Page:EB1911 - Volume 21.djvu/686

 above mentioned, extraction and reloading were slow processes, which made them unsuited for use on horseback.

Hammerless Revolver.—The Smith & Wesson pocket pistol is one of the safest weapons of the size made. There is no hammer or equivalent protuberance to catch as the pistol is drawn from the pocket, or to entangle if the weapon falls. An automatic safety bolt, whose length lies half across the palm of the hand, and ensures certainty of freedom at the time of shooting, blocks the action until the pistol is firmly gripped for use.

Breech-loading Pistols.—Although the revolver has for many years practically superseded the pistol, some breech-loading varieties of pistols are still made—the small pocket pistol, for example, and occasionally the heavy double-barreled horse pistol. At one time these latter were much used, of ·577 bore, as well as the well-known short, large-bore pistol known as the Derringer, usually of ·41 calibre. The double horse pistol is now usually made for a 20-bore cartridge and spherical bullet, and weighs about ℔. It is a clumsy, but effective weapon, and fires a charge of drams of powder without unpleasant recoil. The duelling pistol, as made by Gartinne Renette of Paris, is capable of wonderfully accurate shooting, firing a 9 millimetre spherical bullet and about 12 grs. of powder. This weapon is far superior in accuracy to a revolver. Single-barrelled pistols, chambered for the ·22 or 297/230 calibre cartridges, with a barrel of from 6 to 10 in. in length, are also made, and when fitted with a detachable metal stock form excellent little weapons for target practice.

Automatic Revolver.—The Webley-Fosbery automatic revolver is a weapon of a distinctly new design, in which for the first time the principle of utilizing the recoil of each shot to operate the mechanism is applied to the revolver In appearance the weapon is very similar to the Webley service model. The simple pressure of the forefinger on the trigger, the pressure being released between each shot, is all that is required to fire the six successive shots of the revolver. It is supplied with a safety bolt worked by a thumb-piece, and Messrs Webley have introduced a clip loader which enables the six chambers to be reloaded at the same time. This weapon has met with considerable success, and is made in two calibres, the ·455, 6 shot, 2 ℔ oz. in weight; and the ·38 model, 8 shot, 2 ℔ 3 oz. in weight.

Automatic Pistols.—These weapons are the latest and most advanced type of pistol, and it is anticipated by experts that they will ultimately supersede the revolver. They are made with one barrel and a magazine, on the principle of the repeating rifle, thus doing away with the escape of gas that takes place in revolvers between the chamber and the barrel.

Automatic pistols are so constructed that the force of the recoil is utilized to open the breech, extract the empty case, cock the pistol, reload the chamber with the top cartridge from the magazine, and close the breech, leaving the pistol ready to fire on again pressing the trigger.

The Mauser “self-loading” pistol (fig. 9) is one of the earliest of the successful automatic weapons. It is usually ·300 calibre, 10 shot, with a metal clip loader from which the cartridges are “stripped” into the magazine, weight ℔, length of barrel in.; bullet 85 grains, initial velocity about 1394 f.s.

The barrel (1) and body (2) are in one piece; the latter contains the bolt (3). The barrel and body slide on the frame (4); the 10-shot magazine (5) and the stock are in one piece with the frame, and the lock frame (6) and lock-work are contained in the rear part of it. The bolt (3), which is square, slides in the body, and is kept pressed up to the chamber by the bolt spring (8); the rear end of this bolt Spring bears against the block (9), The striker and extractor are contained in the bolt. The bolt is locked by the bolt-lock (10). This is slotted through the centre and fits on to the projection (11) under the body; it is supported at the moment of firing by a projection on the lock frame (12); the top of the bolt-lock has two teeth (13), which in the loaded and cocked position fit into two recesses in the bolt, and the bottom of its front end [in front of the body attachment (11)] has another tooth (14) which bears on the rocker (15). This rocker is pivoted at its bottom corner. The main-spring (16) bears in front against the rocker, and in rear against the hammer mechanism. The action of the mechanism is 