of the bullet shaved or scraped off, which we believe the reader will see is likely to impair the shooting of the arm. This fault is not found in the Smith & Wesson revolver.

SMITH & WESSON REVOLVER, RUSSIAN MODEL, .44 CALIBRE, SINGLE ACTION.

The arm is operated as follows: Holding the revolver by the handle in the right hand, lift the barrel-catch with the left thumb and forefinger. When the barrel-catch is clear of the barrel the cylinder tips downward, when the cartridges are placed in the chambers the barrel is then swung back into position, when the barrel-catch locks the parts together, the hammer cocked, the arm discharged, then opened as before described, the barrel brought down to a certain point, which acts automatically, and ejects the shells.

SMITH & WESSON REVOLVER, RUSSIAN MODEL, .44 CALIBRE DOUBLE ACTION.

The .32 and .38 calibre revolvers manufactured by this firm are chiefly used for pocket weapons; but some are manufactured with barrels six inches in length, which make excellent target-pistols for 25 or 50 yards’ shooting. As revolver-shooting is becoming so popular in America, probably a more intelligent study of this arm is now being made by marksmen then ever before; and, while the advantages of a solid-framed revolver with a fixed barrel are admitted for certain uses, it seems to be generally admitted that, for fine work, where accuracy is the chief object, no revolver is equal to one which permits of an inspection of the inside of the barrel. Any revolver which takes a cartridge of sufficient power to make it a suitable weapon of defence will foul, with the present ammunition in use, to such an extent as to impair its accuracy after a dozen shots, and many individuals believe with a less number. It is therefore the custom of all the best revolver-shots the writer has ever met, when using full charges, and wishing to do fine work, to clean the inside of the barrel as often as every ten shots; and, from the difficulty often experienced in removing the adamantine-like crust which adheres to the inside of the barrel, we believe we are correct in asserting that a majority of revolver-shooters, when they are fully aware of the necessity for keeping the barrel clean, will select a revolver which permits of the cleaning-brush being passed through the barrel from the breach end, and thorough inspection of the barrel, which can be done so readily and satisfactorily in the Smith & Wesson revolver. It would seem from the fact that nearly every manufacturer of the cheaper grades of revolvers, manufactured in such enormous quantities for the masses, have imitated the action of Smith & Wesson, which seems to show that this principle is most in demand by the trade.

Revolvers with a barrel of five inches, or less, in length are generally classed as pocket revolvers, and those of the Smith & Wesson make are accurate up to twenty yards; doubtless good shooting can be done at a longer distance, depending entirely upon what the shooter would call fine work; but, as one or two additional inches in length make the arm capable of doing so much finer work, that most revolver-shooters readily perceive the difference, and, waiving the convenience of a revolver with a five-inch barrel, which can be carried in the pocket, they select one with a barrel not less than six inches, and as the distance of out-of-door revolver-shooting, in America, is from 25 to 50 yards, they have a weapon capable of great accuracy at these distances.

The old American model Smith & Wesson revolver was formerly a great favorite with many who knew what weapon to select to do good work with. Many are in use to-day, and highly valued as a very accurate weapon; but this model has been superseded by a new model army revolver, which is generally known as the .44-cal. Russian model, the name being given on account of the Russian government purchasing 150,000 of this model for her cavalry. This model seems to grow in popularity each year, and many of the best revolver-shots in America have selected it as their choice of weapons. Some time ago when Chevalier Ira Paine, the expert pistol-shot, decided to introduce revolver-shooting as one of the attractions of his exhibitions, he consulted Gastine Renette, the famous pistol-manufacturer of France, as to the best weapon for his purpose. Their object was to find the most accurate revolver which would shoot a light charge at short range, in-doors, avoiding noise and smoke, and a charge powerful enough to do accurate shooting up to fifty yards or more, and be powerful enough to be an army pistol. These two experts spent a great amount of time in this work, firing thousands of shots from a rest, from a vise, and off-hand. Among other things they learned was what the writer found, that, with revolvers of some make, the cylinder not running exactly opposite the barrel, the accuracy was affected; but in all their experiments none came so near perfection as the .44-cal., Russian model, Smith & Wesson revolver, and Chevalier Paine uses that revolver exclusively in his stage work, using a light charge and round ball, and in his out-door shooting the regular charge, always the factory ammunition.

As there are many who wish for a light charge for target-work, but recognize that the 6-inch barrel is necessary, as well as a handle of proper size to grasp, the manufacturers have produced a .32-calibre in this model, which is becoming very popular, for it is very accurate, and has excellent sights for fine work. Among those who select the Smith & Wesson revolver there are a majority who choose the Russian model, a portion selecting the .32-calibre and many the .44-calibre; those who choose the .44 desiring to shoot a weapon which is both powerful and accurate, and the Russian model possesses both of these points. In testing this model .44-calibre for accuracy at a distance of fifty yards, taking six shots for a test, this being the number of chambers in the cylinder, the testers have repeatedly, when shooting the arm with a rest, placed the six shots in a three-inch circle at fifty yards.

A new departure in revolvers is made in the Smith & Wesson Hammerless, Safety Revolver, which has recently been put on the market, and possesses many points of originality and excellence. The inventor of this novel mechanism is Mr. D. B. Wesson, who has previously contributed so much towards developing the American revolver.

A hammerless revolver, a short time ago, would have been considered an unsafe weapon. In this new revolver will be found less liability to accidental discharge than in any weapon of this class we have ever inspected, this being one of the chief objects kept in mind while the inventor developed his mechanism.

A large proportion of the accidents which occur with revolvers arise from carelessly manipulating the hammer or trigger, or from leaving the weapon full-cocked for some child or novice to find and accidentally discharge. The pulls on different revolvers vary to such an extent that when a strange revolver with an outside hammer is in the hands of an expert even an accidental discharge is liable to occur; this is avoided in the new hammerless revolver.

In addition to the visible hammer being the cause of many accidents is the