Historical Document · 1908
A period American handbook on pistol and revolver shooting by the president of the United States Revolver Association (1908 edition). The Borchardt C-93 research checked it as a period source; it only lists Borchardt among the makes of automatic pistol.
Class. ill Book. \ r n w rUS Copyright}^^ CORfRIGHT DEPOSIT. THE Pistol and Revolver By A. L. A. HIMMELWRIGHT President, United States Revolver Association ; Director and Life Member, New York State Pdfle Association; Captain, American Team, Second Franco- Ainencan International Revolver Match; Chairman, Revolver Committee, Manhattan Rifle and Revolver Association, etc. ILLUSTRATED % NEW YORK PRINTED BY J. J LITTLE & CO. 1908 UBRARYofCO^saeESs] Two Copies H&c&)t^& MAR 5 1908 ci)iry '.x: Copyright, 1904, THE MACMILLAN COMPANY Copyright, 1908, By a. L. a. HIMMELWRIGHT Note. —A large portion of the subject matter in this volume was published originally in Gu7ts, Ammi4.nition^ and Tackle (American Sports- man's Library), copyright, 1904, by The Macmillan Co. NC DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF ARTHUR CORBIX GOULD " Every right-minded and patriotic citizen of the United States should be a good marksinan. It is a duty he owes to his country under her present liberal institutions, which do not exact military service, but presume reliance in a large measure on citizen soldiery in case of war." PREFACE Interest in pistol and revolver shooting has increased very rapidly in recent years and particularly since smokeless powder has been intro- duced. The revolver and the magazine pistol now constitute part of the regular equipment of army and navy officers and cavalry troops. Regulations governing practice shooting with these arms have been issued and adopted by both branches of the service and by the National Guard of the various States. In the National Rifle Association and in the various State Rifle Associations that have recently been organized, and revolver shooting has an important place, and the matches provided are largely In the numerous civilian shooting patronized. clubs scattered throughout the country pistol and revolver shooting has become extremely popular, and in many cases the majority of the pistol members practice more frequently with the smaller arms than with the rifle. Practice with the pistol and revolver affords training in sighting, steady holding and pulling Preface 6. the trigger, which are the essential features of rifle shooting also. On account of this relation, and the fact that skill with these arms can be instantly utilized in shooting, the develop- rifle ment of marksmanship with the pistol and re- volver properly assumes national importance. While numerous standard works have been written on the subject of comparatively little rifle shooting, there is information available on and revolver shooting. The object of this volume is to supply practical information on this subject. The author has attempted to treat the subject in a clear and concise manner, keeping the size of the volume as small as practicable and so as to be conveniently carried in Particular pains have been taken the pocket. to give sound advice and elementary instruction pistol to beginners. The author extends his grateful acknowledgments to Messrs. J. B. Crabtree, John T- Humphrey, William E. Carlin, Chas. S. Axtell, Walter Winans, Walter G. Hudson, Ed. Taylor, J. E. Silliman, M. Hays, Baron Speck von Sternburg, and the various arms and ammunition manufacturers referred to herein, for valuable suggestions, information and data in preparing this volume. A. L. A. HiMMELWRIGHT. CONTENTS Dedication Preface 3 . 5 Contents 7 Illustrations Historical 9 II . Arms 15 . Military i6 Target Pocket Ammunition 24 31 . 34 Rim-fire Cartridges Central-fire Cartridges Sights Position ..... 35 3^ 53 Target Shooting 55 61 Revolver Practice for the Police 82 Pistol Shooting for Ladies S6 Clubs and Ranges Hints to Beginners 90 100 . Selection of Arms . Manipulation Position and Aiming Target Practice Cleaning and Care of Arms Reloading Ammunition . Primers Shells Bullets 100 105 106 III 121 124 125 125 ..... Powders Reloading 126 132 136 Contents 8 APPENDIX PAGE Annual Championship Matches .... of the United States Revolver Association Rules and Regulations Governing the Cham- 143 pionship Matches 146 Methods and Customs Followed in Conducting THE Annual Championship Matches 149 Instructions to Range Officers in Charge of THE Annual Championship Matches 151 Records of the United States Revolver Asso. . . ciation INDEX . ........ - « 152 155 ILLUSTRATIONS Revolvers ... PAGE . . 