate. At first some curious attempts were made to trans- form a five- or six-chambered revolver into a ten- or
^hmsi
twelve-shot one by loading each chamber twice over; that is to say by putting one charge in and then another on the top of it. The front charge was fired first, then the one behind it, — that is, when the two charges did not go off
16 Art of Revolver Shooting
simultaneously and burst the revolver! This naturally was found to be an unpractical and a dangerous system ; indeed that any sane man could have thought out such
a combination seems almost incredible. I have often found, however, when rummaging among old patents, harebrained devices of this nature. I have also seen a fourteen-shot revolver with two barrels, one below the
Evolution of the Revolver
17
other, the cylinder having a double set of chambers, the inner set for the lower barrel ! !
I have had one or two revolvers made with the ' ' saw-
handle ' ' of the old duelling pistols. I have won with them at Bisley and found such stocks very good for deliberate shooting, or rather, when only one shot has to be fired. But it is necessary to use both hands for cocking, as the
18 Art of Revolver Shooting
projection which comes over the fork of the thumb prevents one-handed cocking. It would be suitable for double-action revolvers. Most likely Colt also
*"VjSl*,
EVOLVER
1
found this difficulty, and that is the reason for his having invented the typical revolver handle, which, with slight modifications, is used in most revolvers. A Dutch friend of mine invented a very good handle grip for deliberate
Evolution of the Revolver
19
shooting. He put a lump of modelling wax on the handle, gripped it hard till it took the impression of his fingers
EXTENSION STOCK AS APPLIED TO .44 SINGLE-ACTION REVOLVER
and palm, and then had it cast in metal. It makes a very "hot" grip, but this can be partly overcome by- having it hollow, open at the bottom, and pierced with holes.
DICK TURPIN's RIDE
CHAPTER IV
SELECTING A PISTOL
O not buy a cheap revolver or
pistol by an unknown maker.
Not only is it very dangerous
to the shooter to use a weapon
'II ; \ j of the kind, but nobody can
|» Mfll I make any shooting with it.
If you do not wish to pay a long price for your pistol, rather buy a second-hand one by a good maker than a new one of inferior pattern. It is of importance, however, to ascertain that the rifling is still perfect, that is to say that it has not suffered deterioration from neglect or wear.
You must first decide for what purpose you want the pistol; a "general utility" weapon is of about as much use as a hunter that is also a harness horse— not much good for either purpose. If you want a hunter, buy an Irish one; if a harness horse, get an American trotter. In the same way, for whatever purpose you want a pistol, buy one, if by any means you can do so, especially for that purpose. Anyhow, it is useless to compete with a
Selecting a Pistol
21
short-barrelled pocket revolver, or with an automatic pistol, against duelling pistols, .22 single-shot, or target revolvers.
f=\
SMITH & WESSON NEW SOLID-FRAME REVOLVERS FOR SMOKELESS POWDER
The former class of revolver is intended only for self- defence at short range, and has no pretensions to accuracy; but a good single-shot pistol can beat almost any revolver. I should have left out the word "almost" had I not seen Ira Paine's Gold Medal score at sixteen metres at Gastinne Renette's which beats any single-shot pistol score that I have as yet come across.
22
Art of Revolver Shooting
Read the chapter carefully which describes the par- ticular purpose for which you want the pistol, and buy accordingly.
I think that six and a half inches in the bar- rel, exclusive of cylin- der, is about the most
SECTION OF CYL-
INDER, show- practical length for a
ING HARDENED
steel shims, revolver ; of course, a
SIDE PLATE OF MILITARY REVOLVER, SHOWING RAISED STEEL BOSSES
UNFINISHED
longer barrel theoretically gives greater accuracy, especially at long range, owing to there being more length to burn the powder in, also owing to the
ENGRAVED .38 SMITH & WESSON
sights being set farther apart,— the last-named feature minimises error in aiming. This advantage, however,
ENGRAVED RUSSIAN MODEL, SMITH & WESSON
is more than counterbalanced by its making the revolver
Selecting a Pistol 23
heavy at the muzzle, in consequence of which it must balance badly. The duelling pistol has the barrel fluted forward, which allows the barrel to be twelve inches long and yet balance well, and the fourteen-inch size pistol projects backward over the hand and thus balances. The balance ought in every case to be as near the trigger as possible. For a pocket revolver, a short barrel may be an absolute necessity for portability. At Bisley some men use very long barrels, and I believe seven-and-a-half- inch barrels are not unusual in their revolvers; but I prefer six and a quarter inches, exclusive of chamber, and I do not consider — although the Bisley rules allow it — that anything over that length in the barrel is a "Military" revolver or should be permitted to be used in military competitions.
See that the trigger-pull is "sweet," and that it has no "drag." Also, have your trigger-pull not over four and a half pounds. The pull is often left very heavy, so as to be alterable to suit customers, and the shopman may forget to have this altered. If you are not hampered by rules, about three or three and a half pounds is the best trigger-pull for general purposes. Have the thumb- piece of the hammer slightly roughed to prevent slipping. For rapid cocking, a rather long thumb-piece is an ad- vantage, if it is a single-action revolver. But revolvers are now made with such good double action that the latter is preferable except for extreme accuracy.
I disliked a double-action revolver, except for a pocket revolver, as with the older makes one could not do accurate shooting when cocking with the trigger; but
24 Art of Revolver Shooting
the Smith & Wesson double-action .38 Military shoots very well, and with the French regulation revolver, with the former action, I have put the six shots in a two-
ELABORATELY CARVED REVOLVERS
Owned by the Author
and-a-quarter-inch space at twenty-five metres in twelve seconds.
For a man whose hands are apt to get moist, roughing the trigger may prevent its slipping. It will, however, also make the finger sore if roughed
Selecting a Pistol 25
too sharp; it can be covered with rubber with ad- vantage.
Some pistols have too narrow a trigger, almost like a piece of wire. A wide, spoon-shaped trigger is best, as less likely to cut the ringer, especially with the regulation English heavy trigger-pull.
Get a pistol which, when you grip the stock properly, has the barrel and your arm as nearly in a horizontal line as possible. Many makes of revolvers, and all the auto- matic pistols so far produced, have the stock much below the level of the barrel, and the chambers and barrel are, consequently, far above the hand. This makes shooting more difficult; you are apt to cant the weapon to one side, and the recoil is more severe on your wrist. The French duelling pistol has the handle ideally placed, which makes it much easier to shoot than the average revolver. Most of the .22 calibre single-shot pistols have the trigger too near the hand. Do not get a revolver with a big stock, "specially made for the English market." These big stocks spoil the balance, and are clumsy. A man who holds a revolver properly does not need a big stock, even if he has a big hand.
Writing of revolvers reminds me of an incident that is said to have occurred during the Franco-Prussian war, showing the advantage of a revolver over a sword in battle.
A French cavalry soldier during a melee with Prussian cavalry kept several of the latter's troopers at bay by pointing his revolver at them in turn, although the re- volver was empty, the cartridges it contained having all
26 Art of Revolver Shooting
been discharged. Then, thinking he would be safer with a sword than with an empty revolver, he suddenly threw away the latter and drew his sword, with the result that he was at once cut down by the nearest Prussian.
SMITH & WESSON .44 DOUBLE-ACTION REVOLVER
On page 27 are given illustrations of the four principal makes of revolvers : Smith & Wesson (" Winans' Model ") , "Bislcy" Colt, "Target" Webley, and Smith & Wesson double-action Military.
I won my championships the first few years with a . 45 double-action cavalry Colt, using Eley's .45 black powder ammunition. Since then I have shot with the
THE FOUR PRINCIPAL REVOLVERS : SMITH & WESSON (" WINANS
MODEL "), " BISLEY " COLT, " TARGET " WEI3LEY, AND SMITH
& WESSON MILITARY.
27
28 Art of Revolver Shooting
Smith & Wesson revolvers, either the . 44 calibre Russian Model, the .45 Winans' Model, the .32 and .38 calibre in Russian Model frame, the .38 Military double-action Smith & Wesson, and the Dutch and the French army- revolvers. The first I use with gallery ammunition, U. M. C. cartridges, French revolver powder, as my sixteen-metres, twenty-five-metres, and twenty-yards "Any" or target revolver; the same revolver with full charge as " Military" for fifty yards; the Winans' Model sometimes both as "Military" and "Any" alternative revolver at twenty or fifty yards, the .32 being my fifty-yards "Any" revolver; the .38 Military Smith & Wesson for rapid firing in the French Competitions at twenty-five metres, and the Dutch for competing at thirty metres in that country.
One of the reasons why the Smith & Wesson revolver is so accurate is because so much care is taken by the makers to have cylinder and barrel in perfect alignment ; and it is not too much to say that I have never shot any revolver of any other make which I can so safely trust not to give me a wild shot.
To secure this result, the stop and stop -notch, which arrest the momentum of the cylinder and hold it in position during discharge, play the most important part. In all cheap revolvers the notches are made in the soft steel of the cylinder, and in consequence these notches soon wear, putting the alignment out, which prevents accuracy. When the notch gets too much worn, this makes firing the revolver even a positive danger. In the Smith & Wesson revolver this is obviated by a piece of hard steel being
Selecting a Pistol
29
fitted into the side of the notch which comes in contact with the stop when the motion of the cylinder is checked. This is a special patent of the firm.
SMITH & WESSON MILITARY REVOLVERS
This make of revolver also has steel bosses, or collars fitted into the frame, to keep the hammer, trigger, etc., from coming in contact with the sides of the frame. Lately this firm have an additional arrangement for secur-
3° Art of Revolver Shooting
ing perfect concentric joining of the bore of the chamber and barrel.
I merely designed the Winans' Model revolver to suit former Bisley rules as to " Military " revolvers, and would have used the Russian Model in preference, had the rules permitted; but the Russian and United States army revolvers were not considered " Military " revolvers by those rules.
Ornamentation in a revolver is a matter of taste. Personally, I prefer my "tools" to be as plain as possible, without any engraving. All projecting screw-heads, etc., should be filed down flat to prevent their chafing the hand; the trigger and thumb -piece of the hammer may also be cross-filed to prevent slipping, butnotfiled" sharp" enough to make one's thumb or finger sore; and I prefer a chequered rubber stock.
I have my revolvers gold-, silver-, or copper-plated all over, not for show, but to prevent a man's using one of mine and saying, "So sorry — thought it was mine, don't you know!" if in a competition I inadvertently leave a revolver of mine on the firing ledge.
By having the colour of the plating varied, you know at a glance if you have the right revolver for the par- ticular work in hand: your "gold" for twenty yards; "copper" for rapid firing; "silver" for fifty yards, and so on.
For rough work, and in strong sunlight, a revolver is best blued. I temporarily paint the rib, etc., with "sight black," when competing on sunny days. The pearl stocks, though looking slippery, really give one a
Selecting a Pistol 31
very good hold; when one's hand gets warm they stick to the skin as if they were resined. Ira Paine always used pearl stocks.
The most ornamental revolver I have ever seen is the one shown in the lower illustration on page 24, which was presented to me. It is in silver and carved ivory, decorated by Tiffany, and was the main attraction in the Revolver Section of the Chicago Exhibition. It is, I believe, the most costly revolver that has yet been made. The other has a silver handle bearing deer-heads modelled by myself, the screw-heads forming the eyes of the deer.
I also have a very artistic pair of revolver "stock- plates." These I had made in ivory and sent to Japan to be inlaid with gold and coloured stones. I left the design to the native artist, and he put a Japanese hawk- ing scene on one, and on the other a picture of duck- shooting with bow and arrow.
Of single-shot pistols by far the best, though also the most expensive, is the Gastinne - Renette, a .44 calibre muzzle-loading duelling pistol, shooting a round ball and French smokeless powder. The same makers' .22 calibre single-shot pistol, the Stevens, and Leeson .22 are also very good. They are described in later chapters.
Of course, the revolver in its present form will have to give place to something better. I rather think the multi-shot pistol of the future will be on the revolver principle, but with a means of making a tight joint, at the moment of firing, between the cylinder and the barrel; or that the cartridge will be automatically pushed out of the cylinder into the barrel and fired from there ; also
32 Art of Revolver Shooting
that the cartridges, containing some condensed powder, will be much shorter, so that the cylinder can also be shortened. Likewise the cocking and the cylinder- revolving will be done automatically by the recoil.
In prices revolvers vary greatly. The Smith & Wesson costs about £5. The Webley solid frame averages £3 in blue, and £3.ios. in nickel. The "Ex- tractor," Mark III., .38, by the same makers, comes to £4. 1 6s. Morris Tubes for revolvers (not less than .320) costs from £1. 5s. 6d. to £1. 10s. 6d. The Morris Tube Co.'s Trajectory Target (steel, for fifty yards) costs £3. 3s., and their Safety Mantlet (7 feet x 3 x 3) costs £10, and Butt (7 feet x 3) £2. 10s.
CHAPTER V
AMMUNITION
?p^»^o
Y aim throughout this work is to make the book as com- plete as possible on the sub- ject of pistols, — single-shot pistols, revolvers, and auto- matic repeating pistols.
It was my original in- tention to give illustrations and minute descriptions of all modern pistols and am- munition, taking both black and smokeless powders; but I found that this would tend to make the chapters on pistols and ammunition resemble gunmakers' catalogues. Therefore I illustrate only typical instances, and those pistols and ammunition with which I have won prizes and that, having used constantly, I know to be good.
Revolver ammunition is usually made in the following calibres: .32, .38, .41, .44, .45, .455, and .457. Most of these can be had loaded with various smokeless powders, as King's semi-smokeless, Rirlite, Cordite, Walsrode, French Revolver, etc.
The Union Metallic Cartridge Company, U. S. A., 3 33
34 Art of Revolver Shooting
have supplied me with great quantities of .44 "gallery ammunition," loaded with both round and semi-round bullets. These have a small charge of black powder, and I preferred this ammunition out of a Smith & Wesson Russian Model revolver for self-defence, as well as for competitions up to twenty-five yards, and I found it the most accurate of any for exhibition shooting. I believe
■ 32-.44 is a special target cartridge, containing II grs. of powder and 83 grs. of lead. Bullet seated even with mouth of shell. Penetration, 5 J^-in. pine boards. Gallery charge, 6 grs. of powder and 50 gr. round ball loaded in same shell.
,38--44 is also a spec- ial target cartridge, containing 20 grs. of powder and 146 of lead, either self-lubri- cating or grooved bullet. Bullet is seated even with mouth of shell. Penetration, 6 ^-iri. pine boards. Gallery charge, 6 grs. of powder and 70 gr. round ball loaded in same shell.
Ill WINCH£5TEP. ' . I
.3S Winchesterrifle cartridge, contain- ing 40 grs. of pow- der and 180 grs. of lead. Penetration, 7 ^j-in. pine boards.
.44 Russian Model is a cartridge for long - range target work. It contains 23 grs. of powder and 256 grs. of lead. Bullets are either self- lubricating or the regular grooved. Pen- etration, lYz ^i-in. pine boards. Gallery charge, 7 grs. of powder and no gr. round ball loaded in same shell.
.44 Winchester is the regular model 73 Winchester rifle cartridge, and contains 40 grs. of powder and 217 grains of lead. Penetration, 6^ J^-in. pine boards.
.-f-^
.450 cartridge contains 13 grs. of powder and 226 grs. of lead. Eng- lish or American cartridges can be used.
most professional stage- shooters use it for revolvers and the .22 shot for single-shot Stevens pistols. I now have found an even better load, which is the French smoke- less powder. This does not foul, or lead, and one can shoot hundreds of shots without cleaning. I only use that now in U. M. C. shells for the .44 Smith & Wesson and the .38 Army Model Smith & Wesson revolvers.
Ammunition
35
I suppose the various English makers of ammunition could supply "gallery" charges in any of their various calibre cartridges, but I know of none and should not advise the beginner to try loading this sort of ammu- nition in English cartridge-cases for himself. The dome of the cap is generally higher than in American cartridges ■ if, therefore, a very small quantity of powder be put in the case and the bullet pressed down, the bullet will come down on the dome, stop up the flash hole, and cause a misfire. The way to obviate this is to take a wad of
ft ^^^^^^. j
Powder, 5 gr. ; bullet,
40 gr. ; exact cal.,
0.223
Powder, 3 gr.; bullet,
30 gr. ; exact cal.
0.223.
|5:i2w.
Powder, 10 gr. ; bullet,
88 gr.; exact cal.,
0.313-
Powder, 13 gr.; bullet, 1 00 gr. ; ' exact cal., 0.313.
=32 GObfT': '■NEW' POLICE.
Powder, 13 gr. ; bullet, 100 gr. exact cal., 0.313.
suitable calibre, make a hole in the centre, and push the wad down to the bottom of the cartridge before putting in the powder, so as to fill up the base of the cartridge and let the bullet "seat" on the powder, higher than the dome. Makers can do this properly, but an amateur may put the wad in too loosely, and a grain or so of powder may get under the wad. The result would be that, on the shot being fired, the wad would be driven half-way up the barrel, and might at the next shot cause an accident.
36
Art of Revolver Shooting
Be sure to use only low-pressure powder, if you use
smokeless, as high-pressure
powders are dangerous in a
revolver.
The .38 smith & Wesson special Many people do not un-
con tains 21 % grains of black pow- ^erstand this difference in
der and 158-grain solid base _ .
bullet. Penetration, eight and powder pressure, and injure
one-half "s-inch pine boards. This ^ revolyers b experiment-
is a very powerful charge and ex- J
trcmely accurate. Gallery charge [ng with what become practic-
6 grains of powder and 70-grain . ,, - f
round ball loaded in same shell. ally "blasting instead of
propelling charges. For the twenty-yards "Military" competitions at Bisley , in which one is not allowed to use less than thirteen grains of black powder (or its equivalent in muzzle velocity of smokeless), and 2163^ grs. of lead in the bullet, or less than .45 calibre, I have used Eley's .45 black powder cartridges and the Union Metallic Cartridge Company's similar ammunition in most of my competitions. I think
The regular .38 United States service cartridge (listed as .38 long Colt) is used in the same revolver and is very accurate, but not so powerful as the special. It contains 18 grains of black powder and 150-grain hollow base bullet. Penetration, six and one-half Ji-'mch pine boards.
the Union Metallic Company's
gives rather less recoil and
The .32 Winchester is the reg- fewer " unaccountables " than
ular Winchester repcating-riflc . , T
cartridge. It is very accurate and the English equivalent ; 1 SUp-
powerful and gives good results
up to 200 yards. It contains 20
grains of black powder and 115-
grain bullet. Penetration, six and
one-half ^-inch pine boards.
to the use of it.
pose it has a slower-burning powder. That is why, of late years, I have confined myself They also load these cartridges with
Ammunition
37
King's semi-smokeless powder, which I have used, and with which I have made my "bests-on--record" in the
CUT SHOWING DETAILS OF CONSTRUCTION
complete self-lubricating A, Lubricant; B, Plunger; C, Ducts;
cartridge D, Metal Lining
Explanation. — At the moment of explosion, the lead plunger (B), being driven forward, forces the lubricant contained in the cavity (A) out through the ducts (C) in front of the bullet, and at a point most effective.
The ducts being completely closed by the plunger, all escape of gas and loss of force is consequently prevented.
rapid-firing competitions at twenty yards. At twenty- five metres my record score made in Paris, April 6th 1909, was with French smokeless powder in U. M. C. shells, and at thirty me- j - 1
tres with Dutch smokeless, and for the fifty-yards com- petitions I have used these two makes of .45 calibre ammunition (with black powder) ; but my ' ' best- on-record" scores at this distance were made with the Union Metallic Car- tridge Company's .44 calibre and .32 calibre cartridges, L- loaded respectively with twenty-three and twenty-six grains of black powder, with the Smith & Wesson "Self- lubricating bullet."
f'MBWHWfc
38 Art of Revolver Shooting
I have also done very good shooting with the ordinary Union Metallic Cartridge Company's .44 Russian Model ammunition, twenty-three grains of black powder, and an ordinary bullet.
I find that in competing at fifty yards one must, if physically strong enough to stand it, shoot a big charge
AUTOMATIC SHELL EXTRACTOR AS APPLIED TO ALL JOINTED FRAME MODELS OF THE SMITH & WESSON REVOLVERS
in the larger calibre revolvers to get the greatest accuracy; with a .22 calibre single-shot pistol this is not necessary. The charge of twenty-three grains of black powder has a very heavy recoil, heavier than the English army .457 ammunition. I do not think that any other competitor at Bisley uses such a heavy load. The .32 with eleven grains powder charge has not an unpleasant recoil. It is
Ammunition
39
not nearly as heavy in the .32 Smith & Wesson Russian Model (.44 "frame," .32 calibre) as the .45 with thirteen grains powder in a .45 calibre, and is venr accurate at fifty yards; but by the Bisley rules it cannot be used in "Military Revolver" competitions, though it is allowed in Continental military competitions. The solid frame Smith & Wesson revolvers with smokeless powder are an
RELOADING TOOLS
improvement on their old black powder "break-down" models.
Never use any ammunition different from that recom- mended by the makers of the particular revolver you are using, without consulting them. I have had several narrow escapes (in one case having a bullet stop half-way in the barrel) when experimenting with various powders suitable for rifles but not for revolvers.
4° Art of Revolver Shooting
The new model Smith & Wesson cartridge with "Self- lubricating bullet" (see diagram) is specially designed to prevent fouling and so do away with the necessity of constantly cleaning a revolver whilst shooting black powder. The bullet is self-lubricating, instead of carry- ing its lubricant in canilures. In this bullet a better lubricant is used (or perhaps it lubricates better) than that which can be held in canilures; and it is forced by the explosion into the grooves of the barrel in front of, instead of behind, the bullet. This is, of course, the more correct principle, for the bullet, being smooth with- out any canilure, gets an easier bearing on the rifling. It is made in regular .32, .38, and .44 calibres, also in .32 long, and special .38. Bullets are also sold separately. I made my record at Bisley at fifty yards with this bullet and twenty-three grains black powder.
Messrs. Smith & Wesson do not guarantee their "break-down" action revolvers. They guarantee their new solid-frame revolvers when used with smokeless powder (smokeless powder cartridges are now made for the .44 Russian Model revolver) and I would warn my readers to be very careful when trying experiments with such powders in revolvers ; to use only those recommended by the makers of the revolver used ; and not to try loading them themselves. Such powders also need special primers and pressures. The French smokeless powder I consider the best of all for gallery ammunition, and you can shoot hundreds of shots without cleaning. Moreover in a double-action it does not jam the revolver as powders do which foul more.
Ammtmiiioii
41
The average cost of revolver ammunition is 2S. 6d. for fifty cartridges. Kynoch's solid-drawn brass car- tridges (for Smith & Wesson and Webley revolvers) run to about £2. 15s. a thousand for .44; £2. 7s. 6d for .38; and £1. 1 6s. 8d. for .32.
CHAPTER VI CLEANING AND CARE OF WEAPONS
LWAYS clean your pistol the moment you have finished shooting. If you leave it over till the next day you may as well throw it away as expect to win prizes with it.
The larger the calibre, the easier it is to clean and the less chance is there of spoiling the rifling by jamming the rod in it. I prefer wooden rods as less apt to spoil the rifling, but the very narrow calibres require a metal rod (soft metal for preference) , as the wood would have to be too thin, and would be liable to break in the bore.
Clean from the breech, not from the muzzle end, ex- cept of course the muzzle-loading duelling pistol; the last fraction of an inch at the muzzle is where the rifling, if damaged, spoils the shooting most. For the same reason it is as well to have the rifling "reamed off " at the mouth of the muzzle so that the edge of it is protected. If you use nitro-powders, examine the interior of your barrel at frequent intervals after cleaning, to see if there is any damage going on.
42
Cleaning and Care of Weapons 43
Use the cleaning fluids recommended for the particular powder you are using, as what may be good for one powder is of no use for another. I use Hillias' cleaning fluid, finishing up with Marlin gun-grease, but there are special mixtures for cleaning after using cordite. Where nickel- covered bullets are used a special chemical dissolves the nickel left in the barrel.
The great thing is to clean thoroughly. I use cotton- wool of the best quality rather than tow, and I do not use boiling water unless in very exceptional cases, for fear of overlooking a spot in drying, and getting rust in con- sequence. If necessary to use water to remove fouling, let it be as hot as possible.
Do not try to oil the lock, or put it right ; send it occasionally to the maker to be seen to. It is also well to have a cleaning kit with wooden, not metal (except for calibres of .32 or less) cleaning rods, cotton-wool, cleaning fluids, screw-drivers, etc., all in proper compartments, and put back when used. See that the cotton-wool is absolutely dry and clean before using it. Throw away such pieces as are used. " Selvit " cut to proper size like shot-gun wads is a good finish to push through the barrel. Do not use too big a piece on your rod, such as would get the latter jammed in the barrel, as you may ruin the shooting qualities of the barrel by using force to remove it. Have the cleaning rods long enough or you may bark your knuckles.
I also do not like the cardboard cases in which Ameri- can pistols are usually packed, for permanent use ; they are not strong enough and are apt to injure the sights,
44 Art of Revolver Shooting
especially fine sights. A holster, again, is not the thing in which to keep a revolver habitually, as the sights get knocked about; also if the holster is used out-of-doors it gets damp inside and rusts the weapon. Great care should always be taken to see that the holster is absolutely dry in- side before placing a revolver therein. To dry the inside of a holster, make some oats very hot in a saucepan, and fill the holster with them, emptying them out when cold. Some Amercian holsters are made of india-rubber, to prevent perspiration from the body rusting the revolver, but such are very liable to retain dampness inside. The holster which I prefer (for wearing, and not as a pistol-case) is a cowboy holster, without any button to the flap. If you fasten the flap, you cannot get the pistol out in a hurry. A lining of rabbit fur is useful to keep out sand or dust.
My pistol-cases are good, strong, and solid, made of leather, with brass corners like gun-cases. Each case holds four, placed either side by side, each pistol in its own compartment, or, with a tray, two in the tray and two below. If you have only two, they can be put in a case without this upper tray, or the tray can be used for cartridges. Under all circumstances use a good lock, — not the sort that any key fits, — keep the case locked, and wear the key on your watch-chain so that you may be sure nobody will be able to get at it. Keep the case in a dry place, and look at the pistols occasionally, when they are not in constant use, to see that they are not rusting.
Keep your cartridges, if not in the same case as the revolvers, locked in a good leather case. This may be
Cleaning and Care of Weapons 45
fitted with compartments for various calibres and loads. The word "loaded" may with advantage be inscribed inside the lid of the pistol-cases. People then feel less encouragement to meddle with the contents.
CHAPTER VII
SIGHTS
TGHTS are made in many forms. Some suit one man best; others another. You cannot decide which suits your individual case without trying each sort for yourself.
When you find one form which suits you, it is a pity to risk spoiling your shooting by changing to others; a beginner should never do so, or he will get into an uncertain way of taking his sights, instead of using always the same, the only way to make reliable, consistent shooting. Of course, all your sights may be of no use if you are going to shoot in a com- petition, owing to the authorities making some new rule as to "fit for rough usage." In such a case it will be necessary for you to shoot with whatever sights are allowed by the rules.
My patent sight has, so far, complied with every rule, and it can be used even for hammering nails and yet not surfer damage.
The main point is to have a front sight that is at once
easily seen, and of which you see each time the same
46
Sights
47
amount, and not more at one time than at another. Un- less this is the case you cannot keep your elevation.
Also the "U" in the back sight should have bevelled edges, in order to give a sharp edge; otherwise it looks "woolly."
Again, if you are not able to see daylight each side of the front sight when it is in the "U," you cannot be sure that you are not covering, on one side or the other,
Side view End view
ELEVATING REAR-SIGHT
Side view End view
" PAINE " FRONT SIGHT
^ i
Side view End view Side view End view
ELEVATING REAR-SIGHT FRONT SIGHT
End view of rear target sight
Side view of front target sight
TARGET SIGHTS
Front Rear
LYMAN SIGHTS
part of the front sight. Consequently you cannot tell whether your aim is or is not in horizontal axis with your barrel.
The reason I prefer a "U"- to a "V "-shaped notch in the hind sight is because in the "V" you do not see this daylight so well.
The greater distance between the pistol hind-sight and the eye enables a man with normal power of vision to shoot
48 . hi of Revolver Shooting
a pistol without the aid oi spectacles up to a more ad- vanced ;>Kix than is the case with rifle shooting. A healthy eye Loses only with age its elasticity or its capacity to adjust the focus to near objects. A rifle hind-sight is
oi course very near the eye by comparison with the distance of a pistol hind-sight when the arm is at full stretch.
The same principle is involved when an elderly man has to hold a newspaper a long way from his eyes if he wants to read without glasses. 1 know several men who have come to need glasses for reading, who yet do not need them for pistol shooting.
As soon as you can shoot well enough to know whether bad shots arc the fault of the sighting of the pistol, or oi your own holding, you can sight the pistol properly for yourself; and in this way you can do the sighting much more accurately, and with greater nicety, than by taking the weapon to a. gunmaker and saying: "Alter the sights to shoot three inches higher, and two inches to the left at twenty yards, open the 'U ' a little," and so on. In- stead, have front and hind sights made oi horn, (put in temporarily A without any "U" in the hind sight, and set both hind and front sights a little higher than you think necessary. Then go to the range with your pistol, ami take with you files oi various sizes, including some that arc round. Make a slight "U" in the measured centre of the top edge oi the back sight. Shoot a few- shots at the range you want to sight for -taking care that you do not shoot right over the top of the butt, owing to being sighted too high and then keep working
Sights 49
with the files, first at one sight, thou at the other, until you get both approximately right.
Do not cut the "U" down too close to the barrel, for if you do it will give you a "blurry " aim, especially when the barrel gets hot. If you find you shoot too high owing to the "U" not being cut down, rather than file the "U" unduly low take out the front sight and put in a higher one. The French duelling pistol has very low sights, and the front one is a stalkless bead, like the sight of a shot-gun, according to French rules these must not be altered or painted. For rapid firing this sort of sighting is very good till the barrel gets hot.
When filing, remember the following points:
First, filing the bottom of the "U" makes you shoot lower.
Secondly, filing the top of the front sight makes you shoot higher.
Thirdly, filing the side of the "U" or the front sight makes you shoot towards the side you have filed.
Therefore by filing only a very little at a time where filing is needed you can gradually get your sighting perfect. I repeat, be sure to file only a very little at a time, or you will overdo it. As in sculpture, you can easily remove, but you cannot replace. If you do remove too much any- where you may be able to counteract the fault by filing so as to alter the direction of the aim. For instance, you have been shooting too much to the right. This you can correct by filing the left of the front sight, or the left of the " U, " — whichever makes the more symmetrical job, — but if, in doing so, you make the front sight too small or too
5° Art of Revolver Shooting
narrow, or the "U" too wide, the only thing left to be done is to put in a new front or hind sight as the case may be, and then begin shooting and filing again.
When you have got the sighting perfect, work carefully
SPECIAL TARGET SIGHTS
with your file (taking great care not to spoil the edge of the "U" nearest to the eye when aiming), and give a chamfered or bevelled edge to the far side of the "U," so that it has a knife-edge. This is to make the "U"
Sights 51
look clear and yet allow the back sight to be strong. On this principle you can let the hind sight be strong, and over a quarter of an inch thick, and yet have a nice, clear "U." Do not have the "U" deeper than a semicircle. If the "U" is too deep it hampers your view of the object aimed at. In fact it really should be a semicircle and not a "U" at all. You can also file all round the front sight, giving it a taper towards the muzzle, but keep- ing unaltered the silhouette that you see when aiming, so that the outline shall stand out clear to the eye.
A gunmaker's vise, padded in order that it may not injure the weapon held in it, is a useful thing, as it of course leaves the operator's two hands free to use the files; also it proves convenient to hold the pistols in when they are being cleaned.
I cannot tell you how much you may undercut the front sight, assuming you intend to use it on a revolver at Bisley, as the rules alter so from year to year. I have an undercut bead- sight which in some years was allowed at Bisley as a "Military Revolver, " and in other years was not. If you are in any doubt as to your weapon's being allowed, the best plan is to send it to the Council of the National Rifle Association for their approval in plenty of time before the Bisley meeting, so that you can alter it if it be not passed.
When you have finished, and have had a final shoot in order to make sure that this finishing has not spoilt your elevation, etc., send your pistol to the maker and ask him to make your sights precisely like your model ones, and to fix them permanently on the revolver —
5 2 Art of Revolver Shooting
without screws if for Bisley use, so as to comply with the rules. If when you get the pistol with, these new sights the work has been properly done, very little more filing will set everything to rights.
Should you not be shooting at Bisley, or at any of those clubs which shoot under Bisley rules, you can, of course, get a pistol with Smith & Wesson's "Ira Paine" adjustable sights. Carry a miniature folding gilt screw- driver and sight-case on your watch chain, as I do, and you will then be able to shoot in any light, at any range, or in any style of shooting, by merely giving a slight turn to the adjusting screws to alter your elevation or direction ; or if a sight breaks, or you want one of a different size or shape, you will be able to produce one from your little case of sights.
EXTRACTS FROM SPECIFICATION OF WALTER WINANS' REVOLVER FRONT-SIGHT
"Great difficulty has hitherto been experienced in seeing the same amount of front sight each time aim is taken, unless the base of the sight is sufficiently undercut to form a ' bead sight ' ; such undercutting being, however, detrimental, as it weakens the 'sight' and renders it very liable to injury, and is not permissible in Bisley revolver competitions. The object of my invention is, therefore, to overcome this difficulty, and to this end I make the 'sight' of metal, horn, wood, or other hard substance, with a strong, wide base, preferably of the 'barleycorn' or triangular section.
"The face of the upper part of the 'sight' facing the marks- man (as much of it as it is desirable to see in aiming) is made vertical, or inclined slightly towards the marksman, so as to cause it to appear black, as it is in shadow. The visible part of the sight below the face inclines forward from the marksman, and downward,
Sights
53
so as to reflect the light and enable the face of the sight to be at once distinguished by its difference of shade from the lower part. It may be polished or plated to assist in reflecting the light, while, as a contrast, the vertical face is cross-filed, or 'rough- ed,' or may be hollowed out, so as to be in shadow, and give it a ' dead ' black appearance.
"In the accompanying drawing I have shown what I consider the best means of carrying this out. Fig. I is a side view, full size
f/g /
Fic.S
Fic3i
& <*>
F/c4.
FicS
Ficd Fic7
FicV
WINANS' REVOLVER FRONT-SIGHTS
of a portion of a revolver barrel fitted with my improved 'front- sight.'
"Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 are sections of the barrel at A B, showing two forms which the sight may assume in section, one having straight sides, the other concave. I show in Figs. 4 and 4*, on a larger scale, for the sake of clearness, a side and plan view of the sight shown in Fig. 1, and in Fig. 5 a modification of this shape. Figs. 6 and 7 are end views, showing two sectional forms of the sight, and corresponding in size with Figs. 4 and 5. In Figs. 1 and 4 it will be seen that a is the vertical face of the sight, which is
54
Art of Revolver Shooting
designed to present a dark appearance to the marksman; and b is the polished, inclined surface, which takes a rounded form. In the modification, Fig. 5, the face a is slightly inclined towards the marksman, and the bright or polished surface b takes the form of a flat incline."
^'^
s*r=~
CHAPTER VIII
LEARNING TO USE THE PISTOL
^ ''T is assumed that you have procured an >F\iS*, accurate pistol, properly sighted.
First, open it, or, if it is a muzzle- loader, put in the loading rod and note if it goes in to the chamber, to make sure that it is unloaded. Always do this before handling a pistol.
Take a bottle of sight-black, and paint both sights over with the liquid. I have seen men try to compete, even at Bisley, with their sights in a shiny state, which made it impossible for them to make good shooting on a white target with a black "bull." On the Continent the paint- ing of sights is not allowed in competitions, and very rightly so in my opinion.
For game shooting, or for military purposes, of course a ' ' dead ' ' white (ivory for choice) tip to the front sight is preferable, or my patent military front-sight which answers the purposes both of a light on dark, or dark on light, sight. For the French duelling pistol the front sight must be silver, by the regulations, not black.
With a pistol the first thing to consider is safety.
55
56 Art of Revolver Shooting
It is, owing to its shortness, one of the most dangerous of firearms to handle. Even an expert must exercise great care, whilst in the hands of a beginner or of a careless person it may become fearfully dangerous. I have when
OLYMPIC REGULATION 50 METRES PISTOL TARGET
teaching men how to shoot had many very narrow escapes from being shot. Indeed in some instances it was not safe even to be behind them, for they would turn round with the pistol at full- cock, and pointing at one, and then perhaps ingenuously remark, "I can't understand why
Learning to Use the Pistol 57
the thing won't go off; look, I am pulling the trigger as hard as I can. " ( !) Then, a safe background is indispens- able. Some people think that if the target is fastened to the trunk of a tree all must be well, since — so they argue — the bullet cannot go through the tree. This may be so if the tree be hit, but the bullet will, very likely, go past the tree when the beginner fires, or — and this is just as dangerous — it may graze the tree and then go off at a tangent. Also, in shooting with round bullets, and with light gallery ammunition, the bullets may rebound from a hard tree and strike the shooter or someone near him. This I have seen actually happen.
I also remember, many years ago, a servant being told to take an old Colt house-protection muzzle-loader out into the garden, and to empty the chambers there. They had been loaded many years, and the weapon needed reloading to avoid a possible misfire. He fired only one shot, then came back to us limping badly. Asked why he had not fired the rest, he replied that he had "no use" for another shot. It seemed that he had fired at a brick wall, distant only a few feet from him, with the result that the bullet had come back and hit him in the knee.
A good background is a high, sandy bank, a thick pile of fagots, or, if not closer than fifty yards, a high brick or stone wall. The target may be placed fifteen or so yards out from the wall in order to prevent any possible danger through a bullet's coming back on the shooter, who will in any case then be far enough away from the wall for safety. If a lot of shooting be done, and many shots hit
58 Art of Revolver Shooting
the wall at the same spot, a hole may gradually be made in it. This happened in the first year that I shot at Wimbledon, when the butt consisted of old "sleepers." Iron butts are expensive, especially with the large surface required by beginners at twenty yards, for a beginner cannot, in my opinion, shoot with safety at a background less than twelve feet high and about ten feet wide. Even then there should not be anyone within a distance of half a mile beyond it, for a novice may let off his pistol by accident. Shooting out to sea is safe, if a good lookout be kept for boats. The glare from the water, however, is not conducive to accurate marksmanship. A sand- or a chalk-pit is a good place to shoot in ; also a high chalk cliff makes a good, safe background. It is of course dangerous to shoot anywhere where people may cross unexpectedly.
A pistol should never under any circumstances be pointed in any direction where it would matter if it went off by accident. This rule should be observed even with an empty pistol, because so many " I-did-not-know-it- was-loaded" accidents have already occurred. Any child seen to point a firearm, even a toy one, at anybody should immediately be given a severe whipping.
