CHAPTER LXIII

SIMPLIFICATION

It is human nature to keep on in the same old groove, to try to avoid change, even if that change is for the better. This habit is owing to it being so much easier not to have to think for oneself but merely to do as you see others do.

But following convention is not progress.

Convention is the deadly enemy of progress. Simplification is the twin sister of progress. All improvements are the result of simplification, not of elaboration.

The public when they see some very elaborate invention say “how clever,” but the really clever inventor is the one who can make a simple apparatus do the work that formerly could be done only by a much more complicated apparatus, or even took several apparatuses to accomplish.

The Universe appears to consist of endless variety, but the more it is studied (whatever else remains a mystery), this one fact becomes plainer and plainer.

Everything acts in unison.

The Universe is One Perfect Whole.

The Universe can, even with our limited knowledge, be reduced to a few simple elements, governed by a few simple “laws.”

It is, from a solar system, to a sub-microscopical organism, subject to the same “laws” and working as one whole.

Probably, it will be ultimately discovered that there is only one “Law” and one Element in the Universe.

All has to obey this “Law,” there is no such thing as “luck,” “chance,” or destruction. All has always existed through incessant permutation; and will exist, from all eternity, through all eternity.

The ancients, and the modern Mahometans knew this. The ancients called it _Fate_, the Moslems call it _Kismet_. If a man tries to make an automatic pistol contrary to the Laws of Nature, it naturally will not operate properly, he loses his temper, says it is just his luck, but he reasons wrongly.

If he studies the laws of mechanics, which are one form of the Law of Nature, and complies with them, his pistol will act properly; if not and he is ignorant of the laws of mechanics, his pistol will not act properly; it is not his “hard luck” but simply that he is trying vainly to work against Nature, and Fate holds him in a steel grip.

If he obeys the Laws of Nature, which are another name for Fate, he can go on like a train following its rails, but he can no more make a pistol constructed on wrong principle function properly than he can stop the sun in its course.

Simplification is the goal to be striven for in pistol shooting as it is in sculpture.

I saw two men, as I was writing the above, mowing a field.

One, an elderly man, was working in the conventional manner, cutting short deep swaths with a half blunt scythe set at the wrong angle to the handle, working in a cramped position.

The other, a young man, was examining his scythe.

He altered the blade at an acuter angle to the handle and gave it a twist sideways so that the cutting edge should lie horizontal when in use.

Then he sharpened the blade as carefully as he would strop a razor.

Putting himself into a firm position so that he could swing from the hips as an athlete about to throw the discus would, he made long clean sweeps with his scythe, taking a short depth, but this with a clean cut, and the cut grass thrown clear to the side, his return being only just clear of the grass, like a good sculler feathering.

At the least sign of bad cutting, he re-sharpened the scythe.

Although I know nothing of mowing, I could see at once that this was an artist and a workman at his job, and one who used his brains and took a pride in doing good work.

I asked if he was not the champion mower of the district. I was answered “not at all--he is only the carpenter.”

This is the sort of man who invents.

He diagnoses faults and thinks out how to correct them. He did not, like the other man who had been mowing all his life, work as his father and grandfather had done, because it was the conventional manner. He thought out for himself and improved by simplification.

It is evident that the cut should come on gradually, not jump into a thick bunch of grass all at once, so he set the blade at an angle which made its entry into the grass deeper progressively, and so on with all the rest.

The inventor who knows his business, when he has made something to accomplish its object, does not rest there. This is only the “blocking out” as we sculptors call it.

Then he begins to simplify.

Anything not absolutely necessary is eliminated; he sees if some member cannot be dispensed with by making another fulfil two or even more functions.

This is how Nature works, many organs have several functions; the function of our tongues is not only speech but to help swallowing, to judge if what we put into our mouths is too hot or too cold to swallow, if it is fit for food, or corrosive, etc.

The automatic pistol is still capable of great improvement.

All the recoil is not made use of, some is wasted and diverts the aim by jumping the pistol about.

The noise of the discharge is an evil, it ought to be made to do work, not deafen.

To invent a sound-deadener to put on the pistol is working on wrong lines; it is not simplification but it is complication.

Instead of first making a noise and then inventing something to destroy that noise, why not avoid making that noise?