19, 21, 23, . Pistols ;^;^ 23, 25, 27, 33 Pistol and Revolver Cartridges and Bullets ^6 to 47 Sights 53, 54 Shooting Positions: Walter Winans, C. S. Axtell 57 Thomas Anderton, C. S. Richmond 58 E. E. Patridge, Sergt. W. E. Petty 59 .60 J. E. Gorman, Dr. R. H. Sayre Standard American Target 78 Combination Set. — Smith and Wesson .38-CAL. . . . . . . .... . . Revolver, .22-CAL. Pistol, Utensils, etc, in Case 89 Details of Alternating Targets, Pit, etc., for 50-YARD Range 93 Trolleys," Details of Booths at Firing Line, AND Butt for Gallery Ranges 95 Correct Manner of Holding the Revolver 102 Correct Position of the Sights in Aiming at ....... *^ • • . . the Target 108 The Travel of the Line of the Sights about THE Bull's-eye in Aiming. 108 Moulding Bullets 128 .... . . . . . . THE PISTOL AND REVOLVER Pistol-shooting as a pastime has been practised the time of the since It is discovery of gunpowder. only recently, however, that it has been rec- ognized as a legitimate sport. The useful and practical qualities of the pistol and revolver have been developed almost wholly during the last half-century. Before this period the small arms designed to be fired with one hand were crude and inaccurate, and were intended to be used only at short range as weapons of defence. The single-barrelled muzzle-loading nevertheless, been officer's part of the pistol has, army and navy equipment since the sixteenth century. These pistols were of large caliber, smooth-bored, heavy, and unwieldy. The load was a spherical bullet and a large charge of powder. Enough accuracy was obtained to hit a man which was sufficient. 20 paces, deemed usefulness of these arms in action at to The was limited to the firing of a single shot, and then using II 15 them The Pistol and Revolver 12 as missiles or clubs. considered a The pistol in early days was gentleman's arm — a luxury. It was the arm generally selected for duelling when that code was in vogue, the contestants standing I o to 20 paces apart and firing at the word of command. The development of the pistol has been con- temporaneous and closely identified with that of the rifle. barrel, the With the grooving or rifling of the accuracy was greatly improved and arm adapted to conical bullets. Although numerous attempts were made to devise a multishot arm with flint, wheel, and match locks, it was not until the percussion cap was invented that a practicable arm of this character was produced. This was a "revolver'' invented by Colonel Colt of Hartford, Conn., and consisted of a single barrel the with a revolving cylinder at the breech containing the charges, the mechanism being such that the cocking of the piece after each discharge revolved the cylinder sufficiently to bring a loaded chamber in line with the barrel. The greatest advance in the development of firearms was the introduction of breech-loading, employing am- munition in the form of cartridges. This principle of the system rendered the operation of loading much simpler Historical 13 and quicker, and vastly improved the efficiency and general utility of the arms.^ The present volver shooting popularity is of and pistol re- due, no doubt, to recent im- provements in the arms and ammunition. The arms are now marvels of fine workmanship, easy to manipulate, durable, and extremely accurate. With the introduction of smokeless powders, the smoke, fouling, and noise have been reduced to a The effect of these improvements minimum. has been, not of the arms, only to increase the efficiency but also the pleasure of shooting them. As a sport, pistol shooting has much to commend it. It is a healthful exercise, being practised out-of-doors in the open air. There are no un- desirable concomitants, such as gambling, coarseness, and rough and dangerous play. In order to excel, regular and temperate habits of life must be formed and maintained. It renders the senses more alert and trains them to act in unison and in 1 For a detailed history of the evolution of the pistol and revolver, the reader is referred to "Text-book for Officers at Schools of Musketry," Longman & Co., London; "Kriegstechnische Zeitschrift," Heft I and II, 1901, Mittler & Sohn, Berlin; "The Modern American Pistol and Revolver," Bradlee Whidden, Boston. Many interesting specimens of ancient and modern pistols and revolvers are owned and exhibited by the United States Cartridge Company of Lowell, Mass. 14 The Pistol and Revolver harmony. But, above all, in skill shooting is a useful accomplishment. Any one possessing ordinary health and good sight may, by practice, become a good pistol shot. Persons who are richly endowed by nature with those physical qualities which specially fit them for expert shooting, will, of course, master the art sooner than those less favored conclusively shown that ; but it has been excellence is more a question of training and practice than of natural gift Some of the most brilliant shooting has. been done by persons possessing a decidedly nervous temperament; but those of phlegmatic temperament will generally make more