The butt which for years I have used for disappearing and stationary targets is an old-fashioned third-class iron rifle target, six feet by four, with a sheet of thick lead one foot square hung in the middle. It is the latter that is struck ; the rest of the butt is there merely in case a pistol might be let off unintentionally, say owing to the hammer slipping, or some such cause. The bullets,
THE AUTHOR S SHOOTING POSITION
59
60 Art of Revolver Shooting
burying themselves in the lead, do not splash, and the lead falls off in clusters and can beremelted. A beginner, however, would not be able to keep all his shots on the lead alone, so that a butt of this kind is suitable only for a man to use who may be depended upon implicitly, even in rapid firing, to place every bullet on the lead plate, or, in the event of the pistol's being fired uninten- tionally on the iron butt.
1 n order to make pistol- and rifle-ranges safe, in 1895 I took out a patent for a safety butt, of which I give a diagram. The following is a description of it: —
\\\ order to diminish the number of ricochets from bullets striking the earth short of the target butts, it is usual to build, at intervals across the range, walls of turf, so that a bullet dropping short of the target will bury itself therein. If, however, a bullet grazes the lop of one of these walls, it will ricochet as badly as ever, particularly if the turf wall or bank is faced with timber, as is sometimes the ease.
To render the turf walls more efficacious than heretofore, I furnish them at their top with a structure from which the bullets will not glance so as to be diverted from their course and caused to assume a dangerous direction.
1 apply to t lie summit of the turf walls or banks a line of planking, the front of which, towards the firing-point, is perpendicular, while the back is chamfered off to a knife-edge at the top. The inclined back of this planking is covered with a layer of felt, india-rubber, or similar soft material, the edge of which projects above the knife- edge of the planking, in a slightly forward direction, towards the firing-point.
In the accompanying drawing 1 have shown, in end view, a turf wall furnished, in accordance with my invention, with the non-deflecting planking and fell. A is the wall or bank of earth
Learning to Use the Pistol 6*
covered with turf, which will slop all bullets fired in I lie direction of the arrow which fairly strike it. B is a, wooden rail or plank mounted on the summit of the hank- and having a perpendicular face toward the shooters, and an inclined or chamfered back as
\ ^> ft 31
IP \ "km
PATENT SAFETY BUTT
shown. Cis the strip of felt, india-rubber, or other flexible material, attached to the back of the planking B, and projecting slightly above the top edge of the said planking in a forward direction. In practice, a bullet grazing the top of the turf wall would be
62 Art of Revolver Shooting
prevented by the planking from glancing away in a dangerous di- rection, although the said planking would not stop its course in the direction of the target. In the same way if a bullet touches the topmost edge of the planking, the felt or india-rubber will prevent an upward ricochet; while the bullet, if merely touching the felt or other soft material only, will not be appreciably diverted from its course.
Having got a butt, the learner should take a firm, narrow wooden table and place it some ten yards from the target. This target is preferably a "Bisley fifty -yards target," four-inch bull's-eye. The Bisley cardboard targets are cheap, and, by pasting white patches on the white, and black on the bull's-eye bullet-holes, one target can be used for a long time. I refer to the fifty-yards target because this four-inch bull's-eye is very easy to hit at ten yards' range. The Bisley revolver ' ' bull's-eyes " count, at all ranges, seven points; the concentric rings counting one point less, each, till the outermost one, which counts two points. The highest possible score, therefore, for the six shots is forty-two, or six times seven. It is best to shoot at this very big bull at ten yards, as making bull's-eyes encourages the beginner. As he be- comes more proficient the two-inch twenty-yards "bull" can be substituted. This I think preferable to going back farther from the target as your skill increases; also it is safer, for the nearer the shooter is to the butt, the wider his shots would have to be for him to miss it ; whereas, if he goes back to fifty yards he may easily shoot over a very high butt.
I am for the moment teaching "bull's-eye" shooting,
Learning to Use the Pistol 63
but, as I explain in my books on rifle shooting, I consider it preferable, if practicable, instead of target shooting to shoot at an object which has no bull's-eye.
Place your empty pistol on the table, the weapon lying on its left side with the muzzle towards the target. The table is preferably a narrow one, so that during the process of loading the pistol the muzzle points to the ground beyond the table and not at the table itself, an accidental discharge being thus immaterial. A table a foot wide is about right ; the length does not matter pro- vided the table be long enough to hold your glasses, cleaning implements, etc., and cartridges.
Position. — The position for shooting, which I am now going to describe, is one in which I shoot and the one which I have found from experience suits me best. This position, however, will have to be modified according to the build of the shooter (I am five feet ten inches tall, and weigh 168 pounds) ; a man stouter or shorter-necked than I am, might have to stand more sideways. I remember once, on the first day of a Bisley meeting, the non-commissioned officer in charge of my target saying: "Excuse me, sir, you are standing wrong." I said: "What am I doing wrong? Show me." He took my revolver — it was empty (I had been merely looking along the sights at the target to see if they needed blacking) — and showed me the regulation, conventional position — right side to the target, right arm bent, head and neck bent down to look along the sights, little finger under end of stock, etc. The position he showed me not only cramps one, strains the eyes (from having to look
64 Art of Revolver Shooting
' ' round the corner ' ' to the right) , and prevents one from being able to shoot at moving objects, but in addition one is very apt to be hit in the face by the revolver from the recoil of a heavy charge. A beginner almost in- variably stands in this awkward, sideways position; it is also the conventional position with all artists, just as
HOW TO COCK A REVOLVER
raising the right arm in jumping a fence (see the right- hand figure in tail-piece on page 108). I suppose the origin of it is the conventional duelling position — trying to give your opponent a narrow target to aim at — but this is wrong even for duelling, as I explain in the chapter on that subject. From the shape of some men's figures, though, I am of opinion that there are men who would
Learnmg to Use the Pistol 65
present a narrower mark — especially in the region of the belt — when facing an enemy! But this is a digression.
Stand facing the target, the right foot pointing straight for the target, or perhaps a shade to the left (if the ground be slippery this gives you a firmer foothold) ; the left heel distant from six to nine inches to the left of the right foot, according to your height (my distance is eight inches), and about an inch farther back; the feet turned out about as much as is natural to you when standing. Nails in the boots, or corrugated rubber, give a firmer hold, especially in short, dry grass.
Stand perfectly upright, not craning your head for- ward; the left arm should hang down straight, and close to the side, in the position of "Attention." Some people bend the left arm and rest the hand on the hip; but I think this looks affected, and it is not as workmanlike as if the arm hangs straight down.
If you are trying to "hold" an especially important shot, and find yourself wobbling off your aim, it is a help to grip your thigh hard with your left hand; this especially applies in a gusty wind.
Now lift the pistol with your right hand (the weapon is empty, remember) and cock it. There are two ways of cocking: one using both hands and one using only the shooting hand. I do not refer to the double-action cock- ing by pulling back the trigger for the moment.
This single-handed cocking is done by putting the thumb on the hammer, and by the action of the thumb muscles alone bringing it to full-cock. Take particular care that the first finger is clear of the trigger, or else
66 Art of Revolver Shooting
you will either break or injure the sear notch, or have an accidental "let-off." With practice, this way of cocking becomes very easy, and can be done with great rapidity. I personally can also let the pistol down to half-cock (manipulating it with one hand, with the trigger finger and thumb) ; but I would not advise a beginner to try this, except with an empty pistol, and even then only with one that he does not mind the chance of spoiling, as he is very apt to break the nose of the sear if he bungles it.
By practice, the thumb and forefinger muscles {abduc- tor pollicis and adductor indicis) develop enormously, so you need not mind if at first this work of cocking seems dif- ficult; but stop as soon as the muscles feel tired, or you may strain them. Pistol shooting is good also for the flex- ors of the forearm and for the dorsal muscles. A small hammer with short "fall" is easiest to cock, as well as to make good shooting with, for such a hammer takes less time in falling, and the aim is, in consequence, less likely to be disturbed.
The beginner will find that it assists the cocking to give the pistol a slight tilt to the right and upwards, taking great care to bring it back with the hind sight horizontal afterwards, as holding the sights tilted is one of the chief causes of bad shooting.
In double-handed cocking, assist the right hand by taking the revolver behind the chambers with the left hand, so as not to get burnt if it should go off by accident; with a pistol it is handier to grip farther forward; keep the barrel horizontal and pointed at the target, not
Learning to Use the Pistol 67
(if you are competing) towards your left-hand neighbour, as is often done; and, while it is thus steadied, cock the revolver gently, not with a jerk, bringing the hammer well beyond full-cock, so that it sinks back into the bent with a well-defined " click," keeping the first finger clear of the trigger.
Now, stand with the pistol in your right hand, just back clear of the table; right arm full stretch; thumb
THE CORRECT WAY TO HOLD A REVOLVER
stretched out along the revolver (see illustration), but the first finger must be outside the trigger-guard (not touching the trigger) during this stage. The duelling pistol has to be held differently, as will be seen in that chapter.
Some Englishmen shoot with the second finger on the trigger and the first along the revolver; but this is a clumsy way, and the first finger is apt to be burnt with the escape of gas from the cylinder. I have never seen
68
Art of Revolver Shooting
men of any other nation do this. The habit was acquired from shooting the Martini rifle, the clumsy "grip" of which made this manner of holding necessary.
The great thing is to have your grip as high as you can on the stock, in line with the axis of the barrel, or as near this as is practicable. With the Smith & Wesson Russian Model I have it is as shown in the diagrams, actually in line with the bore- of the barrel.
THE CORRECT POSITION FOR THE THUMB
Some American revolvers for the British market often have specially long, big handles, or stocks, because of the habit (or is it the Regulation Position?) of holding the stock low down with the little finger beneath, prevalent in England. Now, this sort of position makes the recoil come at an angle to the wrist, throws the barrel up at the recoil, spoiling the accuracy, and puts more strain on the wrist than is necessary. I remember a very strong-
Learning to Use the Pistol 69
wristed man firing one of my heavily charged fifty-yards revolvers and, owing to holding it in this way, spraining his wrist at the first shot; yet I have fired hundreds of rapid-firing shots straight on end with it without hurting myself. I take the recoil just as a man catches a hard- thrown ball, letting arm, hand, and wrist fly up all together.
The pistol-barrel, hand, and arm should all be nearly in one line, the thumb along the left side, so as to prevent jerking to the left in pressing the trigger (in the same way as the left arm is fully extended in shooting with the shotgun) , and not crooked, as all beginners insist on holding it.
You must be constantly on the watch that you do not crook your thumb, until the extended position becomes second nature to you. Some makes of revolvers have the extractor lever in a position which renders this grip with extended thumb impossible, and then it has to be held with the "duelling grip." This applies also to most double-action revolvers.
For the benefit of beginners who are not target rifle- shots, the following explanation may be necessary. The target, for the convenience of locating shot-holes, is supposed to represent the face of a clock. The top of the bull's-eye (which we term "bull" for brevity) is called XII o'clock, as that is, of course, where the numeral XII appears on a clock face, and so on for all the other numerals : half -past four, for instance, is half-way between where the numerals IIII and V appear on a clock. I was once shooting in the presence of a German naval officer,
70 Art of Revolver Shooting
and, when I made a "half-past four" "bull" shot, he said, "South-east," his professional instinct making him liken the target to the face of a compass.
First take a deep breath, and fill your lungs. Now slowly bring your right arm to the horizontal, keeping your eyes fixed on the bottom edge, — at "six o'clock" of the "bull"; whilst you are doing this, put your forefinger inside the trigger-guard, and gradually begin to feel the trigger and steadily increase the pressure on it straight back, not sideways. Whilst you are doing all this, also gradually stiffen all your muscles so that you are braced up, especially about the right shoulder, as though you were walking along the pavement and saw a man coming towards you whom you meant to shoulder out of your path.
You may breathe naturally until the revolver is levelled, then hold your breath; if you cannot get your aim satisfactorily before you feel you want to take a fresh breath, lower the pistol, take a deep breath, and try again. If you have followed these instructions carefully, you will find, when the hind sight comes to the level of your eyes (closing your left eye or not, as you find best, without any movement of the head), the front sight will be seen through the middle of the "U" pointed at the bottom of the bull's-eye, the top of the front sight just touching it at "six o'clock." If everything has been done perfectly, at the moment this occurs, the pressure on the trigger will have been increased sufficiently to cause the hammer to fall, and, after it has fallen, you will see the top of the front sight still just touching the bull's-eye at its bottom edge.
Learning to Use the Pistol 7*
If the pistol had been loaded (assuming, of course, that it was an accurate-shooting one and properly sighted), you would have had a central bull's-eye for your shot. Most likely, however, you will find that the pistol came up all of a tremble, and that, as the hammer fell, the front sight was jerked to one side of the bull and perhaps even hidden by the hind sight.
Do not be discouraged, but cock the pistol and try again. By the way, it is best to have a "dummy" cartridge or an exploded one in the pistol whilst do- ing this "snapping" practice, as otherwise the jar may do damage to the pistol and perhaps break the main- spring. There are dummy cartridges, made with a rub- ber "buffer," for this practice. Preliminary practice with the duelling pistol is slightly different, and is explained later.
If you still find your hand shaky (and it is not naturally so), it most probably arises from your gripping too hard.
The action of " letting-off " should be like squeezing an orange — a squeeze of the whole hand. Start with a light grip when your hand is down, and gradually squeeze as you come up, the trigger-finger squeezing back; the ham- mer will then fall without your having the least tremor and without the sights moving off the point they covered during the fall of the hammer. The main thing of all in pistol shooting is to squeeze straight back. Whenever you find yourself shooting badly, see if you are not ' ' pulling off to one side," or snatching; and in nine cases out of ten you will discover that this was the cause of your bad shooting.
72 Art of Revolve?' Shooting
Some men can never squeeze the trigger straight back, and have to allow for this by getting the hind sight ' ' set over" to one side to correct it; but this is a slovenly way of shooting, and, as the pull to one side may vary accord- ing to the "jumpiness" of the shooter, it prevents his being a really first-class shot.
Keep the hind sight perfectly horizontal ; beginners are prone to cant it on one side, which puts the bullet to the side towards which you cant.
After a little practice you will be able to "call" your shots, that is to say, you will be able, the moment the cartridge explodes, to say where the shot has struck the target, as you will know where the sights were pointed at the moment of the "squeeze-off."
After six shots, make a pencil-cross over each bullet- hole, so as to know where your former shots hit. After twelve hits it is best to take a fresh target. At the end of the day's shooting you can cover the holes by pasting black patches on the bull's-eye holes and white on the rest, and use the target again.
I will now say why I insist upon the importance of a table being set before the shooter. The usual procedure for a beginner with the pistol is this: He cocks the pistol, using both hands, pointing it at the spectators on his left whilst doing so ; he then holds it with his right arm close to his side, pointing it towards the ground and at his right foot. He then brings it up with a flourish, high above his head, and lowers it to the target, jerks the trig- ger and "looses off." Of course he does not hit the target, but makes a very wild shot. After a few more
Learning to Use the Pistol 73
shots on this principle, getting more and more wild, and making bigger flourishes with his pistol, he finally lets it off by accident whilst his arm is hanging by his side ; and he is lucky if he does not make a hole in his right foot.
I remember a man once telling me (he professed to be an expert with the revolver) that I was wrong in keeping my revolver pointed in front of me towards the target when preparing to shoot. "You ought to hold it like this," he said, letting his right arm hang close to his side and keeping the revolver pointing downwards; "then it is quite safe." At that moment it went off and blew a big hole in the ground within an inch of his foot !
By my system of having a table in front of the shooter, close to which he stands, and from which he lifts the revolver, he cannot shoot down into his feet. But he must never turn round or leave the table without first unloading the revolver and placing it on the table; nor, on any account, must he let anyone go up to the target or be in front or even get level with him whilst the revolver is in his hand. In France one must, by the rules, keep the pistol pointed to the ground in competitions and not raise it from a table. But one learns not to point it at one's foot.
Now, as to the trick of lifting the revolver above one's head before firing: I cannot understand why people want to do this. It only frightens spectators; besides which the shooter is running the risk of shooting himself through the head; and in competitions or in self-defence time is too valuable to waste in such antics. What would be thought in covert-shooting of a man doing "Indian-
74 Art of Revolver Shooting
club exercises" with his gun before firing each shot? Just as, when you see a man wet the point of his pencil with his lips, you know that he cannot draw, so, if a man flourishes his revolver, you may wager that he cannot shoot. I have often been asked, "How do you shoot your revolver? Do you bring it up or down on your object?" I reply: "What is the use of lifting it up above your head merely to bring it down again?" For self- defence, you take it out of your pocket or holster; in com- petitions you take it from the table; in duelling you bring it up from your thigh. In all cases it is brought up from the level of your hips or lower. Why, then, should you lift it above your head and lower it again? No; bring it up straight on the object by the shortest and quickest route. In a case of self-defence, you would have your man down before he had finished flourishing his revolver round his head.
When you are pretty confident that you can keep your sights properly aligned at the bottom edge of the bull while the hammer is falling, you can try a few shots with a loaded pistol. It is best to load only some of the chambers, and irregularly if using a revolver, — that is to say spin the cylinder round, after the revolver is closed and at half- cock, so as not to know which chambers are loaded, and, every time you find you jerk off a shot, return to the snapping-empty-cartridges practice. This latter is good practice, even when you become a finished shot. I often have a few minutes of snapping practice in my room.
Place the box of cartridges beside, and to the right of, the pistol. Use only a very small charge (gallery
Learning to Use the Pistol 75
ammunition for choice, or the .22 short in the single-shot pistol) at first, as nothing puts a beginner off so much as the fear of recoil. Stand behind the table, the revolver being between you and the target, and take the revolver by its stock in the right hand. Do not turn the muzzle to the left, but keep it straight towards the target. Put the revolver in your left hand, then :oad it. This pro- cedure varies with different makes; with the Smith & Wesson Russian and Winans revolvers you lift the catch with your left thumb and press the barrel down with the same hand till it (the barrel) is perpendicular, pointing to the ground. With the Colt, and with the Smith & Wesson solid frame revolver, you push the catch and then push the chamber out to the side. But, whatever the mechanism, the barrel should be pointing downward when the revolver is open for loading, yet in line with the target.
If a cartridge projects too much, remove it, it is dangerous as it may explode prematurely from friction against the breech of the revolver. In loading of course have the pistol at half-cock, and not at full-cock. Close it by elevating the breech with the right hand, and not by raising the barrel with the left, as in the latter case the cartridges may drop out. This rule applies also to the hand-ejecting revolvers; two types of action are here illustrated. Another is the Colt solid frame, where a gate opens and the cartridges are put in, revolving the cylinder as each cartridge is inserted. When this revolver is loaded see that the snap, or other fastening, is properly closed. If your shot goes wide of the bull, be sure, before
76 Art of Revolver Shooting
you alter your aim for the next shot, to ascertain whether it was not your "squeeze-off" that was to blame.
A practised shot can correct the shooting of his revolver
TWO SYSTEMS OF EJECTING SMITH & WESSON
by "aiming-off" enough to rectify any error in sights. But the beginner had better not attempt this: he will find enough to do in trying to hold straight under the bull.
Do not mind if your score is not a high one; those who do not understand shooting judge the goodness of
Learning to Use the Pistol 77
a score by how much it counts, or by how many shots are in or near the bull's-eye. In reality, it is the group which constitutes a good shoot. One score may consist of the highest possible, — forty-two points (all six shots bull's-eyes), — and another may only count twelve points; and yet the latter may be by far the better "shoot."
I will explain. In the first case the shots may be "all over" the bull, "nicking" the edges; they would require, therefore, a circle of more than four inches (on the target you are at present shooting at) to cover them. The other score may consist of all six bullet-holes cutting into each other at an extreme edge of the target, but making a group which could be covered with a postage- stamp. The first "shoot" is a wild, bad shoot for ten yards' range at a four-inch bull, although it counts the highest possible in conventional scoring. The other is a magnificent shoot, one that anyone might be proud of; the fact of its being up in the corner merely showing that the sights were wrong, and the shooter's "holding" was not to blame. A few touches of the file, or knocking over the hind sight, will put this error right. Never mind, therefore, about scoring many points; merely shoot for group. You will gradually find your groups getting smaller and smaller as you improve; it is then merely a matter of filing to get good scoring.
As your four-inch bull's-eye is too large for real shoot- ing at ten yards, you must remember that the sighting of the pistol should put the bullets into one inch only in this size bull at "VI o'clock," and not into the middle of it. The reason is that the trajectory of a pistol is practically
78 Art of Revolver Shooting
the same at twenty as at ten yards; and, as the English regulation bull at twenty yards is two inches, for revolver shooting you want the twenty-yards sighted revolver to put the shots into the centre of the two-inch bull when you aim at the bottom edge. In other words, you want it to shoot an inch higher than your aim at that distance. Therefore, if with your four-inch "Bull," aiming at the bottom edge, you go into the bull one inch up, it means a central bull's-eye if shot on a two-inch bull. In France an inch bull at sixteen metres is regulation, so, if practising for French competitions, the pistol must shoot only half an inch into the bull. The reason I recommend aiming at the bottom of the bull's-eye instead of at the middle of it is that if you try to put a black bead in the middle of a black bull's-eye you cannot see either properly; while if you whiten the bead of the fore sight you cannot see it clearly against the white of the target in "coming up" to the bull. Nobody can hold absolutely steady on the bull for more than a fraction of a second ; you have to ' ' come up" from below and "squeeze off" as you get your sights aligned.
For real shooting — I mean at game, or in self-defence, or in war — a white sight is best, as it shows more clearly against the objects most likely to be met with. It is for this reason that I think white targets are a mistake for practical revo ver practice. In France you must use a white metal front sight. This is all right on the black "man" target, but it is bad for the bull's-eye target. The French, however, lay more stress on "real" shooting than on target shooting.
Learning to Use the Pistol 79
If you want to learn pistol shooting for practical purposes only, and do not desire to compete for prizes, use, for the foregoing lessons, a black target with a white bull's-eye. Use a white front sight, and, as soon as you become moderately proficient, take to practising at mov- ing, disappearing, rapid-firing, traversing, advancing and retiring targets, directions for which I give under their proper heads in my Bisley chapters. Take care, however, instead of Bisley targets to have black targets with white bull's-eyes at first and then dispense with the "bull"' and shoot for centre hits, using a white front sight.
In all your shooting take a full sight in a widely open " U," so that you see daylight all round the front sight. This is the only way to get quick aim in all lights. A finer sight may do for target-potting in bright sunlight, in deliberate shooting at a stationary target, but it is useless for practical purposes. Unless you want to be a winner of prizes for that style of shooting do very little shooting at stationary targets.
It is best to have your cleaning appliances on the table, or otherwise handy, as in a drawer, when shooting, and every now and again to take a look through the barrel and then give the barrel a wipe out ; otherwise you may be inclined to attribute to bad shooting what is in reality caused by leading or by hard fouling in the barrel. I have a little cupboard under my table, with a lock and key to it, in which I keep my cleaning apparatus, cartridges, etc. (but not the pistol) , in order to save the trouble of carrying all this paraphernalia to the range.
With the French smokeless powder, however, cleaning
80 Art of Revolver Shooting
during shooting is unnecessary, though the cylinder of a revolver may occasionally need a little oil.
Always clean a revolver as soon as possible after shooting with it, and clean thoroughly.
A revolver shows signs of wear first at the breech end of the barrel, when it gets to look as though rats had been gnawing at it there. I am inclined to think that at first this makes the revolver shoot "sweeter," but when it gets too bad it affects the accuracy of the weapon for target work. For real work, I prefer a revolver when it is half worn out, as everything then works smoothly and there is less dangerof jamming. But rust in the rifling may entirely spoil accuracy, as, if you work it off, the bore gets enlarged and then the bullets "strip." I never like to compete with a perfectly new revolver; all revolvers have their peculiarities, and it is necessary to get used to one, to "break it in," so to speak, before trusting it to obey one's slightest hint.
Details for target-shooting, in competition, at a fifty- yards' stationary target, I treat of in the proper place in the Bisley chapters. I do not see much use in practising at the regulation four-inch bull at fifty yards for improv- ing one's shooting for practical purposes. The bull is too small for the accuracy of a revolver and for sighting on, and causes one to get slow and "polly"; also fifty yards is not a revolver distance, it is a .22 pistol distance.
When the present Bisley targets were designed (I was one of the committee) , it was decided to have a two-inch bull at twenty yards. It will be noticed that I have since modified my opinion and that I now think it ought to be
Learning to Use the Pistol 8l
smaller for a twenty-yards stationary target; but I con- sider, nevertheless, that it is about right for moving targets. I then suggested five inches as right for the bull at fifty yards. It was, however, decided to make it four inches, which I thought then, and still think, much too small.
If two inches be right for twenty yards, five inches is the rule-of- three proportion for fifty yards. The barrel of a revolver is so short, and the sights are so close together, that the four-inch bull is too small for the "natural error" of holding of even the best of shots. The longer single- shot pistol is a different matter, and the strength of the shots does not vary from escape of gas at the chambers as it does in revolvers.
For practice at fifty yards and over, for practical pur- poses, you should have a white bull on a black ground, six or seven inches in diameter at fifty yards, and a foot in diameter at a hundred yards. Use the same big, coarse sights that you use at the shorter range, and aim high or low, according to distance, instead of raising the hind sight or using different revolvers sighted for special distances.
At Bisley, owing to the small bull and to the great accuracy required, very minute front sights have to be used. But I am talking of practical shooting; and at fifty yards, and over, a revolver would be used only to hit something at least as big as a deer.
At a hundred yards one ought to get into, or close to, a tweve-inch bull. Shooting, of a sort, in the standing position has been done up to four hundred yards with a
82 Art of Revolver Shooting
heavy-charge revolver ; but at more than a hundred yards one cannot depend on much accuracy and can only use the revolver for ' ' browning. ' ' I have shot at one-hundred- and-ten yards at the "running deer" at Bisley with the revolver, but it is too far to do much good. At fifty yards, at the "deer," one can do really good shooting and get three shots into it in one of its runs. Fifty yards I con- sider a good distance at which to make sure of a crossing horse, galloping, and one hundred yards for a standing one.
In all competitions the revolver must be held in one hand only, although one sees so-called "dead shots" on the stage hold their pistols with both hands. The revolver can be held steadier by some people when both hands are used, the hand which does not hold the stock being rested against a tree, or other rest, and the barrel of the revolver clasped to steady it, much as a telescope is held. The left hand may also clasp the right wrist, or vice versa. Another way is to clasp the shooting arm with the other hand and rest the revolver below the biceps muscles ; but a heavily charged revolver is apt in this position to strike the face. Moreover this style of shooting is about upon a par with holding on to a horse's mane, or to the pommel of the saddle, and calling it riding.
Lying on the back and resting the revolver alongside one of your knees, the legs being crossed, is a very steady position. Sitting down with the arms folded, and shoot- ing off one arm, is another steady position.
Never leave a pistol, loaded or unloaded, where anyone can touch it. Keep it locked up, unless actually in your own possession.
Learning to Use the Pistol 83
One of my ornamental revolvers used to lie as a decoration on the writing-table in my Bisley hut. Of course it was unloaded, and there were no cartridges near. Some visitors chanced to drop in, one by one, to lunch. First came an elderly lady. She sat down near the table and her eye fell on the revolver. Instantly she snatched it up, and pointed it straight at me, exclaiming with a laugh, "I '11 shoot you!" I made her put it down, and was explaining to her how unwise it is to point a revolver at anyone, how it might have been loaded, and so on, when in came a parson. He sat down and began talking pleasantly. Presently he caught sight of the revolver. Grabbing it, he shouted: "Now then, I '11 shoot you!" and he too pointed it at me, roaring with laughter. Carlyle's famous remark about the world's population recurred to me, and I decided in future to keep the revolver locked up.
It is sometimes useful to be able to shoot with the left hand; as, for instance, if the right hand should become disabled, and for an officer with a sword in his right hand the advantage would be considerable. If the novice has determination enough to divide his practising, from the beginning, between both hands, he will come to shoot nearly as well with his "left" hand as with his right. I have put quotation marks round "left," as I mean by this the hand not usually employed; a left-handed man's right hand being in this sense his "left."
I have also noticed that a left-handed man can shoot more evenly with both hands; that is to say, he is not much better or much worse with either hand, not being
§4 Art of Revolver Shooting
so helpless with his right hand as a normally handed man is with his left. In all directions given for shooting, for left-handed work merely change "right leg" to "left leg"; "right arm" to "left arm," and so on.
CHAPTER IX
PISTOL AND REVOLVER CLUBS
| HE only association devoted exclusively to the revolver is the United States Re- volver Association. The Paris ' ' Pistolet " Club shoots both duelling pistol and revolver under very practi- cal conditions, discouraging bull's-eye shooting at sta- tionary targets and confining the competitors to rapid firing. Their whole object, indeed, is to encourage rapidity in shooting, whereas in British clubs rapidity is to all intents ignored, excepting at the Wilkinson gallery in Pall Mall, which I believe is the only pistol shooting club or gallery in England where rapid pistol shooting is encouraged. There are also several rifle and revolver clubs in England. The principa club of this kind in England is the North London Rifle Club, which shoots once a week at Ilford, Essex, during the summer, having competitions, a championship, and so forth, for military (not target) revolvers. Particulars can be obtained by writing to the Honorary Secretary.
85
86 Art of Revolver Shooting
There are also in England several territorial regimental revolver clubs ; and it is not difficult (as far as expense goes) to get up local pistol clubs either for outdoor or indoor shooting. The councils, committees, and revolver rules of the clubs above-named are as follow:
RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE CHAM- PIONSHIP MATCHES OF THE UNITED STATES REVOLVER ASSOCIATION
1. General Conditions. — Competitors must make themselves acquainted with the rules and regulations of the Association, as the plea of ignorance will receive no consideration. The rulings and decisions of the executive committee are final in all cases. These rules are for general application, but will not apply in cases where the special conditions of any match conflict with them.
2 . Classification of A rtns. — (a) Any revolver. A revolver of any calibre. Maximum length of barrel including cylinder, 10 inches. Minimum trigger pull, 2^ pounds. Sights may be adjustable but they must be strictly open, in front of the hammer and not over 10 inches apart.
(b) Any pistol. A pistol of any calibre. Maximum length of barrel, 10 inches. Minimum trigger pull, 2 pounds. Sights may be adjustable but they must be strictly open, in front of the hammer and not over 10 inches apart.
(c) Military revolver or pistol. A revolver, or a magazine pistol, that has been adopted by any civilised government for the arma- ment of its army or navy. Maximum weight, 2% pounds. Max- imum length of barrel, 7 Yl inches. Minimum trigger pull, 4 pounds. Fixed open sights. Rear sights of magazine pistols may be ad- justable for elevation only.
(d) Pocket revolver. A revolver having a maximum weight of 2 pounds. Maximum length of barrel, 4 inches. Minimum trigger
Pistol and Revolver Clubs 87
pull, 4 pounds. Sights and model must be such as not to hinder quick drawing of the weapon from the pocket or holster.
3. Loading, Firing, Timing, and Cleaning. — In all revolver and pistol matches the weapon must not be loaded until the competitor has taken his position at the firing point. The barrel must always be kept vertical or pointed towards the target. After a match or record score has been begun, in case of an accidental discharge or of defective ammunition, if the bullet comes out of the barrel it will be scored a shot. The timing in matches C and D will be as follows : The competitor standing at the firing point with the arm loaded, not cocked, and the barrel pointing downward in a direction not less than 45 degrees from the target, will signify to the scorer when he is ready to begin each string. The scorer, stop watch in hand, will then give the command, "Fire," and exactly fifteen seconds later announce, "Time." Misfires will not be scored except in matches C and D. Competitors may clean weapons in matches A and B, and in the Indoor Championships, but no time allowance will be made for time spent in this way. All competitors will be required to finish their scores within the time limits specified, except in cases of accident, when the time may be extended at the option of the executive committee. Blowing through the barrel, to moisten it, will be considered cleaning.
In revolver matches the arm must not be used as a single loader or loaded so as to use a limited number of chambers in the cylinder. The cylinder must be charged with the full number of rounds for which it is chambered, and these must be shot consecutively. If scores are shot in ten shot strings, the cylinder shall be charged first with six rounds and then with four rounds. If the cylinder only contains five chambers, then the ten shot strings may be shot in two strings of five each. In matches C and D, and in the indoor or gallery events, the arm shall in all cases be charged with five rounds.
4. Position. — The position shall be standing, free from any sup- port, the pistol or revolver being held in one hand, with arm ex- tended, so as to be free from the body.
88
Art of Revolver Shooting
5. Arms. — Any revolver or pistol which in the opinion of the executive committee complies with the conditions specified in the various matches will be allowed to compete in those events. Re- volvers or magazine pistols that have been adopted by any govern- ment for the armament of its army or navy, or such as in the opinion of the executive committee are suitable for military service, will be allowed in matches C and D. Among the arms which may be used in these matches are the .38 calibre Smith & Wesson or Colt military ; .44 Smith & Wesson, Russian model ; .44 Colt New Service ; .45 Smith & Wesson Scofield ; .45 Smith & Wesson New Century ; .45 Colt, and the following magazine or automatic pistols: Colt, Borchardt, Luger, Mannlicher, Mauser, Mors.
6. Sights. — In open sights, the notch of the rear sight must be as wide on top as at any part. Aperture or peep sights or any cov- ered or shaded sights will not be allowed. The use of a notch for the front sight will not be permitted. Sights may be smoked or blackened if desired. Sights on military arms, if modified to suit individuals, must remain strictly open, strong and substantial, and suitable for military use.
7. Trigger Pull. — The trigger pull as specified in the various events shall be determined by a test weight equal to the minimum pull applied at a point three-eighths of an inch from the end of the trigger and at right angles to the pin through the trigger.
8. Ammunition. — In matches C and D, and in the medal com- petition, where full charge ammunition is required, it may be the product of any reputable manufacturer. It must in all cases be brought to the firing point in unbroken boxes, with the label of the manufacturer intact.
9. Targets. The 200-yard Standard American rifle target No. 1 (containing the 4 ring), with an eight-inch bull's-eye, shall be used in all matches at 50 yards. The diameters of the rings are as fol- lows: 10 ring equals 3.36 inches; 9 ring equals 5.54 inches; 8 ring equals 8 inches; 7 ring equals n inches; 6 ring equals 14.8 inches; 5 ring equals 19.68 inches; 4 ring equals 26 inches; rest of target
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90 Art of Revolver Shooting
28 inches by 28 inches counts 3. The same target reduced so that the bull's-eye or 8 ring is 2.72 inches in diameter and the 10 ring 1.13 inches in diameter, shall be used for all matches at 20 yards.
10. Marking and Scoring. — In all matches new paper targets shall be furnished for each competitor. Not more than ten shots are to be fired on any target at 50 yards, and not more than five shots on any target in matches C and D and for all shooting at 20 yards; the shot holes in all cases to remain uncovered and left as shot. Bullets touching, striking, or within a line on the target are to be scored the count of that line. The eye alone shall determine whether a bullet touches a line or not.
11. Ties. — Ties shall be decided as follows: (1) By the score at the longest distance ; (2) by the score at the next longest distance ; (3) by the fewest number of shots of lowest count; (4) by firing five shots each under the same conditions as the match and these rules in regard to ties, until decided.
12. Supervision. — The shooting in all the U. S. R. A. events must take place in the presence of at least two witnesses, one of whom must be an authorized officer of the local club, or shooting organization, or a governor appointed by the U. S. R. A. This officer shall certify that each contestant has complied with all the U. S. R. A. regulations as to distance, weapon, time, ammunition, etc., noting same on the blank spaces provided on the score cards and signing the score cards in duplicate for each contestant.
13. Protests. — Any person who believes that an injustice has been done, or who dissents from the decision of any authorised execu- tive officer of the association, may enter a protest on depositing $1 .00 with the cashier or acting treasurer of the club or organisation under whose auspices the matches are held. Such protest must be in writing, in duplicate, and must be made within 24 hours after the incident on which it is based. One copy to be handed to the executive officer of the club or organisation conducting the matches and the other copy to be mailed to the secretary-treasurer of the U. S. R. A. All protests will be investigated and passed upon by
Pistol and Revolver Clubs 9*
the executive committee, and, if sustained, the protest fee will be returned; otherwise it will be forfeited.
14. Records. — The shooting for records shall, when practicable, be done on the grounds or in a gallery of a regularly organised shoot- ing association, military organisation, or club, and in the presence of at least two witnesses, one of whom shall be an officer of the U. S. R. A., of such shooting organisation or club. The foregoing rules and regulations and the conditions governing the champion- ship matches of the U. S. R. A. must in all cases be observed and followed. The record score shall begin with the first shot after the shooter has announced his intention to shoot for record; only the first ten shots will apply to the ten shot record; the first twenty shots to the twenty shot record, and so on to 50 or 100 shots, as the shooter may desire. Such scores for record must in all cases be completed within the same proportional time limit as is specified for the corresponding championship match. After finishing the record score, the target shall be identified and signed by the wit- nesses as above designated. The witnesses shall also prepare and sign a certificate of prescribed form, which, with the detailed score and all targets, shall be forwarded to the U. S. R. A., addressed to the secretary-treasurer. If all the conditions, rules, and regulations have been complied with, the scoring correct, and if the score is higher than or equal to any previously made under the same con- ditions, it will be declared a new record. The score will then be entered as such in the record book of the association, and the shooter formally notified to that effect.
LE PISTOLET
Presidents d' honneur — MM. Daniel Merillon, avocat generale a la Cour de cassation, president de 1' Union des Societes de tir de France; M. H. de Villeneuve, Conseiller d'etat, president de la Societe d' encouragement de 1' Escrime.
Vice-Presidents d' honneur — MM. Lt. -Colonel Derue, Maurice Faure.
Membre d' Honneur — S. M. Alphonse XIII, Roi' Espagne.
92 Art of Revolver Shooting
BUREAU
President— M. le Comte Justinien Clary.
Vice-Presidents — MM. Baron Henri dc Castex, Pierre Perrier. Secretaire General, Tresorier — M. le Baron Jules Evain. Secretaire General, Fondateur — M. Gustave Voulquin.
LIST DES MEMBRES DU COMITE
MM. Comte Jules de Bonvouloir, Brincourt, Baron Henri de Castex, Comte Justinien Clary, Comte de Crequi-Montfort, Comte d' Elva, Baron Jules Evain, Comte Julien de Felcourt, Baron Jaubert, Joseph Labbe, Andre Lebey, Leon Lecuyer, Pierre Leve, Paul-Albert Martin, Roger Niviere, Pierre Perrier, Comte de Rochefort, Baron Andre de Schonen, Comte de Vanssay, Gustave Voulquin.
MEMBRES D' HONNEUR
MM. A. Perivier, Comte Potocki, Walter Winans.
MEMBRES HONORAIRES DU COMITE
MM. Ernest Arthez, Comte Herni d' Havrincourt.
STATUTS
Article Premier. — Sous ce titre: "Le Piste-let," il est fonde entre les adherents aux presents Statuts, une Societe ayant pour but de developper le gout du tir au Pistolet et au Revolver, et d' organiser des poules en plein air autant que les saisons le permettront.
Art. 2. — Tous les membres inscrits au 8 mai 1894 sont de droit membres fondateurs.
