Pistol and Revolver Shooting

by A. L. A. Himmelwright

INDEX

INDEX

A
Accidents, [100], [107], [126], [133], [135]
Accuracy of Cartridges, [39]
Accuracy of Revolvers, [23], [46], [50]
Accuracy of Pistols, [29]
Accuracy Muzzle loading Pistols, [14]
Adjusting sights, [132-133]
Aiming, [127-128]
Air space for dense powders, [157]
Annual Matches, [97], [171-180], [197-205]
Ammunition, [37-61], [182]
“Any” Pistol defined, [180]
“Any” Revolver defined, [180]
Arms, [18-36], [182]
Arguments and Controversies, [139]
Artificial Light, [66], [118]
Automatic Pistol, [18], [25], [26], [34], [35]
Automatic Pistol defined, [19]
Automatic Pistol Tests, [206]
Automatic Revolver, [24]
B
Balance of Arms, [125]
Ballistical Table, [60-61]
BB Caps, [135]
Bisley, [93]
Blacking Sights, [141]
“Blazing away” ammunition, [138]
Bore, to measure, [153-154]
Bullet holes, clean cut, [50]
Bullets, exact diameter of, [60], [61]
Bullets, [44], [149-155]
Bullets, flat pointed, [41]
Bullets, hollow pointed, [42]
Bullets, mantled, [44]
Bullets, soft nosed or “dum-dum,” [55]
Bullets, self-lubricating, [52]
Bullets, weight of, [60], [61]
Bullets stuck in barrels, [134]
C
Care in handling arms, [107], [126], [127], [135]
Carlin-Reynolds tests, [74-75]
Carrying arms, [105]
Cartridges, automatic pistol, [54-58]
Cartridges, center fire, [43-61]
Cartridges, rim fire, [39], [43], [60]
Championship matches, [171-180], [197-205]
Charges, [60-61]
Cheap arms to be avoided, [122]

Classification of arms, [180]
Cleaning and care of arms, [143-146], [181]
Cleaning fluids, [144]
Clubs and Ranges, [111-121]
Coaching, [132]
Colt, Colonel, [14]
Competing in matches, [138-143]
Confinement of powder, [158]
Corrosion, [145-146]
Cowboy shooting, [137]
Crimping shells, [39]
D
Disputes, [139]
Disqualification, [139]
Double actions, [126]
Drawing arms, [136]
Duelling, [14]
“Dum-dum” bullets, [55]
E
Equipment and paraphernalia, [140-146]
Exhibition shooting, [18], [31]
Exact diameter of bullets, [60-61]
F
Finish of arms, [124]
Firing, [128-132], [181]
First Pistols, [13]
First Revolver, [14]
Fit of arms, [121]
Fit of bullets, [155]
“Flinching,” [26], [110], [125]
Fluids, cleaning, [144]
Fluxing lead, [150]
Fouling, [37], [52], [54]
Franco-American matches, [79-83]
“Freak arms,” [31]
G
Gallery charges, [47-51]
Gallery ranges, [116-121]
“Gas cutting,” [153]
Gould, A. C., [72]
“Grained gunpowder,” [13]
Grand aggregate medals, [171]
“Gun men,” [137]
Gunsmithing, [213]
H
Handles or stocks, [123-124]
Hardening bullets, [154]
Hat for shooting, [141]
Hints for beginners, [122-146]
Holding position, [131]
Holster weapons, [23]
Hunting charges, [42], [55]
I
International matches, [79-85]
Indoor Revolver championship, [178]
Indoor Pistol championship, [179]
Indoor Pocket Revolver championship, [179]
Indoor Novice match, [180]
Instructions to Officers in charge of U. S. R. A. championship contests, [187]
K
Keeping records, [138]

