Present indications seem to point to the following characteristics, which it is desirable for the arm to possess: A calibre of about .32 (say 8 millimeters); a lead bullet with nickel, steel or copper envelope; a length of barrel, meas ured from the base of the bullet, of about twenty-five- calibers; a bottle shaped cartridge with unusually large but short powder space, to reduce the length of the cartridge as much as posiible, and charged with quick-burning powder; the energy of recoil to be utilized to extract, load and cock; a light pull, say not over four pounds; a cocking device for single-shot firing; a de tachable magazine to hold four to eight cartridges; a simple efficient safety catch, convenient to the touch, but protected against possible disturbance while drawing the pistol or returning it to the holster; a smooth exterior, as free from projections as possible; a strong, powerful grip; lastly, as great simplicity and strength of parts as are consistent with proper lightness and other qualities. What desirable qttalities may be sacrificed to secure absolute efficiency only experience can decide. It is too often forgotten that arms must be suited to those who are to use them, and many desirable features must often be omitted, or their presence may make the weapon almost value less for its designed use.
The United States Revolver Association has recently classified and defined the various styles of pistols and revolvers. For match purposes it has made the following classifications: Military, revolver, any revolver, pocket revolver, magazine pistol and any pistol. A military revolver is defined as a revolver
that has been adopted by any Government for the armament of its Army and Navy, and must conform in model, trigger pull, sights and ammunition to re volvers tised in military service.. Any revolver is defined as a revolver of any calibre, maximum weight, three pounds, maximum length of bore, including cylinder, ten inches. A pocket revolver may be of .32 or .38 calibre, weig,ht not more than twenty-five ounces, and have a maximum length barrel. ex clusive of cylinder, of four inches. A magazine pistol is onc with a magazine other than a revolving magazine, and with a maximum length of bore of ten inches. Any pistol is deszribed as any breech or muzzle loading pistol, with a maximum weight of three pounds, and a maximum length of bore of ten inches. The rules regarding trigger pull are that the minimum shall be four pounds for military revolver, two and one-half pounds for any revolver. four pounds for magazine pistol, two and a half pounds for pocket revolver and two pounds for any pistol. On military and pocket revolvers the front and rear sights must be fixed. On any revolver and any pistol a lateral sliding bar may lie used on rear open Fights. Front and rear sights in any revolver and any pistol must not be more than ten inches apart.