Art. 3. — L'Assemblee generale annuelle a lieu dans le premier trimestre de l'annee; les Statuts ne peuvent etre modifies que par 1' Assemblee generale.
Art. 4. — Le Comite du Pistolet sc compose de 20 membres elus par 1' Assemblee generale annuelle au scrutin de liste et a la majority des votants.
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94 Art of Revolver Shooting
Le Comite est ineligible et renouvelable tous les ans par quart, soit par suite de demission, soit par voie de tirages au sort successifs de facon que chaque membre du Comite ne soit soumis a la reelec- tion qu'une fois en quatre ans. Le vote par correspondance pour la nomination des membres du Comite" est admis. '
Tout membre du Comite qui n'assistera pas a un tiers au moins des reunions du dit Comite" dans l'annee, hors le cas de force majeure, sera consider^ comme demissionnaire ; 1' honorariat pourra lui etre decerne" par le Comite.
Le tirage au sort des cinq membres du Comite" devant 6tre soumis a reelection sera fait par le Comite a la reunion dans laquelle il fixera la date de 1' Assemblee g£n£rale.
Art. 5.— Le Comite choisira dans son sein: Un President; Deux Vice-Presidents ; Un Secretaire General ; Un Secretaire ; Un Tr£sorier.
Cette derniere fonction pourra §tre cumulfe avec l'une des prdc^dentes.
Le Comity a le droit d' elire des Presidents, Vice-Presidents et Membres d' honneur de la Societe.
Art. 6. — Le Comite soumet tous les ans a 1' approbation de l'Assembiee generale les comptes de l'annee et fait un rapport sur la situation de la Societe.
Art. 7. — Les despenses de la Societe sont couvertes par le proditu des cotisations, par les dons qui pourraient lui £tre faits et par le produit des poules.
Art. 8. — La cotisation est fixee a 10 francs par an, chaque membre paye en outre, au moment de son admission, une entree de 20 francs.
Art. 9. — Toute personne desirant faire partie du Pistolet doit £tre presentee par deux membres de la Societe.
Les membres du Comite peuvent servir de parrains et les candidatures doivent £tre connues de tout le Comite trois jours au moins avant sa plus prochaine reunion.
Le Comite vote au scrutin secret et recoit a la majorite des presents.
Pistol and Revolver Clubs 95
Cinq membres du Comite doivent prendre part au vote pour qu' il soit valable.
Art. io. — Le Comite est charge de la redaction du reglement interieur general; il fixe les dates des reunions, decide les conditions des poules, ainsi que les endroits ou elles auront lieu; il reste juge absolu de toutes les contestations qui pourraient s'elever sur 1' in- terpretation du reglement, sur son execution et sur tout ce qui peut s'y rattacher; il a toujours le droit, au cours de l'annee, d'ap- porter pour 1' organisation et les conditions des poules au pistolet et au revolver, tous les changements qu'il croirait necessaires.
II est charge de 1' organisation des championnats annuels entre membres du Pistolet et des tournois internationaux au pistolet et au revolver avec inscription libre; mais il doit soliciter 1' autorisation de 1' Assemblee generale si les frais de ces tournois doivent etre imputes sur le budget annuel de la Societe.
Art. ii. — Dans le cas ou il y aurait, a la fin de l'annee, un reliquat actif , le quart sera constitue de droit en fonds de reserve, les autres quarts pourront etre employes en achats de prix de differ- ente nature et affectes soit a desconcours publics nationaux ou inter- nationaux organises par la Societe, soix aux concours organises par la Societe entre ses membres, soit aux concours organises paries Soci- etes d' encouragement pour le Tir ou pour l'Escrime en France, soit a une ceuvre de bienfaisance.selon le voeu du Comite, apres delibera- tion et vote par plus de la moite de ses membres.
Art. 12. — -En cas de dissolution, les fonds en caisse seront distribues selon le vceu de l'Assemblee generale.
Art. 13. — Dans le cas de diflerend d' honneur entreles Societaires (au cas ou le diflerend aurait pris naissance a une des reunions de la Societe), 1' affaire devra etre soumise a un jury de trois personnes pris parmi les membres du Comite, etdont deux seront choisis par les interesses et le troisieme par les deux arbitres.
Art. 14. — L'annee de la Societe date du ier Janvier; les cotisations annuelles sont dues a la meme date.
Tout candidat admis est tenu au versementimme diat de sa
96 Art of Revolver Shooting
cotisation et de son entree, par le fait meme de son admission et alors meme qu'il rcfuscrait d'en profitcr.
Les parrains sont responsables de ce paiement.
Art. 15. — Tout Societaire qui n'aura pas notifie par ecrit au President de la Societe, avant le 31 decembre, son intention de ne plus faire partie de la Society, reste debiteur de sa cotisation pour l'annee suivante.
GENERAL REGULATIONS OF " LE PISTOLET " DUELLING PISTOL
1. Shooting at the Word of Command. — Distance not less than twenty -five metres. Targets: a white or black silhouette of a man. The word of command is given at the minimum rate of seventy metronome beats to the minute.
The competitor must keep his arm at full stretch along his body, the butt of the pistol touching his thigh. The order to fire is given to two or four competitors, as the case may be, who are placed in the same line and who shoot simultaneously, each at his respective silhouette. Any competitor raising his arm before the word "fire," or firing after the word "three," will have a zero scored against him.
2 . Each hit on the silhouette counts one point ; a quarter of a point will be allowed to the competitor who makes the first hit if the pool consists of five competitors ; if it consists of eleven competitors a tenth of a point, if there are fifteen shooters a fourteenth of a point will be added.
In case of a tie for points, the number of hits will take prece- dence over "time. "
In case of a tie between two competitors (equal points and hits) the tie will be shot off.
If there be a tic between a greater number of competitors than two (equal number of points and hits) the tie must be shot off until one of the competitors has beaten the rest.
98 Art of Revolver Shooting
3. In the case of a misfire, the competitor must fire again and his opponent at the same time also. If the competitor whose pistol did not misfire should fail to hit, a zero will be scored against him. If, however, he made a hit, his point will be scored even should he fail with his second shot — but priority of time will not be credited to him unless he hits with his second shot.
4. If two pools are shot for at the same time the same competitor can only enter for one, unless the two pools are shot for under dif- ferent conditions or with different weapons. An infringement of this rule will entail a fine of five francs.
5. A bronze medal will be given to the winner of each pool of not less than five competitors at ordinary meetings.
6. One bronze medal only is given per year for each class of weapon (pistol or revolver) to each winner.
Each competitor can be placed first once only at a meeting for each class of weapon (pistol and revolver).
Where a competitor has been placed first for the medal at several different meetings, the dates shall be engraved in order on his medal for the pistol or revolver, respectively.
Each competitor may win several pools at the same meeting, but can win only one medal for each class of arm, pistol or revolver.
Each competitor having made top score four times at various meetings during the year will receive a silver medal for each class of weapon (pistol or revolver).
Every competitor having made ten top scores at different meet- ings during the year, either for revolver or pistol, will have the right to an additional special silver gilt medal.
7. As the Society has for its object the training and improve- ment of all its members, and the development of their skill in shoot- ing, the Committee reserve the right of framing a special handicap or several forms of handicap, as they may deem necessary.
8. The Committee will nominate each year, after the Annual General Meeting, a Shooting Committee composed of members selected from their number and from such members who consistently
Pistol and Revolver Clitbs 99
attend the periodical shoots. They are eligible for re-election. These officials are specially empowered to judge the pools and to enforce the rules and regulations governing the competitions. Their decisions shall be final.
9. If no member of the Shooting Committee or any executive officer be present at a meeting, the competitors present shall appoint a range officer for each pool, whose duty shall be to judge the speed and report to the secretary the score made by each competitor. His decision to be final. If the range officer himself takes part in any of the competitions he must appoint a substitute to judge such competition. Should he omit to do so, the point for speed will be credited to the score of his opponent.
No one is allowed to speak to the officer in charge.
10. Any competitor having entered for a pool, who for any cause whatever (except where beyond his control) shall not finish his shoot, shall be subject to a fine of ten francs. A similar fine will be imposed on any competitor who goes to examine his tar- get unaccompanied by the executive officer or a member of the Committee.
No competitor shall inspect the score book whilst taking part in a pool, under a penalty of five francs.
REVOLVER
1. Stationary Silhouette. — Distance not less than twenty -five metres. Six shots to be fired in the shortest possible time.
Competitors have not more than twenty seconds allowed for their six shots. If this time be exceeded the score fails to count.
2. Single Action Revolvers. — The competitor may cock his revolver before his first shot. He must keep the muzzle of the weapon pointed to the ground, his arm at his side and the butt of the revolver touching his thigh.
At the word "fire" he will begin shooting and continue without interruption, cocking the revolver for each shot.
3. Double Action Revolvers. — Shooting is done in the same way,
ioo Art of Revolver Shooting
with the difference that the competitor must not cock his revolver previously — unless contrary to service conditions.
4. — Misfires. — In case of a misfire, the competitor may fire his remaining shots or begin again.
Time will be taken.
NORTH LONDON RIFLE CLUB
President — Col. J. H. Cowan, R.E.
Vice-Presidents— Lt.-Col. A. W. Bentley, V.D., 1st V.B. Middle- sex Regt.; Mr. W. J. M. Burton, L.R.B., Hon. Sec. 1892-1896; Lt.-Col. C. R. Crosse, Secretary, N.R.A.; Col. The Right Hon. Earl Dunraven, K.P.; Col. W. Evans, H.A.C.; Col. R. M. McKer- rell, V.D., J.P., 1st V.B. Royal Scots Fusiliers; Major Henry Munday, H.A.C.; Major P. W. Richardson, 2nd V.B., N.F.; Col. Sir H. Roberts, Bart., V.D., London Irish, V.R.C.; Mr. Gus Rosenthal, Hon. Sec. 1 884-1 890; Lt.-Col. The Right Hon. Earl Waldegrave, V.D., L.R.B.; Mr. Walter Winans.
Trustees— Major P. W. Richardson, 2nd V.B., N.F.; Lieut. T. F. Parkinson, Civil Service, R.V.
Hon. Treasurer — Major S. A. Pinley.
Hon. Secretary — Mr. Walter C. Luff, 11, Haymarket, S. W.
REVOLVER COMPETITIONS
SERIES
Series I. — Six shots to be fired with the right hand at a station- ary target at 20 yards.
Series II. — Six shots to be fired with the left hand at a station- ary target at 20 yards.
Series III. — Six shots at a stationary target at 50 yards, either hand allowed.
Series IV. — Six shots at a disappearing target at 20 yards, interval three seconds, either hand allowed.
Pistol and Revolver Clubs I01
Time allowed for each Series of I., II., and III., three minutes for six shots.
N.B. — If two members shoot together by agreement, the time allowance will be six minutes for the pair.
CLASSES
Members are divided into three classes, viz., I., II., and III.
SPOONS
One Spoon will be awarded for each complete 15 entries in each Series. All classes will compete for the same Spoons in each Series.
The scores fixed by the Committee from which handicaps are calculated are as follows:
Ri 20 yards deliberate right 42
R2 20 yards deliberate left 40
R-3 5° yards deliberate 38
R4 20 yards disappearing 38
Class II. receiving a handicap of 3^ of the points dropped. Class III. " " " %
The prizes in Class II. and Class III. will be awarded on the scores made in the qualifying competition should the competitors fail to get into the final stage.
TIES
Ties for the Jewels and Prizes in the final stage will be decided by shooting 12 more shots at 20 yards and 12 more shots at 50 yards under Whitehead Cup Conditions.
Ties for prizes awarded to those who do not qualify, and also for places in the final stage, will be settled by the addition of the next best score in each Series, and so on until decided.
REVOLVER SERIES JEWELS Open to all members. Entrance Fee 2s. 6d. in each Series. Series Ri — Aggregate of six best scores at 20 yards, right hand. Deliberate.
102 Art of Revolver Shooting
Series R2 — Aggregate of six best scores at 20 yards, left hand. Deliberate.
Series R3 — Aggregate of six best scores at 50 yards, either hand. Deliberate.
Series R4 ■ — Aggregate of six best scores at 20 yards, either hand. Vanishing.
WEAPON AND AMMUNITION
i . — The revolver competitions shall be open to only one class of revolver.
2. — Revolvers admissible to the competitions shall be such as are suitable for military purposes.
3. — The description of revolvers and ammunition admissible to competitions shall be as follows : Revolvers:
(a) Weight — Maximum, 2 lbs. 10 ozs.
(b) Barrel — Maximum length, 7^ ins.
(c) Calibre — Minimum diameter of bore such as will carry .44 ammunition.
(d) Pull of trigger — Minimum 4 lbs.
(e) Fore sight — To be incapable of vertical or lateral adjustment. The barleycorn may be fixed to the fore-sight block by means of a screw or a rivet, the intention being to prevent the fore sight being moved or adjusted during the practice. The bead sight is allowed, but the "bead" must not be less than .08 in. in diameter, and .4 in. in length, nor must it be longer than any other portion of the sight ; the narrowest part of the neck must not be less than half the diameter of the "bead," and generally to be in the opinion of the committee of suf- ficient solidity and strength to withstand rough usage.
(/) Back sight — To be without screw adjustment and of some simple pattern of sufficient solidity and strength to withstand rough usage ; it may consist of a sliding bar, or of leaves affixed to the barrel by hinges, or of interchangeable bars fitted into
Pistol and Revolver Chibs I03
a slot, and it may be a plain open V, or open half-circle or section of a circle, or of buckhorn pattern, or a plain bar; the interchangeable bars fitting into a slot may be adjusted with the aid of a hammer, but such interchange of bars and such adjustment of bar, with or without the aid of a hammer, shall not be permitted at the firing-point.
Ammunition:
As issued at the ranges, but members may bring and use their own, provided it conforms to the following conditions, viz. :
(a) Charge of powder — Minimum, 13 grains of black, or its equivalent in smokeless powder.
(b) Bullet — Minimum weight, 225 grains.
(c) Case — Minimum weight, 52 grains. No other ammunition is allowed.
MODE OF FIRING
"Single practice" (that is, cocking the hammer before each shot), or "continuous practice" (that is, without cocking the trigger), at the option of the competitor.
In case of any misfires, the competitor will continue to fire the remaining chambers, and afterwards reload as many chambers as may be necessary to complete his firing.
POSITION
Standing, but no rest of any kind, natural or artificial, will be allowed. Nor will the competitor be permitted to support himself on any part of the gallery or table from which the firing takes place. The whole of the arm with which the firing is carried out must be clear of the body.
TARGETS
As for N. R. A. Bisley.
104 Art of Revolver Shooting
REGULATIONS
In addition to the ordinary by-laws and conditions, as far as the same are applicable to revolver shooting, the following regulations will be observed:
1 . No revolver shall be loaded until the target is ready, and the competitor has taken his place at the firing-point.
2. The competitor may load his own revolver, keeping the muzzle pointed towards the ground or towards the target,. unless the executive officer, or his deputy, or member of the com- mittee in charge shall give orders to the contrary, in which case it shall be loaded for the competitor by some competent person.
3. Whenever a competition shall be suspended for the ex- amination of the target, or other cause, the register-keeper shall give the order " Cease fire" ; the revolver shall be at once placed on the table, and shall not be touched by any person until the word "All clear" is given.
4. All questions shall be settled by the executive officer or other person in charge, subject to reference to the committee if demanded by the competitor.
5. All doubtful shots shall be decided by putting a bullet which has passed through the barrel of a revolver of the same calibre into the bullet-hole, and if on examination with a magnifying-glass the edge of the bullet is found to cut the line, the higher value shall be attributed to the shot.
6. Any members infringing any of the above conditions, or in any way disregarding the instructions of the executive officer, or indulging in any dangerous practice, shall be at once suspended from all further practice or competition by the executive officer, his deputy, or member of the committee in charge, and shall not fire another shot on the range until he has obtained the sanction of the committee.
7. Any member may enter in the revolver competitions as often
Pistol and Revolver Clubs I05
as he pleases, subject to the conditions thereof, and to these Regulations.
8. Practice on the revolver range is allowed under the pre- scribed conditions.
9. No member shall compete or practise twice in succession while a member shooting in competition is waiting to fire.
10. The committee reserve the right to alter or add to these Regulations.
REVOLVER COMPETITIONS
SERIES
First Series — Six shots at a fixed target at 20 yards.
Second Series — Six shots at a fixed target at 20 yards, viz., first three shots with the right hand, and then three shots with the left hand.
Third Series — -Six shots at a disappearing target at 20 yards — interval three seconds.
Fourth Series — Six shots at a fixed target at 50 yards.
Time allowed for each of Series I., II., and IV., three minutes.
N.B. — If two members shoot together by agreement, the time allowance will be six minutes for the pair.
CLASSIFICATION
In the spoon competition members will be divided into three classes, and in each class one spoon will be given for every eight entries.
AMMUNITION
Ammunition loaded with black or smokeless powder to accord with the foregoing regulations may be obtained on the ranges by purchase, at the rate of 3d. per six rounds for black, and 4d. for smokeless powder.
io6 Art of Revolver Shooting
ENTRY FOR SPOONS
Unlimited entries allowed at an entry fee of is. id. for the 20- yards series, and is. 2d, for the 50-yards series, including a target but exclusive of ammunition.
RE-ENTRY
Members in Classes II. and III may also enter in the higher class or classes, but can only fire them simultaneously with or after competing in their own class, as in rifle competitions. Only the best score made in their own class will count for the championship and aggregate prizes.
PENALTIES
Winners will be penalised one point for each spoon won, but not more than six points altogether, in each class or series.
PRACTICE
Practice tickets will be issued at a uniform price of 4d. each for either 20 yards or 50 yards, exclusive of ammunition. Unlimited practice allowed.
REVOLVER CHAMPIONSHIP
Entrance Fee, 5s.
The details of the best score made by each competitor in each spoon competition, which may be good for the championship, shall be written in ink or indelible pencil, on the face of the target it- self, and signed by the competitor and the register-keeper ; and the targets shall be preserved by the secretary for verifying the scores for the championship.
CONDITIONS
The championship will be decided by the aggregate of six scores in Series I., one score in Series II., one score in Series III., and of two scores in Series IV., made on separate days.
Pistol and Revolver Clubs io7
First Prize — Gold championship jewel. Second Prize — Silver championship jewel. Third Prize — Bronze championship jewel. The above are open to all members. N.B. — A member can take only one prize.
TIES
Ties for the championship jewels will be decided by a special shoulder-to-shoulder shoot of 30 shots in Series I. If still a tie, by single shots until decided.
Ties for the extra prizes will be settled by the addition of the next best score, and so on, until decided.
HANDICAP TOURNAMENTS
If sufficient entries are received, there will be two handicap tournaments — one in the summer, and one in the autumn, com- mencing on dates to be announced.
Entrance Fee 3s. each
N.B. — In all tournaments the entrance fees will be returned in full as prizes.
THE RIFLE AND REVOLVER CLUB
The Rifle and Revolver Club has been built and equipped by a member of the Stock Exchange to provide facilities for the members of the Stock Exchange Rifle Club to practise at miniature targets, during the evenings of every Tuesday and Friday, from the 1st of October to the end of June in each year until the expiry of the ground lease in 1952.
Members may introduce their friends by simply entering their names in the visitors' book, and they can practise with either the rifle or the revolver by taking out a visitors' ammunition ticket for a few pence.
108 Art of Revolver Shooting
Competitions and private matches can always be arranged by communicating with the Staff-Sergeant Instructor in charge
Application forms for membership and all further information will be furnished by Mr. 0. F. Austin (c/o Messrs. McAnally and Inglis), 3, Adams Court, Old Broad Street, E.C. ; or of Staff-Sergeant M. J. Moriarty, at the Club House, 2, Borers Passage, Devonshire Square, E.
CHAPTER X PRACTICE AND TRAINING
'HAT amount of practice is necessary in order to keep a man at his best, varies in different people. It is evident that he cannot be always at his best, any more than he can at all times be in perfect con- dition for any other class of contest, athletic or otherwise. If he tried to become so he would only become "stale."
If you are going to shoot in a competition, do your preliminary work so that you come to your best at the time you need it, and not before, as so many do. Some practise so that they are shooting their best some time prior to the event for which they are training, and then they get "stale" and go off their shooting just when they want to shoot well. It is the better plan to be hardly at one's best when the competition opens, but to be "coming on."
Get into as good general health as you can. Take a dose of something which acts upon the liver, if needful.
109
no Art of Revolver Shooting
You cannot shoot well if your liver be not in perfect order. Shoot very little at first. Gradually do more and more every day; but slacken, or even stop, for a day or two if you find you are overdoing it. Stop smoking if you are a smoker; and be very abstemious in what you drink. Personally, I have been a water drinker and a non-smoker all my life.
Some men, like myself, can never do as good work in practice as when entered for an uphill competition that will need to be hard fought. They need the stimulus of competing to wake them up. I do not remember ever making so good a score in practice as I have done in competition, except one single score at rapid firing. With some, a hard tussle, instead of making them pull themselves together and bracing them up, has just the opposite effect; they go all to pieces when "pushed" or in a tight place. I am afraid such men can never do any good in shooting competitions. To win, a man, like a trotting horse, should, as Ira Paine used to say, have a little "devil" in him. If a man is "soft," or too good- natured and easy-going, and of a "never-mind" disposi- tion, he is no good in shooting competitions; while on the other hand if he be excitable or irascible he will ' ' get shaking" and upset himself just when he ought to keep cool. Some even brood over a coming match until, when the struggle commences, their nerves are all unstrung. Others again work themselves into a fever of excitement by exclamations of impatience each time a shot or any- thing else goes wrong.
When getting ready for an important shoot, I begin
Practice and Training
in
some months before, shooting once on each day and then dismissing from my mind for the rest of the day all thought of shooting. Gradually I work it up to an hour and a half daily, during which time I fire from two hundred to four hundred shots. For an average man this is too many
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STANDARD AMERICAN TARGET |
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Diameter of Circles |
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io circle . |
. 3.36 inches \ . 5.54 " [■ Bull's-eye |
6 circle . |
. 14.80 inches |
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9 " |
5 " |
. 19.68 " |
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8 " |
. 8.00 " ) |
4 " • |
. 26.00 " |
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7 " |
. 11.00 " Rest of target 28X28 |
inches |
shots a day. Three days before the time, I stop shoot- ing, so as to come fresh to it and avoid being "stale"; but some men find it better to work right up to the day itself.
You ought not to shoot quite alone; I mean you ought to have a competitor and an audience, and, if possible,
112 Art of Revolver Shooting
a hostile (or feignedly hostile) one. It is advisable to get people to stand behind you and make remarks about your shooting; laughing when you make a bad shot; telling each other anecdotes (this latter is very disconcert- ing ; the former only makes you set your teeth and shoot all the better), and occasionally letting something drop with a bang, just at a critical moment in your shooting.
This will accustom you to shoot in competition before spectators, and prevent your becoming disconcerted by their presence. I do not mean to say that you will be so treated at Bisley or at the clubs, for the range officers at Bisley are very strict in making anyone who is not shooting stand well back and not talk loudly, and in France the strictest etiquette is observed in this con- nection. But with the above training you will come not to mind even a buzz of conversation and movement behind you when you are competing, or, indeed, the sudden silence which denotes that you are about to fire a shot on which much depends. Had you, however, practised always in solitude, you would, when shooting in public, be far less composed and self-possessed.
I think that anyone who is really an expert pistol shot can, for a few shots, shoot well at any time (when in normal health), without any practice. Once I did not have a pistol in my hand for nearly a year, and then I made a highest possible score at my first attempt. But one cannot keep it up for any number of shots, the muscles being out of training and the thumb and trigger-finger getting sore, and even cut.
Be careful when training not to get a "raw" or
Practice and Training IX3
sprain anywhere on your shooting hand; if you feel one coming, rest that hand till it is healed, and grad- ually you will get a "corn" where the friction existed. If you shoot with a ' ' raw ' ' you will be liable to flinch, and so find it harder to shoot in good form. I shot all through one Bisley meeting with my right wrist sprained; and at another with my right thumb partly out of joint. But I had to keep on shooting, as my championship depended on winning. There is one great charm of the Pistolet Club, and all pistol shooting in France; you shoot with light charges and so do not get knocked about, and deafened, as you do in England where one is compelled to use heavy charges. If only for this reason I think that pistol shooting will never become popular in England under existing rules.
In reference to practice not being necessary to a seasoned shot, it is much better not to have practised at all than to be "stale. " I remember one of the best shots at the "running deer" range telling me he never took a rifle in his hand except during the Wimbledon fortnight (we used in those days to have the N.R.A. at Wimbledon) ; but then he was always using a gun the rest of the year, and this was better practice than using a rifle at stationary targets, hence perhaps his invariable success in beating the target shots.
On a wet, windy, or otherwise unsuitable day, it is best to keep entirely away from open-air pistol ranges. You will not have wasted time; you will, most likely, do better shooting the next time; and the others will probably
IX4 Art of Revolver Shooting
all be " shot out " without having anything to show for it.
Above all things, do not stand behind a good shot and watch him beating your best score; this is fatal to your nerves.
It is advisable to have a good leather case, with a lock, and your name on it, for your ammunition at Bisley. If you use the ammunition from the boxes in which the cartridges are sold, you are very apt to find yourself using someone else's cartridges by mistake — often bad ones. I recollect an orderly at one Bisley meeting collecting all the odd lots of revolver-cartridges lying about the firing- points. He placed them in a box, and a competitor used them by mistake!
BADGES WON BY THE AUTHOR
115
CHAPTER XI
GALLERY SHOOTING
^Y this term I mean shooting under cover as distinct from shooting in the open air.
Some people say of gallery shooting, "This is not sport," just as those who have never tried "tame deer" and "drag" hunting say that these are not sport. One can, however, get a lot of fun out of both, under circumstances in which anything that people call "legitimate" sport would be impossible.
Nobody can make good shooting with a pistol in a wind. When I say this, I am generally told: "You ought to be able to shoot in any weather." I do not mind shoot- ing a match in a gale of wind if my adversary is also exposed to it, as that is good sport. But, I repeat, it is impossible, except by a fluke, to make a really good score in a wind, or to do any shooting which is useful as practice. You may shoot hard all day long whenever a wind is blowing, and, instead of improving your shooting, it will entirely spoil your "form" and "timing." The reason is this: With a rifle, especially if you use the "back" position, you can "hold" steady in quite a strong wind,
BELGIAN SINGLE-SHOT PISTOL. — SAW-HANDLE
BELGIAN SINGLE-SHOT PISTOL. SAW-HANDLE
Showing breech open
117
118 Art of Revolver Shooting
and the wind only lends interest and brings science into play in "allowing for wind." With the pistol, on the contrary, you have to stand up, the wind blows your arm and body about, you have only one arm to steady the pistol, and that is being buffeted about at full stretch. How would you shoot if someone took hold of the sleeve of your shooting arm and kept twitching it as you tried to aim, and at the same time pushed you? This is what the wind practically does.
As it is impossible to shoot to any advantage in a wind, the summer months are generally the only ones when pistol competitions are practicable in the open air. A pistol-shot cannot get any practice out-of-doors on boisterous winter days, especially if he is busy all day and the light fails just at the time he is free. This is when the indoor gallery comes in useful.
I do not know of any good public pistol-shooting gal- lery in England at the present moment, although there are several clubs where heavy charges are shot and where no light trigger-pull is allowed, or light charges. In Paris, Gastinne-Renette's, 39, Avenue d'Antin, is furnished with all the latest modern improvements and it has the very great advantage that the shooting is by daylight and in the open air and sheltered from the wind. There is at the Gastinne-Renette Gallery an annual competition dur- ing March, April, and May, with prize pistols, revolvers, and medals. For ordina^ practice, the revolver sub- scription is at the rate of 55f. per 500 shots, or 3of. per 250 shots. I will give fuller details of the matches shot
Gallery Shooting
119
there in my chapter on the duelling pistol, and some particulars about the light charges.
A private gallery can easily be fitted up in the cellars of large country houses, or even of town houses. All that
STYLES OF SMITH & WESSON ENGRAVING
is needed is a gallery of moderate length — ten yards will suffice at a pinch, though in mine it is possible to shoot up to thirty- three yards — with targets and butt, such as I describe in the chapter on Stage Shooting, at one end.
120 Art of Revolve?' Shooting
The targets should be lighted from above, in daytime preferably by a skylight, and by gas lamps or electric lights at night. When artificial light is used, it should be screened, so that from the firing-point the targets are distinct and the source of the light is invisible. At the firing-point it is difficult to get a satisfactory light at night. If this gallery is not made in a green-house, which, of course, would give ample light to sight by in the day, I think there is no use in trying to get the light to shine on your sights at night. If it is be- hind you, you stand in your own light. If enough above you to prevent this, the light only shines on the top edges of your sights, and is thus worse than useless. I find it best to have enough light behind me to enable me to load, etc., and to trust to seeing the sights in a black silhouette against the target. You may, for this reason, have to alter your sights from the elevation which suits you out-of-doors.
You should have a ventilating shaft straight above the muzzle of your revolver, and, if possible, a fan to draw off the fumes and smoke; this can be worked by electricity or by water-power.
It is expedient to use only the lightest gallery am- munition, and it deadens the sound if you have the walls covered with some sort of thick material hung loosely. Boiler-felt is very good for the purpose. Also if you shoot through a hole in a partition screen it helps to deaden the sound.
I prefer a big-calibre revolver, as it gives a better chance to score; a shot which would be just out of the
Gallety Shooting
121
bull with a small bullet may just cut the bull with a large ball. The bullet-hole is also more easily seen, but the bullet must be round so as to be as light as possible or
STYLES OF SMITH & WESSON ENGRAVING
you will have to use too heavy a charge of powder to propel it.
The self -registering targets, such as are used for
122 Art of Revolver Shooting
m'niature .22 calibre rifles, I do not find very satisfactory at ranges under 20 yards; those, at least, that I have tried ; the larger size of the revolver bullet makes it liable to strike two compartments at the same time, giving you a double score. The impact of the bullet is, moreover, too heavy for the mechanism. I prefer card targets for short ranges, and at 25 yards Gastinne-Renette's self- registering targets. Do not have targets that necessitate anyone's going down the range, or coming out from a mantlet, to change. Have the card targets made to draw up to the firing-point for examination and change, and never let anyone turn round with a revolver in his hand. In fact, observe all the rules as to table to fire from, etc., which I give in the chapter on Learning to Use the Pistol. All these rules apply equally to gallery shooting.
As the gallery is generally narrow, it may be difficult to have traversing targets, but you can have disappear- ing or rapid-firing at my cinematograph targets.
Such a gallery will be an endless source of amusement in the winter evenings, after dinner; and the ladies can shoot as well as the men.
It is advisable to handicap the good shots, so as to give all an equal chance.
I have lately devised a cinematograph target that should afford good practice, especially in ranges where miniature small-arms are used.
According to my invention I provide a plain target, preferably painted white, and I project on to the same by means of cinematograph apparatus representations of
Gallery Shooting I23
animals or men running and doubling across the surface of the target.
The target is so constructed and arranged in con- nection with the cinematograph apparatus that when struck by the bullet the traverse of the cinematograph film will be momentarily arrested so that the representa- tion remains stationary on the target. During this brief
SMITH & WESSON SINGLE-SHOT TARGET PISTOL
period while the film is stationary it will be possible to see the result of the shot. The travel of the film will then be resumed and the practice may continue.
The target may be of any suitable material and may be made in several separately mounted parts if desired so as to more readily respond to the impact of the shot and arrest the film.
It is obvious that a much greater variety of running
I24 Art of Revolver Shooting
and moving objects may be provided for shooting practice by means of the cinematograph than can be afforded by the mechanism usually employed for providing moving targets.
Gallery shooting is by far the most scientific style of revolver shooting, if you use a very light load, fine sights, and hair trigger; therefore you can have smaller bull's-eyes and subdivisions than the Bisley ones. The American and the French targets are better subdivided for this purpose. Messrs. De La Rue make me special "ace of hearts" packs of cards for use as targets, also one with a blue-bottle fly as a bull's-eye, natural size. Also for experimental work a gallery is much more reliable than shooting out-of-doors.
When shooting with gallery ammunition in which the bullets are "seated" low, look into the cartridges before putting them into the chambers, as a bullet may have worked itself up, which would cause a weak, low shot. Push the bullet down with a loading rod, or a pencil, before you insert the cartridge into the chamber, if you find the bullet has shifted. Also if for any reason after firing a few shots with this ammunition you stop, and want to reload the chambers which have been fired, it is as well to take out all the cartridges that have not been fired, and examine them, as the jar of firing may have started some of the bullets. They need re- seating.
If you can possibly get some of the French smokeless powder, as used at Gastinne-Renette's Gallery, this is much the best powder to use for this purpose, as it shoots
Gallery Shooting
125
evenly, does actually not make smoke, gives very little smell (and that not unpleasant), and shoots so "cleanly" that you can fire hundreds of shots without cleaning the pistol.
CHAPTER XII GASTINNE-RENETTE'S GALLERY IN PARIS
THE DUELLING PISTOL
:N regard to galleries where one
can get pistol practice, that of
Gastinne-Renette in Paris
stands easily first, as not only
is it lit up in the best style for
all sorts of shooting, but the
weapons supplied are the best
in the world. Founded in 1835,
it has recently been refitted.
The usual shooting gallery
in England is lit by artificial
light, and badly at that, and what in my opinion is
the chief cause of English galleries of this kind being
so little patronised is that they are run on the principle
of "All pay, nothing receive."
No matter how well you shoot, — you may, indeed,
be beating all the records in the world, — when you have
done shooting you simply pay so much for every shot you
have fired, and get nothing in return.
Naturally a man soon gets tired of this, and, so far
126
Gastinne-Renette s Gallery in Paris I27
as practice is concerned, it is better and comes far cheaper to fix up a private range.
At Gastinne-Renette's, on the contrary, if you make a good score you receive a gold, a silver, or a bronze medal, or plaque, or an objet d'art is given to you, while in addition your score is inscribed in a permanent register. When the target is an exceptionally good one it is framed and set up in the gallery, your name being inscribed in gold letters in the "Roll of Honour" on a slab on the wall.
There are scores there that have been made by almost all the best pistol-shots in the world who have visited the gallery at various times. They date, I believe, from seventy years back. There are some very good scores by the late King of Portugal.
Also you can subscribe for practice, and then your shooting costs very little.
While there are plenty of competitions and medals to be won at deliberate shooting, most of the shooters prefer the more practical practice of rapid firing.
I suppose it is a matter of national temperament. Again, whilst in England it is the hardest thing possible to get men to shoot at anything but stationary targets and do deliberate shooting, either in rifle or revolver competitions (they have no pistol competi- tions), in France it is the minority who go for deliberate shooting. Very many go in for the rapid- shooting com- petitions with pistol and revolver.
In consequence, whilst one could count on the fingers of one hand all the Englishmen who can shoot well at
128 JLrt of Revolver Shooting
moving targets or who are expert in rapid firing with a revolver, in Paris there are several dozen very brilliant shots, over and above plenty who can shoot really well. I do not remember ever seeing at Gastinne-Renette's the name of an Englishman who had won even a bronze
GASTIXNE-RENETTE S GALLERY
medal in the rapid-firing or moving-object competitions, and the only American name there is my own.
If anyone, therefore, wants to become a first-class pistol- or revolver-shot I would strongly recommend him to do his practising at Gastinne-Renette's.
The gallery, warmed by hot water pipes in winter,
Gastinne-Renette s Gallery in Paris I29
has a series of openings into the outer air, in which the shooters and their assistants stand. These being shut off by glass doors from the main gallery, spectators can watch the shooting without their being annoyed by the noise of the reports. The targets stand out in the open court. The shooting is all done with light charges and with
UNDERGROUND GALLERY FOR HEAVY CHARGES
a light trigger-pull — unless otherwise specially desired, in which case one can get knocked to pieces and half deafened by shooting with heavy charges in a gallery beneath.
In none of the competitions is one forced to use heavy charges or a heavy trigger-pull, and this makes the shoot- ing far more enjoyable. The heavy trigger-pull obligatory in England has caused many a man to discontinue revolver shooting, for this heavy pull requires a lifetime
x3o Art of Revolver Shooting
to master. And when it is mastered it is of no earthly- use, as no man in his senses would use a heavy trigger-
GASTINNE-RENETTE S GALLERY FIRING POINTS
pull if his life depended upon his skill in shooting.
As this chapter deals with the duelling pistol, I will begin by describing how this weapon is used in practice.
Gastinne-Renette s Gallery in Parts J3i
In a subsequent chapter I will explain how it is used in an actual duel.
The duelling pistol is a single-shot muzzle-loader of .40 calibre.
The best make is Gastinne-Renette's. He makes two other sorts of breech-loading duelling pistols as well,
Fig. 1. How some hold the duelling pistol
but as the muzzle-loader is the regulation duelling pistol, I will describe it first.
It has, as will be seen by the illustration, a straighter grip than a revolver, also it has a spur on the trigger- guard.
One way of holding it is to put the second finger round this spur (see fig. 1), but most of the best shots hold it as in fig. 2.
r32 Art of Revolver Shooting
Whilst for a revolver I advocate holding the thumb along the top of the grip (as explained in Chapter VIII), the stock is too straight for this hold with the duelling pistol, and the thumb must therefore be turned down, as shown in fig. 4 (also in fig. 3).
How far you hold up the stock must be determined
Fig. 2. The Author's way of holding the duelling pistol
by practice. If you hold very high up, and you have a muscular or fat hand, the flesh between your thumb and forefinger will hide your hind sight. Hold it as high up as possible, however, and do not get too much of the fore- finger round the trigger ; also remember to squeeze straight back.
The assistant — you are not allowed to load your own
Gastinne-Renette s Gallery in Pans 133
weapon or to shoot without an assistant being with you — loads the pistol as follows:
He has, on the ledge before him, a bowl of smokeless powder, a bowl of caps, and a bowl of round bullets.
He first puts on a cap and snaps it, to clear the nipple (generally a pair of pistols are used, he loading the one
Fig. 3. How some hold the duelling pistol (another view)
whilst you shoot the other) ; then he puts in, with a small scoop, a load of powder; and lastly he puts on a cap. All this time the pistol has been kept "muzzle up," to prevent the powder from running out. This charge of powder he also shoots off to clear the nipple. Now the pistol is ready for loading.
J34 Art of Revolver Shooting
He puts in the powder, then puts a bullet on the muzzle, taps it down with a wooden mallet, and then drives it home with a wooden loading rod and the mallet.
Next he puts on a cap, and then he hands you the pistol at half cock, his thumb on the cap.
There are two distances for the duelling pistol, namely
FlG. 4. The Author's way of holding the duelling pistol (another view)
sixteen metres and twenty-five metres; the former is for deliberate shooting, the latter is for rapid firing under duelling conditions.
A number of medals and plaques are offered to be shot for at both distances, either at targets, eggs, figures in plaster of Paris, plates, figures of running men or
Gastinne-Renette s Gallery in Pains 135
running rabbits, and, at the longer range, at the black silhouette of a life-sized man.
