SELF-DEFENSE WITH THE REVOLVER. 



JACK PATTERN. 



The first requirement is a suitable 

 weapon. If it is to be concealed, a .32 or 

 .38 double action revolver, with 3 or 3^ 

 inch barrel, is most desirable. A ham- 

 merless revolver or one with the thumb 

 piece sawed off, is the best for the pocket, 

 as there is nothing to catch when drawing 

 it. On the other hand, a hammer re- 

 volver is better, for deliberate shooting, 

 because it may be used as a single action. 

 With a little care, however, the trigger of 

 a hammerless may be held back to such an 

 extent while aiming that it will take only 

 a slight squeeze to discharge the revolver. 

 In a country where it is not necessary 

 to conceal a revolver, a .44 W. C. F., 

 or a .44 Russian with 5^ or 6 inch 

 barrel, is the best arm. A Remington 

 double Derringer may be carried com- 

 fortably in the vest pocket, and is 

 effective at close range. 



The next consideration is the right am- 

 munition. For the pocket revolver any 

 black powder factory-loaded, .32 or .38 

 cartridges are all right, but I like U. M. C. 

 smokeless cartridges, with the special self- 

 lubricating bullet, better than any others. 

 For the large revolver, factory-loaded car- 

 tridges are also best. My favorite is the 

 U. M. C. .44 Russian smokeless, with above 

 mentioned bullet. One of the best car- 

 tridges I have ever used is a .44 W. C. F. 

 charged with 11 grains Laflin & Rand 

 sporting rifle smokeless, and an Ideal ex- 

 press bullet. It is not only accurate, but 

 will tear terribly. I have tried slightly 

 hollowing the points of bullets of various 

 calibers with excellent results. 



Carrying the revolver with safety, and 

 so it may be easily drawn is the most im- 

 portant problem of all. The hip pocket 

 offers one of the best places of conceal- 

 ment, but is not so handy as the side pocket 

 of the coat, from which it is possible to 

 shoot without drawing the weapon, 

 thereby taking an enemy completely by 

 surprise. For the large revolver, an ordi- 

 nary holster without flap, fastened on the 

 hip from a belt, is the best method. If the 

 revolver does not have a rebounding ham- 

 mer, always lift the hammer to the safety 

 catch; not half-cock, as some do. Never 

 let the hammer rest on the cartridge, as it 

 may be exploded by a slight blow, and in 

 all probability would be by a fall. 



If it is necessary to shoot at all, get the 

 first shot if possible. This may not seem 

 highly original, for writers on the subject 

 have said the same thing since gunpowder 

 was invented; but it can not be repeated 

 too often. Get the drop on your man and 



hold him quiet, but do not let him come too 

 near, as he may use one of the tricks which 

 I shall describe later; and do not take your 

 eyes off from him. 



Anyone should, with a large, accurate 

 revolver, after a reasonable amount of 

 practice, be able to hit a man in the body 

 at 50 yards with quickness and precision; 

 but shooting in self-defense is usually at 

 distances not exceeding 25 feet. 



When a man has the drop on you and 

 you are within easy reach of him, any of the 

 following tricks may save your life, but 

 they are all desperate resources: With a 



READY TO PULL. 



break-action revolver, if hammer is down, 

 you may, by a quick movement, grasp the 

 thumb catch of the revolver, release it and 

 continue to pull until the revolver is com- 

 pletely opened, thus ejecting the car- 

 tridges. Mr. Walter Winans, in "The 

 Art of Revolver Shooting," suggests grasp- 

 ing the barrel with the thumb under the 

 catch, but I do not find it so effective as 

 the method I have described. Mr. Wi- 

 nans also has a system of ejecting the car- 

 tridges from the new side-ejecting revolv- 

 ers, but it is complicated and rather un- 

 certain. 



With any revolver other than a break- 



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