Pistol and Revolver Shooting Part 3

There still remains, however, considerable difficulty with the rim-fire smokeless cartridges on account of their liability to rust the inside of the barrel.[7] The novice is therefore cautioned not to use this ammunition until the difficulty of rusting is overcome.

The .25-cal. Stevens is a much more powerful cartridge than any of the preceding, and gives excellent results in the pistol. It is selected by those who wish a more powerful rim-fire cartridge than is furnished in .22 caliber.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 33.]

Rim-fire cartridges in larger caliber than .25 are used for derringers (large-bore, single-shot pocket pistols now seldom used) and inferior grades of revolvers. These cartridges sometimes lack uniformity in caliber when made by different manufacturers, are frequently defective, and discharge occasionally in closing the action of the arm in which they are loaded. They consequently lack the safety, reliability, and accuracy of the corresponding calibers in central-fire ammunition. Rim-fire cartridges cannot be reloaded.

_Central-fire Cartridges._--This type of cartridge has a bra.s.s or copper primer fitted with a skeleton anvil of bra.s.s and charged with a small quant.i.ty of priming composition containing a sensitive explosive for igniting the powder charge. The primer fits water-tight in a socket in the center of the base of the sh.e.l.l. After being discharged, the primer can be renewed and the sh.e.l.l reloaded.

In all the central-fire cartridges the lubrication of the bullet is inside of the sh.e.l.l, rendering the ammunition much more serviceable and less liable to be damaged.

Mantled bullets designated as "metal pointed" and "full metal patched" can be supplied by the ammunition manufacturers for all the central-fire cartridges at a cost of one dollar per thousand more than the regular lead bullets. The mantled bullets do not deform as readily in handling, s.h.i.+pping, etc., and give slightly increased penetration in soft woods, animal tissue, etc., as compared with the plain lead bullet with the same powder charge.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 34.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 35.]

The .32-caliber S. & W. cartridge is adapted to the Smith & Wesson, Colt, or other pocket revolvers. Occasionally single-shot pistols are chambered for this cartridge. It is fairly accurate at ranges up to 50 yds. A gallery charge is furnished in this sh.e.l.l consisting of 4 grains of black powder and a spherical or "round" bullet weighing 47 grains.

The .32-cal. S. & W. Long is more accurate and powerful than the preceding cartridge. It gives excellent results in both the pistol and revolver.

The gallery charge is the same as that of the .32 S. & W.

The .32-caliber Colt New Police is also an accurate cartridge, and was designed specially for the Colt New Police revolver. The flat point adds to its effectiveness. A good gallery charge in this sh.e.l.l consists of a powder charge of 1 grains of Bullseye and the regular bullet.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 36.]

The .32-44 S. & W. and the .38-44 S. & W. were special black powder cartridges designed for the S. & W. Russian Model revolver bored for these calibers. The sh.e.l.ls were uncrimped and the bullets seated inside of the sh.e.l.ls flush with the mouth. A large variety of special bullets of varying weights were designed for these cartridges and much experimentation was done with them. The .38-44 Caliber was originally designed for and largely used by Chevalier Ira A. Paine, the noted pistol shot in his exhibitions.

While these cartridges proved very accurate and were popular when black powder was in general use they are entirely unsuited for smokeless powders and consequently are now seldom used.

The .38 S. & W. is adapted to the Smith & Wesson, Colt, and other pocket revolvers. It is much more powerful than the .32 S. & W., and is consequently more practical and better adapted for a pocket revolver charge. When shot from a 4-inch barrel, groups of ten shots can be made in a 2-inch circle at 20 yards and in a 6-inch circle at 50 yards.

A good gallery or reduced load in this sh.e.l.l is Ideal Bullet No. 358242, 36072, or 360302 with 2 grains of Bullseye powder.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 37.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 38.]

The .38 Colt New Police is almost identical with the .38 S. & W., the only difference being a slightly heavier bullet with a flat point.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 39.]

The .38 Long Colt is adapted to the Colt and S. & W. Military revolvers.

It was the regulation charge of the service weapon of the U. S. Army until 1911. Under service conditions the cartridge was found to have insufficient power, was inaccurate and on account of the deterioration of the powder with which some of the ammunition was loaded it proved most unsatisfactory, especially in the Philippine war.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 40.]

