240 
FOREST AND STREAM 
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Revolver Shooting* 
Deep River, Conn . — Editor Forest and Stream-: It is 
one .of the' seven wonders in the shooting and sporting 
world, that while we have so large a number of crack 
shots with the rifle and shotgun we have so few good 
revolver marksmen. The popularity of the revolver for 
target shooting is advancing, and although many rifle 
clubs hold regular revolver meets, the average non-sport- 
ing citizen is ignorant of this weapon and its use. 
In almost every issue of our daily papers we read of 
the accidental shooting with the pistol. Accidents of this 
character would be greatly lessened if every owner of 
small firearms understood its working mechanism. Ignor- 
ance and, carelessness are the cause of most of these sad 
casualties. 
Never point a firearm at anything you do not intend or 
wish to shoot. Never mind if you know it is empty. 
Remember the many accidents arising from “I didn’t 
know it was loaded.” 
Few^ houses are without a revolver for protection pur- 
poses, and it is, or rather it ought to be, the duty of every 
owner to thoroughly post himself in the care and use of 
the chosen weapon. That universal excuse, _ ‘T am too 
busy,’^ is by no means a pardon for neglecting a duty, 
and even if you are the busiest of all busy men, you still 
have ample time to acquire a knowledge of self-defense, 
so far as it lies within the field of the revolver. It is an 
old saying, “that when you need a pistol you need it 
mighty bad,” which expresses in a few words the desir- 
ability of this knowledge. 
No great amount of practice is necessary to enable one 
to become sufficiently expert to hit a tolerably small figure 
at twenty paces, nor does one require exceptionally good 
eyesight or cast-iron nerves. In fact, the average man or 
woman is in possession of enough good, raw material to 
make a first-rate shot, and by continued practice may be- 
come an expert, or, in the parlance of the gun room, a 
“crack shot.” 
A revolver with a long barrel is the easiest to shoot 
accurately, because the recoil is counteracted by the extra 
weight of the longer barrel. With a two-inch barrel re- 
volver — which size is most generally used — the recoil is 
so great, owing to the lightness of the barrel, that the 
wrist is kicked up, causing the bullet to fly high. This 
tendency may be corrected almost entirely by holding the 
sight lower, i. e., aiming below the mark It is much 
better, however, to purchase a revolver with at least a 
four-inch barrel, as the greater accuracy more than bal- 
ances the slight inconvenience of the extra length and 
weight. 
For target shooting, hunting or where weight and com- 
pactness are only secondary points, a longer barrel should 
be selected. The happy medium is found in the six-inch 
barrel, double-action hammer revolver. 
The caliber or size of the bullet is important. When 
firing upon a living object the bullet must be of a size 
sufficient to so shock and disable such object that it will 
be incapable of injuring the shooter. The larger the 
caliber the more powder is required, and, of course, more 
recoil is felt. Where nitro or smokeless powder is used 
a much higher velocity is obtained and less recoil is felt 
than when using black powder. ,The high velocity de- 
veloped by these newer powders produces a great shock- 
ing or paralyzing effect upon the tissue of animate beings, 
and it is in this smashing power of the nitro powders 
that have given small caliber rifles their high power and 
popularity. 
In the endeavor to become a good revolver shot almost 
all beginners are handicapped by their own particular 
notion of how this practice should be conducted. They 
go ahead and rapidly acquire a certain degree of skill, 
but beyond the mediocrity stage they seldom advance. 
This is because of a too eager and hasty desire to become 
a crack shot in a very short time and overlooking the 
cause and effect of their wild shots. In their hurried 
method they make the same mistakes over and over 
again, when if they used little thought and asked them- 
selves, why do I shoot high, what makes my bullets in- . 
variably go to the left or right of the target? they would 
correct these mistakes and improvement would rapidly 
come to them. 
Another common mistake of the novice is to commence 
shooting with an arm of large caliber. This practice can- 
not be too strongly condemned, for it encourages a vice 
altogether too common with the beginner, and this is 
flinching. Many persons shut their eyes or make a 
startled motion just at the moment of pulling the trigger, 
which throws the sight from the mark and makes the 
bullet fly wild. Nervousness is the principal cause of this 
unsteadiness, which may be cured by using a very light 
powder loadi_.a small caliber arm, or both. 