uniform and reliable marksmen. much more difficult to shoot well with the The latter, pistol or revolver than with the rifle. It is having a stock to rest against the shoulder and steady one end of the piece, has a decided advantage in quick aiming and in pulling the trigger. The former, without a stock and being held in one hand with the arm extended so as to be free from the body, is without any anchor or support whatever, and is free to move in all directions. Con- sequently the least jar, jerk in pulling the trigger, puff of wind, or unsteadiness of the hand greatly Arms 1 Intelligent practice will, disturbs the aim. how- ever, overcome these difficulties and disadvantages to such a degree that an expert shot with a pistol or revolver under favorable conditions can equal a fair shot with a rifle at the target up to 200 yd. When the novice essays to shoot the pistol or the results are generally disappointing revolver, and discouraging; but rapid progress invariably rewards the efforts of those who persevere, and when once thoroughly interested in this style of shooting, there comes a fascination for it that frequently endures throughout a lifetime. Arms The term " pistol " is frequently applied indiscriminately to the single-shot pistol and the volver. re- A marked distinction between these arms has gradually been developed. The pistol is now recognized as a single-shot arm, adapted for a light charge, accuracy. to target and designed Its use is to secure extreme limited almost exclusively and exhibition shooting. The modern revolver is an arm with a re- volving cylinder holding five or six cartridges, which are at the instant command of the shooter before it is necessary to reload. It is designed The Pistol and Revolver 1 heavy charges, and for a practical and for- Revolvers are made in great va- midable weapon. riety, is and adapted for various purposes, such as military service, target shooting, pocket weapons, etc. The best grades of pistols and revolvers may be had at a reasonable price. grades with which the market flooded should be avoided. of is The cheap at all times They are incapable doing good work, and frequently are positively dangerous, on account of being made of inferior materials. Military Arms. — The revolver and the magaTo ful- zine pistol are used for military service. fil the requirements these arms must be strong, very durable, and withstand a great amount of hard usage without becoming The disabled. effectiveness, or "stopping power," importance. The is of prime caliber should be large, and the charge sufficiently powerful to give a penetration of at least 6 in. in pine. There has been a tendency in recent years to reduce the caliber While this has resulted in increased velocity and penetration, and reduced of military revolvers. the weight of the ammunition, it has not im- proved the stopping power of the arms. The sights must in all cases be very substan- tial, Arms 1^ and solidly fixed to the frame or barrel. The from 4 to 8 lb., the barrel from 4 to 7^- in. in length, and the weight from 2 to 2f varies pull trigger lb. powder is Ammunition loaded with smokeless now invariably used for military service. The service revolvers as issued to the United States army and navy are the Smith & Wesson and Colt, both .38 cal., and taking the same ammunition. They have passed the series of tests as established by the government,^ and represent, prescribed United States without doubt, the highest development of the military revolver. The arms shown in Figs, i and 2 have solid frames, and the actions are almost identical, the cylinder swinging out to when released by a catch. the left, on a hinge, The shells may then be extracted simultaneously by pushing back the extractor rod. The Smith & Wesson has an ad- ditional locking device in front of the cylinder. The principal difference between these arms is in the shape of the handles. Other excellent military revolvers are the Smith & Wesson Russian Model and the Colt 1 See Ordnance Reports, Department of War, Washington, D. C, for complete details of tests, etc. The Pistol and Revolver 1 New Service, both .44 cal. these was arms powder; but The ammunition for formerly loaded with black smokeless cartridges have been adapted to them, which give slightly increased velocity and approximately the same accuracy. The Smith & Wesson Russian Model has a hinge "tip-up" action, with an automatic ing device. eject- The action is operated by raising a catch in front of the hammer. It is on account of the nipulate, and, easy to ma- accessibility of the breech, the barrel can be readily inspected This arm is single action. and cleaned. The action of the Colt New Service is similar to that of the .38-cal. revolver, with a solid frame. It is The foregoing arms, are capable of 3-in. circle at shown in Fig. 2, double action. with good ammunition, making groups of ten shots on a 50 yd. The Colt Frontier Model is one of the most popular arms for hard service. frame and is double action. It has a solid The arm is operated by opening a gate on the right-hand side, back of the cylinder. The cartridges are inserted in the cylinder through the gate, the cylinder being re- volved by hand until the come opposite the gate. respective chambers In the same manner, Fig. I. — Smith & Wesson New Military Revolver, Six shots; 6^-inch barrel; weight, i lb., 15 oz. ; .38 cal. Fig. 2. Six shots; Fig. 3. — Colt New Army Revolver. 