Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-12-04

mans POCKET In q hurry as could well be
imagined. Many of the double barreled
weapons had bronze barrels, and just be-
fore the war it was a common thing for
funny writers to refer to le-barreled
brass pistols as the type Of untrustworthi-
ness. These weapons were generally of
Belgian make and never had an extended
sale.
ssAn this time the makers of revolvers
had been pushing the sale Of their weapons,
but when one of those old revolvers is
looked at now one does not wonder that the
derringer held its own. The revolvers were
larger and heavier than dueling pistols, and
were of use only on the frontier.
ION the frontier they were, of course,
rapidly adopted, and, because Of the fact
that loading the cylinders with powder and
ball was a slow process, the shooting men
carried extra cylinders ready loaded, which
were substituted for empty ones in time of
need.
''The invention Of metal cartridges was
great thing for pistolmakers. Many curious
weapons were brought out during the war.
One Of the most novel was three-barreled
weapon with the barrels arranged vertical
ly one above the other, while a substantial
bowie blade could be slid out beyond the
muzzles on occasion. The blade was fixed
there by q spring, and the empty pistol then
became a wicked knife. The double bar
relied derringer Of the present time, with
the barrels one on top of the other, was
evolved from this idea.
s.After metal cartridges were adopted the
production of light and efficient revolvers
became possible, and no end Of styles were
brought out. Among host Of worthless
cast-iron affair were few made by firms
that proposed to make the best sort Of
weapons possible, and these few firms are
still in the business. The good revolver
proved so efficient that the use Of derringers
dropped almost entirely. There is only one
firm now engaged in making derrin gers,
and the demand scarcely justifies them IN
continuing the style. Where every gentle
man once carried brace, very few shoot
ing men would now take one as gift, save
as curiosity. And yet for man in close
quarters no weapon is quite 30 efficient as
the big-bored derringer.
"After the war the popularity Of the duel,
save only in isolated districts, was gone, and
the use of duel1ng pistols even In shooting
galleries was abandoned. Revolvers be-
came the popular weapons even In galleries.
But all this time couple Of firms were
manufacturing single barreled pistol that
was much like the old dueling pistol in
shape and weight, and yet used the conven.
lent metal cartridge. Because these single
barreled weapons were extremely accurate
and the cartridges were cheap, say $50 a
thousand, the single-barreled target pistol
has at least held on to the esteem Of enough
sporting men to warrant the continuance
of Its manufacture. There are indications
Of growth of popularity in the future.
There are several features of the target
pistol that especially commend it to the bet
ter class OF sportsmen, the better class as ]
understand the term, including all who
pride themselves more on one head Of gams
killed clean by skillful shooting than on a
score slaughtered by portable cannon AS
rifles among these men increase in popular
ity they will turn to the target pistol to re-
place, or at least go with the rifle for small
game.
There are a mighty few men who have
the skill to do it, but it is possible for a man
to bag as many partridges as he ought to
kill in day with a target pistol only. 1t is
a most admirable weapon for use in the
brush. The birds get up in thick cover II
vertical line, and for an instant before
they dart away furnish beautiful targets.
To reasonable sportsman two birds killed
with pistol would be more satisfactory
than ten killed with shotgun.
THE thing that the gentleman sports
man wants Is recreation rather than much
game, and the handy target pistol is going
to grow in favor with the gentleman sports
man"