The idea that ugliness does not matter is also a fallacy.

I was objecting to a pistol a man was shooting (and of which he asked my opinion), on the ground that it was so ugly. “What has ugliness to do with a pistol?” he said. “In my opinion, everything,” I answered.

Nothing correct mechanically is ugly, that is the Law of Nature.

The early, impractical, automatic pistols were extremely ugly; the best at present, the U. S. Army Colt, has graceful lines, and the perfect one will be beautiful.

The essence of architecture is beauty in utility.

Look at a first class hand made gun built by an Artist; it has the graceful lines of a classical piece of sculpture.

An automatic pistol should be as simple as possible, the simpler the less likely to go wrong.

The supposed antagonism between Art and Mechanics, between Science and Religion are imaginary.

If we simplify Art to its essential essence and perfection as the Ancient Greeks did--what do we find?

Sculpture is proportion and the essential planes.

What else is mechanics?

Science reduces all to the ONE UNIVERSAL FIRST CAUSE, and this is also the foundation of all religion.

In pistol shooting, all resolves itself into aligning the pistol and discharging the bullet.

The shortest distance from one point to another is the straight line.

Therefore do not “flourish” or “brandish” the pistol up and down before discharging it.

Merely bring it to alignment and discharge it in so doing.

Time is wasted if the trigger is pressed after alignment. Therefore begin pressing the trigger as the pistol is coming to the level.

This is the whole art of pistol shooting.

The way to advance any art, however humble, is for each to help the other with his experience.

Nothing is so inimical to success as convention.

All progress is made on the lines of pruning off all not absolutely essential, in other words by simplification.

APPENDIX A

I think it advisable to give the following World’s Records made by myself with revolvers and black powder as they are now unbeatable, the weapons and cartridges being obsolete.

They stand in the same category as the “high wheel” trotting records.

If there were similar records, diagrams, and details of scores made with sling, long bow, crossbow, Persian bow, American Indian bow, blow pipe, javelin, matchlock, wheellock, etc., available, of what inestimable value they would be to the historian and archeologist.

Instead, for want of such records, all knowledge of the capabilities of these weapons is vague and legendary.

Under each diagram I give all details. Most of diagrams are the actual size and all have the position of each bullet-hole accurately shown.

APPENDIX B

THE LAW RELATING TO REVOLVERS AND REVOLVER SHOOTING IN GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND

It is perhaps advisable to explain something about the right of carrying revolvers in England, and the using them in cases of necessity, and first it should be explained that a revolver is a gun so far as the Gun License Act of 1870 (33 and 34 Vict. c. 57) is concerned, and that a license fee of 10/ per annum has to be paid for the privilege of carrying or using one, though a license to kill game includes the lesser gun license. In fact it has ever been held that a small toy pocket pistol is a firearm for the purpose of the Act. There are various exceptions to the necessity of taking out this license, and it may be as well to enumerate them, especially as many people keep revolvers in their houses and would be astonished if they thought that a gun license was necessary for the so doing--but it is not, so long as the revolver is kept or used in a dwelling house, or the curtilage of a dwelling house. This is one of the exceptions to the Act, and a very proper and necessary exception it is, for it would be most unreasonable to enact that the mere keeping a revolver for the purposes of protection should compel one to take out an annual license. Moreover the enforcement of such a restriction would be almost impossible without an inquisitorial search through every house. Probably because there is very little reason for carrying a revolver about with one in this country the exception does not apply to the so doing, and the mere taking a revolver across the street would technically compel the taking out a license. The curtilage of a house is much the same as its courtyard, and would no doubt include a yard and garden adjoining the house, but not a field beyond.

Further exceptions are that no penalty is to be incurred by any person in the naval, military, or volunteer service, or in the constabulary or other police force, but it should be noted that this exception applies only where the person claiming it is in the performance of a duty or in target practice, so that the policeman or volunteer off duty would still be subject to the obligation of having a license.

Another exception is that of any one carrying a firearm belonging to a person having a license or certificate to kill game or having a gun license, if he is carrying it by order of, or for the use of, such licensed or certificated person, only he is bound to give his name and address and the name and address of his employer if called upon.