L
Ladies’ clubs, [109]
Ladies, pistol shooting for, [107-110]
Large calibers, [32], [35], [90], [92]
Leading of barrel, [134]
League, U. S. R. A., [97]
Lesmok Powder, [156]
Long range shooting, [94-95]
Lubricant, [155]
Lubricating bullets, [154], [155]
M
Manipulation, [126-128]
Mantled bullets, [44]
Marking, [114-116], [183]
Match shooting, [139]
Matches and Competitions, [96-98], [138-143], [171-180]
Measuring powder, [161], [162]
Metal cased bullets, [44]
Methods and Customs in conducting U. S. Revolver Association competitions, [184]
Military arms, [20-26]
Military arms, requirements of, [20], [21], [55], [56], [181]
Military championship match, [175]
Military record match, [174]
Military revolver team match, [175]
Misfires, .22-cal., [134]
Moulding bullets, [149-155]
Muzzle loading Pistol, [13]
Muzzle velocities, [58], [60], [61]
Muzzle energy, [60], [61]
N
National Guard revolver practice, [204]
National organizations, [31]
National pistol match, [107-199]
National Rifle Association, [97]
Night shooting, [65-66]
Novice Re-entry match, [180]
O
Oils, [145]
Olympic Games Matches, [83-85]
Opening mouth of shells, [161]
Organized Militia target practice, [204]
Outside lubrication, [41]
P
Paine-Bennett match, [73]
Paine sights, [63]
Patridge sight, [63]
Penetration, [60-61]
Physical condition important, [143]
Pistol championship match, [172], [179]
Pistols, [27-29]
Pistol, definition of, [18-19]
Pistol muzzle loading, [13]
Pistol shooting for ladies, [107-110]
Pocket arms, [31-35], [181]
Pocket Revolver championship match, [176], [179]
Police, Revolver practice for, [99-106]
Position, [127-128], [182]
Possibles, [92]
Powders, [37], [155-159]
Powder charges, [60-61]
Powder measures, [161]
Practice shooting, [94-98]
Practical shooting, [136-137]

Primer difficulty, [42]
Primers, [147]
Proportion of charges, [38]
Protection from rust, [145-146]
Protests, [139], [183]
Pulling the trigger, [129-130]
Pull of trigger, [133]
Q
Qualifications for shooting, [16]
Quick drawing of weapons, [135]
R
Rapidity of fire in automatic pistols, [25]
Rapid fire shooting, [126], [142]
Ranges, [111-121]
Range officers, [139]
Records, [77], [184], [191-196]
Record, definition of, [76]
Reduced charges, [60], [61], [163], [165]
Reloading ammunition, [147-166], [213]
Repairs, [215]
Revolver championship match, [170], [178]
Revolver practice, [94-98]
Revolver practice for the police, [99-106], [132-138]
Revolver, definition of, [18]
Rim fire cartridges, [39-43], [60]
Round bullets, [164]
Rule to correct sights, [132]
Rules, shooting, [106], [120], [121], [127]
Rules and Regulations of the U. S. Revolver Association, [180-191]
Rust, [42], [145], [146]
S
Score, defined, [86]
Scoring, [92], [183]
Second-hand arms, [122]
Selecting arms, [122-123]
Self-lubricating bullets, [52]
Shells, [148], [149], [160]
Shelter for contestants, [112]
Shooting matches, [139], [171-180]
Shooting equipment and paraphernalia, [140-146]
Shooting position, [67-69]
Shooting rules, [106], [120], [121]
Sights, [21], [59], [62], [67], [132], [133], [141], [182]
Sizing bullets, [154-155]
Small bullseyes undesirable, [93]
Smokeless charges, [60-61]
Smokeless powder, [156-159]
Spectacles, [141]
Splatter of bullets, [118]
Sport of pistol shooting, [15]
Spotting, [115]
Squadded competitions, [141]
Standard American target, [86]
Stopping power, [20], [57]
Strain in match shooting, [139]
Supervision, [183]
Supplies, [213]
T
Targets, [86-93], [183]
Target arms, [26-31]
Target, definition of, [86]
Target practice, [94-98], [102-104], [132-138]