6-inch barrel; weight, 2 lb.; .38 cal. — Smith & Wesson Russian Model Revolver. Six shots; 6^-inch barrel; weight, 39 J oz.; .44 cal. ^o The Pistol and Revolver the shells are ejected by pushing the extractor rod back into each of the chambers. This revolver vice in 45 cal. was formerly the ser- weapon of the United States army, and is very powerful and durable. The Smith & Wesson Schofield Model, .45 cal, was also formerly a United States service weapon. The ammunition for this arm, while less powerful than the .45 Colt, was admirably adapted for military service, and had much less recoil. The Webley, " W. G." or "Army Model," revolver is an English arm of much merit. The calibre is .455. It has a hinge "tip-up" action, with an automatic extractor very similar to the Smith & Wesson. The service weapon adopted by the Joint War Office and Admiralty Committee for the British "Webley Mark IV," or army and navy is the "Service Model," revolver. This model is almost identical with the Army Model, except that the barrel is 4 in. long and the weight is 2 lb. 3 oz. On account of the short barrel, the accuracy of this weapon does not equal that of the Army Model. Another English arm is the "Webley-Fosbury automatic revolver. The cylinder and cocking the recoil " revolving the hammer, it can be fired Fig. 4. Six shots; 5 1 -inch Fig. 5. barrel; weight, 2 lb., 8 oz.; .45 cal. — Colt Frontier ^lodel Revolver. 5j-inch barrel; weight, 2 lb., 5 oz. ; .45 cal. Six shots; Fig. 6. — Colt New Service Revolver. — Webley "W. G." Army Model Revolver. Six shots; 6-inch barrel; weight, 2 lb., 8 oz.; .455 cal. The Pistol and Revolver 22 as rapidly as the automatic pistols. It is cham- bered for the 455 service cartridge loaded with 6^ gr. of cordite. This arm has been introduced since 1900. The magazine or automatic pistol, which is operated by the recoil, is the latest type of hand It has been perfected and introduced since 1899, and has almost double the velocity and range of firearm. the The revolver. Mauser, Mannlicher, and Mors Colt, are leading makes of this style of pistol. Luger, among the All of these arms have been tested by the United States government.^ A limited number of the first two named have been used since 1903 in the United States army. In both the Colt and the Luger pistols the cartridges are inserted in clips breech through the handle. and fed into the In the Mauser pistol the cartridges are supplied in clips from the top and forced into a magazine located in front of the trigger. The magazine pistols can be fired at the rate of about five shots per second. These arms equal the best military revolvers in accuracy. 1 See Ordnance Reports, Department of War, Washington, D.C., complete details of tests, etc. for Fig. 7. — Webley-Fosbury Automatic Revolver. Six shots; 6-inch barrel; weight, 2 lb., SJ oz.; Fig. 8. — Colt Automatic Pistol. Seven shots; 6-inch barrel; weight, 2 lb., 5 oz.; Fig. 9. .455 cal. .38 caL — The Parabellum or '*Luger" Automatic Pistol. Eight shots; 4f-inch barrel; weight, I lb., 13.4 oz.; .30 cal. The Pistol and Revolver 24 Many persons believe that the magazine pistol will soon supersede the revolver for general use. While this may be the case eventually, it is not The few years. likely to occur within the next magazine pistol is more complicated, and consequently more difficult to learn to shoot with and care for, special On account of the than the revolver. problems to be solved in the mechanism, many of them balance poorly and the trigger pull is almost invariably long and creeping. The novice will also find it difficult to avoid flinching in shooting these arms, on account of the recoil mechanism, louder report, etc. The line of sight being considerably higher than the grip, if they are not held perfectly plumb, or in the same position at each shot, the shooting is liable to be irregular. The cost revolver. is about double that of a good Until these undesirable features and disadvantages can be remedied or eliminated, the revolver will probably remain a popular arm. Target Arms. — For target purposes the est possible accuracy is desirable. great- To obtain this, many features essential in a military arm are sacrificed. Delicate adjustable sights are employed, the trigger pull is reduced, the length of the barrel is increased, the charge reduced, etc. Fig. io. Ten shots; — Mauser Automatic Pistol. 