The occupier of lands using or carrying a firearm for the purpose only of scaring birds or killing vermin on such lands is exempt too, as also any one using or carrying a firearm for the same purpose on any lands by order of the occupier, if the latter has a game license or certificate, or a gun license. Again, a gunsmith or his servant carrying a firearm in the ordinary course of trade, or testing it in a special place, need not have a license.

Lastly, a common carrier carrying a revolver in the ordinary course of business is exempt.

To show how strict the law is, it may be added that the killing of vermin, which, as above mentioned, is allowed without a license does not include rabbits.

As the penalty is £10 for carrying firearms without a license, I have thought it advisable to enlarge somewhat fully on the above topic.

There are also various penalties and punishments which may be imposed upon persons misbehaving while in the possession of loaded firearms, or wantonly discharging them. Thus any one who is in possession of a loaded firearm and is found to be drunk, may be apprehended, and is liable to a penalty not exceeding 40/, or, in the discretion of the Court, to imprisonment with or without hard labour for not more than one month.

Then, any person who in the streets of a town wantonly discharges any firearm to the obstruction, annoyance, or danger of the residents or passengers, is liable to a penalty not exceeding 40/ for each offence, or, in the discretion of the justices, to imprisonment for not more than fourteen days (no hard labour).

It is hardly necessary to say that the wrongful use of a revolver as an offensive weapon is very heavily punished, it being provided that any one who shoots at a person or attempts, by drawing a trigger or in any other manner, to discharge any kind of loaded arms at a person with intent to commit murder, is guilty of felony and liable to penal servitude for life, or any less term, or to imprisonment for not more than two years with or without hard labour and solitary confinement.

Again, any one who unlawfully and maliciously wounds, or causes any grievous bodily harm to any person, or who shoots at any person, or who by drawing a trigger or in any other manner attempts to discharge any kind of loaded arms at a person, with intent in any of these cases to maim, disfigure, or disable any person, or to do some other grievous bodily harm to any person, or with intent to resist or prevent the lawful apprehension or detainer of any person, is liable to penal servitude for life or for not less than three years or to imprisonment for not more than two years with or without hard labour and solitary confinement. “Loaded arms” are defined as “any gun, pistol, or other arms which shall be loaded in the barrel with gunpowder or any other explosive substance, and ball, shot, slug, or other destructive material, although the attempt to discharge the same may fail for want of proper priming, or from any other cause.” Finally, any one who unlawfully and maliciously wounds or inflicts any grievous bodily harm upon any person with or without any weapon or instrument, is liable to penal servitude for three years, or to imprisonment for not more than two years with or without hard labour. The words “unlawfully and maliciously” are difficult to construe, and therefore it may be well to state that a man who fired in the direction of a punt, in order to deter the occupant from fowling in a particular locality, and wounded him in so doing, was convicted of malicious wounding; and generally that if a wound were to be caused mischievously and without excuse the person who inflicted it would probably be found guilty under this enactment.

So much for the strict offences caused by the improperly carrying or making use of revolvers. Before, however, leaving this subject it will be advisable to enter at a little length into the rights which any one has of using a revolver in self-defence, or in some other analogous manner. Supposing a man has passed through the ordeal of the Gun License Act and is properly and legally carrying a loaded revolver, in what cases of emergency would he be justified in using it? Well, this is a very difficult question to answer, and one which in each event would depend entirely on the circumstances of the particular case. It is therefore impossible for me to lay down any exact principles governing every event of the kind which might happen, and I will content myself with stating a few hypothetical instances and what course of conduct might be adopted in each instance.

There is no doubt on this point, anyhow,--that one is justified in using a loaded revolver in self-defence, where an attack of such a murderous character is made as to threaten one’s own existence, or the infliction of serious bodily harm; and, if the assailant should be killed, yet the using of the revolver and so disposing of him would be deemed as having been justifiable. The same rule would apply to shooting an assassin who was attempting to kill someone else. For instance, if while standing on a railway platform I were to see a man shooting at someone in a railway carriage, and at such distance that I could not actively interfere except by shooting, I should be right in firing at the assailant, and though my shot should prove fatal, still no blame could be attached to me.