It is surprising what a little judicious revolver prac- 
tice will do toward steadying a person’s nerves, and by 
training the eye in harmony with the hand, greatly de- 
velop that cool, calculating faculty so desirable in every 
department of human endeavor. The embryo marksman 
will do well to proceed with deliberation, and for the pre- 
liminary tuition strictly follow the few easy directions I 
have outlined. A bit of personal history may make my 
idea more comprehensive. Several years ago I bought a 
revolver, and residing then in a city where lack of space 
forbade actual firing, I adopted a plan for my own in- 
struction which may or may not be original. This 
method consists in simply hanging up a bit of straw 
board — say an inch in diameter — pacing off fifteen or 
more feet, and going through the several firing motions. 
Practice first in a slow, deliberate manner, and when 
the sight exactly covers the pasteboard center, press the 
trigger. After becoming familiar with this style try 
shooting quickly, discharging all the chambers in as 
many seconds. Gradually increase the rapidity of your 
shots, and try shooting from the hip and the elbow. 
These snapping methods will, if carefully followed, great- 
ly assist in developing a quick “snap shot” style, and by 
going over the different motions it is possible to become 
a fair shot without firing a single cartridge. 
When some little progress has been made by the above 
methods a- ball cartridge, preferably with a slight charge 
of powd?E, may be used. Right here the novice usually 
stumbles, and if the error is allowed to pass uncorrected 
no very great skill can be afterward expected. I refer to 
the^ aiming of the revolver, which should demand your 
serious attention. Remember that one must firmly grasp 
the stock and discharge the arm with a firm and steady 
closing of the forefinger. The chief difficulty of the 
learner is in the liability of his bullet to go to the left or 
the right of the mark. The principal cause of this error 
lies almost wholly in the manner of pulling the trigger. 
No hurried movement must be made, and unless the 
finger is compressed free from a jerky motion any con- 
sistent degree of accuracy is impossible to obtain. 
To always hold under the mark may be regarded as 
one of the few rules governing successful revolver shoot- 
ing. As remarked elsewhere, the recoil of the powder 
force throws up the pistol’s muzzle, and to offset this 
tendency the sight should just touch the bottom 
of the target’s center. Pistols and revolvers expressly 
constructed for target shooting are made with a light 
trigger pull and wuth a long barrel. This mode of con- 
struction, i. e., muzzle heavy, practically overcomes any 
deviation from the sigjhted object when the weapon is 
fired. ^ For general service and pocket use a heavy trigger 
pull^ is used, which is, of course, necessary for safety, 
obviating the chance of an accidental discharge. 
The use of the target arm is, of course, confined to 
shooting matches, and as only the practical and useful 
side of revolver shooting lies within the mission of this 
article, my remarks are understood to apply to the regu- 
lation arm. Almost all of the large caliber military and 
service revolvers have a trigger pull of more than a 
pound, while a pound and a half and two-pound pull is 
usually more often found. This means that to discharge 
the arm the finger must actually lift a pound or two- 
pound weight,_ as the case may be. 
I must caution the beginner against a too zealous fol- 
lowing of target shooting, in that the deliberate aim 
makes the shooter slow. The good revolver marksman 
should be able to hit with equal sureness a moving as 
well as a stationary object. While this ability to hit a 
reasonably small object when either you or the object is 
in motion, demands more skill than the foregoing target 
mode, a little practice will do a great deal to increase the 
quick aim so necessary for its accomplishment. 
This rapid shooting style is known as “snap shooting,” 
and by following the hints here given I am confident the 
reader can form an accurate and rapid style. 
Procure a hollow rubber ball of four inches diameter- 
such as children amuse themselves with — and attach a 
length of string to it. By swinging the ball as a pendu- 
lum a simple moving target is made, which is of more 
benefit to promote quickness in the shooter than any 
other target I have used. As one’s hitting capacity im- 
proves the distance from the moving target is increased 
until it is possible to hit with some regularity the object 
at thirty feet. By lengthening or shortening the string 
the ball rnay be made to move slower or quicker at will, 
and by this means it is possible to use almost any size of 
room available for shooting purposes. 
Many other devices, for increasing and developing the 
skill of the marksman, will no doubt suggest themselves 
to the reader. I know that if you have faithfully fol- 
lowed the hints given you will now be in a position to 
carry and use the revolver in an efficient, safe and satis- 
factory manner. Charl es S. Taylor. 
National Rifle Association. 
Iw the Cadet match, open to teams of five from the U. S. 
Military and Naval Academies, or any male university, competitors 
to be undergraduates in good standing, only one team, that of 
Princeton University, appeared, and won the .match by default. 
The distances were 200, 300 and 500yds. Positions, kneeling at 
200yds., prone with head toward target at 300 and 600yds. 