51-inch barrel; weight, 2 lb., 7I oz.; .30 cal. Fig. II. — Smith & Wesson lo-inch barrel; weight, Fig. 12. — Stevens I lb., Pistol, 8J oz.; .22 cal. Pistol, Gould Model. lo-inch barrel; weight, i lb., 12 oz.; .22 cal. The Pistol and Revolver 26 The most accurate arms available at the present time are the single-shot pistols manufactured by & Wesson, Springfield, Mass.; The J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co., Chicopee Falls, Mass.; Smith The Remington Arms Co., Ilion, William Wurfflein, Philadelphia, Pa. tols are length These pis- The barrels are generally 10 in. and the trigger approved form these latest and ; furnished in calibers from .22 rim-fire to .38 central-fire. in N.Y. specially bored In the pistols are of .22 cal., pull 2 lb. and chambered for the long rifle cartridge. rim-fire, This is a light, clean, pleas- ant shooting charge, and may be fired many times with very little fatigue. Pistol shooting with arms of this caliber should, therefore, become a popular pastime for ladies as well as gentlemen. The Smith & Wesson pistol has a tip-up action and an automatic extractor. It is made of the best materials and with the greatest care. The fitting and workmanship are superior to that of any other machine-made The action is pistol. similar to that of the Russian Model revolver. The Stevens pistols are furnished in two other models for target-shooting. The Lord " Model '' has a large frame and handle and a heavy barrel. Its weight is 2| lb. The " Conlin " Model r^a. Fig. 13. — Wurfflein Pistol, io-inch barrel; weight, 2 lb., 2 oz.; Fig. 14. — Remington .22 cal. Pistol. lO-inch barrel; weight, 2 lb., 8 oz. ; .44 cal. Fig. 15. — Gastinne-Renette Pistol. IOj\-inch barrel; weight, 2 lb., 6 oz.; .44 cal. The Pistol and Revolver 28 is the same as the " Gould " Model, but has spur added to the trigger guard. a The Gould Model is the most popular. All these models have a tip-up action and an automatic extractor. A small knob on the left side is pressed to release the barrel and operate the action. The Wurfflein pistol, like the Stevens, has a tip-up action. It is well made and has a handle very similar in shape to that of the duelling pistol The action is operated by releas- of former days. ing the catch on the handle, back of the hammer. The Remington has pistol an exceedingly strong action, and is the only pistol that can be had chambered for the .44 Russian cartridge. The ac- has a large handle and a heavy barrel. tion is operated when the by throwing back the It hammer is at full-cock breech-block with the thumb, simultaneously ejecting the empty shell. With good ammunition all these pistols capable of placing ten shots within a are 2-in. circle at 50 yd. A very accurate pistol for gallery and shortrange shooting is of made by M. Gastinne-Renette Paris and used in his gallery in that city. These are muzzle-loading and very tedious and inconvenient to manipulate. For this reason Arms they have not become popular. 29 A few of these arms have been made up as breech-loaders, with a tip-up action similar to the Stevens, and cham- bered for the 44 Russian cartridge. In this form the pistol has given very good results. The revolver is not quite as accurate pistol, the as on account of the necessity of having the cylinder detached from the barrel. If the pin on which the cylinder revolves is not at right angles with the end of the cylinder, there will be more space between the cylinder and the breech end of some positions of the cylinder than The result will be varying amounts the barrel in in others. of gas escaping from the different chambers of the cylinder, and consequently irregular shooting. The accuracy of the revolver depends largely upon the degree of perfection in w^hich all the chambers of the cylinder align with the bore of the barrel at the instant of discharge. When the chambers do not align perfectly, the bullet enters the barrel eccentrically shaved off. This is and a portion of it is fatal to accuracy, especially when smokeless powder is used. Imperfect alignment of chamber and barrel is also the most frequent cause of the "leading" of the barrel. Some very ingenious mechanical expedients are used in The Pistol and Revolver 30 the best revolvers to reduce to a minimum the wear of those parts which operate and hold the cylinder in position. The revolvers generally used for target shooting are the military arms already described, cham- bered for special cartridges, fitted with target sights, special handles, and other modifications to suit the whims and tastes of individuals. The best and most experienced shots are, however, careful to keep the modifications of all their arms within the rules and regulations of the various national organizations,^ in order that they may be used in the annual competitions and other important events. These organizations control pistol and revolver shooting, and conduct annual competitions. " Freak " arms which do not comply with the rules are not allowed in the competitions, are seldom practical, and have little or no value other than for experimental purposes. Tar- get arms are generally used for trick and exhibition shooting.