How far one is justified in using a revolver in beating off or capturing burglars in one’s house is, as already mentioned, a matter which can only be decided by the facts of the particular case. Assuredly where a man is awakened in the night by the noise of burglars breaking into or already in his house, and seizes his revolver and confronts the robbers, he would be justified in firing if the robbers threatened to attack him, and it is assumed that he would also be right in firing at a robber making off with booty who refused to stop when challenged to do so, if there were no reasonable chance of arresting him in any other way; though in the latter event he should endeavour so to shoot as to cripple rather than kill. Indeed it may be said, extraordinary though the statement may seem, that even in the hurry and skurry of a conflict with burglars the mind should remain calm and collected, so as to judge whether a mortal shot is required, rather than one which will only “wing” the opponent.

In connection with this branch of the subject, the justification of a fatal shot may to some extent depend upon whether the robber was himself armed. If he were, then the killing him would be more easily justifiable than if he were unarmed. This is somewhat instanced by the law regarding an assault and battery in self-defence, which is that where there is an assault the person resisting must show that his assault committed in self-defence was not more violent than he in good faith believed to be necessary and committed on reasonable grounds, so that it would not be right to inflict a heavy beating on a person who had only committed a slight assault upon one. So when all danger is past and a man strikes a blow not necessary for his defence, he commits an unjustifiable assault and battery,--and this principle would apply to the preventing of crimes, so that though one might be acting correctly in firing at and killing a man who was murderously assaulting a third person, yet, after the assault had been committed, it might be wrong to kill the murderer if he were only discovered when running away, unless that was the only means of arresting him.

Another point which has sometimes exercised the minds of those in the habit of carrying revolvers is whether they are justified in using such a weapon to put an end to pain on the part of dumb animals where recovery is almost impossible. It may be said generally that no one can with safety interfere in such cases, even with the most benevolent intentions, so that if a horse, dog, or other animal has been so injured as to be suffering extreme agony, yet it would not be legal to put the poor creature out of its misery, unless with the consent of the owner.

The exception has been made by the Injured Animals Act, 1894, but that only empowers a constable to kill a horse, mule, or ass which is so severely injured that it cannot be led away, when the owner is absent or refuses to consent to its destruction, after a certificate has been obtained from a certified veterinary surgeon that the animal is mortally injured or so severely that it is cruel to keep it alive.

The exception that has been introduced by the Act of Parliament passed in 1894 and called “The Injured Animals Act, 1894,” provides for the slaughter, without the owner’s consent, of horses, mules, or asses, in cases of injury so serious as to make it cruel to keep them alive. It does not apply to animals other than those enumerated above, and is hedged round with such restrictions as to render it of little avail. These in brief are as follows: A constable must find the animal so severely injured that it cannot without cruelty be led away, the owner must be absent or refuse to consent to the destruction of the animal, and the constable must obtain the certificate of a veterinary surgeon that the animal is mortally injured, or so severely that it is cruel to keep it alive. After doing all this the constable may kill the animal.

The foregoing statements as to the law are not exhaustive, but they are made with the intention of helping the revolver-carrying section of the public to know what they may be responsible for and on what occasions or emergency they may safely use their weapons. To make sure that no legal error has crept in, these statements have been submitted to Mr. C. Willoughby Williams, of No. 1 Brick Court, Temple, Barrister at Law, who is of opinion that the law as set out is correct.

It will be seen, from what is said above, that if a gun or a game license is obtained, it is not illegal to carry a loaded revolver, so that if any one had to go along a lonely road, or had received a threatening letter which had alarmed him, he would be quite in his right in taking about with him a loaded revolver. It would even be quite right for any one to carry about a loaded revolver in his pocket merely as a protection in case he should be unexpectedly attacked, but any one carrying about with him such an article should be prepared to use it only in cases of great emergency, and should keep a clear head on his shoulders.

Another example of the advantages of carrying a revolver would be if one were attacked by a mad dog. In such a case, if the dog attacked in a ferocious manner, it would be permissible to shoot the dog, but it would not be allowable to shoot a dog on the supposition that he was mad, unless he was attacking one; though, of course, if there were no doubt about the dog’s being mad, then, for the sake of others, it would be wise to shoot him.

