The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-07-12

ing was done off-hand at fifty yards with
a regulation Colt .3s caliber army re-
volver and government ammunition.
William Amy of the Providence Revol-
yer club shot total of 456 In fifty shots
at fifty yards last year. making 81: 81.
90, go. 90 in his successive strings, which
is going some. This was done for a COM
parison score with those made in the ma
tional competition and was one better
than the record of the national pistol
champion, who made 4oS. So IL Mr. Amy
made this score he would be the national
champion today.
The best pocket revolvers are capable
of doing good work up to twenty yards
and will shoot into a three-inch circle.
Because of the shorter barrel, small size
and necessarily heavy load for defensive
purposes, this class of weapon Is more
difficult to shoot close groups at target.
Having set up your target. here are
an experts directions for learning TO
shoot:
Learn your revolver thoroughly. for
they all have some popularity, shooting
high or low or left or right. Begin at
short range. and with large target and
bullseye. This will give .'ou confidence,
show you where you are shooting. and
save time
AS you become proficient and able to
group most Of the shots in the black
move back little distance, and practice
there until you become master OF this
increased distance. Repeat this until you
are shooting at the regulation distance.
The regular fifty-yard standard or Creed
moor target with eight-inch black is good
TO start with at ten yards.
Take It easy and don't hurry or worry
Above all. do not finch. for this is a
fatal habit. The kick will hot hurt you
If you hold the revolver properly Re
member the danger is at the muzzle end
Keep this end pointed upward and toward
the target.
The most natural position In shooting
at a target is to stand facing a little to
I.C- H. xx-f% 49, fA.x
six to nine inches ahead of the left and
pointing toward the target. Stand up
right, with the weight of the body sup
ported by both legs and well balanced
The left arm may hang at the side. or
the left hand can be placed on the hip
thumb to the front
CRASH the revolver easily. not tightly as
in a wise. which will cause trembling
Slip your forefinger inside the guard and
we'll the front. not touching the trig-
ger. Draw back the hammer with the
thumb. get a good. comfortable hold on
the stock with thumb extended alongside
raise it into position. say twenty degrees
above the target.
Stretch out the arm comfortably, not
quite full length. and lower gradually to
the bottom edge of the bull: keep the
revolver plumb. not canted to one side
or the shot will go in the direction to
which the weapon is inclined. Keep your
eyes on the bull.
Wnen the Slklls tOiiie lilto ililc fnOSl
shooters close the left, sighting with the
right; that is just catching the tip Of the
front sight through the notch in the rear
sight or through the groove in the re-
volver frame and just below the black.
Take a deep breath. hold II and begin a
gradual pressure straight back on the
trigger.
Don't try to pull the trigger. Simply
squeeze the hand together until the ham
mer falls No one can hold perfectly
steady. but practice will enable you in
time to gradually tighten the pressure
on the trigger the sights are in cor
rect position. When the front sight is
too coarse or moves across or away from
the bull'seye stop squeezing and work
into line. increasing the pressure again
at the same time
Do not think about the actual firing Of
the revolver. Watch the bull and the
front sight and keep squeezing. Try to
call your shot: that is. to tell from the
position of the front sight after the dis
charge where the shot should be. Don't
go on banging away ammunition without
knowing why you miss II Is a waste
of time and money. Reason out the
cause of your error and correct II next
time
IF the shot went high just over the
bun IL was because you saw too much
OF the front sight or at the instant of
firing il cut too far into the black and
YOU lost the tip. or you bobbed up
If low. then the reverse. If to the right
or left you probably canted the weapon
or pulled to one side
After you have fired shots go and
examine the target Note whether the
bullet holes tally with your calling OF