1. The automatic pistol, when introduced, brought with it a new set of complications to be mastered in order to secure accurate shooting. True, the general principles for securing accuracy with the revolver are equally applicable to the pistol; the difference is in details. When the pistol replaced the revolver, experts were unanimous in the opinion that accuracy had been sacrificed for those other advantages which the pistol was supposed to embody.
2. It is foreign to our purpose to enter into an extended discourse upon the relative merits of the two arms. Such comparative study is interesting but immaterial to the present situation. The tools are not of our choosing. They are given us to do with them what we can.
3. It is not uncommon to hear the remark that good shots, like artists and poets, are born, not made. Add to this the general belief that the pistol as an accurate weapon is inferior even to the revolver, and we have the condition upon which many are prone to excuse want of skill, which in reality is due to a lack of conscientious practice or to a failure to grasp a few simple, but essential, details. Properly directed, in most cases, a little practice will secure evident progress and stimulate interest passing to fascination, and a desire to excel. Many beginners make the same mistakes over and over again, unable to correct errors because they fail to appreciate the causes leading to error. It is the object of this article to point out a few details which if adopted at once might spare the novice a great deal of discouraging shooting in discovering them for himself.
4. Remember that the pistol is a dangerous weapon and that an accidental discharge is never excusable. Most accidents occur from pistols that are supposedly not loaded.
5. Before handling the pistol it should be examined to make sure that it is not loaded. Black the front and rear sights. This will make them more easily visible.
6. In aiming the front sight should be seen in the middle of the rear notch and the top of the front sight flush with the top of the notch. Some shots prefer to use a finer or a fuller sight than this, a detail which is of no consequence provided that exactly the same sight is taken for every shot. Other things being the same, a variation in the amount of front sight will cause considerable dispersion. The top of the front sight flush with the top of the notch is recommended because it is believed that this is the position less liable to variation which might exist even unconscious to the eye. Vision is not at all times the same. It varies with change of light, with the amount of moisture in the eye and with the condition of the stomach. It might vary in two consecutive shots. The use of amber-colored glasses (known as shooting glasses) are of value in clarifying the vision and giving it additional uniformity. The point on the target at which to aim is determined by practice and varies with the individual and the pistol.
7. Do not cant the piece.
8. Position of the Body.—Fig. 1, stand facing nearly at right angles to the line of fire. Plant the feet firmly on the ground, the left heel about three inches to the left and 12 to 18 inches to the rear of the right heel. Legs straight, not bent at the knees, but not unnaturally stiff. Abdominal muscles relaxed and the abdomen slightly forward. This projects the center of gravity of the body on the line joining the centers of the feet. The weight of the body then should be felt equally distributed about all parts of both feet without a disproportional amount on balls or on heels. The ground should be smooth and permit of firmly placing the feet. Irregularities of ground at the point of contact will produce unequal distribution of the weight of the body with consequent unsteadiness. Brace the body with the left hand grasping the left hip.
9. The right arm should be fully extended because it has been found that in this position it is most steady and the wrist is in the natural position. If the elbow be bent there results a strain of certain muscles of the arm to keep it so and the wrist must be bent into a strained and unnatural position in order to level the piece. Further, when the elbow is bent and a pressure exerted with the hand to pull the trigger, the muscles of the hand exert an influence upon those of the arm causing a variation of the bend in the elbow. The full arm extension is, therefore, steadiest and most natural.
The beginner will find some difficulty in holding his arm steady when extended. A little practice will overcome this difficulty and in a short time the requisite steadiness will be developed.
10. The method of holding the piece is of great importance. Fig. 2 shows the proper position. Grasp the piece firmly, hand high on the stock, forced well up against the part a. The thumb should be turned in a little so that its inner surface fits firmly against the stock. The thumb is bent at the first joint to conform to the curved surface of the stock, the end resting on the magazine latch.
11. The line of the barrel should be as nearly as possible a continuation of the extended arm, Fig. 3. The recoil will then be taken up by the whole arm and there will be no tendency to jump to the right or left when the piece is discharged.