Again, if while carrying a revolver any one were passed by a runaway horse, and such horse were about to run over a child, it might be permissible to shoot the horse in order to save the child, if one were too far off to catch hold of the animal. These, however, are all matters of degree, and what would be right and proper to do in one case might in a case almost similar be quite wrong.

* * * * *

NOTE.--Since the first edition of this book was issued, the Pistols Act of 1903 has come into force. This Act stops the sale, by retail or by auction, or the letting on hire, of any pistol (which would include a revolver), unless the purchaser has a gun or game license, or is entitled to use or carry a gun without such license, or unless the purchaser shows that he purposes to use the pistol only in his own house or the curtilage thereof, or that he is about to proceed abroad for a period of not less than six months. The Act also prevents the sale or hiring out of a pistol to a person under the age of 18 years, and places a very heavy penalty on any one knowingly selling a pistol to a person who is intoxicated or not of sound mind.

APPENDIX C

THE LAW OF CARRYING WEAPONS IN THE UNITED STATES

The statutes of the various States upon the subject of carrying weapons are substantially similar, the main differences relating to the persons exempted from their operation, and to the manner of carrying the weapon, some making it an offence to carry the weapon at all, whether concealed or not; others prohibiting the carrying of concealed weapons only.

These statutes have been held to be police regulations, and not to conflict with the constitutional right of the people to keep and bear arms.

Weapons are considered to be concealed, within the intent of the statutes, when they cannot be readily seen by ordinary observation.

In some of the States, as in Kentucky, Louisiana, and Missouri, the carrying of “deadly” or “dangerous” weapons is prohibited. Most of the States, however, specify the weapons prohibited. Such weapons as pistols, dirks, butchers’ or bowie knives, stilettos, daggers, swords, brass knuckles, razors, slugs, etc., are usually specified in nearly all of the statutes.

Officers of the law are usually exempted from the operation of the statutes. The officers must, however, be duly appointed, and in the discharge of their duties at the time of carrying the weapons.

Persons who are threatened with bodily harm or who have reasonable grounds to apprehend danger or attack, are usually justified in carrying concealed weapons. It is not every idle threat, however, which would justify one in carrying concealed weapons. The threat must be such as to cause a reasonable apprehension of danger. Examples of this exemption are found in the statutes of Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Texas, Maryland, and West Virginia.

Persons on their own premises are frequently exempted from the operation of the statutes. This is so in Arkansas, North Carolina, and Texas.

Some of the statutes exempt persons who are travelling. This is so in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Texas.

The burden of proving exemption rests usually upon the accused. This has been expressly decided in Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. In Michigan, however, it has been held that the prosecution must prove that the defendant does not fall within one of the exemptions.

INDEX

A

Accidents, 10; from loaded weapons, 21, 160; how to prevent, 26, 33, 58; on the stage, 282, 291

Africa, shooting in, 261

Alcohol, danger from use of, 4, 95, 140, 145

Allowance, 93, 243

Ammunition, 44, 251, 262; blank, 282; Eley, 334, 340, 346; U. M. C., 335, 341, 342, 343, 344, 345, 347

Animals, killing wounded, 305

_Art of Revolver Shooting, The_, quoted, iii., 17, 81, 135, 191, 297; changes made in, 25

“Au Commandemant,” shooting, 227

Author, duelling championship of, 61; running deer championship of, 87; snap shooting score of, 106; member of London Royal Academy, 159; author’s trotting horses, 210; Sika deer shot by the, 271; gold medals won by, 275; trophies modelled by the, 317; sights designed by the, 324; world’s record scores by the, 333-350

Automatic pistol, accuracy of the, 1; the Colt regulation, 2, 45, 80, 84, 133, 200, 212, 231, 233; dangerous to handle, 3, 46, 129; sole weapon in the U. S., 17; how to hold the, 21, 286; inventors of the, 22; danger from recoil, 59; the civilian, 84; the police, 84; the Savage, 84; the Smith & Wesson, 84; the German military, 84; recoil of the, 59, 84, 96, 97; shooting with the, 97, 113; the safety bolt of the, 99; powerful cartridge of the, 109, 251; the U. S. army, 109; description of the, 113, 118; faults of the, 125; the Colt new safety, 128; cleaning and care of the, 152; military automatics, 231, 248; proper ammunition for, 251; the Mauser, 252; use on horseback, 258

Automatic gallery pistols, 260; the Winans model, 263; .22 long barrel Colt, 265; .22 target Colt, 296; capable of improvement, 329; graceful lines of the Colt, 330

B

Balance, 50, 80

Balderston, John Lloyd, quoted, vi.

