AMERICAN REVOLVERS—SMITH & WESSON’S PRODUCTIONS.

The armory of Messrs. Smith & Wesson is located at Springfield, Mass., and is said to be the most complete establishment for the manufacture of revolvers in the world. The work produced at this armory has a world-wide reputation, and their products are sent to nearly every country on the globe. The revolvers are beautifully made, as perfect as it seems possible to construct them; they have a perfect contour, are symmetrical, well balanced, and possess great accuracy. The arm was formerly constructed in calibres from .22 to .45; but, a few years ago, this firm discontinued making the .22 calibre. Formerly the .22 and .32 calibres were opened by pressing a clutch under the action, and the barrel and cylinder were pushed upwards; the cylinder was then removed, and the shell extracted from the cylinder by a fixed post. Later the invention of the automatic shell-ejector was added, and the revolver opened by a clasp, the barrel and cylinders tip downward, the action at the same time ejecting the shells. All of the revolvers now made at the factory of Smith & Wesson are after this model, and are known as follows:—New Model Army, No. 3: weight, 2½ pounds; central fire; calibre .44; six shot; length of barrel, 6½ inches.

New Model Navy, No. 3: double action, central fire; calibre .44; six shot; weight, 2³/16 pounds; length of barrel, 4, 5 and 6 inches.

New Model 38, No. 2: weight, 16 ounces; central fire; calibre .38; five shot; length of barrel, 3¼, 4, and 5 inches.

New Model 38, No. 2: double action; central fire; calibre .38; five shot; weight, 18 ounces; length of barrel, 3¼, 4, and 5 inches.

New Model 32, No. 1½: weight, 12½ ounces; central fire; calibre .32; five shot; length of barrel, 3 and 3½ inches.

New Model 32, No. 1½: double action; central fire; calibre .32; five shot; weight, 14 ounces; length of barrel, 3 and 3½ inches.

New Model Hammerless Safety Revolver; central fire; calibres .32, .38 and .44; weight, in .38 calibre, 18½ oz.; with barrels of different lengths.

New Target Revolver: single action; central fire; calibre .32; six shots; weight, 2¹²/16 pounds; length of barrel, 6½ inches.

Probably the chief reason why the products of Smith & Wesson are so excellent, is because, since 1859, this firm has been engaged exclusively in the manufacture of revolvers. They endeavored to procure and construct the most complete and perfect machinery for the manufacture of their revolvers; and, by the system of inspection of parts adopted by this firm, the slightest imperfection in material and workmanship may be detected, and, when discovered, is instantly condemned.

SMITH & WESSON REVOLVER, .32 CALIBRE, SINGLE ACTION.

The barrels, cylinders, and all the small parts, are made of the best quality of cast-steel, and the framework of Bessemer steel, made at Troy, N.Y.

We have closely watched the impressions made upon some of the most skilful mechanics in America when a Smith & Wesson revolver was submitted for their inspection, and these severest of critics would invariably seem to revel in the pleasure they experienced in seeing such a perfect piece of mechanical work, and unhesitatingly commended the workmanship in the highest terms. One famous maker of hand-made duelling-pistols in France, spent days in examining the Smith & Wesson, Russian Model Army pistol, using a magnifying-glass for the purpose of putting on the finest possible finish in the mechanism, in order to gain an absolute perfect working of the parts. He pronounced it the finest work he had ever seen made by machinery.

One of the noticeable points of excellence in the Smith & Wesson revolvers, insured by the perfection of the parts, is the perfect revolution of the cylinder, which brings the chamber exactly opposite the barrel when the revolver is cocked, it being absolutely necessary that the cylinder be opposite the barrel at the moment of the discharge of the weapon to secure accurate results at a good distance. We have fired shots from revolvers well known to the trade where the cylinder did not bring the chambers exactly opposite the barrel, and found one side 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 constant annoyance caused by its projecting and interfering with quickly drawing the weapon from the pocket or holster. The weapon described is for the use of the soldier, the police officer, or for those called upon to use this weapon of defence rapidly and effectively; hence a self-acting or self-cocking revolver is necessary, and by dispensing with the projecting outside hammer the rapidity of action in drawing the weapon is increased, and therefore a very desirable point is gained.

The illustration shows the mechanism of the new arm:—

A is the safety lever, B safety-latch, C hammer, D trigger, F main-spring, G safety-latch spring. The hammer C, which is acted upon and raised by the trigger D, as in their self-cocking arms, is kept constantly locked by the safety-latch B, which is held in position by the safety-latch spring G. The point is emphasized, that when not in use the arm cannot be discharged, as will be seen from the arrangement of the parts. When held in the hand for firing, the natural pressure exerted by the hand in the movement of pulling the trigger upon the safety-lever A causes it to act upon the safety-latch B, raising it and releasing the hammer.

SMITH & WESSON HAMMERLESS, SAFETY REVOLVER.

It will be observed that it is among the impossibilities to cock and discharge this revolver when held in an improper manner, as a child or novice would be likely to do.

The arrangement of the mechanism is such that the safety catch and trigger must act in unison, and it is necessary that an amount of grasp and strength, not possessed by a child, be applied in order to discharge the weapon.

By those familiar with revolvers the question will naturally arise, With all these advantages can you secure accuracy? We confess we were among the disbelievers that great accuracy could be secured with a self-cocking revolver, and even now if we were to confine our shooting to target and game shooting would give preference to the other revolvers made by this firm; but for a self-cocking revolver this weapon possesses, besides the elements of safety and rapidity of manipulation, the important feature of accuracy. We were full of doubts of our ability to secure accurate shooting, or to observe it in others; but a trial has fully convinced us that with practice one could nearly, if not quite, equal their performances with a single-action revolver.

One soon familiarizes himself with the operations of this weapon. Pressure is applied to the trigger, and the approach to the point where the last ounce of pressure discharges the weapon is easily detected; previous to the last ounce of pressure being given, a careful aim is taken, the final pressure applied, and the weapon discharged.