12. The base of the first joint of the trigger finger is placed against the trigger. It will be advocated by some that the second joint should be held against the trigger. This would be true if it were not for the fact that in order to so place the second joint it is necessary to completely alter the grip with consequent sacrifice of accuracy. The stock of the piece, while excellent as an' ammunition container, leaves much to be desired in the way of a grip. It is this faulty grip more than anything else which makes pistol shooting more difficult than revolver shooting. Since the grip was not made to fit the hand the hand must adapt itself to the grip. If the second joint is placed on the trigger it is impossible to align the piece as indicated in Par. 11, unless the fingers are unusually long.
13. The middle, ring and little fingers are curved around and grip the stock as high as possible. The middle finger should press up against the trigger guard and each finger should press tightly upward against the one next to it. This pressure is necessary in order to keep the muzzle from dropping when the piece-is discharged. Relaxing this upward pressure causes low shots. Further if the fingers come too low on the stock the act of squeezing the hand to discharge the piece causes the heel of the stock to go to the rear and the muzzle to drop. The heel should be firmly seated against the hand as shown in Fig. 2.
14. To fire align the sights at the point of aim, gradually tighten the grip, increasing the pressure with the whole hand uniformly. There, should be no independent movement of the trigger finger. The piece should be discharged by a tightening of the whole hand. It will be found difficult to keep "on," so there must be absolute control of the hand pressure to insure discharge at the proper instant. Continued practice is necessary to secure intimate coordination of the muscles that the fire may be held or released at will without the tendency to snap. The tightening of the grip also tightens the muscles of the arm, and gives the arm steadiness. When the piece is first aligned on the target and before the pressure is applied to the hand, the arm will be a little unsteady. As the pressure is applied steadiness is obtained. For this reason it is undesirable to have a light trigger pull. The trigger pull when the gun comes from the manufacturer is in most cases just right, and if it is free of drag and permits of a smooth release, it should not be tampered with.
15. Having by practice found the correct point at which to aim, study your targets and determine the causes which lead to misses. Low shots result from failure to press upward with the middle, ring and little fingers or from lack of uniformity in the pressure of the hand—too great a grip with the lower fingers causing the heel of the piece to go to the rear and the muzzle to drop. The whole piece should be firmly gripped, but the pressure should be uniform. Accuracy is impossible if the piece is held loosely.
16. High shots result from insufficient pressure with the lower fingers or from a slight upward movement of the arm just as the piece is fired.
17. Right or left shots are caused by failure to adjust the hand properly to the stock or failure to align the piece properly with the hand.
18. Wild shots in any direction will result from lack of steadiness, improper sighting, flinching or closing the eye.
19. The right eye should be kept open.
20. The remarks repeatedly published for the revolver regarding flinching, practice, effect of wind, drill and training, precautions, care of the piece, apply with equal force to the pistol.
21. It is a good plan to cut away part of the wood stock on each side as shown in the shaded portion of Fig. 4. This will permit a more intimate contact with the thumb and the base of the first finger and secure a better grip.
22. To refill magazine hold the magazine in the left hand as shown in Fig. 5. Place the thumb over the top so that the end of the thumb is just touching the little raised bump in the magazine follower. Take seven cartridges in the right hand. Insert them into the magazine one at a time by placing the base of the cartridge against the end of the left thumb and pressing downward and inward. The cartridges will slide easily into place.
23. Practice with the pistol should not be limited to actual firing. Aiming drill with the piece unloaded is excellent practice and so nearly simulates actual firing that it is claimed by some that one can become a good pistol shot without firing a shot. Aiming drill should be conscientiously carried out, care being taken to observe all the details necessary to insure accuracy. Careless habits are easily formed and not easily broken. Constant vigilance is necessary. Take plenty of time for each shot. Do not attempt to fire rapidly until the principles are fairly mastered. The dotter supplied to ships is very useful. It is a good plan to save targets from time to time for comparison to denote the degree of progress being made.
24. It is believed that with attention to the details here laid down accuracy may be obtained only a little short of that obtainable with the .38 caliber service revolver.
25. Recapitulation.
(a) Keep the hand as high as possible.
(b) Press upward with the fingers.
(c) Middle finger pressed against guard.
(d) Seat the heel.
(e) Squeeze with the whole hand—don't pull.
(f) Align the piece with the arm.
(g) Extend the arm.
(h) Hold the piece firmly.
(i) Don't cant.
(j) Center the front sight.
(k) Take the same sight always.
(l) Attain accuracy before attempting rapidity.
(m) Practice often without loading.