Barrel, length of, 48

Bavaria, alcohol tests in, 147

Bear, shooting, 261

Bell, Dr. Louis, 317

Big game shooting, 23, 213, 250; in England, 154

Bisley, shooting at, 16, 94, 156, 209, 342, 343, 344, 345, 347, 348, 349

Boar, shooting wild, 228, 250, 261

Brains, shooting requires, 163

“Brandishing and Flourishing,” 3, 29, 59, 282, 330

Breech, the, 118

Bridge, playing at, 55, 140

Brookhart, Major S. W., quoted, 148

Bulleted caps, 50, 51, 52, 56

Bullets, soft lead, 72; drop of, 247; Devilliers, 300, 315

Burglars, frightening, 28; shooting at, 214

Butt, the, 55

Byron, Lord, quoted, 34, 188

C

Carpentier, 188

Cartridges, obsolete types of, 45; the proper, 97; ejection of, 130; cordite used in, 262; duelling pistol, 264

Chantry Bequest, the, 159

Clay pigeons, shooting at, 73, 90

Cleaning, 27, 127, 152

Clip, cartridges in a, 120

Clubs, shooting, 75

Cocking, trials at, 42, 241

Colds, danger from, 218, 228

Colt, the regulation .45, 80, 84, 133, 200, 212, 231, 233; the civilian, 84; the police, 84; new safety, 128; the Derringer, 203; .25 cal. automatic, 205; .22 long-barrelled automatic, 265; .22 target automatic, 296; graceful lines of the, 330

Competitions, the way they are conducted, 9, 78, 266, 313; entering for, 43; Gastinne-Renette, 73, 313; mounted pistol, 256; duelling, 303; police, 317

Condy’s fluid for colouring, 278

Cordite, cartridges of, 262

Crane, R. Newton, quoted, 192

Cuirass, a bullet-proof, 2

D

_Daily Mail_, letter to the, 151

_Daily Mirror_, the, quoted, 191

Deer-stalking, 71, 157, 260

Derringer, the Colt, 203, 252

Devilliers bullet, the, 300, 315

Devonshire, red deer in, 154

Disconnector, the, 128, 238

Distance, judging, 243

_Don Juan_ quoted, 34, 188

Dress, 207

Drinking, harm done by, 4, 95, 140, 145

Duelling, practised on the Continent, 16; position to stand in, 78; distance in, 108, 182, 274; question of, 171; remarks on, 176, 180, 185, 189; swords used in, 177; penalties for, 184; laws on, 192; preparations for, 194; competitions in, 313

Duelling pistols, 16, 47; the Flobert, 49; the Gastinne-Renette, 50, 123, 263, 274; the regulation French, 52, 62, 182; author’s championship with, 61; balance of, 80; sights on, 234, 264; recoil of, 239; .44 used for rabbit stalking, 249; cartridges for the, 264; Sika stag shot with a, 271; use of Devilliers bullet in the, 300

E

Ears, guarding the, 5, 215; Elliott’s Protector for the, 217, 219

Ejection of cartridges, 130

Elliott, J. A. R., Ear Protector, 217, 219

England, revolver in use in, 17, 231; shooting in, 154; duelling in, 191; open air ranges in, 227, 266; law regarding firearms in, 360

English National Rifle Assn., 16, 156

Euclid quoted, 3

Exhibition shooting, 135, 291, 297

Eyes, protecting the, 215

Eyesight, 222

F

Falling bullets, danger from, 10

Faults, correcting, 165

Fencing, 59

_Field_, the, quoted, vi.