The weather on Sept. 4 was wet and dismal. In the Hale match, 
squadded competition, open to all comers, distance SOOyds., 10 
shots, Capt. A. E. Wells, of New York, won, with a total of 48 
out of 60. -The other winners were: Lieut. Tewes, New j'ersey, 
47; Capt. R. Emon, Ohio, 47; Lieut. Sheppard, New York, 47; 
Lieut. Shaw, United States Infantry, 45; Capt. Price, New Jersey, 
45; Pvt. Simon, Ohio, 44; Capt. Martin, New Jersey, 43; Corp. 
Wright, Maryland, 43; Lieut. Benedict, Ohio, 43; Sergt. Benedict, 
Ohio, 42. There were forty-three contestants. 
In the all-comers’ squadded revolver match, 15 shots, 60yds., de- 
liberate fire, weapon Smith & Wesson .38 military or Colt .38 
army and navy revolver, 41b.:. trigger-pull, the winner was Pvt. 
■ Le Boutillier, Squadron A, New York. He scored 122 out of a 
possible 150. Second was won by Thomas Anderton, Manhattan 
Rifle Club, 122; Corp. Putnam, Squadron A, New York, 120; 
Lieut. Smith, 7th Regt., New York, 120; Lieut. Ranney, 71st Regt., 
New York, 119. 
The carbine five-man team match, military, distances 200 and 
500yds., 7 shots, was won by the second team of the First Troop, 
of the Newark, N. J., National Guard. Their score was 281. The 
Second City Troop, of Philadelphia, was second, with a score of 
277. Third was wpn by the firsf team of the First Troop, Newark. 
The interclub match was for the Rifle Club championship of the 
United States, five-man teams from organizations affiliated with the 
N. R. A. Ten shots per man at 200yds. Any military rifle and 
ail}' ammunition. The highest score was made by the Manhattan 
Rifle and Revolver Association of New York, 226 out of a possible 
250. 
The scores of the winners were: Capt. W. G. Hudson 45, Capt. 
Cook 44, Thomas Anderton 46, W. H. French 48, C. F. Armstrong 
43; total 226. 
The inspectors’ match, 10 shots, distance 600 
and 800yds., 
was 
won by Lieut. K. K. V. 
Casey, of the 71st 
N ew Y ork. 
The 
eighteen contestants made i 
scores as follows: 
600yds. 
800yds. Total. 
Lieut K K V Casey, New York 47 
48 
96 
49 
90 
Capt Winder, Ohio 
47 
43 
90 
Capt Martin, New Jersey., 
50 
40 
90 
I.ieut South, Ohio 
46 
44 
89 
Capt Seaman, Ohio 
45 
42 
87 
Capt Cannon, New Jersey. 
35 
49 
84 
Col Carlton, Florida 
39 
45 
84 
Lieut Benedict, Ohio 
...; 43 
41 
84 
CaptV Bowie, Maryland 
42 
41 
83 
Lieut Cookson, District of 
Columbia 43, 
40 
83 
Lieut Richardson, Ohio..., 
44 
39 
83 
Capt Bell, New Jersey 
' 36 
45 
80 
I.icut Shaw, U. S. A 
42 
38 
80 
Capt Evans, New York 
43 
35 
78 
Lieut Dennison, District 0 
f Columbia. . .40 
37 
77 
Maior Bell, District of Columbia 46 
13 
67 
Capt Graff, New Jersey 
36 
w 
There were seventy six contestants in the Leech cup contest, 
open to all, distances 800, 900 and 1,000yds. Capt. W. H. Richards, 
of Ohio, won with a score of 92 out of 106. Sergt. Leushner, of 
the 74th New York, was second with 89. Other scores were: Capt. 
Martin, New. Jersey, 88; Sergt. Ditmer, U. S. Infantry, 88; Sergt. 
Major Evans, New Jersey, 87; Lieut. Simon, Ohio, 87; Sergt. 
\\ avne, Ohio, 87; Lieut. Reese, U. S. Infantry, 87; Capt. Winder, 
Ohio, 86; Lieut. Tewes, New Jersey, 85; Capt. Bell, New Jersey, 
86; Sergt. Sayre, U. S. Infantry, 86; Capt. Hudson, 84; Capt. Gan- 
non, New Jersey, 83; Corporal Doderlein, New Jersey, 83; Sergt. 
Doyle, New York, 80; Capt. Wells, New York, 80; Lieut. Casey, 
New York, SO; Lieut. Cookson, District of Columbia, SO. 
