Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-10-24
THE DERRISGER PERIOD.

TIE DERRINGER PERIOD.
While shooting men chung to the dueling
pistol for gallery practice, in anticipation of
needing knowledge of il some time, they
could not carry such a weapon around with
them The derringer was accordingly brought
out as pocket pistol. II was short weapon
the barrel being but two and a half inches
long, but in the hands Of the old time gam
blers on the Mississippi steamboats, it was a
deadly weapon. They often fought duels
with derrngers, while in hand-to-h hand con-
ticts derringers were invariably used if any
weapon besides bowie knife were drawn
OF course the fact that the derringer had
but one charge was noted. To make up for
this two were carried. Then double barreled
derringers were introduced, one barrel lying
beside the other, in a shotgun. Conln has
a double barreled hintlock derringer in his
Broadway gallery. The fash pans were on
top OF the barrels. 1t was deliberately en-
graved, but 1t was about rs unhandy a weapon
10 get out Of a mans pocket In a hurry as
could we'll be imagined. Many of the double
barreled weapons had bronze barrels, and
just before the war IL was a common thing
Tor funny writers TO refer TO double barreled
brass pistols as the type Of untrustworthi-
ness. These weapons were generally OF Bel
gisn make and never had an extended sale.
The invention of metal cartridges was a
great thing for pistol makers. Many curious
weapons were brought out during the war
One Of the most novel was a three barreled
weapon with the barrels arranged vertically
one above the other, while a substantial
bowie blade could be slid out beyond the
muZzles on occasion. The blade was fixed
there by spring, and the empty pistol then
became q wicked knife The double barreled
% a..
rels one on top of the other was evolved from
this idea
After metal cartridges were adopted the
production Of light and efficient revolvers
became possible, and no end of styles were
brought out. Among a host of worthless cast
iron affairs were a 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 eff
Gent that the use Of derringers dropped al
most entirely There is only one firm now
engaged in making derringers, and the de-
mand scarcely justifes them in continuing
the style Where every gentleman once car
ried u brace, very few shooting men would
now take one gift, save Is q curiosity.
And yet for a man In close quarters no
weapon Is quite efficient rs the big bored
derringer.
AlEh INK DUEL y DECLINE.
After the war the popularity of the duel,
save only in isolated districts, was gone, and
the use Of dueling pistols even in shooting
galleries was abandoned. Rsvolvers became
the popular weapons even in galleries But
all this time a couple of firms were manufac-
turing a single barreled pistol that was much
like the old dueling pistol in shape and
weight, and vet used the convenient metal
cartridge. Because these single barreled
weapons were extremely accurate and the
cartridges were cheap, say $3.50 thousand,
the single barreled target pistol has at least
held on 10 the esteem OF enough sporting men
70 warrant the continuance OF its manufac-
ture. There are indications Of q growth OF
popularity ia the future. There are several
features OF the target pistol that especially
commend it TO the better class Of sportsmen, |
the better class, as / understand the term,
including all who pride themselves more on |
one bead OF game killed clean by skilful |
shooting than on score slaughtered by a |
portable cannon. As rifles among these men |
increase in popularity they will turn TO the |
target pistol to replace, or at least go with, |
the rife for small game.
There are a mighty few men who have the |
skill TO do it, but It is possible for a man 10
bag as many partridges as he ought 10 kill in
Not "'eh sai bst pistoi only. IL Is a most Il
ea'.sAs-A.'- ---s.s-, fo- IN the hr,.-ha. rs-
birds get up in thick cover In a vertical line
and for an instant before they dart away fur
nish beautiful targets To a reasonable
sportsman two birds killed with a pistol
would be more satisfactory than ten killed
with a shotgun.
With pistol, particularly in the hands of
a beginner, sitting shots are allowable, and
the man who shoots at ducks afoat need have
no fear that he is doing anything unsports-
manlike
That sportsmen want frequently to 20 armed |
for two sorts Of game-tleer and small game |
at once-is shown by the fact that a double |
barreled shotgun that has a third barrel be-
meath for the use Of ball cartridges has a |
large sale. The sportsman with one of these |
can kill partridges until deer is jumped, and |
then he Is ready for the deer The gun, how |
ever, weighs about ten pounds, and that is an |
awful weight to lug
But a seven pound rifle on the shoulder. a |
one pound pistol or two pound pistol on the |
hip OF IN the hand, would by no means tire a |
man as one big weapon does. And vet the
man with the necessary skill would End the
two light weight weapons quite MS efficient as
the one heavy weapon. II he had only mod
crate skill lie would practice till proficient.
The thing that the gentleman sportsman
wants is recreation rather than much game,
and the handy target pistol is going to grow
In favor with the gentleman sportsman.-
New York sun.