Pistol and Revolver Shooting Part 20

The more expert men are given advanced practice in snap, double-action, and left-hand shooting, also firing alternately at targets at different distances and at floating objects at unknown distances.

Excellent practical suggestions and information is contained in Chapter V, devoted to Pistol Practice, in "The Landing Force and Small Arms Instructions," edition 1911.

APPENDIX IV

DIGEST OF WAR DEPARTMENT TESTS OF AUTOMATIC PISTOLS

The board of officers appointed by the Secretary of War (Special Order No.

305, Dec. 28, 1906) to test automatic pistols and revolvers met at the Springfield Armory, Springfield, Ma.s.s., on January 15, 1907. The board consisted of: Col. Philip Reade, 23rd Infantry; Maj. Joseph T. d.i.c.kman, 13th Cavalry; Capt. Guy H. Preston, 13th Cavalry; Capt. Ernest D. Scott, Artillery Corps, and Capt. John H. Rice, Ordnance Department.

The weapons referred to the board by the Chief of Ordnance for examination and test with their weights (unloaded) were as follows:

_Automatic Pistols, Caliber .45_ _Lbs._ _Oz._ The Colt 2 2 The Luger 2 8 The Savage 2 3 The k.n.o.ble (single action) 2 11 The k.n.o.ble (double action) 2 10 The Bergmann 2 3 The White-Merrill 2 6

_Double Action Revolvers, Caliber .45_ The Colt 2 7 The Smith & Wesson 2 6

_Automatic Revolver, Caliber .45_ The Webley-Fosbury 2 10

PROGRAMME OF TESTS OF AUTOMATIC PISTOLS[21]

1. Examination of pistol as to design, appearance, balance, suitability for mounted troops, etc.

2. Special examination as to safety features.

3. Dismounting and a.s.sembling. The times required for each of the following operations:

(a) To dismount the breech and magazine mechanism, with the exception of the magazine catch.

(b) To complete dismounting.

(c) To a.s.semble, except the breech and magazine mechanism.

(d) To complete a.s.sembling.

4. The number of--

(a) Pins and screws.

(b) Small springs.

(c) Other parts.

5. The number and kind of tools required to dismount and a.s.semble.

6. Twenty rounds to be fired to observe working of pistol. The above tests will be made with the pistol in the hands of and operated by the inventor or his representative, if present.

7. Velocity at 25 feet, mean of 5 shots.

8. Accuracy and penetration at 75 feet; 10 shots for accuracy, 5 for penetration.

9. Rapidity with accuracy; target 6 by 2 feet, range 100 feet. Number of shots fired to be three times the capacity of clip. Pistol fired from hand. Time and number of hits to be noted in each case. To be conducted by representative of company, if present. Firing to begin with chamber and magazine empty, and clips or holders arranged as desired by firer.

10. Rapidity at will. Same as preceding test, except that the pistol will be fired without aim into a b.u.t.t at short range, and hits will not be considered.

11. Endurance. Pistol will then be fired deliberately 500 rounds as a self-loader, cooling after each 50 rounds.

12. Velocity. Same as paragraph 7, above.

13. Decreased charges. Pistol to be fired 12 rounds as a self-loader with cartridge in which the powder charge has been decreased so that the first four will give pressure of 25 per cent. less, the second four 15 per cent.

less, and the last four 10 per cent. less than the service pressure.

14. Excessive charges. Pistol to be fired 5 times as a single loader, with cartridges in which the charge of powder is increased to produce a pressure in the chamber 25 per cent. greater than the regular pressure.

15. Pierced primers. Pistol will be fired once with a cartridge in which the primer has been thinned so as to insure piercing. Two rounds will then be fired to observe action.

16. Dust. With the mechanism closed and both ends of the barrel tightly corked pistol will be exposed, in a box prepared for that purpose, to a blast of fine sand for one minute. The surplus sand may then be removed by blowing thereon, jarring the piece, or wiping with the bare hand only.

The Magazine should be--

(a) Empty when exposed to dust.

(b) Loaded when exposed to dust.

In both cases pistol should be used as a self-loader, and in the second the cartridge may be removed and wiped, then reloaded. In case of self-loading failures to work in either case the piece will be tried by operating by hand.

17. Rust. The mechanism will be thoroughly cleansed of grease by boiling in a solution of soda, the ends of the barrel tightly corked and the pistol then placed in a saturated solution of sal-ammoniac for five minutes. After being hung up indoors for 22 hours, five shots will be fired into a sand b.u.t.t, using pistol as a self-loader. In case the self-loading mechanism fails to work, the pistol will then be tried by operating by hand.

18. Supplementary Tests. Any piece which successfully pa.s.ses the foregoing tests may be subjected to such supplementary tests, or repet.i.tions of previous ones, to further determine its endurance or other qualities as may be prescribed by the Chief of Ordnance or by the board.

General Remarks. During the above tests the pistol will be entirely in the hands of the board, except when specifically stated otherwise, and no alterations or repairs other than those possible on the ground will be allowed, except by special permission of the board. If the pistol fails in any test the remainder of the programme may be discontinued in the discretion of the board.

In case of misfires the cartridges will be opened to determine cause, and if due to the ammunition the test will be repeated.

The board thoroughly tested the merits of the various arms submitted to them, and reported in 1907 the conclusion that in principle the automatic pistol was better suited for service use than the revolver.

The board also recommended a .45-caliber pistol. At the same time it was stated that the automatic pistol had not been sufficiently developed in reliability to warrant its adoption. A service test was ordered, and the Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company and the Savage Arms Company submitted automatic pistols according to specifications.

Two troops of cavalry were a.s.signed to make this test and the report showed that neither pistol had reached a desired proficiency. The matter was then turned over to the Ordnance Department for further experiment.

Both of the arms companies were given time to improve their pistols under the direction of Brig.-Gen. William Crozier, Chief of Ordnance; Lieut.-Col. John T. Thompson, Ordnance Department, and Capt. Gilbert H.

Stewart, Ordnance Department. After a number of informal tests by these officers, which demonstrated that the arms companies had approached the standard set by the Ordnance Department, a new board of officers was appointed to determine which of the two pistols should be adopted. This board consisted of Majors Kenneth Morton and Walter G. Penfield and Lieutenants C. A. Meals and Arthur D. Minick, Ordnance Department.

Two pistols were submitted to the board, one by the Savage Arms Company, the other by the Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company, and the tests were conducted in March, 1911. The ammunition used was of recent manufacture by the Union Metallic Cartridge Company, had a jacketed 230-grain bullet, and was loaded to give a muzzle velocity of 800 f.s. The weight of the Savage was found to be 2 lbs. 8 oz.; the Colt 2 lbs. 7 oz.

The mechanical safety of both is convenient for operation with the thumb of the firing hand. Time required to complete dismounting, Savage 29.6 seconds, Colt 24.5 seconds.; to a.s.semble, except the magazine, Savage 5 min. 10.5 sec., Colt 4 min. 50 sec.; to complete a.s.sembling, additional time, Savage 28.5 sec., Colt 12.5 sec. The number of parts in each pistol was then counted, and found to be as follows: Total components, Savage 40, including four in magazine; Colt 61, including seven in magazine. The number and kind of tools required to dismount and a.s.semble the pistols were: Colt, one screwdriver; Savage, one combination tool (one screwdriver, two drifts).