The Modern American Pistol and Revolver Part 7

[Ill.u.s.tration: POSITION FORMERLY ADOPTED BY MR. F. E. BENNETT. (From a photograph taken while shooting.)]

At the fall meeting of the Ma.s.sachusetts Rifle a.s.sociation Mr. F. E.

Bennett won the first prize in the revolver compet.i.tion, with the following scores:--

9 10 9 9 7 = 44 8 10 10 9 8 = 45 10 8 7 10 10 = 45 9 9 9 8 10 = 45 10 10 10 8 10 = 48

This made 48 the best 5-shot record.

The next event at this range was the recording of the following 10-shot score at Walnut Hill on Oct. 12, 1887, by Mr. F. E. Bennett:--

10 9 10 9 8 8 10 7 10 9 = 90

This being the best 10-shot record. This shooting was followed by Chevalier Ira Paine, who, in November, 1887, recorded the same aggregate at Walnut Hill.

A week later Mr. F. E. Bennett recorded in a regular match at Walnut Hill an aggregate of 91, which, at the time of closing this chapter, is the best known 10-shot record.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Score of 48 out of a possible 50, in 5 consecutive shots, on Standard American target, at 30 yards, made by Mr. F. E. BENNETT, in a match at Walnut Hill, Ma.s.s., Oct. 6, with a Smith & Wesson Russian-model .44-calibre revolver, and factory ammunition, Union Metallic Cartridge Co.

make. Reduced one-half.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: CHEVALIER IRA A. PAINE'S POSITION. (From a photograph taken while shooting.)]

CHAPTER X.

PISTOL AND REVOLVER SHOOTING AT LONG RANGE.

Pistol and revolver shooting has been almost wholly confined to short range, both in America and Europe. Occasional reports have reached this country of shooting in Austria to a distance of about 400 yards. This shooting was done with heavy single-shot pistols, weighing from three to five pounds, of about .40 calibre, fitted with sights capable of very fine adjustment, with set triggers and appliances to aid in securing good results.

To learn the capabilities of an American-made single-shot pistol, the author ordered a pair of the Remingtons, with 12-inch barrels, .32 calibre, and chambered for the cartridge made by the Winchester Repeating Arms Co. for the .32-calibre repeating rifle; the charge being 20 grains of powder and 115 grains of lead. The sights fitted to these pistols were very crude, and not suitable for the work attempted. With better sights, doubtless much finer results would be chronicled. The first attempt at long-range shooting with these pistols was made by Mr. W. W. Bennett, at Walnut Hill. He shot on the 50-yard Standard American revolver target, at a distance of 75 yards, scoring as follows:--

8 10 5 10 9 10 9 9 8 7 = 85

[Ill.u.s.tration: MR. W. W. BENNETT, EXPERT PISTOL AND REVOLVER SHOT.

(Shooting a Stevens Pistol.)]

Falling back to 100 yards and using the same target, he made the following scores:--

5 7 7 6 8 4 5 9 8 7 = 66 10 5 5 5 10 8 5 5 7 7 = 67

Nineteen of the twenty shots being in a circle of 19-68/100 inches. He then proceeded to the 200-yard firing-point, where military marksmen were practising, and several times scored in ten shots 36 points out of 50.

Considerable difficulty was experienced in sighting on the eight-inch bull's eye at a distance of 200 yards, and a trial was given on the second-cla.s.s target, which has the following dimensions:--

Size of target, 6 x 6 feet.

Bull's-eye, circular, 22 inches in diameter.

Centre, " 38 " "

Inner, " 54 " "

Outer, remainder of target.

The first trial was at a distance of 150 yards, where the following scores were made:--

_Six shots, possible 30._

5 5 5 5 5 4 = 29

_200 yards._

3 5 5 4 5 5 = 27

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mr. B. J. ROBERTSON, Expert Revolver Shot. (Champion of Kentucky, 1887.)]

_250 yards._

3 4 4 3 5 5 = 24

_300 yards._

2 5 2 3 3 5 = 20

_350 yards._

5 5 3 4 3 4 = 24

All of the above shooting was done off-hand, with the right arm fully extended.

It was generally believed among the expert pistol-shots the author has met, that the modern American revolver could not be depended on much beyond 75 yards, and it was thought useless to try to accomplish good work beyond.

On Oct. 27, 1887, Chevalier Paine devoted the entire day, in company with a representative of THE RIFLE, in experimenting with the revolver at Walnut Hill. Among the numerous experiments tried was shooting with Smith & Wesson revolvers, at long range. It was decided to shoot on the second-cla.s.s target, commencing at 125 yards and falling back until it was thought the limit of accuracy with the revolver was found. It was agreed that each one should take sighting-shots at the several distances until the target was. .h.i.t, the first shot striking the target and the following five to count.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mr. WALTER WINANS, EXPERT REVOLVER SHOT.]

The result was as follows:--

REPRESENTATIVE CHEVALIER PAINE. OF THE RIFLE.

_125 yards._ 3 2 5 4 5 5 = 24 2 4 5 5 4 5 = 25

_150 yards._ 3 4 5 5 5 5 = 27 4 4 5 5 4 4 = 26

_200 yards._ 5 2 2 4 0 5 = 18 4 3 3 3 3 4 = 20

_250 yards._ 3 4 5 3 2 3 = 20 4 3 2 4 0 0 = 13

_300 yards._ 4 5 0 0 4 0 = 13 2 0 2 0 2 4 = 10