The bronze medals and plaques can be won by any moderately good shot; to win the silver medals needs very good shooting; and to secure the gold ones the competitor must be a brilliant marksman.
It will be found — at least I find it so — that in the deliberate shooting better scores can be made with a duel- ling pistol than with a revolver, and the scores that have won the gold medal with pistol and revolver respectively bear me out in this. I give at the end of this chapter details of what scores have to be made to win these various events.
As the special use of the duelling pistol, however, is for duelling, I will now describe how to become pro- ficient with it in that style of shooting, leaving for a later chapter the points to be observed in an actual duel.
The metronome to beat 100 to the minute. You cock the pistol and stand with the left foot behind the line of the opening, — the right foot may be outside on the mat, — your elbow touching your hip, the butt of the pistol touching your thigh, and the pistol pointing at the ground.
Be very careful not to touch the trigger, as the pull is so light ; be careful also not to point the muzzle at your right foot, for in that case you might put a bullet through your foot in the event of an accidental discharge.
The assistant, speaking at the speed of the metro- nome, says: "Attention! Feu! Un — deux — trois!" At
J36 Art of Revolver Shooting
the word "feu" you raise the pistol, which must be fired before the word "trois." This is called shooting "Au Commandement."
The target consists of a steel black figure of a man in profile (see figure) . The various parts count 5, 4, 3, and 2, respec- tively, the highest count being the oblong in the middle of the body, and the lowest, the legs. The head counts 3.
This figure is connected electrically with a small indication figure at the side of the firing-point, a bell ringing and a numbered disc appearing on the latter figure in the section struck by the bullet in the original.
The marker then goes out — after calling out "plaque" to ensure all being clear — • and paints over the bullet mark.
This competition is shot very much on the lines of the "disappearing target" competition at Bisley, described later, and you had better read that chapter in connection with this one.
There are some differences, however.
Besides the grip and balance of the duelling pistol being different from those of the revolver, the pistol has to be raised from pointing to the ground, instead of from the hip level. This has a tendency to make you shoot low, as the time taken in raising the arm has to be hurried.
Silhouette show- ing spots made by the author in com- petition at the Gastinne-Renette Gallery, April 7, 1910
Gastinne-Renette s Gallery in Paris *37
The sight is a shiny silver bead instead of a black one ; the target has no visible "bull," and the divisions of the target have to be judged, as they do not show from the firing point.
It will be noticed that the middle oblong, counting five, is not absolutely central. The figure's chest pro-
DUELLING PISTOLS BY GASTINNE-RENETTE
The property of the Author
jects to the right, and its waist comes in on the left side. If the figure were made of parallelograms you could judge the centre (horizontally) all the way up ; but, with the shape it is, if you shoot for the centre of the bull you are apt to get out to the right as the "bull" is at that point to the left [i.e., there is more inner on its right; and
THE GASTINNE-RENETTE CHALLENGE TROI'HY
138
Gastinne-Renette s Gallery in Paris 139
conversely, if you hit low for the bull you are apt to get an inner to the left]. The best way is to come up a trifle to the left of the centre of the figure, otherwise you will spoil a "possible" by two or three inners on the right of the bull.
THE GASTINNE-RENETTE l6 METRES TARGET
This target has a i f(, black. The ring is to facilitate judging
If you find, that you are shooting low it is much easier to hit the figure just below the bull than anywhere else, for which reason I have advised that place to shoot for in a real duel. One gets there so much quicker and more surely.
Keep your head well up, and look at the head of the figure instead of at the middle of the bull.
140 Art of Revolver Shooting
This is a rule: if your last shot was low, look higher; if it was high, look lower.
If you are careful to squeeze, instead of jerking, you are almost sure always to hit the figure, the only misses allowable being a graze of the waist to the left, or under the chin to the right.
In order to make "possibles" (twelve shots make a score and not six, as in England, which increases the difficulty enormously) you have to be very careful of your lateral direction; the vertical direction is compara- tively unimportant.
The Gastinne-Renette duelling pistol is made in three styles (see page 141).
The top one shows the breech-loading model ; the mid- dle one the muzzle-loading model; and the lowest one the semi-breech-loading model.
This last is intended to combine the accuracy of the muzzle-loader with the ease of loading of the breech- loader.
The powder is poured down the muzzle in the same way that the muzzle-loader is loaded; then the barrel is slid forward by the lever connected with the trigger- guard, the muzzle of the pistol being held vertically in order that the powder may not be spilled.
The powder is now found to be tilling the thimble- like breech. The bullet is placed on the top of this thimble, and the barrel is closed by returning the lever to its place.
Finally a cap is placed on the nipple, and the loading is complete.
Gastinne-Renette s Gallery in Paris H1
Though this of course takes longer than does the load- ing of a breech-loading pistol, it is easier for an amateur to accomplish than is the loading of a muzzle-loader.
DUELLING PISTOLS
(By Gastinne Renette)
I doubt, however, whether with expert loaders it is as quick as loading a muzzle-loader.
J42 Art of Revolver Shooting
Breaking "plates" (i. e., large saucers) "Au Com- mandement" is easy; but to break a hundred of them in order to win a gilt medal requires care, also a certain amount of strength and condition.
The gold medal for shooting at sixteen yards with a duelling pistol at the target shown on page 139 is com- peted for both in deliberate shooting and "Au Com- mandement." In the former, twelve shots must be in, not touching the five ring ; in the latter in the four ring.
In former years the "Au Commandement " was shot for with slow counting, but with the metronome at 100 it is the most difficult of all the medals shot for.
The revolver is also shot a great deal at this gallery; the usual one is the Smith & Wesson, with gallery charge of French powder and a round bullet, either the .44 Russian model or the .38 Army model double action, which is also a Smith & Wesson.
I have described, in my chapters on gallery and stage shooting, how to use the former.
At Gastinne-Renette's there are many medals to be shot for with it, and a gold medal similar to the one for the duelling pistol in deliberate shooting can be shot for; but there is none for rapid firing or for shooting a revolver with double action, which I think is a pity.
The double action .38 calibre is used in the yearly competition at the twenty-five metres man figure, when six shots are fired in twenty seconds, and then a second series of six, constituting a total score of twelve.
It is not permissible to cock the pistol, or yet to raise it, until the word "feu" is called.
Gastinne-Renettc s Gallery in Paris J43
Two scores of 12 shots each to count (not necessarily consecutive scores.)
It is one or two points easier than the "Au Com- mandement" with the duelling pistol.
The first shot takes a long time to get off, but twenty- seconds gives plenty of time for the six shots. I generally get mine off in from fifteen to seventeen seconds.
The great thing is to draw back the trigger so as not to jerk off; this is rather tiring to the trigger-finger and cannot be long continued.
Another form of shooting this is to fire at two men figures alternately ; in doing so six hits in four seconds have been scored.
CHAPTER XIII
LE PISTOLET CLUB
/HIS is a Paris club which holds its meetings at Gastinne-Ren- ette's Gallery for competitions especially with the duelling pis- tol under duelling conditions, but there are also occasionally competitions with the revolver. The usual competitions con- sist of:
Shooting "Au Commande- ment " at the "man " at twenty- five metres, in pairs. Each competitor shoots once against every other competitor, and the greatest number of hits wins. A hit anywhere counts only one point, but half a point is added to the one to shoot first of each pair.
Raising the pistol before the word "feu," or shooting after the word "trois," counts as a zero even if the target be hit.
There is an elaborate table that indicates which members (the competitors' order of shooting) shoot against each other, and which has the right-hand stand, so that each has an equal chance.
144
Le Pistolet Club *45
A fee of a franc only is charged, and the winner gets a medal.
Another form of shooting is as above, but hits count according to their value, as in ordinary competitions. A third is "le tir au pigeon," in which the rule is "first miss out," the one who can keep in longest without a miss, winning.
Sometimes there are competitions at the "running rabbit," or rapid firing at the "man " with revolvers.
This club has among its members the very best pistol- shots in the world, under duelling conditions, men who can get their shots off instantaneously and with extreme accuracy.
Shooting against another man and trying to get your shot off before he does is much more difficult to accomplish than shooting by yourself and merely trying not to be later than "trois."
This is a very exclusive club, only men of a certain social standing being admitted.
They never shoot big charges, or use a heavy trigger- pull, though in England, as already stated, this is deemed necessary.
If a man can hold his own in these competitions he may consider himself a first-class shot, and all the shooting is practical, and not target shooting.
The counting is quicker than ioo to the minute.
CHAPTER XIV
COMPETITIONS WITH THE DEVILLIERS BULLET
'EVILLIERS has patented a bullet for practising duelling, the com- petitors shooting at each other. The bullet is useful also for in- door shooting where a leaden bullet would be dangerous.
The composition of the bullet is a secret, but the bullet is light, and, when propelled by a cap with fulminate only, gives a hard rap where it strikes. When shooting with it at a man the following precau- tions must be observed, according to the inventor.
i. "Don't shoot at less than twenty metres." It is useless to shoot with it at more than twenty metres, as the bullet rapidly loses its accuracy beyond that dis- tance ; the blow at twenty metres distance is not severe if one is properly protected.
2 . " Wear goggles , a fencing mask , and gloves . " Th e goggles are now made part of the mask, and are of very
thick glass, while, instead of the shooter's wearing a glove,
146
Devilliers Bullet
H7
a metal shield is affixed to the pistol (see illustration). The hand must not be lowered before your opponent fires. I once shot against a friend who omitted this precaution, and my bullet cut away the flesh at the lower part of his thumb.
3 . " Wear a black linen blouse. ' ' This may be neces-
HOW TO HOLD THE DUELLING PISTOL WITH GUARD FOR SHOOTING
devillier's BULLET
sary to prevent your clothes being soiled, but it makes you a bigger target for your opponent. Therefore a tight- fitting coat is better. I shoot with no body protection. 4. "In winter be careful that the bullets do not freeze." I find it best to keep the loaded pistols on ice for some time before shooting — not letting them freeze, however — and not to let the pistol get too hot, for if the
r'
POSITION FOR ATTENTION
I48
Devilliers Bullet x49
bullet gets warm it loses its accuracy through not taking the rifling properly.
5. " In summer cool the bullets as much as possible." This I quite agree with.
The bullets are loaded as follows. First you get from the maker some empty cartridge cases, also caps. Then you put the bullet lightly into the mouth of the cartridge, taking care not to press it in or, by squeezing it with your fingers, put it out of shape. Next you insert it into the breech of your pistol — keeping the muzzle up so that the
.22 CALIBRE TARGET PISTOL BY LEESON
(Made according to author's specifications)
bullet may not drop out owing to its not fitting the cartridge tightly. Finally you lower the muzzle of the pistol and insert the cap, and then close the breech.
When the cartridge has been fired there may be difficulty in extracting the cap for reloading the cartridge. If that be so, push out the cap by inserting a wire into the mouth of the cartridge and pushing inside the cap. But don't attempt to do this with a loaded cap !
The competitions take place like Pistolet Club com- petitions or like a real duel, and preferably in the open air.
POSITION WHEN SHOOTING
150
Devil Hers Bullet r5i
Naturally spectators must not stand behind either of the shooters, and in places where there is not a clear space of about a hundred yards behind each, a white linen sheet hung behind each of them will stop the bullets. This makes a distinct background, but the effect is bet- ter, and the practice too is better, when such sheets are dispensed with.
This kind of shooting makes an amusing game to play at garden parties, fetes, and so on. Also it comes as a novelty after the everlasting round of tennis and croquet parties.
Another form, one very useful for cavalry, is to have a fight on horseback, with revolvers. In such matches the horses' eyes must of course be protected, and a rug and hood should be put on if the animals are nervous or thin- skinned, for a blow at a distance of a few feet would be very severe.
The bullet is also useful for shooting at a paper target, when galloping past. It easily penetrates a playing card and a Bisley target behind it, at five yards.
In fact the invention of this bullet practically solves the problem of how to teach shooting from horseback, if only the barrel of the pistol could be kept cool enough. Perhaps having several pistols and using them alternately is the best way to get over this difficulty.
The bullet is also useful for stage shooting when shooting objects off persons' heads, or out of their hands or mouths, especially if the fingers of the assistant are protected by steel thimbles under his gloves when he holds cards to be shot at, of if a steel skull cap be worn
THE AUTHOR 152
Devilliers Bullet
153
under false hair when the object to be shot at is placed upon his head.
It must be remembered, however, that the bullets are not as accurate as leaden bullets propelled by powder.
Never have any other bullets lying near when shooting Devilliers bullets, as one of the former might be used by mistake and so cause a fatal accident.
CHAPTER XV
DUELLING
'HE mere word duelling ap- pears to shallow minds a subject for so-called "humour," like mothers- in-law and cats, but a mo- ment's thought will show that, in certain circum- stances, the duel forms the only possible solution to a difficulty. And it is not an unmixed blessing that duelling is abolished in England as "Vanoc" in The Referee truly says. "For some reasons," he writes, "the abolition of duelling [he means in England] is a mistake. Insolent and offensive language is now too frequently indulged in with impunity. . . . The best rule of all is never to take liberties yourself, and never to allow liberties to be taken with you, and to remember that self-defence is still the noble art."
I think, though, that the still nobler art is the defence of others, and there are cases — which need not be gone into here — when a man must fight.
154
THE POSITION OF SOME DUELLISTS AT THE WORD " ATTENTION
155
J56 Art of Revolver Shooting
One of the reasons for this "humorous" attitude in the English mind (it does not exist abroad) is because sometimes young men, wishing to advertise themselves, or their political ideas, fight duels, all the time never intending to hit each other, and in fact intentionally firing in the air.
When two good shots "mean business," a pistol duel is a very deadly affair, as is shown by the number of men who have been killed in them.
A duel with swords gives more advantage to a younger or a taller man, or to a man in the pink of condition, but a pistol duel will enable a much older man to hold his own.
The challenged has the right to chose weapons, and if he choose pistols it is understood that the meeting should be conducted with single-shot duelling pistols.
The British public are accustomed to confuse the words "pistol" and "revolver," and most pistol duels are described as "duels with revolvers" by those not understanding such things; but the revolver is not recognised as a duelling weapon, and any fight with revolvers would on the Continent lead to a trial for murder if anyone were killed.
In challenging, the person considering himself aggrieved asks two of his friends to act as his seconds, and these he sends to his adversary. The latter at once appoints two seconds for himself, and the four seconds then make all the necessary arrangements.
First they call upon a gunmaker — combatants in a duel are not allowed to use their own weapons — and two
THE AUTHOR'S POSITION AT " ATTENTION
157
J58 Art of Revolver Shooting
single-shot muzzle-loading duelling pistols of regulation pattern are chosen.
In the presence of the seconds these are loaded by the gunmaker and put into a case, which is then sealed.
This case is taken to the duelling ground by the gunmaker and the seal is not broken until everything else is ready, the reason of course being to prevent tampering with the pistols, or loads, or obtaining practice with that particular pair of pistols.
A doctor is present at the duel with all necessary appliances.
On the ground the seconds draw lots for where their men are to stand, it being of advantage to have sun and wind at one's back, or left rear.
The distance is twenty-five metres, marked by canes stuck in the ground, and the shooters stand facing each other.
When all is in readiness, the seconds break the seal of the pistol case, then the director of the duel takes the weapons out, holding them by the barrels, one pistol in each hand, and presents the butt ends to the duellist to whom the lot has fallen to have first choice. The other pistol is handed to his adversary.
If shots are exchanged without result, the duellists exchange places for the next shot.
It is not permissible to try the trigger-pull by cocking and lowering the hammer, but about how light or heavy the pull is can be ascertained to some extent when cocking. A light click indicates a light pull, and a loud click a heavier one.
CORRECT POSITION AT THE MOMENT OF FIRING
159
160 j{rt 0f Revolver Shooting
It is usual, especially if the duellists are good shots, and if they happen to be very angry with each other, to give them a very heavy trigger-pull in order to make it more difficult for them to hit each other. Therefore it is well always to give a good strong pull back when firing, so as to avoid pulling off to the side if you have been given a very heavy trigger-pull.
For the same reason the words of command in such cases are given very quickly. This prevents getting aim.
Finally the duellists cock their pistols, the seconds stand clear, and the director of the fight stands midway between the duellists and about six metres back of the line between them.
The duellists stand with their right elbows touching their right hips, butt of pistol to thigh, and their pistols pointing at the ground.
The director calls: "Attention — Feu! Un — deux — trois!"
If either is not ready at the word "attention," he says so, but otherwise after the word "feu" he raises his pistol and must fire before the word "trois" is spoken.
If he does not have his elbow to his hip, and muzzle to ground ; or if he raises his pistol or even moves it before the word "feu"; or if he fires after the word "trois" has been spoken, and he kills his man, he is liable, if his adversary's seconds lodge a complaint, to be tried for murder.
The usual speed at which these words are spoken is a hundred words to the minute, but, as I have said, the director often hurries the words in order to baffle the
Duelling l61
duellists and prevent their injuring each other fatally.
Whether the duel should continue if neither com- batant is sufficiently injured after the interchange of shots to prevent his going on shooting is a matter that the seconds have arranged between them before the duel begins. It depends chiefly upon the gravity of the reason for which the duel is fought.
The position to stand in, in my opinion, should not be quite sideways.
Of course one should, theoretically, make as small a target as possible for one's opponent, and therefore the coat should be buttoned close. But whereas if standing quite sideways one makes a smaller mark, if hit when in that position the wound will probably prove more dangerous.
A bullet which would perforate both lungs of a man standing sideways, will most likely go through one lung only if he be standing more full face. Several other internal organs are also safer when the shooters stand full face; by leaning forward the ribs are closer together and afford protection to the heart and lungs, also from a shooting point of view, one can make much better practice when standing more or less facing the object to be hit, than when craning one's head round to try and look over one's right shoulder, and so hampering one's right arm.
It is generally considered that one should look as dark as possible to one's opponent, and turn up one's collar to avoid showing a white mark. But with this I am not sure that I quite agree. Personally I should prefer
1 62 Art of Revolver Shooting
to shoot at an entirely black target without a white collar or white patch anywhere diverting one's eye, unless that white was at a place one wanted to hit.
For instance, if a very bad shot were going to fire at me, I should prefer his trying to hit my collar, as he would then be more likely to shoot over my head, or to miss me by shooting past me, than if he tried to hit me in the middle of the body.
The white collar would, however, be hidden by the right hand and pistol as soon as the pistol was raised, if aim were taken at an opponent's head.
The position safest for yourself is to aim at your op- ponent's head, and to get on to that position immediately after the word "feu," keeping your own head low.
Your right hand and the pistol-butt protect your throat and a good deal of your face and head if you lower your face as much as possible.
Some men stand in the position of lunging in fencing, which makes a still smaller target of the body, but then this exposes them to a more raking fire, and a shot which would only pierce the thigh of the right leg, if the duellist were standing upright, might glance along the thigh and penetrate the abdomen if he were standing in a lunging attitude.
A level-headed man, however, would never agree to fight a duel unless he deemed it justifiable, and then most likely his whole attention would be concentrated upon killing his opponent, and considerations, of personal safety would be neglected ; in the same way that a steeple-chase rider thinks only of winning and not of his personal
PISTOLS BY GASTINNE RENETTE
I. Muzzle-loading duelling pistol. 2. Muzzle-loading duelling pistol of higher
finish. 3. Chased muzzle-loading duelling pistol. 4. Sliding-action
duelling pistol. 5. Higher-finished sliding-action duelling pistol
W 163
l64 Art of Revolver Shooting
safety — if it is otherwise he is no good as a cross- country rider.
As the great object is to hit an opponent before he hits you, — as, if he hits you first, even slightly, he may spoil your aim, — it is better to hit him as low as possible, provided the bullet strikes high enough to injure him.
It takes time to raise the pistol to the level of his head, or even of his armpit, whereas with practice you can flip the wrist up and hit him in the thigh or hip without raising the arm at all, and almost before the word "Un."
If you hit him in the thigh it would not be of much use in a serious duel, so the hip level is the point to try for.
An instance of perfect timing was that of a recent fatal duel where one man killed the other immediately after "feu," before his adversary had time to raise his pistol.
In the report of a certain duel which took place in France recently, several of the English papers made humorous reference to one of the duellists not firing his pistol (he placed it behind his back) at the word "feu." The writers seemed to think he had forgotten to fire, because, when questioned as to his conduct, he said, " J'ai oublie.' ' Of course anyone conversant with duelling must have known that by acting thus he meant that he did not desire to kill or to wound his adversary. A good shot who for any reason did not wish to hit his adversary would always put his pistol behind him rather than shoot wide and get credit for making a miss. It is more digni- fied to do this, if one does not want to shoot an adversary,
Duelling l65
than to miss on purpose. Moreover, the latter act might be misconstrued into an attempt to kill.
By French law, if a man is killed in a duel, the body- must be left where it fell, the police informed at once. The police then make an investigation. The adversary is arrested and tried subsequently at the Court of Assizes. He ought, of course, to stop by the body and give him- self up. He and his seconds may be condemned to imprisonment.
Not wanting to kill an adversary is also the reason so many duels are bloodless. Men, in the heat of an argument, challenge each other. In cooler moments, they see that the cause of quarrel was not of sufficient importance to warrant their killing, or attempting to kill each other. Yet neither likes to apologise lest this should look like cowardice; so the two exchange a shot, and both miss on purpose.
In this connection I may mention that the American law does not apply in the case of a duel fought by a citizen of the United States outside the geographical limits of that country ; for, according to Mr. R. Newton Crane, no offence is committed by the fact that an American citizen has participated in a duel beyond the jurisdiction of the United States. The citizenship of the combatant is, in such circumstances, immaterial.
On the other hand [he continues] sending, knowingly bear- ing, or accepting a challenge, in England or America, renders the sender, bearer, or accepter liable to punishment by the laws of England or America as the case may be, whether the duel is sub- sequently fought or not, and whether it is fought in England or
1 66 Aft 0f Revolver Shooting
America or abroad, and whether the offending party is an English- man, American, or a foreigner. Provoking a man to send a chal- lenge is also an indictable offence.
The law applicable to the punishment for actually fighting the duel is, on the other hand, the law of the place where the duel is fought, and that law only applies to the offence.
Provocation, however great, is no excuse, though it might weigh with the Court in fixing the punishment. Under the English law the punishment for sending, bearing, or accepting a challenge is fine or imprisonment without hard labour, or both. Each of the States of the United States has penalties for the offence, which though differing in detail are practically the same in substance as those provided by the English law.
CHAPTER XVI
THE .22 CALIBRE SINGLE-SHOT PISTOL
HE .22 calibre long-bar- relled single-shot pistol is used for target and small game shooting.
There are several American and Continen- tal makes of the .22 cal- ibre single-shot pistol. I give illustrations of some of them, but they are all more or less similar. In the United States these pistols are used for target shooting up to fifty yards, also for taking out on shooting trips where the rifle is used for big game, and the .22 pistol for shooting small game for food where a shotgun would alarm more important game.
On the Continent it is little used, but the Olympic Games fifty-yards pistol championship led to a certain amount of practice with it, as it is the weapon for that range.
Up to sixteen metres I consider the .4 calibre duel- ling pistol (muzzle-loader) the most accurate of all pistols
167
1 68 Art of Revolver Shooting
for stationary target shooting, as the slightly greater accuracy possessed by the .22 calibre, shooting long rifle ammunition, is more than counterbalanced by the
PISTOLS BY GASTINNE-RENETTE
I. Shooting Smith & Wesson, .44 cartridge. 2. Modified Ira Paine to shoot
.44 or .22 ammunition. 3. Saloon pistol, .22 bore, weighing
and balancing like a duelling pistol
larger hole cut by the duelling pistol, a .22 bullet often missing the bull, whereas the larger ball cuts into it.
The .22 Calibre Single-Shot Pistol l69
From twenty yards upward the .22 beats both the
WURFFLEIN PISTOL
10-inch barrel; weight, 2 lbs. 2 oz.; .22 cal.
SMITH & WESSON PISTOL
10-inch barrel; weight 1 lb. 8 3-4 oz. ; .22 cal.
STEVENS PISTOL, GOULD MODEL
I O-inch barrel; weight 1 lb. 12 oz.; .22 cal.
l7° Art of Revolver Shooting
duelling pistol and the revolver in the order named; at
STEVENS DIAMOND MODEL PISTOL
6-inch barrel; weight, S 3-4 oz.; .22 cal.
.22 SMITH & WESSON PISTOL WITH INTERCHANGEABLE .32 BARREL
fifty yards the .22 comes first, the revolver is a bad second, and the duelling pistol is nowhere.
The .22 Calibre Single-Shot Pistol lll
The .22 is often made with a rear sight capable of
HOW TO HOLD THE GASTINNE-RENETTE MODIFICATION OF THE STEVENS, SHOWING TRIGGER WELL FORWARD
STEVENS OFF-HAND TARGET
elevation and of lateral movement by a screw adjustment. It is always made with a very light trigger-pull.
STEVENS " LORD "
172
The .22 Calibre Single-Shot Pistol J73
The trigger is very close to the grip so that one has to pull with the second or even with the third joint of the trigger-finger.
STEVENS "TIP-UP "
Peep Kear Globe Front
STEVENS " DIAMOND "
This is, in my opinion, a very grave fault. I have not found any pistol of this calibre with the trigger sufficiently far forward to suit me, but I do not take enough interest in a .22 pistol to have one specially made.
J74 Art of Revolver Shooting
It is only a toy, and except for a special competition, such as the one at the Olympic Games, it is not worth practising with. For ladies, however, it is well suited on account of its small cartridge.
y*B\
BISLEY PRIZE CERTIFICATE
175
CHAPTER XVII
NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION MEETING AT BISLEY
THE REVOLVER COMPETITIONS
JsjN re-writing the following chapters on Bisley, from the first edition of this work, I have been confronted with so many difficulties that I have been almost compelled to abandon it.
In former years a few of us en- thusiasts at Bisley drew up a series of competitions for rapid firing, moving targets, and so on, which were of the utmost use in developing good shots at practical revolver shooting.
Now, unfortunately, owing to lack of support in such competitions, they have all been dropped out of the programme, and only the stationary targets are retained, what is now called the "disappearing target" being shot at without lowering the arm between shots and having become in consequence practically a stationary -target competition as it allows six seconds for each shot instead of three as formerly.
I therefore had either to cut out my instructions as to
rapid firing, and shooting at moving targets, so as to bring
176
SOME OF THE AUTHOR'S CHAMPIONSHIP BADGES
177
J78 Art of Revolver Shooting
the work up to present Bis'ey conditions, or else retain them as instruction for revolver shooting for home practice only.
I have decided on the latter course, the more so as the "disappearing" competition is the best of practice for competitions with the duelling pistol at the Paris Pistolet Club and for the rapid firing series for the revolver competitions at the same club. The only difference is that the trigger-pull can be lightened and the powder charge reduced, both making the shooting easier and pleasanter.
Pull of trigger is the principal difficulty in revolver competitions at Bisley. I think the Bisley regulation pull (four pounds, minimum) is too heavy for getting the best shooting out of a revolver. It means having a pull of at least four and a half pounds, so as to be sure that it does not get too light during the shooting, and it discourages many by unnecessarily increasing the difficulty of shoot- ing, and necessitating a great deal of training to avoid jerking off the aim. A minimum of three pounds would, in my opinion, be a much better pull. A man accustomed to lugging at a heavy pull is also much more likely to " let off " by accident ; whereas a man who is used to a light pull keeps his finger off the trigger until he means to shoot.
I also venture to think, although I know I am in the minority, that the National Rifle Association (and, in consequence, all the affiliated English revolver clubs) is mistaken in making rules excluding light charges, and in confining competitions to the use of ' ' Military re- volvers" only, their definition of "Military" excluding
National Rifle Association at Bis ley J79
some revolvers and ammunition which are regulation in other countries. This deters many from taking up revolver shooting, as it is not everyone who cares, or who is physically able, to stand the "punishment" of a heavily- charged large-bore revolver; and it does away with the niceties of accurate work in shooting, reducing these competitions — to borrow an expression from the boxing ring — to mere slogging matches, and makes them a test of physical endurance rather than of practical skill. The light-charge "Any revolver" competitions corre- sponded to the Match Rifle competitions, and were very useful also for experimental purposes, but these have been discontinued the last few years.
On the Continent, on the other hand, in all competi- tions, even a weak, delicate man can shoot in comfort and do really accurate work, as a light charge and trigger-pull are there allowed. For duelling, a light charge is used; and a small calibre, with a charge giving very little recoil, is regulation in all armies but the British army.
BISLEY TARGETS AND MARKING
REVOLVER
Distance, 20 yards. — Target, circular, on a square card, sub- divided as follows :
Bull's-eye 2 inches in diameter, counting 7 marks.
|
3 inches diameter |
ring \ inch wide |
6 ' |
|
|
1 it a 4? |
" 3 " |
It t |
5 ' |
|
6i " |
« j « |
tl t |
' 4 ' |
|
9 " |
" T 1 " 1 4 |
it t |
3 ' |
|
12 " |
'< Tl " |
tl t |
2 ' |
|
Corners not to count. |
i So Art of Revolver Shooting
Distance, 50 yards. — Target, circular, on a square card, sub- divided as follows:
Bull's-eye 4 inches in diameter, counting 7 marks. 6 inches diameter ring 1 inch wide " 6 "
9 " " " il " " " 5 "
13 " " " 2 " " " 4
18 " " " i\ " " " 3 "
24 " " " 3 " " " 2 "
Corners not to count.
TWENTY- YARDS STATIONARY TARGET. (KNOWN AS " THE SHORT RANGE SERIES")
Competitions at this range are more numerous than at any other. Pool shooting also takes place at this range.
I have already described how to stand and shoot at a stationary target. There are a few points to be observed, however, which specially apply to this range when shoot- ing at Bisley. Before competing at any one of the limited-entry competitions it is well to be sure that you are shooting up to your proper form, as mistakes cannot be corrected after once commencing.
Personally I think it best (if shooting every day or on most of the ten days) not to enter in a limited-entry competition until after the first two days of the meeting, as one gets steadied down by then and grows more accustomed to the surroundings.
As sighting varies from day to day, and even from hour to hour, it may be as well to have a pool shoot for sighting purposes first; but I personally never do so, as I
National Rifle Association at Bisley lSl
think it is a pity to chance wasting a good score in pool. The moment you have "found the spot," leave off pool; do not stop to finish a score.
I prefer doing my sighting on an "unlimited-entry" competition ticket, so that in case I make a "good score" that score is not wasted.
I have often had a man come to me to show me a "possible," and when I have congratulated him and asked him in what competition it was made, he has an- swered: "Oh, only pool; I have been getting my hand in, and am now going in for competition." When I saw him
Fig. i Fig. 2 Fig. 3
webley man-stopping bullet
Fig. I. Bullet and case before being fired. Fig. 2. Bullet after it has
entered the flesh. Fig. 3. Section of bullet after expansion
later, and asked him how he had got on he has said: "Gone all to pieces; I had shot myself out at pool." So, unless a man is "possible hunting," or a "gunmaker's shooter," and wants to have diagrams of easily "pos- sibles" published in the papers, my advice is to leave pool alone and try to make "possibles" where they count as records and require nerve to make. Unfortunately, the general public does not differentiate between these two classes of "possibles," and thinks them equally meritorious.
The morning, from 9 to 11, is the best time for
1 82 Art of Revolver Shooting
shooting; and then, perhaps, late in the evening. One should watch for a good time when the light is favourable ; often the wind will drop late in the evening, half an hour before "gunfire," after blowing hard all day.
There is often a good light after rain. Personally I rather like shooting in the rain, if there is no wind, and have made some of my best shots in it. The light is generally good; there is no glare on the target; and bullets make very big, ragged holes on a wet target; and sometimes a shot which would not cut the bull on a dry target may do so on a wet one, owing to its making a larger hole.1 The Webley "Man- stopping" bullets make very big, "clean" holes, and there is a new flat-ended bullet made which punches holes in the target as clean as a railway ticket punch, but it key- holes at fifty yards.
If you have a target with a doubtful shot, that is to say one for which you think you are entitled to a higher count than the range officer gives you, do not touch it, or thrust anything (your finger or a pencil) into the hole to demonstrate that the shot cuts into the bull's-eye or the line you claim. If you push anything into the hole you will spoil its outline and destroy all evidence of the point at which the bullet did cut. In doubtful cases the range officer puts a bullet of the same calibre (which has been pushed with a rod through a revolver barrel pre- viously) into the hole, and examines it whilst in this position with a magnifying-glass, or uses a piece of trans-
1 At Bisley and in France a bullet must cut the bull to count; at the English clubs if it touches it scores a bull.
National Rifle Association at Bis ley l83
parent tulle with a bullet-hole outlined on it which he places over your bullet-hole.
Accept the range officer's decision as final; never protest against any decision he comes to.
Look at the target to see that it has no bullet-holes in it before you begin to shoot; and refuse to shoot at a patched target, except at pool. A patch may fall off a shot made by a previous competitor and confuse your score, besides making the target indistinct and throwing doubt on a record score if you should happen to make one on such a target. See also that the bull's-eye is black ; some are badly printed, and the bull grey and indistinct.
Shoot very slowly and deliberately. There is no hurry. The time limit of two minutes would be ample within which to fire twenty-four shots — and you have to fire only six.
If you are dissatisfied with your aim, or your arm is getting tired, or a gust of wind comes, put the revolver down without firing. Look down on the grass to rest your eyes, and wipe your hands ; a little sawdust is a good thing to rub them with on hot days.
When it is gusty, putting up the revolver just as you think a lull is coming, instead of waiting for the lull, gives you a better chance of being "up" when the lull does come, and you can then "snap" the shot before the next gust.
If you have to shoot in a very high wind — as in a match, or in shooting off a tie — it is best to "snap" your shots (see chapter on Rapid-firing Series) and not try to hold against the wind.
1 84 Art of Revolver Shooting
If a shot strikes a little too high, or too low, or too much to either side, aim "off" the bull the next shot to correct it.
Do not keep altering the amount you see of your front sight if you hit too high or too low ; you will never make a good score in that way. If you are out half an inch at "X o'clock," and you had a good "let-off," aim your next shot at half an inch off "IV o'clock"; if you hit half an inch above the bull at "XII o'clock," aim an inch below " VI o ' clock ' ' with your next shot ; do not take a ' ' coarser ' ' sight. This is where a practical shot has the advantage over a mere "target shot."
If a shot is in the bull (I assume that at twenty yards you can easily see shots in, or partly in, the "white" — personally I can see them at fifty yards) and you are not sure of its exact locality, examine it with your glass.
If you are "holding" exceptionally steady, and have shot well into the bull, though not actually central, do not aim differently to try to get the actual centre with the next shot; as a rule, if you are anything more than half in the bull, it is better to let well alone and "hold" the same as before. I remember on one occasion I had five shots in one ragged hole at "V o'clock" in the bull on the sliding target, and for fear of putting my last shot through the same hole and having it counted as a miss, I tried to hit the bull at "IX o'clock," and clear of the group. I went just outside the bull.
If you have several bullets in one ragged hole, it is advisable, if there be time, to draw the range officer's attention to this before you fire the next shot, so that
National Rifle Association at Bisley l85
in case you go into the same hole or group again he may record it and not think it a miss. If he watches the target whilst you shoot, through his glasses, he will see where your bullet goes, even if you go into the group.
Do not lend anyone a revolver you care about, any more than you would a horse.
At stationary targets, and at those only, it is advisable to use both hands in cocking. In cocking, if there is not a distinct click, or if the action feels "woolly" or soft, put it back at half-cock, then open the pistol and see what is the matter. Most likely a bit of fouling, or a piece of metal from a cartridge or a bullet, or a cartridge with too thick a head or with a protruding cap, is the cause.
When a revolver is at full-cock, take the cylinder between the forefinger and thumb of the left hand, still holding the stock in the right hand and keeping the muzzle towards the target, and gently try to revolve the cylinder towards the right. This, at least, is the normal direction, though some makes of double-action revolve to the left. You will, perhaps once in a dozen times, find that it goes over an appreciable amount till it locks.
Any revolver, even the best, may sometimes not bring the cylinder round quite true to the barrel; and, if it does not coincide, the shot will not be accurate, owing to the bullet not going into the barrel true, and thus getting a small shaving taken off its side. A bit of fouling, metal from cartridges or from a bullet, "proud cap," or thick cartridge-head may cause this. By at- tending to the cocking in the elaborate way I have indi- cated, this cause of inaccuracy is avoided. (This is very
1 86 Art of Revolver Shooting
important in cases where a miss would be dangerous: as when shooting objects off someone's head, or those which are held in the hand or mouth ; or for the last shot on which everything depends in a match or a record score.) Also, every time you open the revolver, look to see whether the caps have been hit absolutely true in the centre.
By my way of cocking, even if the revolver is not acting quite perfectly, the chambers ought to come true. If they do not, clean it very carefully. If, in spite of this, the caps are still hit on the side, it is useless to con- tinue with that revolver until the maker has put it right. The above remarks do not apply to the new Smith & Wesson solid-frame revolvers, which have a special device to ensure correct alignment between cylinder and barrel.
Shoot with the smallest charge, lightest bullet, and largest calibre the rules allow, as it is easier to shoot with a small than with a "kicking" charge, and the bullet of larger calibre is more apt to cut into the bull. This ap- plies to all competitions at ranges not over twenty yards ; beyond that distance a big charge or small calibre is more accurate. (See chapter on Fifty-yards Target.)
Smokeless powder will, of course, be the powder of the future; but I have not got such accuracy out of any smokeless, except the French, as I have with black. They give more "unaccountables." But for rapid firing, smokelessness and less recoil more than counterbalance the comparative want of regularity, even with the other makes.
I do not like too small a front sight. I think that one which, in aiming, looks about a quarter the diameter of
National Rifle Association at Bisley l87
the bull, is best. The semi-circular " U " of the hind sight should be wide enough to enable you to see all round the bead of the front sight.
In revolver shooting the chief difficulty is in "holding" and "squeezing off" without disturbing your aim. There is no need to strain your eyes with a microscopic front sight when shooting at so large a bull as two inches at twenty yards.
Another fault of too fine a front sight is that it is liable to get bent, just enough to spoil your aim, yet not enough to be noticeable until too late. If you try to straighten it, the odds are that you break it off and then have to waste a day or more in getting another fixed, which most likely does not suit when done.
The rules at Bisley as to sights vary from year to year. I have one revolver with a bead front sight on a very strong stalk, which I was for several years allowed to use and win with as a military revolver ; it was in subsequent years declared "unmilitary" and unfit for rough usage; and then it was again allowed to be used. The front sight already shown, which is a patent of my own, has never yet been objected to under any rule; and, personally, I would as soon use it as any bead sight, except for stage shooting. Indeed, I prefer it to a "bead" in a bad light or wind. There are also rules as to "no screw adjust- ment"; "sights must be fixed," etc.
I always have my Bisley sights made solid with the revolver, without any screws, and have some made to shoot higher, others lower, each on a separate revolver. If I find that the light, or my shooting, does not suit one
1 88 Art of Revolver Shooting
sort of sight, I take another revolver. I have some fifteen revolvers prepared in this way.