^ 1 The United States Revolver Association, The National Rifle Associa- tion of Great Britain, and the United Shooting Societies of France. For programmes and details, address the secretaries of the respective organizations. 2 For descriptions and illustrations of this style of shooting, see '* The Art of Revolver Shooting," G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York and London. This elaborate work contains also much detailed information, valuable sug- T yirms Pocket Arms. 3^ — The most extensive use revolver as a pocket weapon is of the for police service. Special arms are manufactured to meet the require- These weapons are generally similar to ments. the military revolvers, but adapted for lighter charges, and consequently weigh less. jections, such as sights, hammer, etc., All pro- must be eliminated or minimized so as not to catch in drawing the arm from the pocket or holster. The barrels are from 3 to 5 in. in length, the trigger pull 4 lb., and the caliber usually .32 or .38. Of these two calibers, .38 is much preferable for the general purposes of an arm of this character.' The difference in weight is slight, while the power and effectiveness of the larger caliber is almost double that of the smaller. The pocket arms shown in Figs. 16 and 17 are practically miniatures of the military arms shown in Figs. I and 2. They have solid frames and actions identical with those of the military arms. They are made only in .32 cal., and are double action. One of the most recent pocket revolvers is the Smith & Wesson Safety Hammerless. This arm gestions, and many interesting personal experiences in relation to revolver shooting. The Pistol and Revolver 3- has a safety clutch in the back of the handle, so designed that unless the piece is properly held it is impossible to operate it. It has many valuable and desirable features to commend it as a practical pocket weapon. 4 in. The standard length of barrel is This arm is also furnished in .32 cal. With 4-in. barrels, the foregoing pocket weapons are capable of shooting regularly within a 2-in. circle at 12 yd. A heavier and correspondingly more powerful pocket revolver revolver. is the This arm .41 cal. short is Colt " Double Action chambered for the Colt and long cartridges. It has a solid frame, and is operated exactly like the Colt Frontier Model (Fig. 5). ble, and accurate. It is compact, strong, dura- The "Single Action Army" is another Colt revolver that has been extensively used as a belt or holster weapon. The mechanism and action are similar to that of the preceding arm, except that it is heavier and larger, and is single action. A very handy little arm to carry in the pocket on hunting and fishing trips is the Stevens Dia- mond Model single-shot pistol. This pistol is very accurate, and can be depended on to kill grouse, ducks, rabbits, and other small game. The Fig. 1 6. — Colt New Police Fig. 17. — Smith weight, Six shots; 4-inch barrel; 18. 18^ oz.; .32 cal. — Smith & Wesson Safetv Fig. i8a. — Smith & Wesson Pocket Revolver. Hanimerless Revolver. Five shots ; 4-inch barrel I lb. J li oz. ; : weight, .38 cal. Fig, ip, Wesson Pocket 4i-inch barrel; weight, Six shots; 18 oz.; .32 cal. Fig. cS: Revolver. Revolver. - Seven shots ; 3^-inch barrel 10 oz. — Stevens Diamond Model ; .22 cal. Pistol. 6-inch barrel; weight, 8| oz.; .22 cal. ; weight, The Pistol and Revolver 34 .2 2-cal., hollow-pointed short, bullet should be used, or the regular .22 short cartridge, with the front of the bullet cut off square, so as to leave a flat point. This will increase the killing effect of the bullet considerably. Ammunition The degree of perfection that has been attained in the manufacture of ammunition is remarkable. Generally speaking, the smaller the charge the more difficult it is to make it accurate. Notwithstanding this, we have in the .22-cal. ammunition a tiny cartridge the accuracy of which falls litde short of the marvellous. Until very recently, black powder ammunition was used almost exclusively for pistol and revolver shooting. In calibers larger than .22, smokeless powders are nowextensively used, especially in military shooting, where the regulation full charge is required. In the .22- cal. pistols, the fouling of the black powders is not a very serious matter, and it is not uncommon to shoot fifty or a