HINTS ON THE USE
AND
HANDLING OF FIREARMS
GENERALLY, AND
THE REVOLVER
IN PARTICULAR.

BY

LIEUT. H. ONSLOW CURLING,
C. L. A. B.

HINTS ON THE USE AND
HANDLING OF FIREARMS,
&c. &c.

The great drawback has been, and is now, to find suitable ranges anywhere near London. Such ranges, the use of which is enjoyed by our Citizen Army, are insufficient, and the expense of keeping them up is considerable, falling heavily upon the corps to whom they belong.

The National Rifle Association, although they offered some 40l. in prizes, and provided not only revolvers but ammunition, for a small consideration, or entrance fee, met with but poor support; but it should be borne in mind that this was the first year of such a competition, and it was in consequence not generally known of. Very little was known of the movement till it actually took place, and then only when noticed by the press the day after its introduction.

Again, it should be remembered that the entries were restricted to officers, warrant officers, and petty officers, of her Majesty's land and sea forces, and doubtless this restriction accounted for the spare attendance. Every Englishman belonging to the auxiliary forces should hail with pleasure the opportunity offered of making himself master of this useful weapon; one that in skilled hands is most deadly at long or short ranges, and a thorough knowledge of the use of which might at any moment be the means of saving another's life from an opposing force when no other weapon was at hand.

The difficulty in using even an ordinary pistol with accuracy is, and always has been, an acknowledged fact, as it requires great practice to enable a man to make his mark as a crack shot. Some men would perhaps miss a haystack at twenty yards, while others, with little practice, soon become excellent shots at very small objects. It is marvellous the accuracy with which the professional burglar has of late years used his revolver against the police and others; but it may be accounted for by the fact that these men use a small, light weapon, easily carried and much easier wielded than the military regulation revolver, which weighs 2 lbs. 8 oz.; that they invariably take what may be termed flying shots—and it should be remembered that a full-sized man at comparatively close quarters presents a very large target. I venture to affirm that if these burglarious minions of the moon, who make night hideous, were compelled to stand before a Martini-Smith target (a foot square) at twenty yards, with a military regulation revolver, they would make but sorry marksmen.

The use of the military revolver is acknowledged to be a question of great importance, as one not only affecting those who embrace the profession of arms, but those who travel; and as no one knows when he may be called upon, or where he may be, it is imperative that he should gain a thorough knowledge of every minor detail, most useful in the hour of need, and which will enable him not only to protect himself with confidence, but to come to the assistance of the weak should occasion require.

It is to be deplored that what once formed part of the education of a gentleman—i.e. the use of the small sword and broadsword—should have been so thoroughly neglected of late years in this country. That part of the education of youth seems to have become quite a secondary consideration.

General Sir Charles Napier has truly said, 'Young men have all the temptations in the world to pleasure, none to study; consequently, they some day find themselves conspicuous for want of knowledge, not of talent.'

The introduction of the Breech-loader has revolutionised firearms. When we look back upon the extraordinary achievements of arms during the present century, with the comparatively crude weapons then in use as compared with the marvellous inventions of the present moment, it is simply astounding what results were obtained.

The terrible work done by the old Brown Bess, with its unique flint-and-steel lock of its day, at Waterloo and elsewhere, is now matter of history. In those days artillery and cavalry had a chance of existence in the field, they have scarcely any now. The old flint lock, although it has had its day, has done its work well, and is entitled to veneration. Many a noble fellow has bit the dust from its spark, and England's first and greatest battles were fought and won by its aid. The Nipple and Percussion Cap came next into use, and subsequently the Breech-loader; but since Rifles have superseded military smooth-bore weapons, the old spherical ball has been condemned.

The breech-loading rifled arm of the present day may be looked upon as a marvel of modern ingenuity; as combining exquisite manufacture, extraordinary precision, and unequalled range. The latter may be accounted for by the conical shape of the bullet, and the rotary motion given thereto by the grooving of the barrel; and lastly, from the full force of the evolution of gas consequent upon the powder being enclosed in a copper tube which is inserted in the breech when loading the piece.

The barrel of the Breech-loading Rifle is by its own action of firing kept comparatively clean, as compared with the old Muzzle-loader; for with the breech-loader any fouling of the barrel is driven out by the discharge, and the powder in the cartridge is kept perfectly free from any contamination with the moisture adhering to the barrel by its copper case and being inserted in the breech; whereas in the old muzzle-loading weapon the barrel, after the first discharge, becomes lubricated, and consequently a portion of the powder poured down the barrel adhered to its moist sides, thereby becoming deteriorated and decreasing the explosive force. As a weapon of precision the Snider is perhaps preferable to the Martini-Henry; but, of course, this is matter of opinion.

The sportsman of the good old school would be somewhat astonished, and would perhaps feel uncomfortable, upon finding himself armed with a breech-loading fowling-piece of the present day, particularly as prejudices are strong and obstinacy very prevalent among some people, and the keen eye of the old sportsman would view the modern innovation upon his rights—as he would probably call them—with dread, suspicion, and distrust.

It is a fact, even at the present time, that there are many old farmers in England who use their ancient flint-and-steel