The permission to have a hind sight adjustable by- being hammered to one side is worse than useless. The sight works loose, gets knocked askew, and when you begin shooting you find it is constantly shifting, and spoil- ing your shooting. I do not call it by any means a practi- cal military sight although the rules consider it so. If you have only one revolver for Bisley have it with my front sight, sighted to your normal or average shooting, at twenty or fifty yards, to whichever you decide chiefly to confine yourself, and both back and front sights made fixtures. It is best sighted for fifty and you can aim a little low at twenty yards.
I take it for granted that you have your revolvers, sights, and ammunition all in perfect order before you come to Bisley. This may seem an unnecessary remark, but I have noticed the average revolver-shot come more or less unprepared. He starts pool shooting, to see if the new sights he ordered suit him, "as I have not tried them before "; wants to buy ammunition on the spot, or uses that provided by the Association; or even wants to hire, or borrow, a revolver!
The record Twelve-shot score at this range is mine, of eighty-three out of a possible eighty-four. For six shots, almost everyone who can shoot at all has made more or less "possibles." I have some twenty-four, made in competitions, but I do not trouble to make "possibles" at pool.
In my opinion, if it is thought advisable to have a
National Rifle Association at Bis ley l89
twenty-yards stationary target, the present one is too easy; the bull ought either to be reduced to one inch, or a one-inch ring "carton" made in the two-inch bull, counting eight points, if a one-inch bull is deemed too small to aim at.
Wear nailed boots, or those with corrugated rubber soles, so as not to slip. The rubber, however, is rather apt to get cut in standing on spent cartridges. A broad- brimmed cowboy hat, or sombrero, is the best headgear, except in a wind, as it keeps the glare off your eyes. I took to using these years ago, and now I see them in use by nearly all shooting men, as well as in the English army, though (unlike in the U. S. army) often rendered less serviceable by having the brim looped up on one side. I keep some of various widths of brim, and use the one most suitable for the occasion. Also a Swedish leather jacket is very good when it gets chilly, as it is very light and does not hamper your right arm as a heavier coat would do. If you do not possess one, an extra waistcoat will serve, as this will leave your arm free. An overcoat or mackintosh hampers your right arm. You are freer in a flannel shirt with turn-down collar, loose round the wrists, and no braces. A silk handkerchief tied loosely round the neck, cowboy fashion, keeps the sun off the nape of your neck.
CHAPTER XVIII
NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION AT BISLEY
{Continued)
DISAPPEARING TARGET (KNOWN AS "THE BOBBER ")
HIS target, which has the two-inch bull's-eye, like the twenty-yards station- ary target, appears and disappears at intervals of three seconds — three seconds in sight and three seconds invisible — and is shot at from a distance of twenty yards* The rules used to forbid the revolver being raised from the firing-table before the target appeared; and it had to be lowered to the table after each shot. The present rules allow the revolver to be pointed at the spot where the target will be, which entirely destroys all interest in this competition and reduces it practically to a stationary target competition. The disappearing target practice is good also for the duelling practice described in a later chapter. My record targets, therefore, made under the old rules must not be compared with those since made under easier rules.
190
National Rifle Association at Bisley x9i
Shooting in this competition used to be the ground- work of all the competitions other than those at stationary targets ; so I shall go very fully into the way of becoming proficient at this, as the other competitions should then become comparatively easy. I therefore retain this chapter from the earlier edition of this book, although it no longer applies to Bisley.
In order to do the best possible work, you ought for practice to have an exact copy of the disappearing mechanism used at Bisley; also (this is very important), the range I should orientate as at Bisley and have a back- ground of the same colour.
At Bisley at one time in the afternoon the shooting is against the setting sun ; at which time the wise shot takes a rest and lets others waste their entries, as it is im- possible to make good shooting under these circumstances. By having the points of the compass the same as at Bisley, you will soon find out which sort of light suits you best, and at what hour of the day it comes. Personally, I find the light from 9 to about 11 a.m. (during which time it is more or less over one's left shoulder) the best for shooting in July. As the sun comes round, you will find that the point to aim at varies gradually as the light strikes the front sight more or less on the side.
As the sights may not, by the rules, be moved laterally, it is as well to have several revolvers for each competition, with the sights set to make the revolver shoot more or less to the right or left; also some sighted lower than others to use as the light varies.
Variations in elevation, owing to varying intensities
J92 Art of Revolver Shooting
of sunlight, can also be remedied by having several pairs of spectacles with plain glass (unless, of course, you need optical glasses to see clearly with), of different tints of smoke or orange colour. You can then, when you find a certain strength of light best for your shooting, keep to this strength artificially, whatever the real light may be, putting on glasses of a shade sufficient to modify the light as required. The glasses should have round, and not oval, frames, and these should be a good two inches in diameter, so that the rims do not interfere with your view. Most opticians make the glasses too small in diameter. Large, round goggles, with plain window- glass, are a great protection against particles of burnt powder, especially in a head wind; and, after a hard morning's shooting, the surface of the glass will be found covered with adhesive black spots. It is as well to have one pair of plain white glass (i.e., ordinary window-glass) , and to wear either these or one of the smoked or orange pairs whenever shooting or even looking on at shooting, as the powder blowing back constantly into the eyes irritates them ; and a sudden dab in the eye may even spoil a score by making one flinch at a critical moment. I have known a man to be for several days incapacitated from shooting through getting his eyes inflamed owing to smoke and powder blowing back into them in a head wind, and from the irritating fumes of the nitro-powders ; and the look of many competitors' eyes towards the end of the shooting shows how it affects them. A solution of boracic acid and rosewater (of course you must get a chemist to dispense the right quantities) is a very good
J94 Art of Revolver Shooting
thing to bathe the eyes with during and after a hard day's shooting, and it makes the eyes feel very comfortable the next day.
Also it is important to protect the ear-drums from the constant banging, else you get your ears "singing" and finally become more or less deaf. A revolver is worse than a rifle or a gun in this respect, owing to the shortness of the barrel and the consequent proximity of the con- cussion to the ear. The left ear is more apt to suffer than the right, which is more sheltered by the arm, and a neighbour's shot, for which the ear is unprepared, affects it more than one's own. This is particularly noticeable if your neighbour stands slightly behind you.
Some use cotton-wool in the ears. I find it apt to mix with the natural wax in the ears, a small amount of the cotton-wool remaining behind each time the wool is removed; and, what is more, it does not sufficiently deaden the sound. For .practising in private, a pair of small down pillows tied over the ears deaden the sound best, but these cannot be worn in public. Messrs. Lynch, chemists, of Aldersgate Street, London, make a very good sound-deadener which I always use when shooting. It consists of a hollow rubber flesh-coloured plug, filled with sawdust. This reduces the sound of a revolver shot to a slight thump, like the blow of a fist on a table, and is practically invisible when worn — much less conspicuous, at any rate, than white cotton-wool. It will also prevent, your neighbour's shooting from disturbing you. Men whose ears are very sensitive should take some pre- caution against cold when these sound-deadeners are
National Rifle Association at Bisley J95
removed.1 The concussion of revolvers, bad at all times, is of course aggravated by the use of the heavy military ammunition obligatory at Bisley, as well as by the deafening echoes from the wood partition of the stall in which competitors have to shoot. It is said that keeping the mouth open moderates the concussion,
AUTHOR S BEST ON RECORD SCORE. 20- YARDS DISAPPEARING TARGET
"Military " Target, Wimbledon, 1888; .45 Smith & Wesson Revolver, Eley's Ammunition. (Full size.)
but the remedy is surely worse than the disease. I should think the caps with projections in front of the ears, used by racing motorists, might be useful as sound- deadeners .
1 Excellent ear protectors or sound-deadeners in several sizes are also made by Messrs. Mayer & Metzler, of 71 Portland Street, London, and by Mr. J. A. R. Elliott, of New York.
196 Art of Revolver Shooting
The action of cocking, particularly in rapid firing, with a single-action revolver, throws a great strain on the muscles of the thumb, and the tendon running over the second joint of the thumb is apt to be displaced if sub- jected to too much work without preparatory practice. The thumb and forefinger may be strengthened by the use of a small apparatus that will, on the principle of the old-fashioned well, lift a weight of a few pounds, operated by the thumb and forefinger with the same action that would wind a keyless watch. The wrist and elbow are also apt to get sprained if got into work suddenly without previous training, but my way of holding these throws very little strain on the wrist. I have several walking- sticks of gradually increasing weight, up to three pounds, which I carry for a few weeks, before any important match. For some men, those more particularly with a tendency to varicose veins, even the long standing about may be bad, and care should be taken not to catch cold when shooting in a wind, or in the evening following a hot day.
To return to the target, if you cannot get a copy of the Bisley disappearing-target mechanism, the next best thing is to have the target hinge over and be brought up again by some mechanical means. If this is not practi- cable, a stationary target may be made to answer, as I shall presently show.
My reason for wanting the actual Bisley arrangement is because that comes up with a jerk (some of the men operating it are very jerky), and the target "wobbles" for a fraction of a second, both just as it gets upright and
National Rifle Association at Bis ley l97
just before it disappears, and this is apt to disconcert anyone not used to it.
Next, get a metronome, with bell attachment. Set it to beat half-seconds (be very particular to get the time absolutely correct) , and set the bell to ring at every sixth beat. You have now intervals of three seconds marked with a "ring" at the end of each. Count the beats to yourself when the metronome is working: "One, two, three, four, five, six"; "one, two, three," etc.
Get your man to work the lever which actuates the target (the lever in every case being a yard or two behind you, so that there is no danger of shooting the man or of burning his eyes with the side flash from the chambers of the revolver). Let him, at the stroke of the bell, bring up the target sharply, so that it comes with a bang, and lower it at the next ring in the same way, and keep it down till the next ring, then jerk it up, and so on; jerking it as roughly as the mechanism will allow.
If you have to practise on a stationary target, pretend to yourself that it disappears at each alternate ring of the metronome. The firing-point must be like the Bisley one; it will not do to stand with the revolver hanging at your side; it must rest on a ledge the same height as at Bisley, or else your practice will be useless for Bisley, as quite a different way of working the muscles and resting them between shots is in use in the two styles of shooting, and it takes less time to "come up" from a ledge than when the arm is hanging by the side. Owing to the slope of the ground at Bisley, some of the ledges are higher than others ; choose the one that suits you best, and have your
198 Art of Revolver Shooting
practice ledge that height; and, when shooting at Bisley, do so from the ledge you have previously chosen.
Stand squarely, well behind this ledge. You will only get disqualified if you get into the way of resting the lower part of your body against the ledge; or even if you stand close to it and your coat happens to hang in front; or if you happen to have a "corporation" some competitor may have you disqualified as resting against the ledge.
The position of the legs and body is as for the twenty- yards stationary target, except that the rod which works the target is best kept between the feet, and these have to be a little wider apart. (N.B. — If you are a short man, it is better to stand to one side of the rod.)
Stretch your arm out to its full length, and, holding the revolver with the sights uppermost, rest the lower side of the barrel lightly against the ledge. The part of the barrel adjacent to the chamber is the part to rest on the ledge, as it is less likely to slip. There is a notch between the barrel and lower part of the frame of the revolver, and when this is resting on the edge of the table, and the arm is straight, then you are standing at the right distance from the table.
If you have to stretch too much or to lean forward, move slightly closer until you are comfortable; if your arm is bent, move backward till it comes straight. (All this is done with an empty revolver.)
Now stand in this position, watching the target go up and down, and counting all the while, "One, two, three." etc., to yourself, till you get the rhythm of the thing.
National Rifle Association at Bisley x99
Keep your eyes all the time fixed on the bull's-eye when it is vertical to you; do not follow it down with your eyes; but keep a mental picture of it, while it is away, on the background. You will gradually be able to know exactly where it will be, and when it will be there, and you will then be able to aim at the imaginary spot ; so that when the target appears the sights will not have to be shifted to the bull's-eye but the bull's-eye will come to the sights.
Now, cock the revolver, of course using only your right thumb, and not shifting your left hand, body, or revolver in the slightest.
(If you cannot do this neatly, cock the revolver first, and then "set" yourself at the ledge.)
Now, at the word "one," slowly (i.e., without hurry or jerk) bring your arm up, quite straight, till the revolver is level with your eye, and you are looking through the sights.
If you have been following the above directions care- fully, you will find you are aiming at the bottom edge of the bull's-eye, without having had to shift your hand or to align the sights ; the sights and also the target have, in fact, "come up" to your eye, not your eye to them. The speed with which you raise your arm should bring the sights touching the bottom edge of the bull at the word " two " ; but it is better, at first, to be slower; as long as you get the sights touching the bull before it disap- pears, it will do — for the present. At the word "six" lower the revolver to the table, but keep your eyes on the imaginary spot at which the "bull" disappeared. Keep the revolver down while you count six, and then raise it as before. After a few minutes of this drill, begin to
200 Art 0J~ Revolver Shooting
squeeze the trigger slightly while the revolver is resting against the ledge. With practice you will be able to regulate the squeeze so that it will require only half a pound more pressure to fire the revolver. Then as you lift the revolver, gradually tighten the squeeze, and keep gradually tightening it, never diminishing the pressure, but
AUTHOR'S " BEST ON RECORD " SCORE. 20-YARDS DISAPPEARING TARGET
North London Rifle Club, May 29, 1895; .45 Smith & Wesson Revolver, U. M. C. Ammunition. (Full size.)
not increasing it if your aim is getting wrong, and begin- ning to increase it again as you correct your aim. If you are increasing the squeeze properly, you will find, just as your aim is perfect, and a fraction of time before the word "six," the hammer will have fallen and you will not have jerked or moved off your aim.
National Rifle Association at Bis ley 201
The instant the hammer has fallen, cock quietly with your right thumb, and lower your revolver to the table as before. I mean it to be understood that all cocking must be done with one movement of the right thumb, the finger well clear of the trigger so as not to break or wear the sear-notch, and the left arm, left hand, and body not moved in any way, as already illustrated. After you have done this a few times, and have confidence, you may load several chambers of the revolver, having exploded, or empty, cartridges in the other chambers, so as not to injure the nose of the hammer or the mainspring. The cartridges, loaded and unloaded, should be put in in irregular order, and the barrel spun round, so that you do not know when you have a loaded one to fire.
Now, go through the same drill as before ; most likely, if the first cartridge is an empty one, you will be surprised to find you jerked it off instead of squeezing, owing to fear of the recoil; but if this is so, expecting your next shot to be also an empty cartridge, you will give a nice, smooth, gradual "let-off," with the result that you will get a bull, or be close to it. The following shot, in con- sequence of your being too eager, will almost certainly be a very wild one, most likely below the target. This is caused by jerking the trigger, which results in bobbing the muzzle down. It is curious that, contrary to the usual idea that in firing quickly with the revolver one is prone to "shoot over," the exact reverse is the case, and that snatching at the trigger generally gives a low left shot. With a duelling pistol, owing to the different way of holding, the miss is generally to the right. I
202 Art of Revolver Shooting
have my revolvers for rapid-firing competitions sighted to shoot higher than the others, to counteract this.
After a little of this sort of practice, you can get to loading all the chambers. Now the great thing is "time." Time and shoot like a machine. At Bisley one sees men fire one shot directly the target appears; the next too late — after the target has begun to go down; and, whenever a shot goes wide, they dance about, stamp, or swear, and shift their position constantly, half raise the pistol and lower it again, and more antics follow in the same fashion. A man who shoots in this style may as well go home, for all the prizes he will win. I never trouble to look at his target; seeing his "form" tells me what his target must look like.
By your constant practice with the metronome, you ought to get the "time" so impressed on your mind that you could work the target at the proper intervals, without any metronome to indicate the time. Your hand "comes up ' ' simultaneously with the target ; you fire just before it disappears (some of my highest possibles were made with the target just on the "wobble" of disappearing as I fired each shot) ; every instant must be utilised for the aim, and there must be no hurry or flurry. In fact, you become a "workman."
Do not get into the trick of "coming up" too soon before the target appears. There is nothing to be gained by it, and you might be disqualified. As I said above, the new Bisley rules allow you to "come up" when you like or even to keep up, and this does away with all neces- sity of timing or swing and spoils the use of the
National Rifle Association at Bisley 203
competition. If a shot goes wrong, or there is a misfire — you are allowed another shot for a misfire — keep on just as though nothing had happened; pay no attention to the number of shots you have fired in the score, or how many more have to "go." I have often started to "come up" again for a shot, not knowing that my sixth had already "gone," so mechanical had my shooting become.
In practising, never fire if you feel you are "off" the bull; better "come down" with the target, without shooting, and fire the next time the target "comes up." In this way you will perhaps "come up" ten times for your six shots; but you will have good shots for those that you have fired, and will be encouraged much more and get better practice than by firing a lot of wild shots, which, as you fired, you knew were badly aimed.
At Bisley I used to find this the easiest competition of any, more so, if there is no wind, than the stationary twenty-yards target, but one can keep it up only for a short time. Some of the other competitors, however, find it so difficult that they have had it altered to practi- cally a stationary target, as I have explained, not seeing that this is the groundwork of all practical shooting. One gradually gets into the swing of it, till one can "throw" each shot right into the bull's centre. This keeps up for a few entries; as one's arm tires, one begins to lose the absolute precision. It is then useless to continue shooting, and it is time to take a rest.
The records for this competition are several "highest possibles" made by myself, both with military and target
204 Art of Revolver Shooting
revolvers, and I have made many in practice. The pos- sibles made for the last few years are not comparable to mine as the hand is not lowered between shots, so mine stand as world's records.
You need a large front sight and open "U, " so as to get your aim quickly. My favourite revolver has very
AUTHOR'S " BEST ON RECORD " SCORE. 20-YARDS DISAPPEARING TARGET
"Any" Revolver, Bisley, 1896; .45 Smith & Wesson Revolver U. M. C. Ammunition. (Full size.)
coarse sights, — a front sight which, in aiming, seems large indeed.
I like the sun as much behind me as possible for this and any other quick-firing or moving-object competition, as you can then at once see the hit on the target and can correct it, if necessary, at the next shot. At a stationary
National Rifle Association at Bis ley 205
target this seeing the hit at once does not matter, as you have plenty of time to locate your shot.
In any competition in which unlimited entries are allowed, it is best to give up shooting an entry at your first bad shot, and to start a fresh entry instead of shooting out the full six shots. Many men will say, "It is better to keep on, as it is practice." In my experience I find that everyone has strings of better shots than his average, and these may commence at any time. If you have a three, for instance, as your second shot of a score, you may have four sevens to finish up with; then your next score may begin with two sevens and then a two. There are thus two scores spoilt, whereas, if you had retired at the shot counting three in your first score, and started another score, you would have had a string of six sevens in your second score, making a highest possible score of forty-two. I have so often seen this sort of thing happen to others (although I have never allowed it to happen to myself), that I am sure it is false economy, except in the limited-entry series, not to stop and begin afresh the moment you get a shot out of the bull.
As already stated, another thing men do is to keep shooting pool to "get practice," as they call it, till they shoot themselves out, and make bad scores in competition. The place to practice is at home; there is no economy in paying half-a-crown for every six shots at Bisley, when you can shoot as much as you like at home for nothing.
The rapid-firing and fifty-yards competitions being more difficult, you may allow yourself one or two sixes
206 Art of Revolver Shooting
in a score before beginning again; but stop at the first shot scoring less than six points.
If possible, choose a time when there is no one shooting at the target next you; as, even if you do not find yourself "letting loose " at the sound of his firing, — he, most likely, timing himself all wrong, — the smoke from his shots may drift across you and spoil your view of the target.
Do not shoot whilst a man is "arranging his things," or "bringing up his target" next you; it will distract your attention.
Shoot one entry in each series of competitions, — dis- appearing, rapid-firing, etc., — and then take the com- petition in which you have done worst (comparatively worst, should be said, as thirty-six in the rapid-firing is as difficult as forty-one at the stationary twenty-yards) and beat that score. The moment you have beaten that sufficiently for one of your scores in another series to be the worst, go at that one; and so keep pushing the worst along. This gives you a better aggregate than any other system, and prizes are given for aggregates.
Be sure to look through your barrel after each entry, and wipe it out frequently, cleaning the cylinder, etc. Quick shooting with black powder, especially in hot, dry weather, cakes and leads the barrel and spoils accuracy. If the pistol sticks or grates, however slightly, it is apt to spoil one's "time"; and if a chamber, from dirt, etc., does not come quite round, it will entirely spoil that shot. At Bisley you must not "wipe out" during the shots of an entry. Where, however, there is no rule against it, "wipe out" after every shot at stationary targets, and use
National Rifle Association at Bisley 207
only one of the chambers. When you open the revolver after each entry look carefully to see if the caps were struck in the centre, especially if you have made a bad shot. Should they be hit on the side, clean the revolver, and oil the spindle; if this still continues, take another. It is useless to keep on while this is happening.
Be very careful to see that you are using your own ammunition, the proper sort for each particular revolver, and not taking some other that happens to be lying about. Also be very particular to have your revolver "passed," the trigger-pull tested, and ammunition examined by the official appointed for the purpose by the National Rifle Association, before shooting. This should be done every day, morning and afternoon, — as the trigger-pull may have altered, — so that there shall be no chance of disqualification after a good score has been made.
Although it is, as a rule, best to finish your shooting at one class of competition, either moving or stationary, the change from one to the other gives a rest if you find yourself getting tired or discouraged. Moreover, as above explained, you secure a better "aggregate" by shifting from one series to another, though such chang- ing would easily confuse a beginner. For the beginner, therefore, it may be as well to study one particular competition and only compete in it the first year. This will probably place him high in the prize-list, and en- courage further perseverance another year.
CHAPTER XIX
NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION AT BISLEY
{Continued)
RAPID FIRING
[Note: — Target appears for twelve seconds at twenty yards. All six shots must be fired during that time. Known as " The Rapid.'" This competition has also been dis- continued, as competitors consider it too difficult.]
APID firing is, in my opinion, the /; most practical of all competitions, for, as previously mentioned, a revolver is not a weapon for deliberate shooting, but for light- i ning rapidity at short range. \ Some years ago, when several of \ us were drawing up schemes for revolver competitions at Bisley, I experimented with rapid firing, and found I could shoot, with accuracy enough for practi- cal purposes, the six shots of a single-action revolver in from seven to ten seconds, at twenty yards. This was be- fore the invention of automatic pistols and revolvers, with
which weapons I can now do it in from five to seven
208
National Rifle Association at Bisley 209
seconds. Thinking that this might be too difficult for the average competitor at Bisley, and that it might deter him from trying, I suggested twelve seconds as ample time to fire six shots with a fair amount of aim. This idea was adopted. As rapid firing is so important for practical shooting, I give below a few useful hints for learning it,
AUTHOR'S " BEST ON RECORD " SCORE. 6 SHOTS IN 12 SECONDS
"Any " Revolver, Bisley, 1895; Rapid Firing; .44 Smith & Wesson Revolver, U. M. C. Gallery Ammunition. (Full size.)
although unfortunately it is not now included in the Bisley competitions.
The record is forty for the "any" and two scores of
thirty-nine for the "military" revolver, both made by
myself ; but I have made forty and forty-one respectively
out of a possible forty-two in practice at this "rapid,"
14
210 Art of Revolver Shooting
with black powder. The smoke hung so when I made this forty-one that I did not see where my shots were hitting, or even the bull's-eye in the last two shots, which only shows how one can learn to shoot by "sense of direction." These scores were made cocking with the thumb after each shot. With a double-action or automatic revolver possibles should be made in twelve seconds.
In a single-action revolver it is necessary to get one which works as loosely and as easily as possible. A half- worn-out revolver is best, as it works freer. Next, file the mainspring as weak as it is possible to have it without risk of too many misfires. If it has one misfire in every twenty or so shots, it does not matter, the great thing being to have it cock easily. If the mainspring is weak enough, and an extra long thumb-piece is made to the hammer, one can put it almost to the full-cock with an upward flick of the revolver. A very big front sight and a big " U " in the back one are advisable.
Stand as for disappearing target.
It is impossible — at least I find it so — to count the half -seconds up to twelve seconds. I count half -seconds in fours — "one, two, three, four" — for each shot; thus giving each of the six shots two seconds out of the twelve.
As the target rises, "come up," as in the disappearing series, but more quickly, increasing the pressure on the trigger as you "come up," so that the revolver goes off the moment it is horizontal and the sights are about right. I say about, because there is not time to correct the aim.
Your shot ought to go off before, or as soon as, you get to the word "two"; but be sure to squeeze back — not to
National Rifle Association at Bis ley 2I1
jerk off. It is possible, with practice, to get this "snap shot " into the bull or touching it. As this first shot goes off, instantly flick the hammer up to full-cock, with your thumb — the recoil will help you in this. Be especially careful to taks all pressure off the trigger whilst doing so. Unless you are very careful you will keep a slight pressure
RAPID FIRING. AUTHOR S BEST ON RECORD FOR MILITARY REVOLVER
AND SIGHTS
Black Powder. Six shots in 12 seconds at 20 yards; .45 Smith & Wesson Revolver, U. M. C. Ammunition. Bisley, 1895. (Full size.)
on the trigger with your first finger, which not only will prevent the revolver from cocking properly, but may break off the sear-notch, or cause what you may think is a "jam " but what is really your own fault in fighting the trigger against the hammer. This applies also to double- action revolvers where you must be sure to release the
212 Art of Revolver Shooting
trigger before again applying the pressure for cocking and discharging it.
You are very likely at first to have constant supposed "jams" of this sort, or until you learn never to draw up the hammer without your trigger-finger being clear of the trigger. (I have more than once repeated this warning, as it is important to impress it on your memory.) With a double-action revolver be sure not to pull to one side in cocking by the trigger, but pull straight back.
Your right arm — in fact, your whole body — should during the last five shots be immovable. You merely use your right hand and wrist to do the cocking and trigger-squeezing. Your aim during the cocking ought not to be disturbed enough to be more than a few inches off the bull. It assists cocking with the single-action revolver to cant slightly to the right and back again as you cock it.
After each shot — and the instant the revolver is cocked again — begin a steadily increasing pressure straight back, and without a jerk, trying at the same time to get your sights as near the bull as you can before the revolver goes off again. The instant a shot is "off," begin to count afresh — "One, two, three, four."
You can fire as quickly as you can get your aim, without waiting to count to "four"; but do not wait, if possible, longer than "four," except if needful for your last shot.
By the time you have got five shots off, there will be a vague sort of idea in your mind that each shot went off before the full two seconds were counted for it, which will
National Rifle Association at Bislcy 2I3
very likely be the case. Therefore, take deliberate aim jar your last shot.
From your previous practice at the disappearing target, you should have got used to the sort of tremor and grating sound which is apparent immediately before
AUTHOR S BEST ON RECORD SCORE. 20 YARDS RAPID-FIRING TARGET
Bisley, 1895; .45 Smith & Wesson Military Revolver, Winans' sights. U. M. C. Smokeless Ammunition. (Full size.)
the target actually disappears. Do not count during this last shot, but make certain of a bull, even if you have to wait until the target is almost disappearing.
If the target is actually disappearing before you fire, you may, by jerking down, "rip" a shot into the bull across the target, even if the latter has got down to an
2I4 Art of Revolver Shooting
angle of thirty degrees. In my record score I think I must have spent over three seconds for this last shot ; but it was worth it, as it turned out a central bull.
I have seen innumerable instances in which a man thought he was "late," and therefore hurrried his last shot, making a miss; and then the target remained up for some time afterwards, showing that there had been no need for any hurry.
The rules to observe are: Snap the first; be quick over the next four (in case you cannot get quite on to the bull in one of these, take a shade longer over it and save on the remaining) ; and be deliberate on the last shot. It is better to chance not getting off the last shot in time than to spoil a winning score by hurrying it.
If using an automatic pistol or revolver, all this be- comes much easier, as no time is then wasted in cocking and re-aligning the sights. All that you have to do is to release the pressure on the trigger the moment each shot goes off, and instantly begin to squeeze again as you get your next aim. A good double-action revolver is also easier. Do not keep on too long in this competition : half a dozen entries or practice scores are ample at a time. One only gets erratic and wild if one continues too long, also the revolver gets hot.
Any shot not outside the five-ring is a good one at this competition, except for the last shot, which should be a bull.
The sighting may have to be different in this from that required for slower shooting. Some men shoot up in one corner when snap-shooting with the heavy Bisley trigger-
National Rifle Association at Bis ley 2I5
pull : but of course, for practical use, a revolver with such a trigger-pull should not be used, and it is preferable to have the sighting so that one can aim straight under the bull, instead of having to make allowance for the jerking off. The trigger-pull should be as light as is deemed compatible with safety. I fancy the Fosbery-Webley Automatic revolver will stand as light a pull as an ordinary revolver, but the automatic pistols as yet on the market have a very heavy trigger-pull.
It is a good plan to have the name of the competition
3=
POLICE TARGET DOUBLE-ACTION COLT REVOLVER
for which the revolver is sighted engraved on the stock, so as to prevent using the wrong revolver for it; also to have the revolvers for each series plated, as I have already suggested, a different colour, — silver, copper, gold, etc., — for the same reason.
A good time to shoot is when the shadow of the parti- tion falls diagonally across the target, bisecting the bull; it gives one a line instantly to get an aim by, even if the bull is obscured by smoke. This of course does not apply to smokeless powders.
It is useless to shoot except in a dead calm at most
216 Art of Revolver Shooting
of the moving and disappearing targets, as a wind blows the aim crooked; but at this competition, if you can get to leeward of the partition, so as to get shelter for your- self, a little wind to blow the smoke away, if you are using black powder, is rather an advantage. Wearing glasses to protect the eyes is very important at this game.
CHAPTER XX
NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION AT BISLEY
( Continued)
THE TRAVERSING TARGET
Known as " The Slider." Target moving across the line of fire at the rate of quick-march; range twenty yards.
LTHOUGH this competition is not now shot at Bisley, I describe it as it is a practical shoot and it is a great pity it should have been abolished. Although harder than the disappearing series, this was not so difficult as the rapid- firing one; in fact, it counted as about the second most diffi- cult of the series of compe- titions at moving targets. The chief difficulty was that when your aim was right horizontally, you might be wrong vertically, and vice versa.
There was no necessity in this series to count, as you could see when the target was about to disappear.
Every range officer had his own idea of what speed
constituted "at the rate of quick-march," so there was
217
218 Art of Revolver Shooting
nothing to be gained by timing the "run" and setting the metronome bell to indicate that time for your man who ran your private target.
It used to be especially important not to shoot in this series until the Bisley meeting was several days old. For the first day or two the men who took it in turns to "run" the target (which is done by turning the handle of a big wheel, over which runs a wire rope) were new to the job, and ran it irregularly, jerkily, and with unequal speeds. Under such conditions, it was impossible to judge allowance of aim in front of the bull's-eye.
The "holding," or "allowance," in front, which made your last shot a bull, might at your next either land you behind the bull, or the man might slacken speed just as you squeezed off, and so put you in front. I used to watch these men carefully, and decide who ran the target best. Then I chose my opportunity in a dead calm, and when he ran the target well and evenly (the speed did not much matter, and personally I can shoot better when the target is going moderately fast) I used to make my entry. I did not shoot if the man was running the target badly, either through his own fault or owing to the cord or wire being, from rain or other causes, too slack or too tight.
When first practising for this competition, have a target made with a black band two inches wide running down the middle of the target, instead of the usual bull's-eye. Begin your practice at this, having it put up first with the black band vertical, and then with it horizontal. Shooting at it vertical will show you if you are getting the right allowance in front in your aim.
National Rifle Association at Bis ley 2I9
When it is horizontal, it will show you if your elevation is correct. This can be elaborated by having black bands painted or pasted on the back of an ordinary target and, with its back towards you, shooting at them. Then, by turning it over after the six shots have been fired, you will see what score you would have made on a regulation
AUTHOR'S " BEST ON RECORD " SCORE. FOR 3-INCH BULL'S-EYE TRAVERSING TARGET, 20 YARDS
Wimbledon, 1888; .45 Smith & Wesson Revolver, Eley's Ammunition. (Full size.)
target. The reason for this practice is that there are two things to attend to. One is the "allowance" in front, the other is the "elevation' '; if a beginner tries to think of both at once he will get confused.
If, after you have got pretty certain of your "allow- ance," you go to "elevation," you will most likely lose
220 Art of Revolver Shooting
your "allowance," and have to go back to the vertical band; and so on, alternately, until you can trust yourself at the regulation bull.
Most people, unless they use alternate hands, find the "run" one way easier than the other. If you have any preference, begin your competition with the run from the more difficult side, which will ensure your having an easy run for the last shot ; whether your score wins or not often depends upon your last shot, and it is best to make that as easy as possible.
I prefer higher elevation in sights for this competition. Instead of aiming to touch the bull at "VI o'clock" to get a central bull, the aim should be at the actual elevation you want the bullet to go, so as to enable you to aim off at "III o'clock" and at "IX o'clock" for right and left runs respectively.
Some people who are slower on the trigger — that is, who take longer to give the order to the trigger-finger when their eye says the aim is right — may need more allowance.
There is in astronomical work a technical term, ' ' re- action time," for the process of timing first contact in eclipses, and each observer deducts his own "personal error," which seems constant to him when in normal health. This allowance varies in revolver shooting with different men. I personally need very little allowance when the target is running to the left — half an inch out at " IX o'clock" ; and even less (about a quarter of an inch out) at "III o'clock," when running to the right. Taking stimulants makes this slower, but as I never smoke or take
National Rifle Association at Bis ley 221
stimulants I cannot speak from personal experience. Mr. Victor Horsley, however, in a lecture delivered on April 27, 1900, at St. James's Hall, on "The Effects of Alcohol on the Brain," spoke to the following effect:
Increased "Reaction Times"
The time occupied by the nervous system in observing and recording the simplest thing was, he said, called "the reaction time," and was so appreciable that in all minute and accurate records astronomers had to measure their reaction period, and to account for it. The lecturer then demonstrated by an experiment the method of measuring the reaction time. This plan in all forms and varieties had been very largely employed by Professor Kraepelin, whose investigations had been so thorough and complete that they explained the somewhat contradictory results obtained by Warren and other observers, and had es- tablished on a thoroughly scientific basis the direct in- fluence of alcohol on the higher centres of the brain. The effect was that very speedily after taking the dose of alcohol the reaction time was shortened, but this shorten- ing, that is to say, this apparent quickening of the cerebral act, lasted only a few minutes, and then marked slowing set in, and for the rest of the time during which the alcohol acted, varying from two to four hours according to the individual, the cerebral activity was diminished. The diminution was shown by a noteworthy lengthening of the reaction period — in other words, it took longer for a person who had had a small quantity of alcohol to think.
222 x4.rt qf Revolver Shooting
The evidence, therefore, was overwhelming that alcohol in small amounts had a most deleterious effect on voluntary- muscular work.
Some men aim at a spot, and wait for the target to
AUTHOR'S " BEST ON RECORD " SCORE. FOR TWO-INCH BULl/S- EYE TRAVERSING TARGET, 20 YARDS
Bisley, 1896; .45 Smith & Wesson Revolver, U. M. C. Ammunition. (Full size.)
come up to it; but this is useless, as anyone knows who has shot moving game with a gun.
Stand absolutely square to the front, or perhaps a little more towards the side on which you find it most difficult to follow the target. Plant the feet slightly farther apart than for the other competitions, and swing the whole of the upper part of the body from the hips. Do
National Rifle Association at Bislcy 223
not swing your right arm, keeping the rest of the body- still. The shoulder-joint does not give so smooth a horizontal swing as swinging from the hips. Moreover, if you swing the arm, you have to turn the head, or else have to look out of the corners of your eyes, instead of straight before you.
Let the whole of the upper part of your body be held rigid, and swing only on the hips. Lift your revolver from the table as the target appears, and swing with the target, bringing up the revolver on a diagonal line (this is the resultant of the vertical rise from the shoulder and the horizontal swing of the hips). Let the sights come horizontal to the eyes a little in front of the proposed allowance; and, as you keep your arm moving in front of the bull, gradually let the bull overtake you, till it is the right allowance behind your sight ; and still keep on swing- ing. All this time be gradually squeezing the trigger, so that it squeezes off just when the aim is right. Be sure not to stop swinging before the revolver goes off.
Some range officers made you "lower" after each shot; others let you keep "at the present" between the shots. I do not think the latter is of any advantage ; it tires the arm, and you cannot make the diagonal swing up to your spot in front of the bull.
At the firing-point of this range you cannot get shelter from the wind, so choose if possible an absolutely calm time for shooting.
My world's record score of a highest possible was made at this target "coming up" each time from the table, and was shot in a strong wind at 10 a.m.
224 Art of Revolver Shooting
I do not think it is of any use deciding to fire upon a certain part of the "run" ; it is best to fire when you feel you are aiming right, and you may get this feeling sooner in the "run " on some days than on others.
There is a tendency to "follow" too long, and then, owing to lack of time, to jerk off just as the target dis- appears. I have made bulls when the target was almost out of sight, in fact, I did so in my record shoot ; but this is a bad habit to contract, and a risky sort of shot, as it is almost sure to be too far behind, or even to be fired into the shield in front of the target; though, of course, if you have not a good aim, it is better to delay as long as possible, rather than to shoot earlier with a bad aim.
Be sure in your private range that your shield is bullet proof, or you may get into the habit of making "bulls" when the target is "sitting" behind the shield, by shooting through it. To economise space, you can have this target run in front of your disappearing-target apparatus, putting the latter out of the way when not needed; this latter will also serve for stationary-target purposes, and to hold the fifty-yards target. Do not have a target which runs by gravitation, as shooting at a target which is running downhill requires quite different sighting from that needed with one running horizontally.
BISLEY CAMP BY NIGHT
CHAPTER XXI
NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION AT BISLEY
{Continued)
the advancing target (popularly known as "burglar')
^URGLAR is the nickname by which this competition was known, though "The Attack" would be more appropriate.
This competition is my own invention. It was shot at a fifty-yards target (four-inch bull's-eye), which advances from fifty up to fifteen yards — all six shots to be fired during that time, the revolver not to be raised from the ledge before the target starts moving; but it is not now in the Bisley programme.
This was one of the easiest series, though some men seemed to get very flurried when the target got close to them, and I have actually seen the whole target missed when it was at fifteen yards, the target being some three feet square! You must shoot as if it were a stationary target, which it practically is. As it approaches, you
IS
225
226 Art of Revolver Shooting
have constantly to change the focus of your eyes; this is the only thing which hampers you. You do not count in this, as you are able to judge by sight how much time you have for shooting.
Raise your arm very deliberately, and take a very steady, slow aim; be sure to put the first shot high enough, especially if using gallery ammunition. The revolver to use is the twenty-yards disappearing-target one; so this shot must be aimed high, the sighting being for twenty yards in your revolver, and varying according to how heavy a charge you are using. If you find that altering the elevation confuses you, this may be con- trived artificially by having your cartridges loaded with diminishing charges of powder.
The target is supposed to be going at "quick-march time"; being rather heavy, it is most likely travelling a little slower. At any rate, there is no need to hurry; by the time the first shot goes off the target will be about forty yards distant.