hundred rounds without the necessity of cleaning. In the larger calibers, however, the fouling is frequently so excessive that it affects the accuracy after the tenth shot. cleaning that is The incessant necessary in order to get good Ammunition 35 powder ammunition was a great drawback, and detracted much from the results with black Fortunately this pleasure of revolver shooting. objection is now entirely eliminated by the use of smokeless powders. To give good results, the proportions of any given charge must be adapted to the caliber, length of barrel, and weight of the arm in which it is to be used. These proportions are generally determined by experiment. cartridge The accuracy of the depends largely upon the uniformity exercised in the loading. In ammunition for mili- tary service the shells are crimped on the bullets to hold them in place. This is not desirable black powder target ammunition, but in essary in the all is nec- smokeless ammunition to confine powder and produce uniform results. In the following detailed description of the cartridges in general use the weight of the black powder charges only are given. Rim-fire Cartridges. — These contain fulmi- nate of mercury for priming around the outer edge of the rim, or base of the shell, and are gen- erally loaded with black powder. The ".22-cal. extensively long rifle '^ cartridge used for pistol shooting is more than any The Pistol and Revolver 36 the most accurate of the .22-caL car- other. It is tridges, being well proportioned, the bullet well lubricated, and the shell uncrimped. In addition to this, the sive ammunition is inexpen- and has very clean shooting — Powder, 5 gr.; bullet, 40 gr.; exact cal., 0.223. Fig. 20. shooting. rel, It adapted for pistol therefore, particularly well is, qualities. FiG. 21. — Powder, 3 gr.; bullet, 3^ S'^*? exact cal., 0.223. This cartridge, fired from a lo-in. bar- will shoot regularly inside of a 2-in. circle, at 50 yd., and inside a 5-in. circle, at 100 yd. Another excellent cartridge the ".22 short." in this caliber is Like the preceding, this car- tridge fouls very little and gives almost equal ac- curacy up to 50 yd. On account of its lighter report it is preferred by many for gallery shooting. In both of these cartridges only the surface of the bullet outside of the shell is lubricated. Exposed in this way, the lubricant is easily rubbed off, or melted if warm day. this, as, allowed to stand in the sunlight on a Great care should be taken to prevent without lubrication, the bullets will lead the barrel and cause inaccurate shooting. Ammunition 2>7 The 2 2-caL Winchester is a cartridge with inmore powerful than the .22 and gives good side lubrication. long rifle, results in the It is The pistol. bullet has a flat point, making it suitable ing, for game o shoot- fig. 22.— Powder, ygr.; ''''''''' ^^ ^'- ''''' '^''^ 0223. and the krbrication being within the shell, these cartridges may be carried loose in the pocket. All the .22-cal. cartridges can be had with hol- low-pointed bullets, which are to be preferred for game-shooting. They are also furnished loaded with smokeless powder. first When this powder was used in .22-cal. ammunition, the results were far from satisfactory, but as now manufactured the smokeless ammunition approximates very closely in uniformity and accuracy to that loaded with The Long Rifle ''Armory" and the .22-cal. Smith & Wesson Long black powder. .22-cal. are special makes of the long rifle cartridge that are furnished with a crimped shell, preventing the bullet from becoming dislodged and thus adapting this popular cartridge for use in revolvers of this calibre. The .25-cal. Stevens is a much more powerful cartridge than any of the preceding, and gives The Pistol and Revolver 38 excellent results in the pistol. It is selected by those who wish a more powerful rim-fire cartridge than is furnished in .22 cal. Rim-fire cartridges in larger caliber than .25 used for derringers (large-bore, are single-shot pocket-pistols now seldom used) and inferior grades I^iG. 23. let, — Powder, II gr.; , , of revolvers. These car- bul- 67 gr.; exact cal, 0.257. tridges sometimes lack uniformity in caliber when made by different manufacturers, are frequently defective, and discharge occasionally the action of the in closing arm in which they are loaded. They consequently lack the safety, reliability, and accuracy of the corresponding calibers in centralfire ammunition. Rim-fire cartridges cannot be reloaded. Central-fire Cartridges. — This type of cartridge has a brass or copper primer charged with a small quantity of fulminate of mercury, and containing a skeleton anvil of brass. The primer fits water- tight in a socket in the centre of the base of the shell. After being discharged, the primer can be renewed and the shell reloaded. In all the central-fire