It is better to put the candle in a candlestick and cut the candle to a predetermined length, and have the pistol sighted to shoot that much too high.
The aim is then taken at the bottom of the candle in order that the bullet hits the wick, and therefore there is no glare in the eyes from the flame.
The “assisted” way of doing this shot is to have a pair of bellows with nozzle curved at right angles, the side of the bellows towards you made of steel, the nozzle pointed at the candle wick, behind the candle, of course concealed so that when the background is struck the bellows blow the candle out.
I give a number of other shots and other information on exhibition shooting in my Art of Revolver Shooting to which I refer the reader if interested in such shooting.
A most sensational looking shot is a purely “assisted” one.
It is to break two air balls simultaneously with a pistol in each hand. The balls are placed some two inches apart. One pistol is loaded with dust shot, the other with blank ammunition, or even, if the shot charge makes a lot of noise and smoke, the second pistol need not be loaded at all.
Holding the pistol loaded with shot in the right hand, the other in the left hand, aiming between the balls with the one loaded with shot and holding the other alongside it, pull both triggers together, breaking both balls with the pistol loaded with shot.
Tunes are played on a target so arranged that hitting plates either makes the plates ring, or else the plates drive back and strike bells.
These plates are large so as to be easily hit, but the exhibition is “assisted” by small bull’s-eyes on each plate and the audience think these latter are alone hit.
The tunes are usually played with several “pump” repeating .22 rifles, the rifles being changed at each pause in a bar in the tune that the band plays.