If you are a quick shot, and can get off your remaining shots fast, let it come nearer before you fire this first shot: the closer it is, the more certain you are to make a bull. For the remaining five shots, as the bull is four inches in diameter, and the distance decreases from about thirty- nine to fifteen yards (averaging twenty-five yards at a four- inch bull) , you ought to have no difficulty in getting all bulls. The only thing is to be careful to take a slightly lower aim each shot, to allow for the gradually shortening range, the last two or three being aimed "well in" at "VI o'clock." The last two shots are so ridiculously easy that one is apt
National Rifle Association at Bis ley 227
to become careless and to think that any aim will do ; with the result that perhaps the last shot is jerked off the bull. Treat the bull for these last shots as an old deer-stalker taught me to do when stalking: "Don't aim at the deer as
AUTHOR'S " BEST ON RECORD " SCORE. ADVANCING TARGET
"Any" Revolver, Bisley, 1896; .44 Smith & Wesson Revolver, U. M. C. Gallery Ammunition. (Full size.)
a whole, but pick out an imaginary spot on him and aim at that." In the present case, if there is a bullet-hole "well in" about "VI o'clock," use that to aim at; and even if you "jerk off" that you cannot well miss the whole bull.
228 Art 0f Revolve?' Shooting
Best on record: A highest possible of forty-two, made by myself; all the shots close in the centre of the bull.
With an automatic revolver or pistol this competition is ridiculously easy, as you can wait until the target approaches within twenty-five yards before firing your first shot.
There is not yet a "retiring " target, although I sug- gested one; but in such a case the procedure should be reversed: get off the shots as quickly as possible, as each moment makes the shooting more difficult; and aim gradually higher with each shot.
To shoot at a target first advancing and then retiring, three shots each way, let all your shots be fired whilst the target is near, and utilise the first part of the "advance" for aiming your first shot.
CHAPTER XXII
NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION AT BISLEY
( Concluded )
THE STATIONARY FIFTY- YARDS TARGET
O W we come to the fifty-yards
target.
To shoot in this series
(known as "The Long
Range"), you require the
smallest and finest sights
which you can see clearly
without trying your eyes.
There is no advantage in
having them smaller than you can see properly.
Also, it is well to have several revolvers with sights
of different sizes, and differently sighted: some high, some
low, some to the right, and some to the left, so as to suit
varying light.
By the Bisley rules, you are not allowed to adjust
your sights.
I have experimented with peep-sights. One cannot,
however, hold a revolver steadily enough to get the full
advantage of a peep-sight.
Have a Zeise glass and locate each shot, correcting the
229
23° Art of Revolver Shooting
next, if necessary, by altering your aim— as the rules will not permit you to alter the sights. Shoot very deliberately ; rest your eyes frequently ; stop at every breath of air, and only fire when you are "dead sure." Clean after each entry.
Do not keep on too long at this range. A few entries now and again are best, as it is very straining to the eyes and trying to the muscles.
BEST ON RECORD MADE BY AUTHOR. 5O-YARDS TARGET
Bislcy, 1894. Twelve consecutive shots: Six with .44 Smith & Wesson Revolver, six with .38 Smith & Wesson Revolver. Smith & Wesson self- lubricating bullet. (Half size.)
Personally I prefer a heavy charge, as it gives greater accuracy at fifty yards ; but one cannot stand many shots with a heavy charge without feeling the consequences. I do not like the flat-topped bullets at this range, as I have found that they keyhole.
National Rifle Association at Bis ley 2$l
The best on record is eighty-two, out of a possible eighty-four, made by the writer in twelve shots; the first six shots (score forty-one) winning the military (with .44 Russian Model Smith & Wesson, full charge of twenty- three grains of black powder, self-lubricating Smith & Wesson bullets), the last six winning the "any" revolver series (with a similar revolver bored to take a .32 calibre long cartridge and similar ammunition) . The twelve shots were fired consecutively, without any sighting shots be- tween. In both these scores, the shot out of the bull was a "nicker," almost touching the bull. I used the Smith & Wesson self -lubricating bullet, which I describe elsewhere, and which I think was responsible for the result, as it keeps the revolver from fouling, which it would otherwise do with so heavy a charge. I have fired one hundred shots with this bullet in very rapid succession, without cleaning, on a hot, dry day, without the revolver fouling to any ap- preciable extent, or losing its accuracy. As no other twelve- shot score at this range has ever come anywhere near this, I think I am right in considering the bullet a good one.
CHAPTER XXIII
:eam shooting and coaching
HEN you are a member of a team, do exactly what the captain of the team directs you to do. Never mind if you think that he is wrong, and that you could do better work in your own way. It is "his show," and he alone is responsi- ble; merely shoot as well as you can in his way. Of course, if he should ask your advice, that is a different thing. Should another mem- ber of your team ask advice, refer him to the captain.
If you are captain of a team, and have the choice of men, select, preferably, men whose nerve can be relied upon; a veteran who does not get "rattled," even if only a moderate shot, is preferable to a brilliant beginner who may go all to pieces at a critical moment.
The man I prefer in a team is one who always shoots a good consistent score, — never brilliantly, yet never badly; you can always rely upon him to shoot up to his form. If you have two such men, let one of them shoot
the first score, — if possible, against your adversaries' best
232
234 Art of Revolver Shooting
man, — so as to give your team confidence that they are likely to hold their own.
Reserve yourself — or your most reliable shot, who can be trusted not to lose his head — for emergencies, such as these: To shoot last, when everything depends upon making a good score; when the light is bad and likely to improve later ; if there is a wind that may drop later ; for pulling up a score when the other team is leading; for getting the sighting when you retire to the fifty-yards range; to shoot "turn and turn about," against the most nervous or dangerous man of the other team, and so on.
You should specially notice if any of your team are getting nervous ; prevent their watching good shooting by their adversaries, or looking at and comparing scores. Encourage them to think that their own team is so strong that their own individual shortcomings do not matter. You can, in this way, "nurse" a man along who is on the verge of ' ' going to pieces. ' '
If possible, do not let your men know how the scores stand. If there is a wind, or rain or bad light, consult your most "weather-wise" man, and decide how to "place" your bad shots so as to give them the easi- est "shoot." That is to say, if the wind is likely to drop later, shoot your strong shots when the weather is unfavourable.
It is also a good thing to have a reliable member of the team stand behind each one who is shooting, to "spot" for him, and keep time for him.
If there be a time limit, have a very good man, if possible, at the left elbow of each shooter, with a stop
Full Sized Diagrams ofTwelve highest possible Scores made by WALTER WlNANSm Revolver Competitions
.if 20 Yards in 1895. These arc thc-Twelve best Scores of those he won the following Competitions willi
\ i) Revolver aggregate Bislcy Military Revolver aggregate i Bisley Revolver Grand aggregate
North London Rifle Clubs Revolver Championship -i South London Rifle Clubs Revolver Cliani|iionsbi(i
Swallow Street Revolver Gallery ChallengeCup + Also many Firsl FVizesin Individual Competitions
OJuneI5tt<\'ortK'UndonRifleClub ,^^^^k
first Prize- A First SrsSllolsof fl ^^B
Hie brat on Record 12 Sbot Score f -fl
countinc, 8.1 nut ot .. ^B ,Vkiu-i [?' September.?!* ^^^^
.-, \_ondon Rjfl »•. \_ondon Rifle
^^^7 v\,„,i<loi, R,// ..vU>n.lnn K'i/7,. , ^^V^
' - - <s\0<W ^^^^ C/'^ Q(j»W ^^^^ %/,
@ o
First Prize Fil-st Prize
I LI W^L^
first Prize • ,^^^H^ First Prize-
Winning Cliallenc,e Cup,
TV Norili London Stores are pari of tlic segregate of 411 points out ofa possible 420. which is the best on Record mill lir won the Revolver Championship of Hie Club nil threeVears v The South London Rinc Club Score istllcbostp.il
..1 Hie ......rroali- ot '524-out of n possibtc336.two | its better lb.,.. Ins previous best on reiurd.and won Hl.c Championship
ol tin I Inl. for llie S'l! time lie also made top Score in the Team Shoot of the North Loudon Ride Clubs Revolver Match. and ->on llie Smokeless IWdcr Revolver Competition, and numerous' Spoon" Competitions during the Year
DIAGRAMS OF TWELVE HIGHEST POSSIBLE SCORES MADE BY AUTHOR IN REVOLVER COMPETITIONS AT 20 YARDS IN 1 895
The diameter of the original bull's-eyes is 2 inches
July 18ft
. V.cimlon Hit/ ^fc. ^W Ncv Rcvo/vCrn
iVuios! \si September*?!*
First Prize .VjUindon Riflfe- .v\.oi«lon ft/J,, , TheTopSconc
Best on Record Score
5erilcmbor«J ^^^ ^™ ' October 230
vVvV-ondou fty; lust Prize Rl-st Prize ,i,\jon<lou /,',,;
s\c>. ^ '-',,/, ^" ^^^ 'hi/,
235
236 Art of Revolver Shooting
watch. His business, if the time limit is, let us say, three minutes for the six shots, to start his watch when the signal to begin firing is given; to say "one minute" at the end of the first minute; "two minutes" at the end of the second minute; and then, "fifteen," "thirty," and "forty-five," at the ends of the first three quarters respectively of the last minute, and finally to count "one," "two," "three," etc., for the last fifteen seconds.
This lets the shooter know exactly how much time he has, and enables him to make the utmost use of lulls of wind.
Also at each shot he must say, "bull," if the shot is well in the bull, or "inch out seven" if under the bull to the left, etc., thus enabling the shooter to correct his aim for the next shot.
It is quite wrong to say the value of the shot. What the shooter wants to know is how to correct his next shot, if the previous one was wrong; the value of a shot does not help him to know where he ought to aim.
For this reason a ' ' coach ' ' who is not properly drilled is much worse than useless. He is a hindrance and confuses the shooter. For instance, if he says, "Oh, only a five," that conveys no meaning to the shooter as to where his shot has gone, and he has to ask, "Is it high or low ? " The coach answers, " It 's a long way off the bull ; how did you come to make such a bad shot? It is to the right." Probably the shooter then asks, "Is it low?" and the "coach " answers, "Yes — no — it is n't. It 's right on top," and so on, to the exasperation of the shooter and the spoiling of the score. Shooter and coach should
Team Shooting and Coaching 2S7
practise together, so that their minds work together, and instantaneously. Only the actual spot struck should be told, and that instantly, and in the fewest possible words.
"Oh's," and all such exclamations, ought to be rigorously avoided.
Coaching is allowed in team shooting, but not in ordinary individual competitions.
Do not let any member of your team leave the range on any account until the competition is over.
Have a man or two extra, in case of anything disabling or preventing one of your team from shooting.
Do not let two men shoot with the same revolver, as both men may be wanted to shoot at the same time.
Do not scold a man, however badly he may be doing; you only flurry him, and it does no good.
Do not have any refreshments for your team until the competition is over.
CHAPTER XXIV
GENERAL REMARKS ON SHOOTING IN COMPETITIONS
'HEN shooting in competition, be careful not to spoil your oppo- nent's scores. Never approach or leave the firing-point while he is aiming or about to shoot. If he is about to shoot, and there be time, reserve your shot till he has fired; and do not fidget with your revolver or cartridges or get your target drawn up whilst he is aiming. Keep per- fectly still and silent till his shot has gone off. Do not speak to him at any time, except to answer some question of his. If he is at all nervous, you might by a slight movement or word ruin his score.
Read carefully, before shooting, the rules of the com- petition in which you are about to engage, and be sure you comply with every detail of them. If you find you have, inadvertently, transgressed a rule, report to the range officer at once, and get your score cancelled.
Write your name very distinctly on your score-card; I have known a man to lose a prize owing to his name
238
Shooting in Competitions 239
being illegible on the score-card. See that your shots have been entered properly and rightly added up and the corrections initialled.
Have your target dated and signed by the range officer, with the name of the competition also inscribed, and keep it as evidence in case your card should get lost. Be sure you do not by mistake have a score entered on a ticket belonging to another series.
Before shooting at Bisley, I put a weight in a chemist's scale equal to the average weight of one of my loaded cartridges. I weigh each cartridge against it, put all of the correct weight aside for Bisley, and keep the others for practice. By this means I minimise the chance of a weak or of too strong a shot.
When you are at the firing-point, pay no attention to what anyone else is doing, or to what scores have been, or are being, made, or to any of your scores being beaten ; the great thing is to have the average all round high for the aggregate prizes. If you are constantly watching the scores of others, rushing from range to range as your various scores are passed, you will have much less chance of making good scores than if you keep plodding on, constantly adding a point or two to your aggregate. You can afterwards try to beat individual scores, if necessary. Of course, if you at any time, in any one series, get a score which you think is up to the limit of your skill, you may let that series alone till you have reached your limit in all other series. Never watch a good man shooting ; it will only make you doubt if you can beat him. It is also tiring your eyes uselessly.
240 Art of Revolver Shooting
Do not read or use your eyes any more than is ab- solutely necessary. When resting, dark glasses will be found to relieve the eyes. I find that if I am getting tired of shooting, a half-hour's gallop on a horse that does not pull freshens me up, and helps to divert my thoughts; others may prefer lying quietly down and shutting the eyes.
If you find yourself getting stale, drop the whole thing, even for several days. It will not be time wasted, as you will shoot better afterwards; and you will certainly get worse if you keep on without rest.
Never protest or dispute a score or a decision. The range officers are doing their best under very trying circumstances. If you think any decision wrong, say nothing about it and forget it; you will only spoil your shooting if you worry about it. Just set your teeth and make a score a point better than the disputed one ought, in your opinion, to have been. The protesting man is a nuisance to himself and to everyone else.
Should you see a man infringing the rules, leave it to others to protest.
CHAPTER XXV
AUTOMATIC PISTOLS
"~
[HERE have been various auto- matic pistols made which load and cock by the force of the discharge of the previous shot. The one with which I can shoot best is the Webley-Fos- bery Automatic Revolver here illustrated.
The recoil causes the upper part of the revolver to fly back, a stud acting in a zigzag groove in the chamber half turning the chamber as it flies back, and completing the revolution as it returns to its normal position by the force of a spring which has been compressed by the discharge.
I can shoot very well with this, but I cannot try it against the double-action .38 Smith & Wesson — with which I made the record score of six shots in a two-inch circle at twenty-five metres in seventeen seconds — as it will not shoot gallery ammunition, there not being recoil enough in that to operate the mechanism.
One made specially with a weaker spring for gallery
16
241
242 Art of Revolver Shooting
WEBLEY-FOSBERY AUTOMATIC REVOLVER
ammunition would be an ideal weapon for rapid firing at Gastinne-Renette's.
Another form of automatic is the Browning, but this is not a target pistol and I cannot C make good shoot- ing with it. In my opinion having to use both hands to cock it for the first shot con- stitutes a defect. One ought to be able to
draw, cock, and fire with one hand any pistol intended for self-defence.
Most nations have an automatic pistol of one make or another as their regulation army weapon, but France and
the United States keep to the double- action revolver, and they are not the worst pistol shots and they know what a good pistol ought to be. Personally I should never carry an automatic pistol for self-defence, for use on dangerous game, or for target shooting, as the revolver is so much more handy, shoots better, and it is safer after one shot has been fired.
I have never seen any score made by any automatic
COLT AUTOMATIC PISTOL, POCKET MODEL, CALIBRE .32
Automatic Pistols
243
pistol (except the Fosbery, which is really an improved revolver rather than a typical automatic pistol) which was any good.
One ought to be able to take a pistol out of its holster
COLT AUTOMATIC PISTOL, CALIBRE .32
Sectional view showing the automatic action
or the pocket, aim, then change one's mind and return it to the pocket, all with one hand.
A double-action revolver you take out, half raise the hammer with the trigger-pull as you level it, decide not to shoot, release the pull, and drop the pistol in your pocket, and it is safe.
With an automatic pistol you draw it, and have to
244 Art of Revolver Shooting
take hold of it with both hands so as to draw the bolt to cock it ; when you aim and decide not to shoot you have again to manipulate it with both hands, and in some in-
COLT AUTOMATIC PISTOL, MILITARY MODEL, CALIBRE .45
stances to extract all the cartridges and put them again in the magazine before it is safe to put in the pocket. If you want to return it safely to your pocket after you
COLT AUTOMATIC PISTOL, MILITARY MODEL, CALIBRE .38
have fired a shot, the process to be gone through is yet more complicated.
Of course if you blaze away all your cartridges it is quicker than any revolver, but I am talking of the much
Automatic Pistols 245
more frequent occurrence of firing only one or two shots, or of not shooting at all after having drawn the weapon on the chance of needing it, then finding there was no necessity to shoot.
For a lady's use as a weapon of defence I should not for a moment advise an automatic pistol.
In selecting an automatic pistol, as distinct from an automatic revolver, care must be taken that it has an efficient safety bolt.
LUGAR AUTOMATIC PISTOL
As the action for cocking the automatic pistol consists in drawing back the barrel, if the pistol is dropped so that the barrel strikes the ground with its muzzle the pistol is very apt to be discharged.
I have heard of such a case which led to fatal results. This seems to me one of the weak points of such pistols, as, even if the pistol has an efficient safety bolt, such a bolt
246 Art of Revolver Shooting
is almost sure to have been moved when the pistol is held in the hand ready to fire, and in such a case, if the pistol is dropped, it will most likely explode. This fact must be borne in mind when choosing between a revolver and an automatic pistol intended for self-defence.
CHAPTER XXVI
THE REVOLVER IN WAR
NFORTUNATELY war, and not target shooting, is the chief use for revolvers up to the present time.
As I am not a military man I cannot go as fully into details as I have done with regard to some of the other uses of the revolver; but I should say, speaking as a civilian, that the nearer the revolver approaches to that recommended for big-game shooting (whilst fulfilling the necessary military requirements and regulations), the more useful and re- liable will it be found.
My hints as to shooting deer, or at targets, from horse- back, would apply to chasing drivers of retreating guns, or infantry; and my various suggestions for practising rapid firing at moving objects would also apply. The episode of the officers in the Boer War repeatedly missing store bullocks with their revolvers illustrates the need
of practice with this arm, which not even an acquaintance
247
248 Art of Revolver Shooting
with the rifle (supposing the officers to have such) enables one to dispense with.
It is useless to describe in detail the various patterns of automatic pistols and revolvers used by the different nations, as these not only constantly change, so that any I now write about may be obsolete by the time this book is published, but each nation has also its special needs, so that the pistol suitable for one country might not be the best for another.
For instance, in England there seems to be a greater
NEW ARMY COLT DOUBLE-ACTION REVOLVER
Adopted by Ordnance Department U. S. Army- demand than in any other country for a pistol with "stop- ping power. " In consequence, various more or less blunt- nosed bullets have been invented, some of them almost cylinders with cupped tops. Very good shooting is said to have been made with some of these shapes of bullets: personally, though it may be only fancy, I do not think bullets of such shape can fly quite as accurately as those which are pointed, although I have done good shooting at deer with them at very short range. I myself have never been able, in experimenting, to improve on the
OS
25° Art of Revolver Shooting
conical shape for extreme accuracy, the spitzen form of bullet being more suitable for arms of higher velocity than for pistols.
The consensus of opinion, however, in all other armies seems now to be in favour of very small calibres, as the advantages of a small calibre over a large one in port- ability, lightness, and amount of ammunition that can be carried, are so great that they are considered to outweigh the want of stopping power. A man who cannot hit another in a vital spot at the short range at which a
NEW NAVY COLT DOUBLE-ACTION REVOLVER
Adopted by Bureau of Ordnance, U. S. Navy
revolver is used in war would not do any better with the larger calibre.
I do not think that the advantages of a pistol over a sword, or even a lance, for cavalry are sufficiently appreciated. Going on the standard of the "Can't- hit-a-haystack " shooting of the ordinary trooper with a revolver, it is not realised what a squadron of cavalry, which could "shoot," might be able to accomplish with this weapon. In charging, which I suppose would very
2 52 Art of Revolver Shooting
seldom occur in modern warfare, each man could fire several shots at opposing cavalry; whilst their adversa- ries, if cavalry, with only lance and sword, could not have a "go" at them until they got within a yard or two. A lancer, and, in a lesser degree, a trooper, armed with a sword, needs elbow room to wield his weapon; when hemmed in by companions pressing close in on him he cannot use it. An adversary can, moreover, parry, or even clutch, the lance, and then he is quite helpless.
NEW SERVICE COLT DOUBLE-ACTION REVOLVER
Jointless solid frame, simultaneous ejection
A trooper who was through the Zulu campaign told me that many of the men in his troop threw away their lances and depended on their revolvers in a charge, as Zulus dodged their lances and seized their horses, whereas a revolver cleared the way in charging.
In hand-to-hand cavalry fighting the man with the revolver would have the lancer or swordsman absolutely at his mercy; while as for pursuing, the little bugler-boy
The Revolver in War
?53
in South Africa showed what can be done with a revolver. From the standpoint of the pursued, a man with a lance is helpless, and a swordsman is almost as helpless; but a man with a pistol can keep loading and shooting back at his pursuers all the time he is galloping away at top speed.
An infantry soldier, if active, cool, and a good hand with the bayonet, especially if he also understands the
RUSSIAN MODEL ARMY REVOLVER
(Smith & Wesson)
dislikes and fears of horses, can defend himself against a mounted swordsman or lancer; by prick- ing the horse on the nose, for instance, he can prevent the rider being able to get his horse up close to him ; he also can parry a swordcut or lance-thrust, or dodge the blow. But a mounted man with a pistol could shoot at him as he gallops past out of range of his bayonet-lunge, or even stand still on his horse at thirty or forty yards off and shoot him.
I believe that the cavalry on both sides in the United States Civil War made more use of their re-
254 Art of Revolver Shooting
volvers than of sword or lance, and the revolvers routed the lances.
A pistol needs much less physical strength to use than either sword or lance, and is no more difficult to learn to handle. Lances, besides, are conspicuous when cavalry- are trying to conceal themselves, and are useless among trees.
Artillery drivers are especially helpless when pursued, yet if properly taught they could use a pistol whilst driving their horses, and prevent the incident I have depicted below, which is founded on fact, though I have, for reasons that are obvious, used fancy uniforms.
Cavalry could be trained with the Devilliers bullet.
CHAPTER XXVII
STAGE SHOOTING
HIS subject can be subdivided into two parts: real, expert, very ac- curate work, requiring great skill and nerve; and conjuring tricks, that is to say, shooting assisted by apparatus and the arts of the conjuror. The greatest insult that can be offered to a professional shot is to call him a conjuror.
To begin with the unaided shooting. You must have a safe background to shoot against. The best, in my opinion, is a steel plate, leaning towards you at an angle of forty-five degrees, and below it a shallow tray, filled with sand, to catch the bullets, which flatten on the steel and then drop into the tray. As only very light powder- charges are used, and as the revolver bullets for this purpose are round, or semi-round, this is sufficient.
It is usual to have something for the bullets to go through before striking the steel plate. Green baize is good for the eyes as a background; but it is dangerous, being very inflammable; it gives off fluff, some of which stands out from the baize, and the rest falls to the ground.
255
256 Art of Revolver Shooting
This is like tinder and liable to catch fire from burning particles of powder. Some fabric dipped in a non-in- flammable mixture should be used; either green, white, or black, whichever you find suits your eyesight best. The butt is either put "prompt" side of the stage (so that the shooter's right arm is nearest the audience) , and at a slight angle, in order that people may see the target ; or it is placed at the back of the stage, the shooter standing with his back to the audience. In either case, the shooter keeps his "tools" on a side-table, and when he shoots he stands quite clear of any table, so as to afford an unin- terrupted view of all his proceedings.
The range is about fifteen feet. This may seem very short, but it looks a long shot on a stage; and it must be remembered that the shooting is at very small objects, and no misses are allowable. The golden rule to be borne in mind in stage shooting is, Never hazard a shot that is not very easy to you, and which you cannot be practically sure of successfully accomplishing. If you try a very difficult shot and succeed once in three times — such as hitting a very small object thrown into the air — hardly any of the audience will think of you as aught but a bad shot; whereas, if you hit six stationary glass balls — each as big as an orange — they will think you wonderful !
WEAPONS
One or more .44 Russian Model Smith & Wesson target revolvers; Ira Paine target sights; hair trigger; Union Metallic Cartridge Co.'s gallery ammunition. I
A
*•
Photo by W. W. Rouch. SHOOTING WITH REVOLVER UPSIDE DOWN 257
258 Art of Revolver Shooting
use the revolvers which formerly belonged to Ira Paine; several front sights, the finest about the size of the head of a small pin, the stalks as fine as a needle; hind sight adjustable, both laterally and vertically, with screw adjustment; trigger-pull so light that laying the finger on the trigger almost sets it off. With such a revolver of course extreme care must be taken never, for an instant, to have the barrel pointed in any direction except that in which it would be safe for the bullet to travel, and also to keep the finger off the trigger till you actually want the bullet to go.
Ira Paine, when shooting at objects on the head of an assistant, used to "come down" from above, instead of "coming up " in the usual way; so that if the pistol went off by accident there would be no danger to the assistant, as there would be if the muzzle travelled up his body to his head in sighting from below.
I do not approve of shooting at objects on the head or in the hands of an assistant; it is not, in my opinion, justifiable to risk life in this way. But it may be chanced with the Devilliers composite bullet and ammunition already described, and, as also mentioned, a steel skull- cap under the assistant's wig, and steel finger guards under his glove, such as professional stage shots often use. Yet even then the assistant's eyes may be in danger from a bullet which does not happen to take the rifling.
The other weapon is a Stevens, or Smith & Wesson, single-shot .22 pistol, and a Gastinne-Renette duelling pistol can be introduced with advantage as a change,
Stage Shooting 259
but do not shoot holding it with both hands, as a self-styled champion professional shot does !
See that a narrow plank of wood — metal would, if struck, make a bullet glance — is put in front of the butt with slits and wooden clips in it for holding objects.
The following shots I recommend. Beginning with the easiest we have:
Six stationary balls in a row. (The balls are cast from a mixture of resin and whitening; they are very brittle and break at a graze.) Take them as quickly as you can be sure of them. With practice you can ' ' snap ' ' the six off in about four seconds, or in less time with a double-action revolver.
Next extract the used cartridges, and have them put in a row on the edge of the board, standing them on their bases. Hit them in quick succession. This requires a little more care, as they are small ; but their height pre- vents your being likely to miss them vertically, and you have merely to pay attention to keeping your horizontal aim correct. Be sure not to shoot too low; for if you do, and you hit the plank, you will jar them all off it. The greatest applause I ever got was when at one performance I made a very bad shot hitting the board and so knocking off all my cartridge cases by the one shot!
This can be varied, if you are a really good shot, by placing the cartridges on their sides with the cap end towards yourself; but it requires good shooting.
Shooting at an object with a wineglass on each side, without breaking the glasses, is a trick in which the difficulty varies according to how close the glasses are.
260 jlrt 0f Revolver Shooting
Put up a piece of paper with a black pencil line ruled vertically on it ; hit this line. This requires care not to "pull off" to one side.
A similar line horizontal. This is more difficult, as the elevation must be absolutely correct if you want to hit the line.
Hit a swinging ball. Take the shot on the turn ; do
FIG. A
not follow, but aim at an imaginary spot just inside of where the ball is at one end of its swing, aiming at "IX o'clock," as the ball is momentarily stationary at its farthest swing to the right, or vice versa.
Put six balls in a row; hit one with the revolver in the right hand, a second with the revolver in the left hand ; a third and fourth with the revolver upside down (A and B),
Stage Shooting
261
pulling the trigger with the little ringer and using alternate hands. The remaining two shots to be made with the revolver held half canted to the right (C), and then half canted to the left (D). The unusual positions explain themselves in the photographs. After a little practice, none of these positions is difficult.
The upside-down shot, as soon as you get used to
FIG. B
aiming at the top edge of the ball instead of the bottom, is a very steady, easy position. For the two side ones, you aim at "IX" and at "III o'clock," respectively.
Hang your watch on a hook on the board, and place a ball resting on this hook. Break the ball. This is easy, as the ball is, comparatively, a big mark. Aim at the top edge of the ball so as to break it by a grazing shot near the top ; this is less risky for the watch.
262 Art of Revolver Shooting
Do the same with any watches lent by the audience. A man once kept lending me his watch for this trick; I found out afterwards that it would not go, and he had hopes that I would hit it and thus be compelled to give him another!
Borrow small objects from the audience, and hit them. Stamps on envelopes, visiting cards, bits of pencil, etc., are suitable; but do not shoot at anything which will make a bullet glance, or you may hit some of your audience.
FIG. c
Thus a walnut is very dangerous, causing bullets to glance ; an orange or an egg explodes beautifully when hit, but both are rather messy. The coloured balls for Christmas trees are nice to shoot at ; but a bullet sometimes makes a hole without breaking them.
Put up the ace of hearts and hit it. It is usual to have a pack composed of only aces of hearts. Have several ace cards placed on top of each other, and, when the bullet goes through the group, have the cards "dealt" among the audience; or, if at a Charity Bazaar, sold singly.
Stage Shooting
263
Messrs. De la Rue make cards with coloured bluebottle flies on them for me to shoot at.
Put up the six of hearts, and hit the six pips. This requires some doing to get all six shots neatly in the separate pips.
Put a card edgeways towards you and cut it in half. This is a pretty trick and brings down the house when well done. It requires the same skill as hitting the vertical
FIG. D
pencil lines. If you are not very sure of yourself, and you succeed on the first shot, do not risk a second try. This rule applies to all the difficult shots. My best score at this game was five cards out of six shots, the cards being placed edgewise at a range of fifteen feet.
Hit a string from which an object is hanging. Get string which is weak, and have the object pretty heavy, or else you may "nick" the string without its breaking. Berlin wool, with a weight so heavy that it strains the
264 Art of Revolver Shooting
wool to nearly breaking-point, breaks with more certainty than string or twine. There is an ingenious, though scarcely legitimate, way of making this shot very easy. You merely double a piece of string and tie a knot, hanging it over two nails, the distance between which is a fraction under .44 inch. Two hooks on the ball are the same distance apart, so that the ball is thus hung by a double string. If you hit between these, both strings are necessarily cut by a .44 bullet, if your aim be true, while one is cut even if you hit half an inch out either side.
Put a ball filled with red fluid on top of an empty claret glass; break the ball, and the glass will be filled with the fluid. See that the ball fits very loosely, that it rests only slightly in the glass — which should have a narrow opening like the old-fashioned champagne glass — or the latter will break also.
Knock a cork off a bottle; an ordinary wine bottle or a wooden or metal one is dangerous if hit, as causing the bullet to glance; it is better to have a plaster of Paris bottle, painted black.
Put up a bunch of six grapes, and take them off one at a time.
Put up candles and snuff' them. To snuff a candle it is difficult to aim at the flame as it dazzles the eyes; but if you have the sight so that the pistol shoots an inch high and aim that distance below the flame it is easy.
Hit two balls simultaneously, one swinging past a stationary one, or both swinging from opposite ways. You have to take them just as one is about to cover the other.
Stage Shooting 265
Have a ball swung round horizontally at great speed centrifugally from a small wheel spun by clockwork. This requires very good "timing," you aiming at a side and pulling when the ball is at the opposite side, or you will be too late. Stand two balls with a steel knife-edge between them, vertically towards you and rather nearer to you than the balls. Hit the knife-edge in such a manner as to split the bullet in two pieces, which fly off and break the balls. The knife must be securely fastened, and the precise distance between the back of it and the balls (which varies according to the distance they are apart) must be determined by experiment.
Hitting an object with a paper on the muzzle hiding the mark. Cut a round hole, just big enough to slip over the muzzle, in a piece of thick paper the size of an ordinary envelope. Slip this over the muzzle, up against the front sight. When taking aim, it will be found that with the left eye closed, the paper hides the object. By keeping both eyes open, however, shooting is easy, the right eye working the sights and the left seeing the object. The paper must not project much to the left, or it would hide your view with the left eye.
Fix a nail slightly in a block of soft wood and drive it home with a shot.
Put up the ace of hearts back towards you and hit it by judging the centre; the back must be plain white, no pattern.
If the audience is not an expert one, really difficult feats are less appreciated than showy ones.
CHAPTER XXVIII
TRICK SHOOTING
E come now to the conjurer's style of shooting, which I would not advise anyone to practise, even for a Char- ity Bazaar; it will ruin his reputation as a shot. How- ever, I will describe here- under some of the devices in connection with this trick shooting. The chief apparatus — under different forms — is a lever some twelve inches long. This lever is pivoted in its centre ; one end has a steel disc about a foot in diameter, or less, according to the shooter's skill, — of a size he is sure of never missing, — the other end has a steel point at right angles. The lever is placed vertically at such a height that the steel spike is just opposite the middle of the ball which is placed on the assistant's head. The steel disc is some eight inches above the man's head; the whole of this apparatus is hidden from the audience behind the
"back-cloth" of the scenery. The locality of the disc is
266
Trick Shooting 267
indicated to the shooter by something in the scenery, as a pattern, or a trophy of flags, etc.
The assistant stands with his back against the back- cloth, and the ball is on his head so that the steel spike is just clear of the middle of the ball and hidden behind the back-cloth; the shooter then fires at the trophy of flags, or what not (which is eight or more inches above the man's head, and therefore an easy and practically safe shot) ; the bullet hitting the disc drives it back, the other end of the lever with the spike comes forward, the spike goes through the scenery, breaks the ball, and at once returns out of sight. The trick is varied by having the lever inside a dummy figure, the performer shooting into the figure to break small objects on its head or in its mouth. A bellows is sometimes behind the back-cloth with the nozzle at the flame of a candle and the flame is blown out when the bellows is hit. The shooter is of course supposed by the audience to have snuffed the candle.
This sort of shooting can be done at quite long range — for instance, from the back of the gallery to the back of the stage — but the lever has then to be lengthened so as to minimise risk to the assistant.
Another way in which the candle trick is done is to have each candle inside a large concave reflector; the splash from the bullet comes back from the reflector and puts out the candle.
Shooting at anything moving — swinging balls, etc. — ■ is done with shot ; the shooting in this case must be done with a back-cloth over the butt, as the splashes on a naked steel plate would betray the use of shot. This makes
268 Art of Revolver Shooting
very easy what in legitimate shooting requires nice "tim- ing." The cartridge is either filled simply with special shot even smaller than "dust" shot, or if the cartridges are likely to be seen they are loaded with hollow wooden black-leaded bullets, full of shot, which the rifling of the barrel breaks, and these are substituted by "palming" for real bulleted cartridges shown to the audience. Shot is sometimes fired out of a smooth bore revolver.
Two balls are broken with a revolver in each hand, shot simultaneously. This is always considered very wonderful, the performer pretending to take a long time over his aim, etc. One revolver is loaded with shot, the other with blank ammunition. The one loaded with shot is aimed between the two balls ; the spread of shot breaks both balls.
Knocking ashes off a cigar smoked by assistant: A long hat-pin is put into the cigar, the point just reaching up to the ashes. On the shot — a blank cartridge — being fired, the assistant pushes the knob of the pin with his tongue, and dislodges the ashes.
Objects held in the fingers or resting on the shoulders of assistants are shot with cork or Devilliers bullets, and the assistant wears hidden steel epaulets and finger-tips.
Blindfold shooting is done by seeing down the side of the nose on to a looking-glass fixed at an angle behind the hind sight.
What is called shooting through a wedding-ring and breaking a ball is done with the lever apparatus; the bullet does not go through the ring, but above it.
Shooting at the trigger of a loaded rifle fixed in a rest,
Trick Shooting
269
the shot from the rifle breaking a ball on the shooter's head, is also another form of the lever apparatus.
Lately trick shooters have been shooting at toy balloons of a dark colour with a very small white spot painted on them. The balloons at once collapse wherever hit, and the audience thinks the small white spot has been hit. When using a pistol they often hold it with both hands, which, of course, is not real pistol-shooting. If you see the barrel of a stage shooter's firearm wobbling during aiming you can be sure there is no real shooting being done.
I think that in stage performances there should be a committee of shooting men appointed by the audience to see that the shooting is genuine and not trick shooting.
'
CHAPTER XXIX
BLANK AMMUNITION FOR STAGE PURPOSES
■',.")
t3 p
LANK ammunition, known generally
as "Fourth of July" ammunition,
is usually made with a wad tightly
crimped over the powder so as
to make as loud a report as
possible.
There is a chance of 'a piece of the crimped metal of the cartridge coming out of the barrel, and this may do a fatal injury if it should hit anyone. Most peo- ple using blank ammunition on the stage and else- where think it harmless and frequently fire right into each other's faces, at a distance of a few feet, or even inches. It is extremely dangerous to shoot blank am- munition at people — apart from the rule that one should never, under any circumstances, point a revolver at any- one, unless one wishes to hit him.
A boy ought to be whipped if he shoots blank ammu- nition at anyone, or even if he points an empty or toy weapon at anyone. I saw a man's two eyes permanently
injured on the stage, in a mock duel, through the
270
Blank Ammunition 271
wad and burnt particles of powder hitting him in the face.
Some actors "blaze away" up in the air (under the impression that they cannot thus do any damage), either up into the ' ' flies," to the imminent danger of setting them on fire or injuring the limelight man, or else into the grand tier boxes, out of which most likely one of the occupants is at that moment craning his head and risking getting the whole charge full in his face.
There is a pneumatic imitation pistol which makes the "bang" by breaking a piece of paper or rubber stretched inside the barrel (on the principle of "popping" a paper bag by first inflating it and then bursting it with a clap of the hands) ; this makes plenty of noise, and is much safer than blank ammunition.
There have been so many fatal accidents in stage battles and duels that I think all stage arms should be built on the last principle; it would also be an econ- omy, as the ammunition gets used wholesale in these battles.
Another great danger is the chance of a loaded cart- ridge having been mixed up amongst the blanks at the factory ; or (according to an inquest reported in the press) when blank ammunition of different calibres is used (as rifle and revolver) , of a cartridge of smaller bore dropping into the barrel and being shot out by the next one that is fired. The foregoing remarks apply also to shooting blank ammunition for starting a foot-race, etc. In this case the paper bag "bang" would not be loud enough, and blank ammunition must be used.
272 Art of Revolver Shooting
I was standing behind the starter in a trotting race, where the starting was done in the primitive way of firing a pistol. The man put his hand behind his back and fired into my feet !
CHAPTER XXX
BIG-GAME SHOOTING WITH THE REVOLVER
DO not think the revolver is of much use for stalking deer or other big game. Of course it is out of the question for any of the thick- skinned animals. But for shooting from horseback, at very short range, I think it is better than a rifle. One can swing much better with it when in a cramped position, or when both the object aimed at and yourself are moving, than with a rifle.
The revolver was a favourite weapon in "buffalo running " in the old days. I should think it would be very good for "pig" in India, as a change from spearing; but I suppose this suggestion is a heresy. Anyhow, for a leopard, or other animal too dangerous to be tackled with a spear, it would be useful. I sometimes carry a revolver when bear or wild-boar shooting on the Continent, in case a boar gets me down, but I prefer to trust to my rifle as long as possible.
