It is as if you have to invent a firearm which would operate if, after each shot, you threw it under a passing railway train.
CHAPTER XXIII
THE MECHANISM OF THE AUTOMATIC PISTOL
What the maker of the automatic pistol has to do is to restrain the sudden smashing blow of the explosion on his mechanism and have it operate gently. (See Plates [13] and [14].)
The safety of the shooter depends greatly on the breech of the pistol not being opened till after the force of the explosion is spent.
If the breech is opened before the force of the explosion is spent, it will drive the cartridge out like a bullet, and the pistol will in fact be shooting from both ends at the same time.
Now will be seen why a very light-charge rifle or pistol is easier to be made a practical automatic firearm.
With a very light charge, the explosive force is so light that, as long as it does not instantly blow the breech open (but retards it ever so slightly), there is no harm done.