The Wimbledon cup match, open to citizens and residents of the 
United States, distance _ l,000yds., 20 shots, any rifle, any am- 
jnunition, was won by Lieut. William A. Tewes, of the First New 
Jersey Regiment, with a total of 84, There were ninety- five con- 
testants. Lieut. K. K.„y.3 Casey, of the 7ist New York, was 
secon4 with 79, Capt. Winder, of Ohio, was third, with T?. 
onn regimehtai team match, six-man teams, 10 shots at 200 and 
600yds., was won by the team of the First Regiment of New Jer- 
sey- The score was 516. This contest was for the interstate trophy. 
The regimental skirmish match, six-man teams, had seventeen 
contestants. Conditions, two skirmish runs of 20 shots each. 
Prize the Dupont cup, value $260. The U. S. Marine Corps won. 
On their first run they scored 469: on the second, 464. 
The President’s match, for the military championship of the 
United States, wds open to all members of the Army, Navy, 
Marine Corps, Naval Reserve, State Militia or National Guard. 
Rifle, U. S. Army service, any ammunition. Distances, 200, 500, 
600, 800 and 1,000 yards, slow fire; 7 shots at each distance. One 
.^irmish run of 20 shots. This match was won by Sergt. C. F. 
Orr, of Ohio, with a total of 292. 
Ohio Rifle Notes. 
The annual reunion of the Preble County Deer Hunters’ Associ- 
ation and the Preble County Rifle Club, held at Eaton on Sept. 1. 
was a big success. Over 100 riflemen were present, and over 700 
shots were fired. All the rifle clubs for fifty miles around were 
represented. The shooting began at 10 A. M., and lasted until 6 
P. M. Abner N. Clemmer won the greatest honor of the day, the 
high aggregate score in the eight matches, 85, possible 96. In 
the Preble County Rifle Club medal match. Geo. W. Izor made 
the remarkable score of four straight centers, making the possible 
48, and winning the medal. The shooting was on the Creedmoor 
target. This score has been made but once before on the range, 
the first time by Ed. Vance. Mr. Izor wears seven medals won 
in other matches on this range. Other high scores, 100yds., 
oft'hand, 4 shots, were: J. Johnson and M. Pence, 44 each; L. 
Platt, A. N. Clemmer, B. W. Jones, L. Leiber, J. Poss, S. Lee 
and M. T. Hampton, 43 each; Omar Parker and G. O. Chrismer, 
42 each. The twenty-nine cash prizes ranged from $4.50 to 40 cents. 
At the business meeting the following were elected officers: A. 
N. Clemmer, President; Alonzo >N. Eikenberry, Vice-President; 
Ed. Wysong, Treasurer; Joseph Poos, Secretary. The next 
meeting will be held on the range at Eaton, Friday, Dec. 1. 
The annual reunion of the Preble County Deer Hunters’ Associ- 
ation was held at Eaton on Sept. 1. The shooting was at 100yds. 
offhand, animal targets, one shot on each, possible 48. Seventy- 
one riflemen took part. E. W. Davies was high with 44; A. N. 
Clemmer, second, 42; A. Rhodes and F. L. Burr, 40 each; L. 
Leiber, G. E. Garreth and L. Eikenberry, 39 each ; G. R. Decker, 
L. Platt and C. J. Chrismer, 38 each. Then merchandise prizes 
were given in the contests on each of the animal targets. A 
business meeting was held at noon, when the Secretary’s and 
Treasurer’s reports were read and the following officers elected: 
Abner N. Clemmer, President; Abe Charles, Vice-President; T. 
N. Leach, Treasurer; Joseph Poos, Secretary. The next reunion 
will be held on the first Friday in September, 1906. The first 
prize of the day was given to A. N. Clemmer, who made high 
aggregate score of 85 out of a possible 96 in the shoots of the 
Deer Hunters and Rifle Club. Among the well known rifle shots 
present were “Uncle” Joe Wilson, of Lewisburg; J. F. Beaver, 
Wm. H. Ont, C. W. S. Sander, Less Leiber, W. H. Kerr, D. W. 
Jones, M. T. Hampton, W. L. Jay, Lawrence Mull, of Dayton; 
Geo. W. Izor, G. O. Chrismer, Silas Lee, Jacob W. Lesher, C. 
C. Pitman, Isaac M. Stiver and John Bochner. 
Zcttlef Rifle Qob, 
The programme of the thirty-first annual shooting festival of 
the Zettler Rifle Club, to be held at Union Hill, N. J., Sept. 27 
and 28, can be obtained on application to the Secretary, Lieut. W. 
