Automatic Pistol Shooting: Together with Information on Handling the Duelling Pistol and Revolver

In Short

This 1915 practical manual provides comprehensive instruction on operating, modifying, and accurately firing handguns during a period of rapid firearm evolution. Drawing on decades of world-class target competition and practical experience, the author systematically breaks down the mechanics and marksmanship required for revolvers and emerging automatic pistols. The work outlines exact physical stances, target dynamics, ammunition customization, and the strict safety protocols essential for range competitions, theatrical trick shooting, mounted riding, and personal defence. It remains a definitive historic artifact of early twentieth-century marksmanship, preserved by its uncompromising emphasis on mechanical precision and gun safety.

The Story

The text opens with an urgent appraisal of the firearm landscape in the early twentieth century. The author notes that while the automatic pistol is rapidly replacing the traditional revolver, its early iterations present severe safety hazards and mechanical shortcomings. Because automatics possess heavy trigger-pulls and lack the adaptability for light gallery charges, they demand expert handling and strict safety precautions. The narrative establishes a foundation of baseline maintenance, instructing shooters to clean weapons immediately after use and to meticulously adjust their sights using fine files and vises.

From fundamental maintenance, the focus shifts to the physical discipline of marksmanship. The text details the precise mechanics of the shooter’s stance, the alignment of the feet, the proper grip, and the necessity of squeezing the trigger straight back without jerking. To enforce safety and prevent accidental discharges into the shooter's feet, the author mandates standing behind a narrow wooden table, establishing a non-negotiable firing-line routine.

The progression advances through increasingly complex target scenarios. The author guides the reader from basic twenty-yard stationary targets to dynamic setups, including traversing targets, rapidly disappearing bull's-eyes, and indoor gallery shooting. For each scenario, specific tactics are prescribed: calculating the timing and rhythm of moving targets, selecting low-pressure powders, and avoiding eye strain or fatigue.

Beyond static target ranges, the work expands into specialized and situational handgun applications. It addresses the formal etiquette and deadly realities of pistol duelling, noting that proper timing and dignifying actions reveal whether combatants genuinely seek a kill or wish to resolve an honor dispute safely. It evaluates mounted pistol shooting from horseback, outlining how to train a mount, control the reins with one hand, and select appropriate saddle holsters. The author advocates for handgun proficiency among women, highlighting that a firearm provides an effective means of self-defence without physical strain.

The text demystifies theatrical trick shooting by exposing common staged illusions—such as concealed steel armor and blank-cartridge tricks—while offering genuine, safe target demonstrations for amateurs. Finally, the book concludes with practical, tactical instruction on personal defence. It provides explicit advice on navigating home break-ins, utilizing cover, managing adversary movements, and choosing appropriate calibres, firmly cementing the thesis that technical competence and cool-headed discipline are the ultimate guarantees of safety.

How It Unfolds

Adapting to technological shifts The author outlines the transition from traditional revolvers to modern automatic pistols, highlighting the mechanical dangers and safety requirements of the new weapons. He stresses that careless handlers must avoid automatics entirely.

Mastering sight adjustment and maintenance Detailing the physical care of handguns, the text explains how to bevel sight edges with a file, secure custom sights, and clean barrels immediately after shooting to preserve accuracy.

Establishing the foundational stance The author details the exact body positioning required at the firing line, from foot alignment and left-arm placement to cocking mechanisms and proper table placement for range safety.

Navigating rapid and moving targets Instructions move to timed target scenarios, teaching the shooter how to establish a mental picture of disappearing targets, maintain smooth trigger pressure, and adjust aim for traversing target courses.

Managing range strategy and competition The guide outlines tactics for competitive shooting events like those at Bisley, emphasizing ammunition selection, proper rest intervals, equipment inspection, and strict adherence to official rules without disputing decisions.

Analyzing the mechanics of duelling The text examines the serious nature of pistol duelling, detailing target areas on the opponent's body, legal ramifications across different countries, and the etiquette of purposeful misses.

Executing trick shooting and self-defence The author uncovers the hidden mechanics behind stage shooting, offers genuine exhibition drills, and provides technical strategies for defending oneself against armed intruders or outdoor attackers.

The People

The Author-Expert An elite Olympic champion and competitive marksman who serves as the central voice and guiding authority of the text. Driven by a desire to prevent firearm accidents and elevate marksmanship to an exact science, he demands total mental discipline, rigorous safety compliance, and mechanical care from every shooter. He holds himself and his readers to uncompromising standards, offering first-hand experiences from international competitions, duelling venues, and field tests.

The Novice Shooter The implicit student within the text, whose erratic habits, wild flourishes, and poor trigger control represent the primary threat to range safety. Seeking accuracy and skill, the beginner must unlearn sloppy techniques—such as cocking weapons while pointing them at spectators or jerking the trigger—and adopt the author's strict, methodical routine.

The Stage Assistant A key figure in the exhibition and trick-shooting realm, often vulnerable to poor management or rigged demonstrations. The assistant relies entirely on the marksman's strict adherence to safe practices, specialized low-velocity ammunition, and hidden protective gear like steel thimbles and epaulets to survive high-speed demonstrations.

The Adversary or Intruder The dangerous variable in defensive scenarios and duelling situations. Whether an offensive opponent in a formal duel or a house burglar in the dark, this figure's actions dictate the shooter's tactical responses, forcing the marksman to rely on superior timing, quick decision-making, and defensive cover.

In Its Own Voice

"Always clean your pistol the moment you have finished shooting. If you leave it over till the next day, you may as well throw it away as expect to win prizes with it."

This warning underscores the author's belief that flawless maintenance is the absolute prerequisite for accuracy.

"By my system of having a table in front of the shooter, close to which he stands, and from which he lifts the pistol, he cannot shoot down into his feet."

The text highlights practical structural safeguards designed to prevent the frequent accidents caused by improper gun handling.

"A pistol puts the weakest woman, who is a good shot, on an equality with the strongest man."

Here, the author frames firearm proficiency as a practical, empowering tool for personal protection regardless of physical strength.

What It's Really About

Beneath its detailed technical instructions and ballistics advice, the book is an argument for personal responsibility, self-mastery, and respect for mechanical force. The author views the firearm not as an instrument of reckless power, but as a precision tool that demands rigorous discipline, technical knowledge, and total emotional control. Through every chapter, the text wrestles with the dangerous gap between ignorance and expertise. It continually asserts that safety is not an inherent feature of a gun, but a deliberate practice maintained by the shooter. Whether analyzing competitive target shooting, formal duelling, or home defense, the work emphasizes that composure, ethical restraint, and meticulous preparation are what ultimately separate the true expert from a liability.

Why Read It Today

This work appeals directly to military historians, historical firearms enthusiasts, competitive shooters, and readers interested in early twentieth-century sportsmanship. Reading it offers an authentic, highly detailed look into the mechanics, subculture, and safety philosophies of an era when modern semi-automatic technology was first reshaping marksmanship. The prose is clean, direct, and remarkably precise, carrying the distinct voice of a world-class practitioner who values clarity over unnecessary decoration.

Modern readers should be prepared for period-specific elements, including casual references to duelling as a viable code of honor, antique ballistics terminology, and early twentieth-century social assumptions. However, these historical aspects only enhance the text's value as a primary document. What stays with the reader is the author's timeless insistence on safety, deliberate practice, and absolute focus—principles that remain just as relevant to marksmanship today as they were in 1915.