The .38 Smith & Wesson Special cartridge is more powerful than the .38 Long Colt and is exceedingly accurate. From a 6-inch barrel six shots may be placed within a 5-inch circle at 100 yards. Numerous gallery and mid-range charges with special bullets have been designed for this cartridge. It is now the most popular of all the revolver cartridges for target practice. Some of the special bullets are ill.u.s.trated herewith, the numbers being those used in the "Ideal Handbook":

[Ill.u.s.tration:

358242 360345 36072 125 gr. 115 gr. 110 gr.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 41.

360302 360271 360363 112 gr. 150 gr. 70 gr.]

A powder charge of 2 to 2 grains of Bullseye will give good results with any of these bullets. Bullets No. 360345, 360302 and 360271 cut full-size bullet holes in the targets.

The following are some of the special charges supplied by the manufacturers in this sh.e.l.l:

================================================================ Name |Manufacturer|Weight in|Powder |Wt. in | Type | | Grains |Charge |Bullets| Bullet --------------|------------|---------|--------|-------|--------- Gallery |U. M. C. Co.| 5.2 |Black | 70 |Spherical Target |U. M. C. Co.| 2.6 |Bullseye| 130 |R. N.

Colt Special |U. M. C. Co.| 3.4 |Bullseye| 160 |F. N.

Sharp Shoulder|U. M. C. Co.| 2.1 |Bullseye| 122 |F. Head Mid Range |Winchester | 2.0 |Bullseye| 104 |R. N.

Gallery |Winchester | 8.5 |C. P. W.| 70 |R. N.

The .44-caliber Smith & Wesson Russian[8] was the most popular revolver cartridge for target shooting before smokeless powder was introduced.

Since smokeless charges have been adapted to it many expert shots prefer this cartridge in the gallery contests as the large bullet hole is a decided advantage over the smaller calibers at ranges of 20 yards and under. Nearly all the great records in revolver shooting in the past have been made with this cartridge and many important matches have been won with it. A great deal of experimental work has also been done with it, and many reduced charges have been evolved. The Ideal Manufacturing Company can furnish moulds for bullets of the shapes and weights shown in Fig. 43.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 42.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 43.

429336 429251 U.M.C. U.M.C. 429106 255 gr. 256 gr. 110 gr. 130 gr. 175 gr.

429348 429106 429239 429215 429220 176 gr. 160 gr. 125 gr. 205 gr. 175 gr.]

Bullets No. 429336, 429348, and 429220 cut clean, full-size holes in the target. The weight of the powder charge and bullets in grains and the accuracy of the various loads fired from 6-inch barrel are about as follows:

=============================================================== Bullseye |Bullet|Diameter of Circle Enclosing Group of 10 Shots Powder | | ---------|------|---------------------------------------------- | | 20 yds. | 30 yds. | 50 yds. |100 yds.|200 yd.

4.1 | 256 |1 in. |1 in. |1 in. |6 in. |15 in.

2.3 | 110 |1 in. |2 in. | | | 2.7 | 130 |1 in. |2 in. | | | 3.0 | 160 | |2 in. |3 in.| | 2.8 | 176 |1 in. | | | | 3.0 | 175 | |2 in. | | | 2.7 | 125 |1 in. |2 in. | | | 3.2 | 205 | |2 in. |3 in.|7 in. | 2.6 | 175 |1 in. | |3 in. | | ---------------------------------------------------------------

These various loads adapt this sh.e.l.l to almost any conceivable requirement in revolver shooting.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 44.]

The .44 S. & W. Special is the latest and most powerful of the .44-caliber cartridges. It equals the .44 S. & W. Russian in accuracy and is the best proportioned of the heavy revolver cartridges. The reduced and gallery loads of the .44 S. & W. Russian will give equally good results in this sh.e.l.l.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 45.]

The .45 Colt Army is the most powerful of all the revolver cartridges. It was formerly the United States army service ammunition. The charge was so heavy, and the recoil so excessive that it was almost impossible to shoot it without flinching. The smokeless powder charge of 5 grains of Bullseye makes it much more practical and very similar to the .44 S. & W. Special cartridge. Both of these are exceedingly powerful and accurate and suitable for military service.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 46.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 47.]

The caliber of the service ammunition for the revolver of the British army is .455. This is a very accurate cartridge, but not as powerful as the corresponding military cartridges used in this country. A special cylindrical bullet with a deep convex hollow point is furnished in the same sh.e.l.l and is known as the "man stopper."