A. Tewes, 98 Chambers street. New York. Any rifles, with any 
sights (telescopic and magnifying sights included) will be al- 
lowed. High power ammunition or jacketed bullets not allowed. 
Shooting will commence at 10 o’clock, and will close at 6 o’clock. 
Organization Meeting. 
Newark, N. J., Sept. 6 . — Editor Forest and Stream: A meeting 
will be held Sept. 13 at 26 Waverly avenue, Newark, for the pur- 
pose of starting a rifle club. All persons who are interested are 
cordially invited to be present. Meeting at 8 P. M. 
F. Vallentine, Sec’y. 
THE MANY-USE OIL. 
The perfect lubricant for locks and magazine action. — Adv. 
g^spshooimg. 
If yoti want your shoot to be announced here send a 
notice like the following : 
Fixtures. 
13-14. — Allentown, Pa, — The John F. Weiler and Allentown 
R. and G. C. tournament. 
Soph 15-17. — San Francisco, Cal. — The Interstate Association’s 
Pacific Coast Handicap at Targets, under the auspices of the 
San Francisco Trapshooting Association. A. M. Shields, Sec’y. 
Sept. 16.— Rahway, N. J., G. C. shoot. 
Sept. 18-20. — Cincinnati G. C. annual tournament. Arthur Gambell, 
Mgr. 
SepL 20. — Dover, N. H., Sportsmen’s Association prize shoot. 
D. W. Hallam, Sec’y. 
Sept. 23.— Long Island City, N. Y.— Queens County G. C. tourna- 
iMiit. R. H. Gosman, Sec’y. 
Septi^2-23. — Atlantic City, N. J. — Fall shooting tournament. E. 
-lifrSmith, Sec’y. 
Sept.- 22-23. — Medford, Ore., tournament. 
Sept. 27-28. — Bradford, Pa., G. C. tournament. 
Sept, '28. Edgewater, N. J. — Palisade G. C. all-day tournament. 
Sept. 29-30. — Broken Bow, Neb., G. C. tournament. F. Miller, 
Sec’y, Berwyn. 
Oct; 3-4. Kansas City, Mo. — Afro-American Trapshooters’ League 
tournament. T. H. Cohron, Sec’y. 
Oct. 3-4.— Baltimore, Md., Shooting Association tournament. T. 
W. Chew, Sec’y. 
Oct. 3-4. — Louisville, Ky. — Kentucky Trapshooters’ League tourna- 
ment, under auspices of Jefferson County G. C. Frank Pragoff 
Sec’y. ’ 
Oct. 2-3.— Hyannis, Neb., G. C. tournament. L. McCauley Sec’y. 
Oct. 3-5.— New London, la., G. C., shoot; $600 added. Dr.' C. E? 
Cook, Sec’y. x ' 
Oct. 4-6.— Pittsburg, Pa.— Herron Hill G. C. tournament. T. D. 
Bell, Sec’y. 
Oct. 6-7. — Alliance, Neb., G. C. tournament. L. A. Shawrer, Sec’y 
Oct. 9-10.— Indianapolis, lad., G. C. tournament. Wm. Arm- 
strong, Sec’y. , 
Oct. 10-11.— St. Joseph, Mo.— The Missouri and Kansas League of 
Trapshooters. Dr. C. B. Clapp, Sec’y. J-^ague oi 
Oct. 11-12. — Dover, Del., G. C. tournament; open to all amateurs 
W. H. Reed, Sec’y. 
Oct. 18-19.— Ossining, N. Y., G. C. shoot, $50 added. C. G 
Blandford, Capt. 
Oct. 21. — Plainfield, N. J., G. C. merchandise shoot. 
DRIVERS AND TWISTERS* 
Club secretaries are invited to send their scores for 
publication in these columns, also any news notes they 
may care to have published. Mail all such matter to 
Forest and Stream Publishing Company, 346 Broadway, 
New York. Forest and Stream goes to press on Tues-^ 
DAY OF EACH WEEK. 
The Secretary, A. A. Schoverling, writes us that the Palisade 
Gun Club, of Edgewater, N. J., has cancelled the date, Oct. 3, 
of their tournament recently announced. 
»S 
At the shoot of the Newark, Del., Gun Club, Sept. 4, Mr. 
Edward Banks, who recently was champion of Delaware, was 
high average, with a total of 137 out of 145, an average of about 
84.6 per ceat. / 