cartridges the lubrication of the bullet is inside of the shell, rendering this ammuni- Ammunition tion 39 much more serviceable and less liable to be damaged. The .32-cal. S. & W. cartridge is adapted to the Smith & Wesson, Colt, or other pocket revolvers. Fig. 24. — Powder, 10 gr. ; bullet, Fig. 25. — Powder, 13 gr.; bullet, 100 gr.; exact cal., 0.313. %% gr. ; exact cal., 0.313. Occasionally single-shot pistols are chambered for this cartridge. to It is fairly accurate at ranges up A gallery charge is furnished in this 50 yd. shell consisting of 4 gr. of powder and a spherical or " round " bullet weighing 47 gr. The .32-cal. S. & W. Long is more accurate and powerful than the preceding cartridge. It gives excellent results in both the pistol and revolver. The gallery charge is the same as that of the .32 S. & W. The .32-cal. Colt New Police is also an accurate cartridge, and Colt was designed specially for the New Police revolver. A gallery charge is furnished in this shell consisting of a reduced to powder charge 7 er. and the Fig. 26. regular bullet. let, — Powder, 13 gr.; bul- 100 gr.; exact cal., 0.313 The Pistol and Revolver 40 The .32-44 S. & W. is a special target cartridge designed for the S. & W. Russian Model revolver. The bullet is seated inside of the shell, which is The revolver may be straight and uncrimped. chambered to take shells of either let, as preferred, ^j^^j.^}! ^ ^ 11-83 charge 83 gr.; exact cal., 0.323. lengths The 17-gr. shell is shown. FiG.27.-Powder,iigr.;bui. two the of the -^ loaded in it may also be desired. if A gallery charge, consisting of Powder, 17 gr.; bullet, 98 gr. 4 gr. of powdcr aiid a rouud bullet weighing 50 gr., may also be used in both shells. This affords a wide range of charges in 50 gr. one shell. special feature tridge is gallery charge at that same the 12 11-83 charge at 50 yd. in the long shell is yd. sights are shot from a this car- used for the suitable for the The full charge (17-98) the most accurate of black powder revolver cartridges. nition, of A 6^-in. barrel, all the This ammuis capable of making ten-shot groups in a 2-in. circle at 50 yd., and a 5-in. circle at 100 yd. The 11-83 charge, under the same conditions, will also shoot in a 2-iri, Ammunition The 4-50 charge will shoot in a circle at 50 yd. I -in. circle at 41 This cartridge also gives 20 yd. good results in single-shot pistols. The .38 S. & W. is adapted to the Smith & Wesson, Colt, and other pocket revolvers. It is much more powerful than the .32 S. & W., and is consemore quently practical - and better adapted for a pocket revolver charge. from a ^ Fig. 28. . When shot 4-in. barrel, buUet, — Powder, 146 gr.; 15 gr.; exact cai., ^-358. groups of ten shots can be made in a 2-in. circle at 20 yd., and in a 6-in. circle at 50 yd. The gallery charge is 6 gr. of powder and a round bullet weighing 71 gr. These two cartridges are adapted to the Colt and S. & W. Military revolvers. The first is the Fig. 29. Powder, i8 gr. ; bullet, 150 gr. Powder. 1\\ gr.; bullet, 158 gr.; exact cai., 0.358. regulation service charge, and the second is a more powerful special cartridge, and exceedingly accurate. From a 6-in. barrel six shots may be placed within a 6-in. circle at lOO yd. Smokeless The Pistol and Revolver 42 ammunition in caliber gives equally this and uniform results; fifty to good one hundred shots may be fired without cleaning and without sensibly affecting the accuracy. The .38-44 S. & W. is another cartridge designed for the S. & W. Russian Model revolver. F IG. 30. — Powder, 20 gr. ; 146 gr. bullet, iiogr. 100 gr. 72 gr. 146 gr.; exact cal., 0.360. It is more powerful than the .32-44, but on account of the excessive fouling of this charge as now manufactured, the accuracy is impaired after the seventh shot. With an improved cleanershooting charge it would be accurate and tremely popular for target-shooting. tridge was originally designed and This car- made Chevalier Ira Paine, the noted pistol shot. the .32-44, the shell is ex- for Like straight and uncrimped, and the bullet is seated in it so that the point is flush with its mouth. Several reduced charges have been developed for this shell. The Ideal Manufacturing Company can furnish moulds for a conical bullet with a square base weighing no Ammunition gr., or with 43 a concave base weighing 100 gr. powder charge for either bullet charge works well up to 50 yd. is 9 gr. The This A smaller load the regulation gallery charge of 6 gr. of powder is and a round bullet weighing 72 gr. The Russian^ was until recently the .44-caL most popular revolver cartridge for target-shooting. While it has sufficient power to make it an charge for mili- effective tary service, possesses, it at the same time, able accuracy. C S. AXr remarkIn • the J & W. Russian Model, or the Colt New Service i? -D l\/r