The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-12

SHARP REVOLVER SHOOTING,
The Art and Enack of ExceIIing in
an Important Branch of Marks
manshfD.
From the Chicago Record.

From the Chicago Record.
Americans are generally supposed to be
the best shots in the world with a revoi-
YER AS a nation they probably are and
more individuals among them are doubt
less better acquainted with the possl bill
ties of the weapon than among other
races. But 1t remains true, nevertheless,
that the ordinary man who buys a re-
volver knows nothing of the art of shoot
ing with one. He usually buys a self
acting weapon whose five or six cham
bers can be rapidly discharged, and the
dealer loads it for him. If any necessity
arises he pulls the trigger as fast as he
can and the bullets are hurled harmlessly
into space.
If mere accuracy in target shooting is
sought for, the heavy framed revolver of
S2-caliber is easiest to become expert with.
The recoil Is slight and the tendency to
overshoot is greatly lessened. But tar
get shooting with these heavy, Iong-bar-
relied, small caliber weapons is mere gal
lery practice II is not of practical use
and must remain simply as an exhibition
of indoor skill in a particular branch of
revolver shooting. The target shooting
with the 44-caliber revolver, when prac-
ticed in the open and at distances up to
fifty yards, requires great skill All such
shooting is done offhand by the experts
and Walter Winaus, the American revolt
YER shot, is to-day the best diving at this
game. Some members of the Boston re-
volver clubs, however, are credited with
having pushed him close lately in the mat
ter of records. These large weapons can
not, of course, be carried except in a belt
A soldier, expert in their use, would be
doubly effective against an enemy at close
quarters. for the shooting rules, giving
frrnIxT NFia haf & c
tend to produce quickness as well as ac-
curacy in the marksman. The men who
are skilled in this kind of shooting can
plant 44-caliber bullets into a space the
size of a mans body at forty or fifty yards
in rapid succession with rarely miss.
The long barrelled revolvers, 6-inch, Gs-
inch, finch and 7l2-inch, give greater ac-
curacy than the short-barrelled weapons.
Being heavier they do not throw up
so much and are capable of being held
steadier But the difference between shoot
ing with them and with the short pistols
is 50 marked that excellence with either is
a separate and distinct art. To shoot well
with a 215-inch, or Sl2-inch barrel Oft
hand and at ranges from twenty to fifty
yards distance, is a very uncommon &C
comDlishment BY shooting well, l mean
shooting quickly, and with fair degree
of accuracy for nine shots out of ten.
There is nothing very difficult in taking one
hands and making good scores at targets.
This can be learned by practice.
But the ability to shoot offhand with
the short-barrelled guns" holding Tho
weapon in one hand Is a science. 1t is not
10 be mastered by simply thruSting out
the revolver. aiming and firing. Most re-
volvers of this kind and even the long
barrelled ones, are built with rib above
the barrel and high, coarse sight above
the rib, to make up for the tendency Of
the weapon to raise or throw up" In
deliberate target shooting by the novice so
much time is generally taken to get aim
that the hand of the shooter ''wabbles,"
and his shots go far and high. The first
thing to do after getting a revolver is to
clamp it in a wise between two pieces Of
wood, and find out if it is absolutely ac-
curate. If five or six bullets all go about
in the same spot when the revolver is fired,
the gun is all right. Next go 10 first
class gunsmith, and have him reduce the
trigger pull Nearly all revolvers pull
too hard on the trigger.
A hair trigger balance is, of course, to
be avoided but a moderately easy pull Is
highly desirable for the sake of accuracy
The next thing to do is to Apply the prin-
ciples of snap shooting with the revolver
Shoot with both eyes open. Don't try to
drive tacks with a bullet, but do try TO
get so that you can hit a spot as big as a
saucer at ten. twenty. thirty or forty
yards. Practice shooting at all angles,
up and down, sideways, quartering shots,
on the water, straight UP in the tree o.
directly down hill Learn your weapon
thoroughly. Find out just how much It
throws up and instinctively allow for that
raise as you pull the trigger Don't uss
a revolver that shoots to either one side