This is slightly easier, as one is less apt to miss horizontally than vertically.
The “assistance” in this shot is to have the card as much out of dead edge on to you, as the audience will stand without detecting it.
Unless a spectator is absolutely behind the shooter and looking over his right shoulder he cannot see if the card is not absolutely dead edge on.
The duffer’s way of doing this shot is to fire dust shot instead of a bullet.
Hitting the ace of hearts I have already described.
To hit several pips on one card is very difficult. It takes really good shooting even at the five yards’ range to hit the six pips in succession on the six hearts.
Also this cannot be “assisted” in any way unless you fluke one pip when shooting at another with the .22 Colt target automatic pistol (or see Plate 4). When the “gallery ammunition” automatic pistol is invented air filled rubber balls can be put in a row and broken in quick succession. In “assisted” shooting they are made of dark rubber with a minute white bull’s-eye painted on each, and the balls stand in recesses in a screen of the same colour as themselves, so that all but the white spot is invisible.
To the uninitiated it looks as if it is the minute white bull’s-eyes which are hit.
If the air balls are large, the shooting is very easy. If shot is used instead of bullets any one can do this trick but the balls must be far enough apart to avoid breaking two or more balls at one shot.
To snuff a candle if the wick is aimed at requires quick shooting as more than a momentary aim at the wick dazzles the eyes.