All of the above shooting was done off-hand, with the right arm fully extended.
It was generally believed among the expert pistol-shots the author has met, that the modern American revolver could not be depended on much beyond 75 yards, and it was thought useless to try to accomplish good work beyond.
On Oct. 27, 1887, Chevalier Paine devoted the entire day, in company with a representative of The Rifle, in experimenting with the revolver at Walnut Hill. Among the numerous experiments tried was shooting with Smith & Wesson revolvers, at long range. It was decided to shoot on the second-class target, commencing at 125 yards and falling back until it was thought the limit of accuracy with the revolver was found. It was agreed that each one should take sighting-shots at the several distances until the target was hit, the first shot striking the target and the following five to count.
Mr. Walter Winans, Expert Revolver Shot.
The result was as follows:—
| Chevalier Paine. | Representative of The Rifle. | |
| 125 yards. | ||
| 3 2 5 4 5 5 = 24 | 2 4 5 5 4 5 = 25 | |
| 150 yards. | ||
| 3 4 5 5 5 5 = 27 | 4 4 5 5 4 4 = 26 | |
| 200 yards. | ||
| 5 2 2 4 0 5 = 18 | 4 3 3 3 3 4 = 20 | |
| 250 yards. | ||
| 3 4 5 3 2 3 = 20 | 4 3 2 4 0 0 = 13 | |
| 300 yards. | ||
| 4 5 0 0 4 0 = 13 | 2 0 2 0 2 4 = 10 |
In some cases the first sighting-shot struck the target. At 300 yards it took three shots from one party to find the target; at all other times one or two shots were sufficient. The scores given above are not intended to show excellence in marksmanship, but to record the results obtained at the first trial by persons unacquainted with the range of the revolver and the sights. The ammunition used was a condemned lot sent to the range by mistake, but which, doubtless, was better than supposed to be. It had been loaded several years, and the lubricant was hard, and in many cases partially detached from the bullet. After the first score had been secured at the several distances, Chevalier Paine shot at 200 yards, and secured 29 out of a possible 30, making five bull’s-eyes and one centre.