CHAPTER XLVIII
JUDGING DISTANCE
With the revolver, which was not usually shot at longer range than fifty yards, judging distance was of little importance.
With a full charge .45 revolver, sighted for twenty yards, the drop of the bullet was not more than about 1½ inches at fifty yards.
With gallery ammunition in a .44 revolver the drop was about 4½ inches.
I am speaking from memory, not from actual calculations or measurements.
The duelling pistol, although shooting the same gallery charge, needs slightly less allowance at fifty yards, as there is none of the escape of gas the revolver has at the cylinder.
There was, therefore, no need to judge distance with a revolver but the automatic pistol with its heavy charge shoots as far as the old time rifles did and so needs knowledge of distance judging on occasions.
Owing to the shortness of the barrel it is very difficult to do accurate shooting at long range, but the pistol itself carries and shoots well up to rifle “midrange” (i. e., five hundred yards).