When park-deer are killed, instead of the very tame
sport of following them around in a cart, or sitting up a 18 273
2 74 Art of Revolver Shooting
tree, a gallop round after them on a good horse with a revolver is capital fun, and it is surprising what pretty running shots one can get under these circumstances. The first thing is to have a fast, smooth-galloping, quiet, handy horse. Horses learn to stand fire very soon, if you shoot a light charge some distance off at first, and then come gradually nearer; the secret of the whole thing is, never to shoot close past the horse's ears, or not, at any rate, until he gets thoroughly seasoned. I know a Belgian charger who lets a revolver be fired literally within three inches of his nose.
It is useless to try to shoot off a horse unless both you and your horse understand "school" riding. An ordinary hunter, ridden in the ordinary hunting style needing both hands to lug at his head, and requiring half a field to stop or turn him in, is very dangerous at this game.
The horse must turn, change legs, stop dead, and start again under the control of one hand only. A smart polo pony might do, but I prefer something bigger, — about 15.2, — so as to be "more over your work" (the mare in the photographs is sixteen hands), as then one shoots downwards and can often get a shot where it would be dangerous to shoot more horizontally, as towards houses and the like.
A horse that naturally leads with his near leg when allowed to choose his own lead is preferable, as, having to range up on the near side of the deer to shoot, you can shoot better leading on the near leg, as this turns you slightlv towards the deer. A horse is smoothest in his
276 Art of Revolver Shooting
natural lead, and is rougher and consequently more difficult to shoot off when leading on the other leg.
One can wear the holster as the cowboys do — a belt round the waist and the revolver hanging on the right hip, not round the waist in front as army men carry it. In front it is in the way of your bridle hand, and it is not so handy to draw; but, worn on the hip, it is also danger- ous in case of a fall, and is perhaps best in a saddle holster.
The revolver must fit loosely, so as to draw easily ; but the holster must be deep enough, and must hang so as not to drop the pistol out in galloping. The flap of the saddle — where the hunting-horn is carried — is a good place to hang the holster against, but this arrangement might hurt one if the horse rolled over ; and when shooting dangerous game one might be left defenceless by the horse galloping off with the revolver.
The few cartridges necessary can be carried in the right coat pocket; they are awkward to disengage from loops in your belt or wristlet, and are apt to become battered out of shape.
My favourite weapon for shooting fallow deer is the one I have already described more than once, — the old .44 Smith & Wesson, with gallery ammunition, or the .38 double-action Military. For red deer perhaps a heavier Charge is better; a Smith & Wesson or a Colt "police" .38 calibre, full charge. In a park it is important, for safety's sake, to use as small a charge as practicable.
It is best to have the revolver in the holster, with one chamber unloaded if a single-action, and to keep the hammer down on the unloaded chamber till the actual
278 Art of Revolver Shooting
moment you want to shoot; and if you do not, for any reason, fire instantly, put it at half-cock at once. I have elsewhere explained how to do this one-handed. If you cannot do it one-handed, on no account use both hands; rather fire the shot into the ground at once. If you have the reins in your left hand (with most likely an excited, plunging horse to manage), and try to use both hands in letting down to half-cock, you will, in all probability, let off the revolver by accident.
When you have fired — unless you instantly want to fire another shot — do not cock the revolver, but leave the hammer down on the exploded case.
Never "follow" with your revolver at full-cock, for in the excitement of the gallop, and in the wheeling about, you may, without knowing it, be pointing your revolver in a dangerous direction; or your horse may fall, and you may let the revolver off in consequence. All this does not apply to double-action revolvers.
Red deer generally give a faster and a longer run ; and a stag during the rutting season may charge your horse if you range up too close and hustle him too much.
Ride up to the herd at a slow walk, as though you were out for a ride and about to pass them, going so as to pass along the left-hand side of them. If you walk up slowly, not looking at them (but watching the deer you want out of the corner of your eye), you can get up very close for the first shot and will, probably, get a standing one.
When you get up to the herd, unless you at once shoot the deer you want, it is astonishing how soon the one you
280 Art of Revolver Shooting
are after finds out your intentions. The stag, or buck, will push the other deer aside with his horns, keep his head low behind other deer, and always try to keep another deer between himself and you. If you try to ride him down by following him in all his windings through the herd, you will most likely get a fall by one of the deer getting between your horse's legs. A mounted horse has no chance in a doubling match with a deer. The easier plan is to get the herd running steadily in one direction, strung out, and then gradually to get up level with the one you want.
In deer-stalking, if a deer be wounded it is best to keep well out of sight, and not follow him up for half an hour, so as to "let him get sick" as the foresters say; but when shooting with a revolver off horseback, if the ground is at all rideable, or the deer are in a park, it is best to press him as hard as possible; if he is hard hit he will at once leave the herd and then it is a comparatively easy matter to run him down and shoot him. I find that a wounded park-deer hugs the park palings as a rule. This way of shooting is in my opinion a much more humane way of killing park-deer than with a rifle on foot, as a wounded deer is so much more quickly put out of pain. On foot a deer may be followed for hours before he can be shot, or he may get into a hollow and not be found until next day.
"The Lovat mixture" of grey-green (most people wear too light a grey for deer-stalking) is the best colour for one's clothes if after wild deer; but in a park I prefer white flannels as being cooler, as it is very hard work on
282 Art of Revolver Shooting
a hot August day, and in this respect is not unlike a game of polo.
I prefer a short-cheeked, single-rein curb with a loose curb-chain, but the mare, Rose (shown in the photograph), had a peculiar mouth and fought a curb, going best in a Newmarket snaffle. With this she was as handy as a Cossack horse; in fact I had hardly to touch her mouth. The mere action of leaning back and touching her with the calves of my legs, made her stop dead. She would shoot off from a stand if I leant forward, and swing round sharp with the pressure of my "outside" leg. N. B. — Why do writers on riding so often talk of pressing with the knee to turn a horse? One uses the knees to grip with and the legs for turning and collecting, etc. She would also (and this I have never seen another horse do) stand close up to a man shooting a rifle in the prone position and not start when he finally fired after aiming for half a minute. Rose understood her business perfectly, and chased almost by herself the deer I wanted. I do not recommend a martin- gale if it can possibly be avoided, as it is apt to throw a horse down. If you must have one, a fixed one is prefer- able though more dangerous, but I have known a horse win a steeplechase in a tight fixed martingale, a horse that was unmanageable without one.
Unless you want "meat " very badly, it is much neater to shoot through the neck or back of the head. I do not like the side, brain shot, as if you are the least bit too low you break the poor beast's jaw, and he may give you a long chase, and perhaps go off and die of starvation.
Be careful that your horse does not whip out from
284 Art of Revolver Shooting
under you as the deer collapses, or, as is more usual, as the deer stumbles or bounds out to one side in falling, scatter- ing the other deer in all directions. Your horse is also likely to swerve from a dead deer when he smells the blood, on your going up to the deer on foot, and he may jerk the reins out of \^our hands and gallop off.
After one or two such shots the herd will get on the run; then, keeping on the inside of the circle as they race along, press them fast, so that they get strung out; never mind about getting a shot; first endeavour to get them well strung out, so that if you make a miss you do not hit another. If you can break them up into several lots by riding through them, and thus get in a small lot the deer you want, so much the better. Then when you have your special deer galloping well clear and moving steadily and evenly, — as he will after be becomes a little tired, — put your horse on the near leg in his gallop, driving him well up into his bridle and collected for an instant turn; gradually edge as close to the deer as you can. With care you can get within ten yards, both horse and deer going at a good fast canter. If the horse is a very smooth galloper, you can sit well down in the saddle; if he has a high or rolling action, stand in the stirrups, but a rolling galloper is very unsatisfactory for this work. Then, aim- ing with a straight arm, swing either forward on the deer's neck, or — and this is the neatest shot of all — between his ears at the back of his head. Of course, this must be a "snap" shot; you cannot hold your sight. Be careful not to hit his horns, or the bullet may glance off and strike you or your horse. If he is hit behind the ears properly,
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286 Art of Revolver Shooting
he turns over like a rabbit, and you flash past him before you can stop, nothing remaining but for you to pull up, dismount, and "gralloch." This shooting is for the most part done rather by "sense direction" than by any attempt to align the sights.
If you want more deer, you can take, in a few seconds, one after another in this way, without stopping your horse.
If the buck is hit in the neck, he will, most likely, lurch to one side, often coming round in a semicircle before falling ; and you must be very careful he does not then put your horse down, or, if you are at full-cock for another shot, make you shoot your horse.
One of the advantages of shooting with the horse lead- ing with the near fore is that at the shot, or at "charge," you can wheel to the left and get clear. The old "buffalo- runner ' ' horses were taught to turn sharp at the report of the shot, so as to avoid a lurch or a "charge " without any hint from the rider.
If you try to get up too soon for a shot when the deer are running, or come up too abruptly or too fast, they will begin bounding in the air; but if you are cautious you can, after some galloping, even stop and stand on the inside of the turn, and they will slacken and trot past you, or stop and stand preparatory to wheeling back; though in this case they will almost invariably start off again as you raise your arm.
When galloping alongside a deer, unless there is another in front of him to lead him on, he may whip back ; it is always best to let a few hinds or does keep in front of the beast you wish to shoot. They will keep him moving
288 Art of Revolver Shooting
more steadily, and you will know the direction in which he intends to travel, as he will follow the others.
The revolver is very handy for roe-stalking, as you generally get close shots in covert. A revolver is also very useful to wear when in a. deer forest. As everyone knows who has done much stalking or deer driving, there are occasions when a wounded stag is too active to "stick,"
££.
EXTENSION STOCK, AS APPLIED TO .44 SINGLE-ACTION REVOLVERS
and yet to shoot would disturb other deer. In this case, a revolver with a gallery charge is much less apt to move other deer than a rifle-shot, especially if you stand with your back in the direction in which you do not want the sound to travel, and place the muzzle of the revolver close to the deer so as to deaden the sound of the explosion. In shooting at game — in fact, in all revolver shooting
Big-Game Shooting with the Revolver 289
other than target competitions — it is best to aim high or low according to distance, rather than to alter the sights for different ranges.
Those who use a conical bullet for park-deer should give the preference to an "express" or hollow-pointed one as being less likely to glance off a tree, — no small advantage in a populous neighbourhood with facilities for accidents.
Some French hunts use a .44 Smith & Wesson re- volver, full charge, with a detachable stock for shooting deer and boar when at bay, to save the hounds.
19
CHAPTER XXXI
TARGET SHOOTING OFF HORSEBACK
|Y instructions as to the sort of horse to ride and how to ride him, given in the remarks on big-game shooting, also ap- ply to target shooting off horseback. When shooting off a standing horse at a stationary mark, turn the horse facing to the left at an angle of forty-five degrees. This is to prevent his flinch- ing at the shots, as any but a very seasoned horse would be sure to do if you shot straight over his head or close past his ears. Also if he were to toss his head when you were shoot- ing over it you might both kill him and get either a rearing backward fall, with the horse on top of you, or else a "purler" over his head. If the horse shies away from the outstretched arm, tie a handkerchief over his off eye, as the bullfighters do, and stuff cotton wool in his ears, until he is accustomed to the noise and flash.
There should be a bar in front of the horse to prevent his getting closer to the target than the distance for which
the match is arranged; but if the bar be low, and the horse
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SHOOTING OFF HORSEBACK CHARGING
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292 Art of Revolver Shooting
a good fencer, he is apt to jump at the bar. It is very- difficult to get a horse to keep absolutely still, and for that reason it is often more difficult to shoot when the horse is fidgeting than when he is swinging along at a gallop.
For shooting at a gallop or a canter, children's balloons, put up on the "heads and posts" principle, are very good marks as they can be shot at with Devilliers bullets, shooting alternately to the right and left. I can also recommend a target on the principle of the Bisley "run- ning deer," travelling on rails parallel to a railing, on the other side of which the shooter gallops and which prevents his getting too close to the target.
Firing blank ammunition at " lightning paper ' ' stuck in the cleft of a stick is very good practice, is less troublesome than using the Devilliers bullet, which does not stand rapid firing in a hot revolver, and is, moreover, less dangerous to spectators. The paper flares up on being touched by burning particles of powder, but of course the shooting must be done at a distance of a few feet only.
I do not think there is much advantage in cantering too slowly; the speed at which the horse goes smoothest, without raking or boring, is the best.
For practical purposes, shooting behind one when galloping is useful. It is an assistance, when first learn- ing, to catch hold of the pommel of the saddle with the bridle hand as you swing your body round to fire. When shooting alternately to right and left, be sure to lift the muzzle of the revolver clear of the horse's head as you swing it from side to side, or you may shoot your horse in the head if he should happen to toss it at that moment.
Target Shooting off Horseback 293
With modern, high- velocity, nickel- jacketed rifle- bullets it is useless to try sheltering yourself behind the body of your horse, when being shot at with a rifle; but against a revolver-bullet it may be useful. To do this, catch hold of the horse's mane with the bridle hand, sink your body down along his neck on the side farthest from your adversary, hook your left heel against the cantle of your saddle, and shoot at him under your horse's neck as you come quartering diagonally towards him. A tall man on a small horse can get very well round the horse's neck. As you pass, you can take a parting shot diagonally behind you under your left arm past your horse's quarters without shifting your position.
There is a lot of sport and practice to be got out of shooting at each other in pairs with the Devilliers bullet, having, besides the usual protection for the shooters, the horses protected with horse clothing and their eyes with thick glass. The shooting is done either by charging past each other or circling round each other, spectators keeping out of range.
CHAPTER XXXII
SMALL-GAME SHOOTING
HNE can get much amusement out of a revolver, or a sin- gle-shot pistol, at small game or vermin. (I beg that you will not shoot cats ; they are my special pets, and as I am doing my best to instruct you in revolver shooting you might do me the favour of sparing them.) Rabbits lying out are generally too long shots for the revolver, but a .22 pistol, if held straight, — and therein lies the difficulty, — shoots well up to fifty or sixty yards with a long rifle cartridge; the revolver can be used in ferreting where there is no danger from the bullets. In waiting for rats, or shooting grouse or black game in a deer forest where the noise of a shot-gun would disturb the deer, a pistol is useful. I once shot with my revolver a wild duck skimming over a lake.
The smooth-bore revolver, used with shot, is useful
for thinning off small, mischievous birds in a garden where
294
Small Game Shooting 295
a revolver shooting bullets would be dangerous ; but it has not power enough for any but the very small birds.
At the beginning of the last century it used to be considered a great performance to have "hit a swallow on the wing with a duelling pistol " ; and the feat was always held up as proof of extraordinary proficiency with the pistol. As a matter of fact, besides being a piece of brutal cruelty, it required no skill at all. The method of pro- cedure used to be to go up into a belfry, or other place where swallows nested, to find a nest with young ones in it, then to hold the pistol with both hands, steadying the barrel against the side of a window or opening in the tower, the muzzle pointing at the mouth of the nest, and only a few feet, or even inches, from the nest. When one of the old birds came home with food for the young, and fluttered for a moment, hovering at the mouth of the nest before going in, the pistol was fired, and the great feat accomplished!
Double-barrelled pistols are now extremely rare, though they were in use before the revolver was perfected.
A big-bore, double-barrelled pistol would be of use for some purposes, where portability is not of consequence, as, for instance, as a smooth bore for shot, or as a last resource when shooting dangerous game.
They are best made with the single-trigger arrange- ment now used on some double-barrelled shot-guns, as it is difficult to shift the finger from one trigger to the other when holding a pistol in one hand. This may be the reason why double pistols went out of use in the days when the single trigger was unknown.
CHAPTER XXXIII
PIGEON SHOOTING WITH THE PISTOL
;NCE, as an experiment, Gastinne- Renette, the Paris gunmaker, made me a duelling pistol with an interchangeable shot barrel, .32 bore, ten inches long; shoot- ing f ounce of shot, and i\ drams of black powder. This shoots wonderfully well. At twelve yards it makes with No. 8 shot about the same pattern as a 12 bore cylinder gun at forty yards with No. 6 shot.
I tried it at pigeons, twelve yards rise, three traps, and got forty-four out of eighty. I had a man with a gun, to kill any hit birds which flew out of bounds. I found I could kill all, or almost all, crossing shots and incomers at least as well as I can with a gun. One bird coming straight over, which I shot leaning backwards, just as it was past me, was a shot I do not think I could have made with a gun.
Those going fast straight away I could not account for very well, owing to the small charge. Most of my
"lost" birds were of this description; most of them
296
Pigeon Shooting with the Pistol 297
"feathered." but not hard hit enough to stop them within bounds, and the scout shot them. The forty-four I scored
HOW TO HOLD THE SHOT PISTOL
Note handle extension over the thumb to counteract length of barrel
were not shot at by the scout, but killed fairly with the pistol alone.
I should think such a pistol would be very good for sparrow or starling shooting out of traps.
I have not tried a smooth-barrelled revolver with shot at pigeons, as I do not think it would have enough pellets or enough penetration; for sparrows it might perhaps suffice.
In this sort of pigeon shooting the arm must be held
298 Art of Revolver Shooting
straight, and the pistol pointed just below the middle trap; the eyes must watch the traps, not the sights, and, as you follow the bird with your eyes, the pistol must be brought up as for rapid-firing or traversing targets, according as the bird is going straight or crossing you. With a shot-gun you must have your stock the proper length, bend, cast-off, etc.; with the pistol, if you keep your arm straight, nature has provided you with a "stock" of flesh and blood exactly your proper fit.
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CHAPTER XXXIV CLAY-PIGEON SHOOTING WITH THE PISTOL
T is useless, unless you are an ex- ceptionally good revolver-shot, to try to shoot clay pigeons out of the ordinary traps with a pistol. For shooting with a bullet they go too fast; and for the shot-pistol they are out of range too soon. The best way is to have them sprung over your head from behind, and to hit them as they skim overhead; but you must gen- erally use shot, as, under ordinary circumstances, bullets would be dangerous if fired into the air. If, in this style of shooting, the trap throws a weak "saucer," the latter may hit you a nasty blow.
My way of shooting clay pigeons is either to have them bowled down-hill from beside me, which gives very good practice for shooting at with a bullet, — it is too easy for shot, — or else to have a trap which throws the discs straight up.
One of my traps has a horizontal cylinder which con- tains clay discs; these are pressed close against one end
299
300 Art of Revolver Shooting
of the cylinder by a spiral spring. A lever, which flies up by a strong spring, is kept down by a string held tightly by an assistant who stands behind me. When the word "Pull!" is given, he loosens the string, the lever is released and flies upwards through a slit in the end of the cylinder, throwing the disc straight up in the air, to the height of about ten feet, out of an opening at the other side of the cylinder. The end of the cylinder is towards you, so that the discs also are thrown with their flat sides towards you. This gives one a nice shot for the bullet, as the disc has to be taken just at the highest point of its flight, and teaches one to "snap." When the lever is pulled down again, the spiral spring in the cylinder drives the group of discs forward, putting the next in rotation over the slit, to be thrown in its turn. Hence there is no necessity for the trapper to go forward. He merely keeps pulling the lever down and releasing it until the cylinder is emptied of its discs, and you can shoot as fast as you please.
Another way is to have the old-fashioned Bogardus trap, which throws glass balls, or, better still, composite balls, as these do not mess up a lawn so. These are rather harder to hit than the objects I have just described, as they do not come up quite vertically, but in a parabola. They are therefore more suitable, perhaps for the shot- pistol or revolver.
The advantage of "saucers" for practising quick revolver shooting is that there is no cruelty in it ; although there was an old lady who said that the poor clay pigeons suffer just as much as any other breed.
Clay-Pigeon Shooting
301
Shooting at a tin can laid on the ground and keeping it hopping by shots just under it is a favourite shooting trick. A child's rubber ball gives a great variety of sporting shots, if hung by a string and kept swinging by hitting, or if started rolling down a hill.
Clay pigeons also make good marks stuck on sticks at unknown distances, and "snapped" at.
CHAPTER XXXV
SHOOTING IN SELF-DEFENCE
jHIS chapter is written entirely from the technical point of view as a branch of revolver shooting, while the legal aspect of the question is treated by law experts in the Appendix. Whether there is justi- fication, in self-defence, in kill- ing anyone is another matter, but of course cases occur when a man must shoot in order to save someone dependent upon him. Fortunately in the great majority of cases the object of protecting oneself — or, what is more important, protecting someone else — is attained without actually shooting. The mere fact of being armed is generally sufficient, and in many cases wearing the revolver openly or having it in one's hand, even unloaded, suffices. As Polonius says: "Beware of entrance to a quarrel, but being in, bear 't that the opposed one may beware of thee." But, if shooting has to be done, everything depends on getting the first shot.
As I said above, I am not dealing with the ethical
302
Shooting in Self-Defence 3°3
aspect of the case; and, putting that aside, if you can take your adversary unawares, and "get the drop on him" before he gets it on you, you have him at your mercy.
A short-barrelled revolver is best if it has to be con- cealed, but of as big a calibre as you can carry without its
t£^
SMITH & WESSON HAMMERLESS SAFETY REVOLVERS .38 AND .32 CALIBRE
being too bulky and showing in your pocket. If there be no necessity for concealment, carry one six inches in the barrel.
Some prefer a large-bore army revolver, with the barrel cut down to two inches. I am assuming that the shooting will be done at a distance of only a few feet, and without aim in the ordinary sense of the word.
As elsewhere explained, it is very dangerous to carry an ordinary revolver loaded in the pocket, even at half- cock, especially if it be a self-cocker.
304 Art of Revolver Shooting
The proper way with a single-action revolver is to leave one chamber unloaded and to lower the hammer on that empty chamber.
The Smith & Wesson .38 calibre safety hammerless pocket revolver obviates these risks. This revolver cannot go off accidentally, even when all the chambers
are loaded, as there is a safety catch which prevents the revolver from being discharged unless it is pressed at the same time that the
MECHANISM OF THE SMITH & WESSON HAMMER- LESS safety revolver trigger is pulled. A, Safety Lever; B ^Safety Catch; C, Hammer; Anyone USed to
D, Trigger; G, Safety Latch Spring J
revolver shooting, who holds it as I have described in my instructions for revolver shooting, and squeezes the trigger, will be able to shoot without thinking of the safety catch, for he presses it unconsciously in gripping the stock. A person not accustomed to a revolver cannot, however, fire it ; in fact, if a man not an expert revolver-shot wrested the revolver from you, it would be harmless in his hands against you. Indeed, . the pistol could without danger be given, loaded, to a small child to play with, as it requires a stronger grip than a child's to discharge it.
Most revolver accidents occur through the hammer receiving an accidental blow, slipping from the thumb or catching in something, or from the trigger being
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306 Art of Revolver Shooting
touche unintentionally, or the revolver being left at full-cock.
In the Smith & Wesson safety revolver all these causes of accident are impossible, and it is always ready for instant use. Its further advantages are:
i . There is no external hammer to catch in anything.
2. Pressure on the trigger cannot discharge the revolver unless the stock is properly grasped at the same time.
3. The revolver cannot be kept at full-cock.
4. Being hammerless, and having no projections, it can be drawn more quickly than an ordinary revolver.
5. It can be carried with absolute safety loaded in the pocket, with the knowledge that a fall or blow will not discharge it.
This revolver is also made in smaller calibre (.32), with both 3 in. and i}^ in. barrel. In the latter case it is called a bicycle revolver, and takes up less room in the pocket.
This calibre might be better for a lady's use ; but for a man I prefer the larger calibre, as being more powerful. A .44 calibre made on this model would be best of all for a man to carry.
The cocking by trigger action in this revolver is so arranged that it can, with a little practice, be held at full-cock whilst the aim is taken, instead of the cocking and firing being a continuous action, as in other double- action revolvers.
Carrying the revolver in the hip pocket is in my
Shooting in Self -Defence $°l
opinion a mistake, as the movement of putting back the hand to draw will instantly put an adversary on his guard and most likely draw his fire.
For a case where you are likely to be robbed, the inside breast-pocket (where bank-notes are usually carried) is a good place for the revolver, as, when you are asked for your money, you can appear to be taking it out of this pocket whilst you are really drawing the revolver ; or the revolver can be shot from this pocket without drawing it.
Usually the right-hand side-pocket of a jacket is the handiest, or, rather, the pocket on the side of the hand you can shoot with best.
Shooting through the pocket is as quick and unex- pected a way as any ; another is to turn partly away, and in doing so draw and fire from behind your back, or under your other arm.
But, assuming that you would prefer, if possible, to capture your assailant without shooting him, try whether you cannot unexpected^ "get the drop" (i.e., an aim) on him and make him hold up his hands before he can draw his revolver
As in fencing and boxing, the great thing is never to take your eyes off your opponent for an instant ; and if by any subterfuge you can induce him to take his eyes off you, or distract his attention to anything else, then is the time to "get the drop" on him, or, as a last resource, to shoot.
Knocking a chair over, throwing something past or at him with your non-shooting hand, or calling out to some
3o8 Art of Revolve?' Shooting
imaginary, or real, person behind him may often have the desired effect.
If he is a really "bad" man, and armed, the worst thing you can do is to take a revolver in your hand — or even make towards it — unless you mean to shoot in- stantly; it will only draw his fire, or he may unexpectedly disarm you in the way described below.
Supposing you are unarmed and your adversary has a revolver, you may be able to render his weapon harmless by ejecting his cartridges.
The way to do this varies with different makes of re- volvers, but the principle in each case with a revolver having a " break down" action consists in making a downward stroke on the barrel of his revolver with one of your hands, and in the same movement operating the opening catch or lever with your thumb.
If you get an assistant to take an empty revolver and point it at you, and you practise this trick, you will find it very simple and effective ; but of course there would be no use in trying it with an adversary who suspected you were about to do so. The Smith & Wesson Russian Model can be rendered harmless by seizing the middle of the barrel with your thumb under the catch, you being to the left and using your right hand, or vice versa. Simultaneously with seizing the revolver give a quick quarter turn to your wrist to the right, and all the cartridges will fly out.
With the Webley, you place your thumb over instead of under the catch in seizing the revolver, and press your thumb towards the palm of your hand in making the wrench.
310 Art of Revolver Shooting
With solid frame revolvers, like the new Colt and the Smith & Wesson, you operate the catch, and instead of twisting your wrist you push out the cylinder with your first and second fingers, at the same time pushing the extractor plunger with your little finger. This make of revolver, however, is more difficult to disarm suddenly than those I have named above.
With any hammer revolver you can make it harmless by slipping your thumb under the hammer, as Gastinne- Renette's assistants always hand you a loaded duelling pistol, or, if you are strong in the grip, by holding the cylinder and preventing its revolving after the first shot is fired.
I saw a very good suggestion in an article in an American paper — the writer's name I unfortunately forget — to the effect that it was an excellent thing, when expecting "trouble,' ' to wear a big revolver ostentatiously and to have a smaller one in your hand, concealed under a cape, or otherwise; your adversary would think himself safe as long as he watched your big revolver and saw that you had not put your hand near it, whilst all the time you would be ready to "hold him up" or shoot with the other revolver, the existence of which he would not suspect.
If a burglar is in your house, do not carry a candle, as that makes you an easy target in case he should try to shoot at you. If you can get to the electric light switch unobserved, aim in his direction and then turn up the light so that you have the drop on him as the light appears and he will be at your mercy. The iron rails of banisters,
Shooting in Self -Defence 3n
especially if they are wide, ornamental ones, are a good protection. A door is of no use (except for concealment before the man has seen you) , as a bullet with an ordinary charge will go through it.
Use a light charge (gallery ammunition by preference) for house protection, or you may shoot some of your family through a thin wall when "burglar-potting."
Out-of-doors, too, a lamp-post, or other narrow object, will spoil a man's aim by making him try to hit that part of you which shows on either side instead of his having your full width to aim at, even if it is too narrow or small fully to protect you.
It is better not to try to give him a small mark to aim at by standing sideways, as then, if he hits you, he will rake all through your vitals ; whereas if you are facing him squarely he may put several bullets into you without fatal effect.. Holding your bent arm across your heart, and at the same time protecting your temples with the side of your revolver, — which duellists do directly they have fired, — may be of some use; but it is better to depend upon hitting your adversary before he hits you. If he shoots and misses you, drop at once, as if hit, and keep still, when he will probably pause and give you a chance to shoot.
If a man does not look desperate and capable of continuing shooting until killed it may be sufficient if you can break his shooting wrist : while if he should then try to shift his pistol from the disabled hand to the other, you can break the other also.
3i2 Art of Revolver Shooting
Should you be mounted and your adversary is on foot, jumping off and sheltering yourself behind your horse will protect you from a revolver-shot ; also galloping hard at him and shouting may spoil his aim. If, on the con- trary, he is cool, he may take an easy shot at you by dodging and shooting as you pass.
If a man is running away from, or coming at you, and has no firearm, you can make him helpless by shooting him in a leg ; a long crossing shot in a bad light would make the leg shot rather doubtful, unless there be time to have several tries.
If a man absolutely has to be killed, it is better to
COLT DERRINGER
.41 calibre, rim fire
shoot where the white shirt shows in evening dress. This is a bigger mark than the head, and he may, moreover, duck his head as you pull.
The stomach shot is a murderous one, and would not be justifiable except under very rare circumstances. A charging man at very close range would have the wind knocked out of him, and be stopped perhaps more effectually by this shot than any other.
If your opponent is a bad shot, you can take a long
Shooting i7t Self-Defence 3*3
shot at him from a distance, say 120 yards, at which, if he has a cheap revolver, he cannot hit you except by a fluke, and it would not do much harm even if he did hit you.
In fact a bad shot armed with a revolver is less dangerous than a strong, determined man with a knife. It must be remembered that a knife can be thrown some distance, so it does not do to let a man with one in his hand, or even suspected of having one, come too close, especially in the dark.
A cartridge loaded with salt is a good man-stopper for burglars and has the advantage of not endangering life, but of course it is of no use against a determined man unless he is shot in the face. In that case salt might do even more damage to his eyes than a bullet, and a bullet would be a more merciful load.
The pamphlet on Self-Defence, says that to put the revolver beside the head of the bed, or under the pillow, is to court being disarmed during your sleep, and it recommends having it between the mattresses, handy to your reach, or in a padded bag hanging at the side of your bed, under the sheets, the object of the padding being to prevent the revolver from making a noise against the bed when you are drawing it.
This is all very well if you remember to take out the revolver each morning; if you forget, and the housemaid makes up the bed roughly, there may be trouble.
It also advises rolling under a bed or sofa as a pre- caution when exchanging shots.
Make sure that no body can tamper with your revolver
3H Art of Revolver Shooting
or cartridges. I knew of a case in which a muzzle-loading revolver was kept loaded in an unlocked box at the side of the bed. When there was a burglary in the house, this revolver was found to have been soaked in water and thus rendered useless !
**■*
Cl C~7i —
CHAPTER XXXVI
PISTOL SHOOTING FOR LADIES
able weapons.
REVOLVER puts the weakest woman, who is a good shot, on an equality with the strongest man. It is especially suitable for ladies to defend themselves with, as they have, as a rule, steadier hands than men, and there are certain revolvers, just suited for ladies, which give no recoil and yet are service- "U. M. C." gallery ammunition in a .44 calibre Smith & Wesson Russian Model gives practically no recoil, and I have seen a lady do very good target shooting with it. With this revolver and load I have killed three rabid, or alleged rabid dogs, so it is a practical killing load. I use the same revolver and ammunition for shooting park bucks.
Every lady should, to my mind, know how to use a pistol. She may at any time be in China, or some other country where there are savage natives ; and there is none of that danger of bruising the body which is so harmful to women using guns or rifles.
315
316 Art of Revolver Shooting
The Smith & Wesson hammerless safety revolvers of .38 and .32 calibre are especially suitable for self-defence for ladies, but I should not recommend a lady to use these or any other short, light, self-defence revolvers for target shooting, as the recoil is heavy and apt to hurt a lady's hand (particularly between the first finger and thumb) and tear the skin. This is inevitable in a revolver made as light and as portable as possible, and expected, never- theless, to shoot a very heavy charge.
The best plan is to fire a few shots (the hand being protected with a thick driving glove, from which the forefinger has been cut off), or, better still, ask a good shot, who also knows your "sighting," to do so for you, just to get the sights filed right, and then keep this pistol for self-defence only, and do practising and com- peting with a more accurate and more pleasant shooting weapon.
The revolver or pistol to be used for practice and in competitions must depend upon your physique. If you are moderately strong, I think the .44 calibre Russian Model Smith & Wesson, with the Union Metallic Cart- ridge Co.'s gallery ammunition, is as good as any; or, if this is too heavy, the .38 or .32 calibre Colt and Smith & Wesson revolvers, with gallery ammunition, are very good and are specially intended for the use of ladies.
The Smith & Wesson .32 calibre in .44 calibre frame, which I like for fifty-yards target shooting, is rather heavy for a lady. Its size is an advantage for a man, as he can hold steadier with some little weight in his hand. Ladies who are of slight build may find it too heavy ; but
Pistol Shooting for Ladies 3*7
with gallery ammunition it has no recoil whatever, which is a great advantage for them.
Always have a barrel not shorter than five inches, and not longer than six inches, and save the weight, if you want a light weapon, in the general make-up of the re- volver rather than in length of barrel, as you lose so much accuracy with a three-inch or four-inch barrel that it spoils any pleasure in shooting.
If you confine yourself to light ammunition, you can get a very light revolver which is safe with that charge, and has no recoil to speak of.
The Smith & Wesson, which has interchangeable barrels of .32 calibre for revolver, and .22 for single-shot pistol, is a very suitable weapon for a lady.
The lighter forms of single-shot Stevens pistols of .22 calibre and the Leeson .22 are exceptionally well adapted to the use of ladies who prefer a single-shot pistol. I have seen a very neat .22 calibre revolver of Belgian make with a six-inch barrel and cylinder very small in diameter, which makes it balance beautifully, but I do not know how it shoots or how the Colt .22 shoots.
In mentioning particular firms, both here and elsewhere in this book, I must not be misunderstood to mean that the weapons of any one maker are better than those of another. All first-class makers turn out good revolvers and pistols; and I merely mention those revolvers and pistols which I have used and am personally acquainted with, and which I find answer my requirements.
A lady can carry a revolver for self-defence hidden in many more ways than a man can, owing to her draperies
318 Art of Revolver Shooting
affording more places for concealment. Cloaks, capes, etc., make good hiding-places for a revolver; inside a muff is about one of the best places; and a small revolver in the right hand, inside a muff, that hand hanging down by the side, is ready for instant use. As ladies often carry their muffs in this way, it does not arouse suspicion.
It is very important for ladies to protect their ears when shooting.
I do not consider an air gun a very suitable weapon for ladies' use; it has such a very bad, heavy dragging trigger pull that it does no good for rifle practising, it balances badly, and is generally heavier than a .22 short cartridge rifle can be made. Also, the lever for compressing the spring makes it balance badly, making it heavy forward, and the grip is big, in fact it is not the weapon I would recommend; its noiselessness, which is its only recom- mendation, is really more an imaginary than a real advantage, the short .22 (especially out-of-doors with smokeless powder) making hardly any report.
Also, compressing the spring is hard work for a lady; the butt has to be pressed against the leg, and the lever is apt to spring back and smash the fingers.
In criticising a former book of mine on shooting, a newspaper said it was fit only to teach extremely rich peo- ple shooting, as I advocated such expensive methods of practising. It instanced, as an example of this expense, my saying that one ought to get someone to compress the spring of the air gun between shots, as doing so oneself made the hands tired and shaky.
Now, with all respect to the paper in question, I think
Pistol Shooting for Ladies 3*9
a lady can find some male friend who will undertake to work the lever and load the air gun for her without his charging anything; or she could even find a servant to do this who would not want a raise in wages in consequence.
If a tie has to be shot off in a few hours, it is best to try and get a rest, and, if possible, to sleep, during the interval. If this is impossible, reading an interesting book (if the type is not too small to tire the eyes), or playing some game, anything to take the thoughts off the approaching shoot-off, is good.
Finally I would add that when a lady sits on the ground to shoot off both knees, or lies down to shoot, or even if she sits on a chair or stands, out-of-doors, it is most important that she should be protected against dampness and chills, consequently she will do well to stand on a thick mat, and avoid linen underwear. The safest sort of garments are thick flannel knickerbockers.
CHAPTER XXXVII
SHOOTING FROM A BICYCLE
jORTUNATELY in most countries there is seldom necessity to carry a loaded revolver on a bicycle. An empty one is sufficient to frighten away tramps, if they stop you on a dark, lonely road ; or even a short bicycle pump when pointed at them may scare them off. One can, however, get some sport on a bicycle with a revolver.
I have described in the chapter on Self-defence one form of bicycle revolver; but for sport I should use a game-shooting one, as a bicycle revolver is not meant for anything but self-defence at short range. This latter would have to be carried in a holster strapped on the front fork, a method which is safer in case of a fall than when worn in a belt.
One can, with a little practice, shoot quite well off a bicycle, especially if, when actually aiming, the cyclist is "free-wheeling." The action of pedalling spoils one's aim.
r-,20
Shooting from a Bicycle 321
A dog flying at your leg, when he comes up in his usual pleasant way from behind to bite you in the calf, would make a pretty shot; you could put up the leg he is going for and shoot down past your thigh, but might hear from his owner if he should happen to be in sight.
A cartridge loaded with coarse salt (as I have recom- mended for burglars) would stop a dog well, and teach him not to annoy cyclists; but then, in all probability,
AUTOMATIC EXTRACTOR
SMITH & WESSON BICYCLE REVOLVER
you would have not only the owner after you, but the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals as well. The Devilliers bullet is very good for this style of shoot- ing' practice and would be good to stop dogs at close quarters.
A bicycle gives one many good chances at deer, hares, rabbits, etc., in the early morning or evening, when going silently along by a river in a game country.
With a Gastinne-Renette pistol, shooting shot, or a .22 single-shot pistol, one could get lots of small game; but I
322 Art of Revolver Shooting
must not go on, or this chapter will resolve itself into hints to poachers!
The weak point of the revolver as an arm for cyclists in war is the difficulty of shooting at pursuers. A horse can be left to pick his own way, but a cyclist who looks behind him is apt not only to lose his balance, but to run into something, and has also to slacken speed unless he merely blazes away behind him at random without either sitting up or looking back.
y
/
m
~\
CHAPTER XXXVIII
REVOLVERS FOR THE POLICE
HAVE on several occasions attempted to get a prize accepted, to be competed for by the police, at Bisley, but each time unsuccess- fully.
I then gave a statuette, modelled by myself (shown in the initial letter heading this chapter), as a revolver prize, open to the whole of the United States. The con- ditions were :
- ■<
Any revolver; maximum length of barrel, including cylinder, ten inches. Any trigger-pull. Any sight, both sights to be on the barrel or forward of the grip of the pistol hand. Any fixed ammuni- tion. Cleaning allowed only between scores of six shots. Distance, twenty yards. Position, standing, free from any artificial support, the revolver to be held in one hand only, with the arm free from the body and unsupported in any way. The rear sight not to be nearer to the eye than twelve inches.
Target. — Ready-measurement discs, one shot on each disc, and the measurement to be taken by mechanical Vernier scale, from the centre of disc to the centre of shot-hole.
