Pistol and Revolver Shooting

to the single-shot pistol and the revolver. A marked di

a light charge and designed to secure extreme accuracy. Its use

l and formidable weapon. Revolvers are made in great variety, 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 reas

cartridges in the magazine (usually six to ten) is exhausted. The first models were introduced about 1898. These had many defects and objections, such as failure to function regularly, danger in manipulation due to insufficient safety devices, poor balance, unsi

e arms are now well adapted for military use and are rapidly superseding the revolver as service weapons in the United States army and navy. A synopsi

tiveness, or "stopping power," is of prime importance. The caliber should be large, the bullet should have a blunt point, and the powder charge should be sufficiently powerful to give a penetration of at least six inches in pine. T

d point of the bullet. To remedy this weakness .45-caliber revolvers were issued for the Philippine service, and a new .45-caliber cartridge designed to which magazine pistol manufacturers were invited to adapt an

gger pull varies from 4 to 8 pounds, the barrel from 4 to 7? inches in length, and the weight from

, and taking the same ammunition. They have passed the prescribed series of tests as established by the United States g

may then be extracted simultaneously by pushing back the extractor rod. The Smith & Wesson has an additional hinge-locking device in front of the cylinder. The Colt has an automat

large caliber revolvers. Its action and general lines are the same as the

and .44 caliber, respectively. The ammunition for these arms was formerly loaded with black powder; but smokeless cartr

rated by raising a catch in front of the hammer. It is easy to manipulate and, on account of the accessibility of

WESSON 38 cal. M

ch barrel; weigh

T ARMY SPEC

barrel; weight, 2

ESSON .44 cal. M

nch barrel; wei

to that of the .38-caliber revolver shown in F

e Army Special except that it is fitted with adjustable target

on, are capable of making groups of te

nd reliable. 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 revolved by

service weapon. The ammunition for this arm, while less powerful than the .4

The caliber is .455. It has a hinge "tip-up" action, with an automatic

rk IV," or "Service Model," revolver. This model is almost identical with the W. S. Model, except that the barrel is 4 inches long

g the hammer, it can be fired as rapidly as the automatic pistols. It is chambered for the .455 service cart

, Knoble, Bergmann, White-Merrill, Steyr, Mannlicher, Mors and Bayard. Most of these arms were tested by the United States go

T NEW SERVI

barrel; weight, 2 l

WESSON RUSSIAN

h barrel; weight,

T SINGLE AC

barrel; weight, 2 l

n by Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, Bulgaria,

navy in 1911, and the .32-caliber (weight 1 lb. 2 oz.) is now the adopted arm

in magazines which feed them into the breech through the handle. In the Mauser pistol the cartridges are supplied

of about five shots per second. These arms e

r. On account of the special 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

any features essential in a military arm are sacrificed. Delicate adjustable sights are employe

& SCOTT "W. S."

barrel; weight, 2 l

& FOSBURY AUT

arrel; weight, 2 lb

LT AUTOMAT

barrel; weight, 2

n calibers from .22 rim-fire to .38 central-fire. The barrels are generally 10 inches in length and the trigger pull 2 pounds. In the latest approved form these pistols are of .22 caliber specially bored and chambered for the rim-fire, .22 cal

ials and with the greatest care. The fitting and workmanship are superior to that of any other machine

he leading marksmen. This pistol is now supplied only in the No. 35 or "Offhand Target Model," which like the earlier models has a tip-up actio

cartridges. It has a large handle and a heavy barrel. The action is operated when the hammer is at full-cock by throwing back the breech-block with the t

tions that the marksman may desire. Fig. 16 illustrates it conforming to the rules and regulations of the U. S. Revolver Association. It has a strong, durable, tip-up action resemb

BELLUM OR "LUGER"

barrel; weight, 1 l

EY & SCOTT AU

barrel; weight, 2 lb

AUSER AUTO

barrel; weight, 2 l

ame manner as the Adolph-Weber, in which the action of the Martini rif

pecial high velocity cartridge developing a muzzle velocit

ols are capable of placing ten shot

nd inconvenient to manipulate. For this reason they have not become popular. A few of these arms have been made up as breech-loaders, with a tip-up action similar to the Stevens, but op

ying amounts of gas escaping from the different chambers of the cylinder, and consequently irregular shooting. The accuracy of the revolver depends largely, too, upon the degree of perfection in which 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 eccentri

bed, with longer barrels, chambered for special cartridges, fitted with target sights

skeletonize the hammer by boring away as much metal as possible and to increase the tensi

MITH & WES

weight, 1 lb.,

VENS PISTOL

weight, 1 lb.,

-REMINGT

weight, 2 lbs.,

d in the annual competitions and other important events. These organizations control the pistol and revolver shooting, and conduct annual competitions. "Freak" arms which do not comply with the ru

or lighter charges. All projections, such as sights, hammer, etc., must be eliminated or minimized so as not to catch in drawing the arm from the pocket or holster. The barrels are usually from 3 to 5 inches in length, the trigger pull 4 pounds a

Figs. 1 and 2. They have solid frames and actions identical with those of the military arms. The Smit

ightly larger and heavier and can be had chambered for the power

mproved model of this popular pocket weapon, having

DOLPH WEB

; weight, 2 lbs

STINNE-REN

el; weight, 2 lb

T AUTOMATIC

h barrel; weight,

POLICE POSI

barrel; weight, 1

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 poc

et weapons are capable of shooting regu

arm is chambered for the Colt .41 caliber short and long cartridges. It has a solid frame, and is opera

s of barrels; 3 inches with fixed sights and 6 inches with target sights. The Colt is furnished only in one length of barrel, 6 inches, but chambered for any of the rim-fire cartridges, and the .32 caliber short and long Colt, central-fire cartridges.

trips is the Stevens Diamond Model single-shot pistol. It is light i

llow-pointed bullet ammunition should be used, or the regular cartridge, with the front of the bullet cut

e popular as pocket weapons. Such types as have safety devices to prevent discharg

.32 caliber as shown in Fig. 25, and in .25 calib

& WESSON HAND

h barrel; weight,

ESSON DOUBLE ACTIO

h barrel; weight,

WESSON SAFETY H

barrel; weight, 1 l

H & WESSON PO

nch barrel; weigh

automatic indicator showing when the arm is loaded. A recent improvement in this arm is a spur cocking

backed by steel plates. The automatic safety in this arm is located in front of t

tic pistols will be found to have better stopping power and as practical wea

viceable condition for safety in the home (unloaded, magazines misplaced, etc.) and when needed, unfamiliarity with its manipulation not only causes delay in getting it in action but also is a fruitful source of accident. For the purpose referred to in this paragraph a .38 caliber Smith & Wesson Safety Hammerless, a .38 or .32 caliber Colt Police Positive, or a .32 caliber Smith & Wesso

OLICE POSITIVE

rrel; weight, 1 lb., 6

VENS DIAMOND

el; weight, 8

T AUTOMATIC

arrel; weight, 1 lb.,