_Flanneled Fools_, 6

Flobert pistol, the, 36, 49

Francis, W., chauffeur, 234

Furlong, Dr. W. V., letter from, 151

G

Game shooting, 249; rifle used in, 260, 287

Games, pistol shooting and, 13

Gastinne-Renette, duelling pistols by, 50, 123, 182, 263; gallery of, 54, 267, 270; competitions, 37, 313; prizes, 73, 137, 170, 271, 273; Ira Paine at gallery of, 137; targets used by, 167

Gieve, Mathews & Seagrove, 217

Goggles, use of, 302

Golf, compared with shooting, 5, 55, 266; time wasted at, 6; temper shown at, 140

Grande Medaille d’Or, 73, 137, 170, 271

Greener Killer, the, 310

Grip, how to, 80, 84, 285

H

Hammer head attachment, 84

Hammer, positions of the, 33

Hammerless pistols, 43

High School of Riding, 254

Horse pistols, balance of the, 80

Horseback, shooting from, 253

Horsemanship, 254, 258

Horses, docking, 24; runaway, 288

Horsley, Sir Victor, quoted, 147

How to hold the automatic, 21

Humane Killer, the, 311

I

Inventors of firearms, 123, 320

Irving, Sir Henry, 144

J

Jambing, 69, 84, 127, 153, 232

Jellicoe, Admiral, quoted, 146

K

Killers, the Greener, 310; the Humane, 311

Kipling, R., quoted, 6

Kraeplin, report of Prof., 147

L

Landseer, Sir Edwin, 158

Languages, learning, 18

Law, relating to revolver shooting in Great Britain and Ireland, 351; relating to carrying weapons in the United States, 360

Le Pistolet Club, 70

Lee-Metford, the, 24

Learning to shoot, 53

Literature, shooting in, 280

Lodge, Sir Oliver, quoted, 150

London Royal Academy, the, 159

Long-range shooting, 108

Long-sighted shooters, 20

M

Magazine, the, 97

Maryland, trophy given by the author to the State of, 317

Matador, 255

Mauser automatic pistol, 252

Metronome, the, 103, 272

Military rifles, trigger-pull of, 41; pistol sights, 63; sights of, 156

Moufflon shooting, 252

Muzzle-heavy weapons, 50, 69

N

National Rifle Association, 95

Near-sighted shooters, 20, 85, 222

North London Rifle Club, 336, 337, 341

O

Ogilvy, Captain, quoted, 136

Olympic Games, the, 72, 77, 87, 148, 255

_Outdoor Life_, the, 244

P

Paine, Chevalier Ira, 70, 136, 188, 275

Paris, shooting galleries in, 54

Pennell, Cholmondely, 208

Petty, roundsman, 317

Pigeon shooting, 40

Pistol shooting, unpopularity of, 13; the way to learn, 25

Pistols, duelling, 16, 17, 49, 50, 52, 62, 80, 123, 182, 239, 249, 263, 264; single-shot, 20, 31, 41; American, 51; the .22, 77; shot used in, 73; how to hold, 80, 286; the Colt regulation .45, 80, 84, 133, 200, 212, 231, 233; the civilian, 84; the police, 84; the Savage, 84; the Smith & Wesson, 84; the German military, 84; rifle stocks for, 85; the U. S. Army, 109; description of, 113; vest pocket models, 203; military automatic, 231, 248

Police pistols, 49, 317

Position, the correct, 58, 92

Powder, use of black, 17

Practice, value of, 60, 61

Prizes, the Grande Médaille d’Or, 73, 137, 170, 271; given for shooting roebuck, 157; the King’s Prize, 209; at Gastinne-Renette’s, 271, 273, 314

Purchasing an automatic, advice on, 125, 127

R

Rabbit stalking, 249

Rain, shooting in the, 226

Range, choice of a, 55, 266; the indoor, 268; the open-air, 276

Rapid firing, 100

Recoil, 51; of automatic, 59, 84, 96, 120, 126, 239, 330; of rifle, 261

_Referee_, the, quoted, 190

Revolver, the, 1; no longer used, 56, 242, 318, 333; the .32 pocket, 239; world’s records with the, 333; .45 Colt cavalry, 334; .44 Smith & Wesson, 335, 343, 348, 349; .45 Smith & Wesson, 340, 341, 342, 344, 345, 346, 347; the .38 Smith & Wesson, 349