Target shooting, [70-85]
Tests, [74-75], [206-212]
Ties, [183]
Timing, [181]
Tin for bullets, [150]
Training, [143]
Trick shooting, [18]
Trigger pull, [124-125], [182]
“Trolleys,” [116]
U
United States Army Medals, [199]
United States Army regulation practice, [200-203]
United States Army Pistol target, [91]
United States Navy regulation practice, [204]
United States Revolver Association, [78-79], [167-191]
U. S. R. A. Bulletin, [167]
""Constitution, [168]
""League Contest, [167], [189-191]
V
Ventilation, [120]
W
War Department Tests of Automatic Pistols, [206-212]
Weather conditions, [141-142]
Winan’s trophy, [76]
Wind, [141], [142]
Winners and scores in past championship matches, [171-180]
Wrong ammunition, [133]

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Footnotes:

[1] The first pistols of which there is any authentic information were made about 1540 by one Caminelleo Vitelli at Pistoia, Italy, from which place the arm took its name.

[2] 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.

[3] See Ordnance Reports, Department of War, Washington, D. C., for complete details of tests, etc.

[4] See Appendix for digest of these tests.

[5] The United States Revolver Association, The National Rifle Association of Great Britain, and the United Shooting Societies of France. For programmes and details, address the secretaries of the respective organizations.

[6] For descriptions and illustrations of this style of shooting, see “The Art of Revolver Shooting,” by Walter Winans (G. P. Putnam’s Sons, New York and London). This elaborate work contains also much detailed information, valuable suggestions, and many interesting personal experiences in relation to revolver shooting.

[7] The difficulty is probably caused by the priming composition used at the present time in smokeless rim-fire ammunition. These compositions vary with different manufacturers, but most of them contain fulminate of mercury, chlorate of potash, powdered glass, etc. The trouble is probably caused principally by the chlorate of potash and perhaps by the fulminate of mercury. At any rate, a corrosive residue is left which attacks the barrel and causes it to rust. A priming composition free from deleterious substances, and which will not leave a corrosive residue, is urgently needed for both rim-fire and center-fire ammunition.

[8] So named after its adoption as the service ammunition of the Russian cavalry.

[9] California Powder Works. This brand of powder is not retailed to small consumers.

[10] Sold by American Specialty Co., 198 Fifth Avenue, New York City.

[11] See “The Modern American Pistol and Revolver,” by A. C. Gould (Bradlee Whidden, Publisher, Boston, Mass.).

[12] See Appendix for Constitution, Annual Matches, Rules and Regulations, etc.

[13] The position of a shot accurately indicated by a marker from a pit or safe place near the target. A disc of sufficient size to be seen easily from the firing point attached to the end of a pole is used for this purpose, the marker placing the disc over the shot hole for a few seconds immediately after each shot is fired.

[14] For a complete detailed description of range construction, including illustrations, practical working drawings, etc., the reader is referred to “Rifle Range Construction,” published by the E. I. du Pont Powder Company, Rifle Smokeless Division, Wilmington, Del.

[15] See Appendix.

[16] Under this subject the author aims to give helpful practical information and advice for the benefit of all who wish to acquire skill in pistol and revolver shooting.

[17] The Ideal Manufacturing Company (Marlin Firearms Co., successors) of New Haven, Conn., publishes a handbook containing full information in regard to moulding bullets, reloading ammunition, tables, and other useful information relating to shooting.

[18] See Gunsmithing, Repairs, etc., in the Appendix.

[19] In 1900 and 1901 the military target with a 4x5-inch elliptical bull’s-eye was used. The bull’s-eye counted 5 and the possible was 375. Since then the Standard American target with the 8-inch bull’s-eye has been used. Prior to 1904 twenty-five shots were fired at each of three ranges—25, 50, and 75 yards. That year the other ranges were discontinued and the 75 shots have since been fired at 50 yards only.

[20] Penalized best shot in this string for over time.

[21] The tests for revolvers were similar, with suitable slight modifications.

[22] Reproduced from “Small Arms Firing Regulation U. S. Navy, 1917.”