Unless all the parts work freely, a weak cartridge is apt to prevent the pistol closing properly.
When you have learnt the mechanism from the gunmaker you can begin practising shooting with the pistol.
The principal thing you have to remember is that, whereas a single-shot pistol, when you have taken out the cartridge, is unloaded and safe, and a revolver when you have emptied the cylinder is also unloaded and safe, when you have taken out the magazine with its cartridges from an automatic pistol, the pistol may still remain loaded.
With the automatic pistol, when you have drawn back the slide and thereby loaded a cartridge into the barrel, that cartridge remains in still when you withdraw the clip full of cartridges.
I give herewith a description of the Colt New Safety which obviates the danger of leaving a cartridge inadvertently in the automatic pistol.
“Figure 1 shows the pistol in cocked or firing position, magazine withdrawn and cartridge in barrel chamber.
“Figure 2 indicates position of the magazine when inserted in handle of the pistol, and position of firing mechanism when safety-disconnector is forced forward by the inserted magazine.
“When the magazine is removed (see Figure 1), the plunger acted upon by its spring forces the safety-disconnector to the rear. This movement forces the rear end of the connector (A) below the nose of the sear (B) so that should the trigger be pulled, the connection between trigger and sear being broken, that is, the rear end of the connector (A) being below the sear nose (B), the trigger cannot operate the sear, consequently no discharge of the piece can occur.
“When the magazine is inserted into the handle of the pistol (see Figure 2), the curved top of the forward portion of the magazine forces the safety-disconnector forward and permits the rear end of the connector (A) to rise in front of the sear nose (B) in the normal position for firing. A pull on the trigger causes the sear to turn upon its pivot so that the firing pin is released and strikes the cartridge.”