323
324 Art of Revolver Shooting
Scores. — Aggregate of best three in five scores. Each score to consist of six consecutive rounds. The five scores to be fired consecutively.
Amateur Standing. — The standing of a contestant as amateur and professional to be determined in each individual case by Forest and Stream [this journal had charge of the competition].
Where not in conflict with the conditions herein, the rules of the Massachusetts Rifle Association for revolver competitions to hold. The decision of Forest and Stream to be final on all points.
Any winner of the trophy to hold it, subject to a challenge, for the term of two years, after which time it shall become his personal property. Upon receiving a challenge, the holder to agree with the challenger upon a place and date for their meeting not later than six weeks from the receipt of the challenge, of which meeting at least two weeks' notice shall be given through Forest and Stream, and the shooting at the said meeting to be under the same conditions as the original competition for the trophy. In case of a failure to agree upon a time and place of meeting, these to be fixed by Forest and Stream.
The trophy to be deposited in the custody of Forest and Stream at least one day prior to the challenge meet; and, if required, holders to give bonds to Forest and Stream for its safe return.
The holder not to be required to accept a challenge pending the determination of a challenge shoot already under date. In case of any dispute about the right of priority in shooting challenges, Forest and Stream to determine the order of shooting. All ex- penses of targets and gallery to be borne by Forest and Stream. Contestants to defray all other expenses.
This was a great success, and revolver-shots in most of the great cities of the United States competed for the trophy, which was held by Dr. Louis Bell, of the New York Pistol and Revolver Club, for the first time.
Revolvers for the Police 325
The trophy passed to two successful challengers, and finally became, in 1894, the property of Roundsman Petty, of the New York police force, who twice success- fully defended his title.
The police of the United States were so pleased with this competition, that it is now the custom in some cities to have regular competitions for the members of the force ; and many others besides Petty have become fine shots in consequence. Petty, however, was always a good shot.
People say: "Oh, if a policeman had a revolver he would be likely to shoot a man instead of arresting him." In my opinion, it would make a policeman less apt to hurt his man; and one would not hear so much of policemen being knocked down and kicked to death. If the police- man were known to be armed with a revolver, and had the "marksman's" badge on his uniform, it would have a salutary effect on roughs, who would think twice before attacking him; and he, in the confidence of his skill with the revolver, would act calmly, and shoot only as a last resource.
Only quite recently there was a report of a mad dog in a crowded street of New York. The policeman on the beat killed it at the first shot, and did not hit anyone in the crowd. Contrast this with the number of shots fired at the two anarchists in London lately.
If a London policeman were to start "loosing off" a revolver in a crowd, I fear the ambulance corps would be kept busy!
CHAPTER XXXIX
KILLING DISABLED ANIMALS
NYONE can, for a humane pur- pose, kill a horse which has be- come injured, on the spot, without a license of any kind. I mention this as many per- sons would keep a horse waiting whilst a knacker is sent for, under the impression that they may not legally kill it themselves.
For a small animal, unless you are an exceptionally good shot, and can be quite sure of putting the bullet right through its brain, I think a charge of shot in the head at close range with a gun is the least likely to cause suffering, as it is also the speediest.
For a horse, I should not advise gallery ammunition out of a revolver. His skull is so thick that the bullet might glance off, or not penetrate.
Where possible, do not use a short-barrelled, self- defence revolver, but one you can rely upon, with a heavy charge.
There are several vital spots in a horse, the one to be selected being that which you think, all things considered, you can utilise without bungling. The heart is out of
the question, as, even though shot right through the
326
Killing Disabled Animals 327
middle of it, such a big animal may live some time after being hit. Right between the ears from behind (where the wounded horses in bull-fights are finished with a dagger) is one of the deadliest places, and death is instantaneous. To get at this spot, however, is a little difficult, unless the horse is lying down. Sometimes he can be got to lower
MEDULLA
THE GREENER KILLER
This illustration clearly shows the position in which
the Killer should be placed. It is advisable to
have the barrel in a line with the pith, but
so long as the "medulla" is pierced,
instantaneous death is assured.
his head; not by force (you might hit the man who is struggling with his head) but by putting something before the horse to which he lowers his head to smell or drink.
Another good place is the forehead between the eyes, and two inches higher than the level of the eyes where the hair curls. For this shot, the forehead must be quite
328 jlrf 0y Revolver Shooting
vertical; if it slants back the bullet may glance. When the horse is lying with his head on the ground, I shoot him in the forehead, but you must make allowance for the angle you shoot at, unless you kneel. Something thrown before the horse may make him lower his head for a moment ; but generally a horse in pain will hang his head nearly right for this shot. The third place is behind the ear, sideways, to break the neck at the base of the skull; but I do not recommend this shot unless you under- stand anatomy, as you may bungle it.
Be especially careful that no damage will be done by the bullet, should it go on after having penetrated the horse. A brick wall is a good background; but, if you miss the horse ^ and hit the wall, you may
\|py|jjjj|§lgl^P have a dangerous ricochet
^^ off it.
\EBHjSMjfeS8fr Do not let anyone hold
» the horse, and do not allow
the pocket pattern killer spectators to stand before
you or at the side of the animal. A horse so injured as to require killing will stand quietly enough to need no holding; and if you are gentle with him, and do not ad- vance too quickly towards him, or make any sudden movement, he will in all probability keep quiet.
Do not shoot a broken-backed, or presumably broken- backed horse, without first making sure that he has not simply strained himself. A prick with a pin behind the seat of injury may show if he has any feeling in his hind quarters. If he has, do not shoot till a veterinary surgeon has arrived and pronounced the case hopeless.
Killing Disabled Animals 329
The Greener killing apparatus is the most sure and pain- less way of killing I know of, and it needs no knowledge of pistol shooting. The cartridge is inserted, and the apparatus is applied to the horse's forehead, and then struck with a mallet. The horse is shot through the brain. A similar apparatus is compulsory in Belgian slaughter houses, as it should be everywhere.
V,.Y^'
CHAPTER XL
SHOOTING IN THE DARK
[ERE are occasions on which it is necessary to shoot at night, as for a night-watch- man; or in the case of a wild animal's jumping into camp and carrying off someone; or in night attacks.
For this work an ex- ceptionally large dead white front sight (either a fixed one or an adjustable one on a hinge or one kept for handiness in the stock of the revolver, that can be fitted on when necessary) is needful. This sort of sight, though, can be seen only if there is moonlight, or at least some glimmer of light.
In pitch-darkness, a large front sight with both itself and the rib of the barrel coated with luminous paint is useful, provided the revolver is, for several hours previous to its being used, exposed to strong sunlight. If the revolver be kept all day in a case or a holster, the paint will not shine at night. Also, in cleaning the revolver, the paint may be spoilt, and may require renewing. I
330
Shooting in the Dark 33 1
would not advise painting any revolver you care about.
My patent electric rifle sight for night shooting is at present too cumbersome for application to a revolver; moreover, as I remark below, one ought to be able to use a revolver at short range by sense of direction, without looking along sights.
This is perhaps the most satisfactory way, — learning to shoot in the dark by the sense of direction, by pointing your revolver in the direction in which you conjecture the
POCKET COLT DOUBLE- ACTION REVOLVER
object to be, not by attempting to see your sights or to "draw a bead."
One can often see an animal on a very dark night by crouching down and getting it against the sky-line; and yet, on looking through the sights, you cannot discern anything.
One form of practice is to have a target made of tissue paper, with a candle behind it to illuminate it. The sights are consequently seen in silhouette against it. This was the principle of the "Owl" series of prizes shot for in the early days of Wimbledon in the evenings. What I
332 Art of Revolver Shooting
think better, so as to teach shooting by sense of direction, is to have several metal targets about a foot in diameter, hung by wires (these will give out a ringing sound when struck, and the rest of the butt should be of sand, or sods, or wood, so as to make a different sound). Have a small bell hung behind the middle of each target, pulled by a string, or an electric bell operated by strings held by an assistant standing behind you.
Now let him ring the bells at random, you firing by sense of direction towards where you hear each bell ring.
POLICE COLT DOUBLE-ACTION REVOLVER
This practice can also be done in a shooting-gallery at night with all the lights turned down, and it is perhaps safer there than out-of-doors.
You can even have targets behind you, and swing round and "snap" at them; but this, and in fact all night shooting, is very dangerous unless you can be absolutely certain that the bullets will do no damage, however wildly they may fly, or unless you use Devilliers bullets.
A man with a good ear can do surprisingly accurate work in this style of shooting.
Shooting in the Da?'k
333
Such practice can be done in daylight by being blind- folded; and then your assistant can notice where your misses go, and help you to improve your shooting.
I will describe my patent electric sight, though it is too complicated for a revolver.
The object of my invention is to facilitate the sighting of firearms in the dusk or at night.
To this end I adapt to the weapon an electrical front
k
%
fe^g
^
sight and an electric battery with a minute incandescent lamp.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown my in- vention as applied to a rifle, by way of example.
Fig. i is a side view of the rifle complete, with my invention applied thereto.
Fig. 2 is a similar view, partly in section, showing the battery inside the stock.
334 Art of Revolver Shooting
Fig. 3 is a rear-end view of the rifle.
Figs. 4 and 5 are front views on an enlarged scale of a double- and single-barrelled rifle respectively, with an electric front sight affixed thereto.
Fig. 6 represents the sight as seen by the shooter.
Fig. 8 is a side view of the lamp case.
The incandescent lamp a (made as small as practica- ble) is enclosed in a metal case b in which is a small hole c facing the shooter, so that a bright spot of light appears just above or on a line with the ordinary fixed sight of the weapon when the current from the generator or battery is passing. The lower part of the case b is of a form to fit round the barrel and is provided with a small clamping screw d by which it can be secured in the proper position.
The aperture c is protected by a piece of glass, and a reflector is arranged within the case b opposite, thus making a miniature electrical bull's-eye or dark lantern of the lamp. The lamp is mounted on a spring or springs after the manner commonly practised with respect to incandescent lamps, and is packed round with cotton- wool, horsehair, or other elastic substance to prevent breakage by the concussion of the rifle on discharge.
The switch g is fixed at a point suitable for operation by the shooter in the act of aiming. It may act auto- matically when the butt is presented to the shoulder or when the grip is squeezed, or it may be connected with the hammer or striker so that when the rifle is at full-cock the front sight glows, and when the trigger is pressed the light goes out.
The battery is only of such power as to make the lamp
Shooting in the Dark 335
glow sufficiently to enable the shooter to see it plainly ; as it would otherwise, if too bright, prevent his seeing the object aimed at.
I think I have now given directions how to handle the pistol under most of the circumstances and occasions in which one would have use for it; and I have also, I hope, shown that it can be employed as a more workmanlike and a neater tool than a rifle or a scatter-gun in cases in which the uninitiated would not think of using it.
The revolver is popularly looked upon as an "ex- tinguisher," and I may now, having finished writing for the present, extinguish my candle with one.
APPENDIX
THE LAW RELATING TO REVOLVERS AND
REVOLVER SHOOTING IN GREAT
BRITAIN AND IRELAND
T is perhaps advisable to explain something about the right of carrying revolvers in England, and the using them in cases of necessity, and first it should be ex- plained that a revolver is a gun so far as the Gun Li- cense Act of 1870 (33 and 34 Vict. c. 57) is concerned, and that a license fee of 10/ per annum has to be paid for the privilege of carrying or using one, though a license to kill game in- cludes the lesser gun license. In fact it has even been held that a small toy pocket pistol is a firearm for the purpose of the Act. There are various exceptions to the necessity of taking out this license, and it may be as well to enumerate them, especially as many people keep revolvers in their houses and would be astonished if they thought that a gun license was necessary for the so doing — but it is not, so long as the revolver is kept or used in a dwelling house, or the curtilage of a dwelling house. This is one of the exceptions to the Act, and a very proper and necessary exception it is, for it would be most unreasonable to enact that the mere keeping a revolver for the purposes of protection should compel one to take out an annual license. Moreover the enforcement of such a restriction would be almost impossible without an inquisi- torial search through every house. Probably because there is very little reason for carrying a revolver about with one in this country the exception does not apply to the so doing, and the mere taking a revolver across the street would technically compel the taking out a license. The curtilage of a house is much the same as its courtyard, and would no doubt include a yard and garden ad- joining the house, but not a field beyond.
336
Appendix 337
Further exceptions are that no penalty is to be incurred by any person in the naval, military, or volunteer service, or in the con- stabulary or other police force, but it should be noted that this exception applies only where the person claiming it is in the per- formance of a duty or in target practice, so that the policeman or volunteer off duty would still be subject to the obligation of having a license.
Another exception is that of anyone carrying a firearm belong- ing to a person having a license or certificate to kill game or having a gun license, if he is carrying it by order of, or for the use of, such licensed or certificated person, only he is bound to give his name and address and the name and address of his employer if called upon.
The occupier of lands using or carrying a firearm for the pur- pose only of scaring birds or killing vermin on such lands is exempt too, as also anyone using or carrying a firearm for the same purpose on any lands by order of the occupier, if the latter has a game license or certificate, or a gun license. Again, a gunsmith or his servant carrying a firearm in the ordinary course of trade, or testing it in a special place, need not have a license.
Lastly, a common carrier carrying a revolver in the ordinary course of business is exempt.
To show how strict the law is, it may be added that the killing of vermin, which, as above mentioned, is allowed without a license does not include rabbits.
As the penalty is £10 for carrying firearms without a license, I have thought it advisable to enlarge somewhat fully on the above topic.
There are also various penalties and punishments which may be imposed upon persons misbehaving while in the possession of loaded firearms, or wantonly discharging them. Thus anyone who is in possession of a loaded firearm and is found to be drunk, may be apprehended, and is liable to a penalty not exceeding 40/, or, in the discretion of the Court, to imprisonment with or without hard labour for not more than one month.
Then, any person who in the streets of a town wantonly dis- charges any firearm to the obstruction, annoyance, or danger of the residents or passengers, is liable to a penalty not exceeding 40/ for each offence, or, in the discretion of the justices, to imprison- ment for not more than fourteen days (no hard labour).
It is hardly necessary to say that the wrongful use of a revolver
33$ Art of Revolver Shooting
as an offensive weapon is very heavily punished, it being provided that anyone who shoots at a person or attempts, by drawing a trigger or in any other manner, to discharge any kind of loaded arms at a person with intent to commit murder, is guilty of felony and liable to penal servitude for life, or any less term, or to imprison- ment for not more than two years with or without hard labour and solitary confinement.
Again, anyone who unlawfully and maliciously wounds, or causes any grievous bodily harm to any person, or who shoots at any person, or who by drawing a trigger or in any other manner attempts to discharge any kind of loaded arms at a person, with intent in any of these cases to maim, disfigure, or disable any person, or to do some other grievous bodily harm to any person, or with intent to resist or prevent the lawful apprehension or detainer of any person, is liable to penal servitude for life or for not less than three years, or to imprisonment for not more than two }^ears with or without hard labour and solitary confinement. "Loaded arms" are defined as "any gun, pistol, or other arms which shall be loaded in the barrel with gunpowder or any other explosive sub- stance, and ball, shot, slug, or other destructive material, although the attempt to discharge the same may fail for want of proper prim- ing, or from any other cause." Finally, anyone who unlawfully and maliciously wounds or inflicts any grievous bodily harm upon any person with or without any weapon or instrument, is liable to penal servitude for three years, or to imprisonment for not more than two years with or without hard labour. The words "unlaw- fully and maliciously" are difficult to construe, and therefore it may be well to state that a man who fired in the direction of a punt, in order to deter the occupant from fowling in a particular locality, and wounded him in so doing, was convicted of malicious wounding; and generally that if a wound were to be caused mischievously and without excuse the person who inflicted it would probably be found guilty under this enactment.
vSo much for the strict offences caused by the improperly carry- ing or making use of revolvers. Before, however, leaving this subject it will be advisable to enter at a little length into the rights which anyone has of using a revolver in self-defence, or in some other analogous manner. Supposing a man has passed through the ordeal of the" Gun License Act and is properly and legally carrying a loaded revolver, in what cases of emergency would he be justified
Appendix 339
in using it? Well, this is a very difficult question to answer, and one which in each event would depend entirely on the circum- stances of the particular case. It is therefore impossible for me to lay down any exact principles governing every event of the kind which might happen, and I will content myself with stating a few hypothetical instances and what course of conduct might be adopted in each instance.
There is no doubt on this point, anyhow, — that one is justified in using a loaded revolver in self-defence, where an attack of such a murderous character is made as to threaten one's own existence, or the infliction of serious bodily harm ; and, if the assailant should be killed, yet the using of the revolver and so disposing of him would be deemed as having been justifiable. The same rule would apply to shooting an assassin who was attempting to kill someone else. For instance, if while standing on a railway platform I were to see a man shooting at someone in a railway carriage, and at such dis- tance that I could not actively interfere except b}^ shooting, I should be right in firing at the assailant, and though my shot should prove fatal, still no blame could be attached to me.
How far one is justified in using a revolver in beating off or capturing burglars in one's house is, as already mentioned, a matter which can only be decided by the facts of the particular case. Assuredly where a man is awakened in the night by the noise of burglars breaking into or already in his house, and seizes his revolver and confronts the robbers, he would be justified in firing if the robbers threatened to attack him, and it is assumed that he would also be right in firing at a robber making off with booty who refused to stop when challenged to do so, if there were no reasonable chance of arresting him in any other way; though in the latter event he should endeavour so to shoot as to cripple rather than kill. Indeed it may be said, extraordinary though the statement may seem, that even in the hurry and skurry of a con- flict with burglars the mind should remain calm and collected, so as to judge whether a mortal shot is required, rather than one which will only "wing" the opponent.
In connection with this branch of the subject, the justification of a fatal shot may to some extent depend upon whether the robber was himself armed. If he were, then the killing him would be more easily justifiable than if he were unarmed. This is somewhat instanced by the law regarding an assault and battery in self-
340 Art of Revolver Shooting
defence, which is that where there is an assault the person resisting must show that his assault committed in self-defence was not more violent than he in good faith believed to be necessary and committed on reasonable grounds, so that it would not be right to inflict a heavy beating on a person who had only committed a slight assault upon one. So when all danger is past and a man strikes a blow not necessary for his defence, he commits an un- justifiable assault and battery, — and this principle would apply to the preventing of crimes, so that though one might be acting correctly in firing at and killing a man who was murderously as- saulting a third person, yet, after the assault had been committed, it might be wrong to kill the murderer if he were only discovered when running away, unless that was the only means of arresting him.
Another point which has sometimes exercised the minds of those in the habit of carrying revolvers is whether they are justified in using such a weapon to put an end to pain on the part of dumb animals where recovery is almost impossible. It may be said generally that no one can with safety interfere in such cases, even with the most benevolent intentions, so that if a horse, dog, or other animal has been so injured as to be suffering extreme agony, yet it would not be legal to put the poor creature out of its misery, unless with the consent of the owner.
The exception has been made by the Injured Animals Act, 1894, but that only empowers a constable to kill a horse, mule, or ass which is so severely injured that it cannot be led away, when the owner is absent or refuses to consent to its destruction, after a certificate has been obtained from a certified veterinary surgeon that the animal is mortally injured or so severely that it is cruel to keep it alive.
The exception that has been introduced by the Act of Parliament passed in 1894 and called "The Injured Animals Act, 1894," provides for the slaughter, without the owner's consent, of horses, mules, or asses, in cases of injury so serious as to make it cruel to keep them alive. It does not apply to animals other than those enumerated above, and is hedged round with such restrictions as to render it of little avail. These in brief are as follows : A constable must find the animal so severely injured that it cannot without cruelty be led away, the owner must be absent or refuse to consent to the destruction of the animal, and the constable must obtain the
Appendix 34 1
certificate of a veterinary surgeon that the animal is mortally- injured, or so severely that it is cruel to keep it alive. After doing all this the constable may kill the animal.
The foregoing statements as to the law are not exhaustive, but they are made with the intention of helping the revolver-carrying section of the public to know what they may be responsible for, and on what occasions or emergency they may safely use their weapons. To make sure that no legal error has crept in, these statements have been submitted to Mr. C. Willoughby Williams, of No. I, Brick Court, Temple, Barrister at Law, who is of opinion that the law as set out is correct.
It will be seen, from what is said above, that if a gun or a game license is obtained, it is not illegal to carry a loaded revolver, so that if anyone had to go along a lonely road, or had received a threatening letter which had alarmed him, he would be quite in his right in taking about with him a loaded revolver. It would even be quite right for anyone to carry about a loaded revolver in his pocket merely as a protection in case he should be unexpectedly attacked, but anyone carrying about with him such an article should be prepared to use it only in cases of great emergency, and should keep a clear head on his shoulders.
Another example of the advantages of carrying a revolver would be if one were attacked by a mad dog. In such a case, if the dog attacked in a ferocious manner, it would be permissible to shoot the dog, but it would not be allowable to shoot a dog on the supposition that he was mad, unless he was attacking one; though, of course, if there were no doubt about the dog's being mad, then, for the sake of others, it would be wise to shoot him.
Again, if while carrying a revolver anyone were passed by a runaway horse, and such horse were about to run over a child, it might be permissible to shoot the horse in order to save the child, if one were too far off to catch hold of the animal. These, however, are all matters of degree, and what would be right and proper to do in one case might in a case almost similar be quite wrong.
Note. — Since the first edition of this book was issued, the Pistols Act of 1903 has come into force. This Act stops the sale, by retail or by auction, or the letting on hire, of any pistol (which would include a revolver), unless the purchaser has a gun or game license, or is entitled to use or carry a gun without such license, or unless the
342 Art of Revolver Shooting
purchaser shows that he purposes to use the pistol only in his own house or the curtilage thereof, or that he is about to proceed abroad for a period of not less than six months. The Act also prevents the sale or hiring out of a pistol to a person under the age of 18 years, and places a very heavy penalty on anyone knowingly selling a pistol to a person who is intoxicated or not of sound mind.
THE LAW OF CARRYING WEAPONS IN THE UNITED STATES
HE statutes of the various States upon the subject of carrying weapons are substantially similar, the main differences relating to the persons exempted from their operation, and to the manner of carrying the weapon, some making it an offence to carry the weapon at all, whether concealed or not; others prohibiting the car- rying of concealed weapons only.
These statutes have been held to be police regulations, and not to conflict with the constitutional right of the people to keep and bear arms.
Weapons are considered to be concealed, within the intent of the statutes, when they cannot be readily seen by ordinary observation.
In some of the States, as in Kentucky, Louisiana, and Missouri, the carrying of "deadly" or "dangerous" weapons is prohibited. Most of the States, however, specify the weapons prohibited. Such weapons as pistols, dirks, butchers' or bowie knives, stilettos, daggers, swords, brass knuckles, razors, slugs, etc., are usually specified in nearly all of the statutes.
Officers of the law are usually exempted from the operation of the statutes. The officers must, however, be duly appointed, and in the discharge of their duties at the time of carrying the weapons.
Persons who are threatened with bodily harm, or who have reasonable grounds to apprehend danger or attack, are usually justified in carrying concealed weapons. It is not every idle threat, however, which would justify one in carrying concealed weapons. The threat must be such as to cause a reasonable ap- prehension of danger. Examples of this exemption are found in the statutes of Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Texas, Maryland, and West Virginia.
343
344 Art of Revolver Shooting
Persons on their own premises are frequently exempted from the operation of the statutes. This is so in Arkansas, North Caro- lina, and Texas.
Some of the statutes exempt persons who are travelling. This is so in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Texas.
The burden of proving exemption rests usually upon the accused. This has been expressly decided in Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Ken- tucky, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. In Michigan, however, it has been held that the prosecution must prove that the defendant does not fall within one of the exemptions.
Accident, Danger of, 58, 304 Alcohol, Effects on the Brain, 221 Ammunition, 33, 88, 103
Blank for Stage Shooting, 270
Cordite, 33
Eley's, 26, 36
Gallery, 75. 124
King's Semi-Smokeless, 27, 33
Riflite, 33
Walsrode, 33
(Revolver), Cost of, 41 "Any" Revolver Competitions, 179 "Any" Target Revolver, 28 AuCommandement, Shooting, 136, 142,
144 Automatic Pistol, Browning, 242
Colt, 242
Danger with, 5, 242
Selecting, 245 Automatic Revolvers, Fosbery-Webley, 215, 242
Badges Won by the Author, 115, 193
Balance near the Trigger, 23
Belgian Match Pistol, 13
Belgian Slaughter Houses, 329
Bell, Dr. Louis, 324
"Best on Record" Scores by the
Author, 195, 200, 204, 209, 211,
213, 219, 222, 227, 230 Bicycle, Shooting from a, 320 Big Game Shooting with the Revolver,
273 Bisley, 17, 23, 36, 81, 112 "Bisley" Colt, 26
Bisley Meetings, 176, 190, 208, 217
225, 229 Bisley Prize Certificate, 175 Bisley Targets and Marking, 179 Boer War, Episode of the, 247 Bogardus Trap, 300 Breathing when Shooting, 70 Browning Automatic Pistol, 242 "Buffalo Runner" Horse, 286 Buffalo Running, 273 Bullets, Blunt-Nose, 248 Burglars in the House, 310 Butt, Winans' Safety, 60
Carlyle (quoted), 83 Cartridge, Dummy, 71
"Fourth of July, " 270
Loaded with Salt, 313 Cats, Do Not Shoot Them, 294 Chicago Exhibition, 31 Classification of Arms, 86 Clay-Pigeon Shooting with the Pistol,
299 Cleaning and Care of Weapons, 42 Cleaning Appliances, 79 Cleaning Kit, 43
Clothing, What to Wear when Shoot- ing, 189 Coaching, 232 Cocking the Pistol, 65 Cocking the Revolver, 185, 201, 212 Colt Automatic Pistol, 242 Colt Colonel, 4, 10, 11, 14, 18 Colt Derringer, 312
Double-Action Cavalry, 26
345
346
Index
Colt — Continued
New Army Revolver, 248 New Navy Revolver, 250 New Service Revolver, 250 Solid Frame Revolver, 75
Competitions, French, 78, 82 Police, 324 Supervision of, 90 Weapon and Ammunition, for, 102
Cordite, 33
Crane, R. Newton, on Duelling, 165
Daily Graphic (quoted), 5 Decisions, Doubtful Shots, 183 Deer-Stalking, 280 De La Rue, "Ace of Hearts, " 124 Devillier's Bullet, 292
for Cavalry, 254
Competitions with, 146
Fight on Horseback with, 151
Precautions for Safety, 146
Stage Shooting with, 151 Disarming an Adversary, 308 Double-Barrelled Pistols, 295 Duelling, Challenging, 156
French Laws on, 165
Humorous Attitude toward, 156
Position for, 160 Duelling Pistol, Distances for the, 134
French, 25, 55, 96, 126
Grip and Balance, 136
How to Hold the, 131
Loading the, 133 Dutch Army Revolvers, 28
Ears, Protection for the, 194 Eley's Black Powder, 26, 36 English Galleries, 126 Extension Stock, 288 Eyes, Care of the, 192, 240
Fallow Deer Shooting, 276
Feet, Pointing Weapon at the, 135
Firearms, Author Forbidden Use of, 7
Flobert Rifle, 7
Forest and Stream, 324
Form, Proper, when Shooting, 180
Fosbery-Webley Automatic Revolver,
215, 242 Franco-Prussian War, Incident of, 25 French Army Revolver, 28 Competitions, 28 Regulation Revolver, 24 French Smokeless Powder, 31, 34, 79, 124, 186
Gallery, Ammunition, 75, 124
Lighting, 120
Private, 119, 224
Shooting, 120 Gastinne-Renette Competitions, 118
Challenge Trophy, 138
Gallery, 2, 21, 31,118,126,296
Prizes Offered by, 127
Roll of Honor, 127
Self-Registering Targets, 122 General Utility Weapon, 20 Giles, G. D., 5 Glass Balls, 300 Greener Killer for Disabled Animals,
327 Grouse Shooting, 294 Gun License Act, 338
Health Necessary for Competition,
109 Hillias' Cleaning Fluid, 43 Hip Pocket, Carrying a Revolver in
the, 307 Holster, 276
Horse, Training the, 274 Horseback, Shooting from, 273 Horsley, Victor, on Alcohol, 221
Injured Animals Act, 340
Killer, Pocket Patent, 328
The Greener, 327 Killing Disabled Animals, 326 King's Semi-Smokeless Powder, 33,
37 Kraepelin, Prof., Investigations, 221 Kynoch's Brass Cartridges, 41
Index
347
Law Relating to Revolvers in Great
Britain, 336 Law Relating to Revolvers in the
United States, 343 Learning to Use the Pistol, 55 Leather Case, with Key, 114 Leeson, 22-Calibre Pistol for Ladies,
317 Left hand, Shooting with, 83 Lending Weapons, Advice on, 185 " Letting-Off , " 71
Lifting the Pistol above the Head, 73 Loading, Firing, Timing, and Cleaning,
75,87 London Policeman, 325 "Lovat Mixture" Clothes, 280 Lynch, Chemist of London, 194
Mantlet, Safety, 32 Manton (Joe), Pistol, 10 Marlin Gun-Grease, 43 Martingale, Use of, 282 Martini Rifle, 68 Massachusetts Rifle Ass'n, 324 Metronome, The, 135, 197, 202 Mattresses, Revolver between, 313 Military Revolver, 23, 178 Misfire in Competitions, 203 Moist Hands, 24 Morris Tube Company, 32 Muscles, Pistol Shooting good for the, 66
National Rifle Association, Council
of, 51 National Rifle Association Meeting at
Bisley, 176, 190, 208, 217, 225, 229 New York Pistol and Revolver Club,
324 Nitro Powders, 42 North London Rifle Club, 85 Rifle Club, Officers of, 100 Rifle Club Regulations, 104 Rifle Club Revolver Champion- ship, 106 Rifle Club, Revolver Competi- tions. 100
Olympic Games, Author's Diploma,
233
Championship, 167, 174 Ornamentation, 30, 121 "Owl" Prizes at Wimbledon, 331
Paine, Chevalier Ira, 1, 21, 31, 258
Paine (quoted), no
Patents (Old), 16
Penalty for Carrying Firearms in
Great Britain, 337 Personal, 1 Petty, Roundsman, Winner of Police
Trophy, 325 Pigeon Shooting with the Revolver,
296 Pistol, Advantages over Sword, 250
Cases, 44
Future of the, 31
Handling the, 57
Never Leave Loaded, 82
Shooting, a Clean Sport, 6
Shooting in England, 113
Shooting for Ladies, 315
and Revolver Clubs, 85
The 22-Calibre, Single-Shot, 167
The 22-Calibre Single-Shot, Only a Toy, 174 "Pistolet" Club, 113, 144, 178
Character of the, 145
of Paris, 85
Rules, 91 Pistols Act of 1903, 341 Plating, 30, 215 Pneumatic Pistol, 271 Pocket, Shooting through the, 307 Police Competitions, Rules for, 324
Revolvers for the, 323 Polonius' Advice, 302 Pool Shooting, 181 Portugal, King of, Scores by, 127 Position when Shooting, 63, 87, 103,
198, 223 "Possibles," 181, 188 "Possibles, " made by Author, 235 Powder, Low-Pressure, 36 Practice and Training, 109
348
Index
Prices of Revolvers, 32
Prizes Given for Aggregates, 206
Jewels, 101
Spoons, 101 Protests, 90
Rabbits, Shooting, 294
Range Officers' Decision Final, 183
Rapid Cocking, 23
Rapid Firing, 208
"Raw" on the Shooting Hand, 113
"Reaction Times," Increased, 221
Recoil, 69
Records, 91
Red Deer, 278
"Referee, The" (quoted), 154
Refreshments during Competition, 237
Revolver, Competitions, 100, 176
Evolution of the, 10
Half -Worn Best, 80, 210
Length for the, 22
Shots in Paris, Good, 128
Steadying the, 82
in U. S. Civil War, 253
in War, 247
Hand-Ejecting, 75 Reynolds, Sir Joshua, 1 Rifle and Revolver Club, 107 Riflite, 33 Roe-Stalking, 288 Rose, the Author's Mare, 282
St. Petersburg, travelling in, 8
Scientific American, 12
Score Cards, Sign and Date, 239
Scoring, 77
Selecting a Pistol, 20 ■
Selecting a Revolver, 20
Self -Defence (quoted), 313
Sense of Direction, Shooting by, 332
Shooting in Competitions, 238
in the Dark, 330
in Self-Defence, 302
Objects off the Head, 186
as a Pastime, 1
in the Rain, 182
Short Range Series, 180
Sight, Winan's Patent Electric, 333
Sighting Varies, 180
Sights, 46, 88, 187
Smith & Wesson Bicycle Revolver, 321
Hammerless for Ladies, 316
Hammerless Safety Revolver, 303
Mechanism of, 304
Military, 24, 26, 28, 34
38-Military Revolver, 24
Pistols, 22-Calibre, 169
with Interchangeable Barrel, 170
Revolvers (accuracy of), 28
Revolvers, Winan's Model, 26, 28
Russian, 28, 34, 68, 253
Self-Lubricating Bullet, 37, 231
Solid Frame Revolvers, 186 Sights, Winan's Patent, 46, 52, 55, 187
Target, 47
Paine, 47
Lyman, 47
Filing the, 47
Ira Paine Adjustable, 52 Small Game Shooting, 294 Smoking and Drinking, 3, 6, HO, 220 Sparrows, Shooting, 297 Spectacles for Shooting, 192 Squeezing the Trigger, 72, 200 Stage Shooters, Professional, 34, 255
Shooting, Blank Ammunition for, 270 Statuette, Modelled by the Author, 323 Stevens Diamond, 170, 173
"Lord," 172
New Model Pocket or Bicycle "Rifle," 172
"Off-Hand Target," 171
Pistol, Gould Model, 169
Single-Shot Pistols, 34
"Tie-Up," 173
Vernier New Model Pocket "Rifle," 172 Strain on the Thumb, Wrist, etc., 196 Swallow Shooting with the Duelling Pistol, 295
Table for Firearms, 72
Index
349
Target, Advancing ("The Burglar"), 225
American, 111
Bisley, 50 Yards 62, 80, 180
Bisley, 20 Yards, 179
De La Rue, "Ace of Hearts," 124
Disappearing, 190
French, 78
Gastinne-Renette, 139
Represents the Face of a Clock, 69
Self-Registering, 121
Short-Range Series, 180
Shooting off Horseback, 290
Silhouette of Man, 136
Stationary, 79 180,
Stationary, 50 Yards, 229
Substitute for Bisley, 197
Trajectory, 32
Traversing ("The Slider"), 217
Winan's Cinematograph, 122 "Target" Webley, 26 Team Shooting, 232 Thumb-Piece Roughed, 23 Ties, 90
Time for Shooting, Best, 182, 191 Timing Shots, 202, 212 Tools, Reloading, 39
Trajectory of Pistol, 77 Traps for Pigeon Shooting, Trick Shooting, 266 Trigger-Pull, 23, 88, 178
299
36
Union Metallic Cartridge Co.
Gallery Ammunition, 34
Revolver Powder, 28 United States Revolver Association, 85
Rules of, 86
Walsrode, 33
War, the Revolver in, 247
Webley, 32
Webley, Man-Stopping Bullet, 181, 182
Wilkinson Gallery, 85
Williams, C. Willoughby, 341
Wimbledon, 58, 113
Winan's Cinematograph Target, 122 Model Revolver, 30 Model, Smith & Wesson, 26 Patent Electric Sight, 333 Safety Butt, 60
Wind, Shooting in the, 116, 183
"Wipe out" after Each Shot, 206
WurfHein Pistol, 169
Zeise Glass, 229
By WALTER WINANS
Chevalier of the Imperial Order of St. Stanislas of Russia; Vice-President of the National Rifle Association of Great Britain, etc.
The Art of Revolver Shooting
Together -witH A.11 Information Concerning the Automatic
and the Single-Shot Pistol, and How to Handle Them
to the Best Advantage
New Edition, R.evised and Enlarged. Very fully Illustrated with Original Photographs by Rouch, Fry, Purdey, Penfold, and Others, and Head- and Tail-pieces from Drawings by the Jtuthor. Royal Svo, handsomely printed, and bound in cloth extra, gilt top, uncut edges, net, $S.oo
Mr. Walter Winans, the well-known champion revolver-shot, has been for many years working out the theory and practice of revolver shooting, and this is the first occasion of his publishing the collected results of his close study of the weapon.
Although several chapters of the book give minute instructions as to how to shoot in order to win prizes at the Bisley meeting, the author has not neglected the more general and practical side of the subject, and even such matters (hitherto regarded in the light of professional secrets) as trick- and stage-shooting, shooting in the dark, etc., are treated in detail not previously attempted, while a chapter on how to use the revolver (as distinct from target shooting) in warfare, has a present interest that must appeal to many.
Hints on Revolver Shooting
With 20 Illustrations Crown Svo., net, $1.00
The art and sport of revolver shooting is increasing yearly in popularity. This little volume by Mr. Walter Winans, the well-known champion revolver-shot, has been designed to meet the demand for a hand-book convenient in size for use in the gallery and field. It contains concise information on the most approved revolver methods, with a special chapter on revolver shooting for ladies. " Hints on Revolver Shooting " will prove valuable alike to the beginner and the experienced marksman.
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NEW YORK G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS LONDON
By WALTER WINANS
Chevalier of the Imperial Order of St. Stanislas of Russia; Vice-President of the National Rifle Association of Great Britain, etc.
Practical Rifle Shooting
Crown 8vo. With frontispiece. Met, 50 cents
There are many excellent works to be had on the subject of rifle-shooting at targets, but there has been nothing published on practical rifle-shooting. By practical rifle- shooting is meant the capacity to handle a rifle so that the user can confidently expect to stop a wild animal when in rapid motion and charging, or a charging man. Mr. Winans's book is designed to furnish the beginner with a series of hints, by the use of which he may be enabled not only to put himself through a course of continuous and graduated training, but may also keep himself free of the tricks which impede progress, and which, if persisted in, will destroy his ability for any but the most artificial forms of shooting.
The Sporting Rifle
The Shooting of Big and Little Game
Together with a Description of the Principal Classes of Sporting Weapons
With about 125 Illustrations from Original Drawings by the Author, and
from Photographs specially taken for the book
Royal 8vo, handsomely printed, and bound in cloth extra, gilt top, uncut edges. $5.00 net
Mr. Winans has earned for himself an international repu- tation on the art of rifle- and revolver- shooting, and his earlier works on the subject have been accepted as stand- ards. The present work is profusely illustrated, both by the author, T. Blinks, and other well-known artists, and gives the fullest details with diagrams as to how to handle the rifle for all sorts of game shooting, and also for winning prizes in shooting competitions at moving targets. Besides illustrating the various makes of rifles, there is a unique set of working drawings showing in minute detail how to construct " Running Deer" and disappearing targets. Maps and plans giving directions how to post the guns for Deer Driving, and how to manoeuvre the beaters is also featured in this important work. The natural history is illustrated by a series of photographs taken from life by H. Penfold.
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NEW YORK G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS LONDON
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