Ricochets, danger of, 279, 304

Riding, benefit from, 7; expert, 322

Rifle, right kind of, 23; pistol compared with, 111; the military automatic, 119, 125; shooting clubs, 158; in game shooting, 260; modern improved, 261; the .44 Winchester, 262; the .22 automatic Winchester, 265; author’s record at shooting the, 275

Roebuck, shooting the, 157, 246

Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 311

Running deer, the, 93, 95, 125, 156

Running shots, 86, 92

S

Safety bolt, the, 98, 133, 238

Savage, the, 84

Savory & Moore, 217

Scotland, shooting in, 154, 198

Seer, damage to the, 42

Self-defence, shooting for, 132, 212; pistols for, 200, 206

Shooting galleries, 9; the unpopular, 14, 53, 64, 225, 267; the Gastinne-Renette, 54, 267, 270; pistols for, 263; the ideal, 268

Shooting, the instinct of, 8; unpopularity of pistol, 15; big game, 23; exhibition, 135; brains required in, 163; dress, 207; use of spectacles, 215; near-sighted, 20, 85, 222; from horseback, 253; trick, 135, 291

Shot, the No. 7, 74, 305; the No. 8, 201; the No. 10, 294; the No. 5, 305

Shot gun, trigger-pull of the, 40; shooting with the, 90; as sporting firearm, 155

Sights, hind, 20, 21; the U back, 56; the black front, 56, 155, 232; the white bead, 57, 232; learning about, 62; French duelling, 63; the telescope, 250; Winans’ front, 324

Simplification, 326

Single-shot pistols, bad shots from, 20; how to handle the, 31, 41; American, 51; shot from, 73; description of the, 113; cleaning the, 152; .22 used in United States, 249

Smith & Wesson, the, 84; hammerless safety, 98; Ira Paine’s, 188; Russian model, 202, 285; the .44, 335, 343, 348; the .45, 340, 341, 342, 344, 345, 346, 347; the .38, 349

Smoking, harm done by, 4, 95, 140, 142, 145

Snap-shooting, 104, 197, 236, 258

Somersetshire, red deer in, 154

South London Rifle Club, 334, 335, 338, 339

Sport, meaning of, 7

Spoons given as prizes, 13

“Sports,” worship of, 7

Squeeze, the, 99

St. Francis of Assisi, 172

St. George, cross of, 234

St. George Pistol Club, 270

Stock, shape of, 285

Stockholm, games at, 72, 77

Swing shooting, 88, 258

T

Targets, moving, 16; rapid-firing, 16, 345; disappearing, 16, 340, 341, 342; stationary, 17, 86, 276, 334, 335; shooting at, 29; the man, 48, 71, 75, 77, 93, 132; construction of, 56; instruction regarding, 71, 268; animal, 73; mechanical stag, 75; French duelling, 77; the running deer, 93, 95, 125, 156; painters of, 157; the perfect, 166; the Gastinne-Renette, 167, 274; military, 340; traversing, 346, 347; advancing, 348

Temper, control of, 139

Tennis, shooting compared with, 5

Timing, 19, 88, 316; apparatus for, 102

Tobacco, danger from use of, 4, 95, 140, 142, 145

Trajectory, flat, 23

Trick shooting, 291

Trigger-pull, 38; for pistol, 48, 65, 188, 241, 314

Trophies, challenge, 17

Trotting, records, “high wheel,” 17, 333; horses, 210

U

Union Society of London, 189

United States, automatic pistol in the, 17; revolver and rifle teams in the, 148; laws on duelling, 192; .22 single-shot pistol used in, 249; law regarding firearms in the, 360

Unload, how to, 129

V

“Vanoc” quoted, 190

Vise, shooting from a, 57

W

Waistcoat, leather, 208, 229

Walking, steps taken in, 245

Weight, pistol, 46, 49, 116, 240

Williams, Lord Justice Vaughan, quoted, 189

Wimbledon, shooting at, 156, 158, 340, 346

Winans, model automatic, 263; front sights, 324, 345

Winans, Ross, 120

Winchester, the .44 rifle, 262, 294; the .22 automatic rifle, 265, 298

Wind, shooting in the, 226

World’s record scores, 333

Z

Zeiss glasses, 223