RULES FOR PISTOL AND REVOLVER SHOOTING.

The need of rules governing pistol and revolver competitions has been apparent during the past three years. The distance, trigger-pull, and some general rules were briefly laid down by the clubs where matches were shot. For a time it has been generally believed that the arms used in these competitions should be classed; that a decision arrived at in regard to trigger-pull, the sights permitted clearly defined, ammunition described, and rules determining the amount of cleaning permitted, manner of loading and firing, positions permitted, and other rules explicitly stated. The Massachusetts Rifle Association, after a long and careful consideration, adopted the following rules:—

All meetings for competitions will be conducted by an executive officer, aided by assistants.

The executive officer shall have control of the range for the conduct of matches, and shall give such directions to the employÉs of the club as in his judgment are necessary for the proper management of the same, and for the preservation of order.

The executive officer and his assistants are required to see that the regulations, and such directions as the executive officer may give, are rigidly complied with by competitors and all other persons upon the range.

Miss Annie Oakley, Expert Lady Pistol Shot.

They will see that the squads of competitors are stationed in rear of firing-points, and that each competitor remains there until called by the score-keeper to take his position at the firing-point. The score-keepers will be seated in rear of the firing-points.

Score-keepers shall, as each shot is signalled, call in a loud voice the name of the competitor and the value of the shot, and, at the conclusion of the score of each competitor, announce in like manner his name and total score.

All competitors shall be allowed to examine the records of the score-keeper during the progress of the match, but in such a manner as not to interfere with or inconvenience the score-keeper.

Any competitor feeling himself aggrieved by the ruling of the executive officer, may make to the secretary a statement of his grievance in writing, which shall be handed at once to the executive committee for its consideration. The decision of the executive committee shall be final, subject, however, to the discretion of said committee, or any two members of it, to refer the matter to the board of directors for its decision.

Challenges will only be permitted at the discretion of the executive officer. The executive officer may, in his discretion, challenge the marking of any shot the allowance of which would be unjust to other competitors, and correct the score accordingly.

Holsters for Revolvers.
1. Leather. 2. Rubber. 3. Leather.

Any objection to the scoring of a shot as signalled, or to one not signalled, must be made before another shot shall have been fired on the same target.

It shall be the right of the shooter to challenge the scoring, and the executive officer may decide upon the evidence the actual value of the shot.

Any alteration of a scoring-ticket must be witnessed by an officer in charge of the firing-point, and indorsed with his initials.

Double entries are prohibited, no shot being allowed to count in more than one match.

No sighting-shots shall be allowed except on targets specially designated for that purpose by the executive officer, and in no case on targets on which a match is in progress, unless in an emergency, to be decided by the executive officer.

Unfinished scores shall be considered worthless after having been withdrawn from the scorer, and no shots can be claimed under or by virtue of the same after having been so withdrawn.

No scorer is allowed to have at one time more than one score-card for each shooter, and no shooter is allowed to shoot without having an unfinished score-card deposited with the scorer.

Ties shall be decided as follows, viz.: each competitor shooting three shots, until decided.

Bean’s Perspiration-Proof Pistol Holsters.
(Manufactured by John P. Lovell Arms Company, Boston.)

No scores with handicap shall exceed a perfect score.

Competitors who have to shoot off ties will be notified as soon after each match as practicable. When the ties are shot off one sighting-shot shall be allowed without charge. Competitors not present at the firing-points at the hour named for shooting off the ties lose their right to shoot, and will be placed accordingly.

Temporary discontinuance of matches, on account of bad weather, and the closing limit for receiving entries shall be at the discretion of the executive officer.

An entry-ticket, except when sold in block, maybe transferred at any reasonable time, by presenting it to the statistical officer for exchange. Any erasure or substitution of name by the holder will forfeit the ticket.

In single-entry matches no entry shall be made after the firing begins if any participant objects.

Competitors will have choice of prizes unless otherwise stated.

Penalties.—Competitors must make themselves acquainted with the regulations, as the plea of ignorance will not be entertained.

No competitor shall be allowed to use more than one name besides his own in any one match.

A competitor failing to report at the time and target to which he is assigned, or shooting at pool or practice after the hour set for the simultaneous opening of a match, shall forfeit his entry. (The last clause will not prevent pool-shooting between scores in reËntry matches.) Any member shooting at pool or practice between shots of a score shall forfeit the score.

All competitors and other persons must preserve order and decorum, submit to the direction and decisions of the executive officer, and make all objections and protests, if any, to the proper officials, in a manner which will not disturb others.

Pistols and revolvers may be discharged only in firing at the target in pools or matches, or into such warming-pits as may be designated (in that case without bullet), and any competitor or other person discharging pistols or revolvers otherwise, or having a loaded shell inserted in his pistol or revolver while elsewhere than upon the actual firing-point, may be disqualified for the time being, or fined a sum not exceeding three dollars, at the discretion of the executive officer.

Any violation of rules or discreditable conduct which the executive officer may consider of such magnitude as to require it, shall be reported to the directors for their action.

Any shooter firing upon the wrong target shall be recorded a miss.

The rules governing rifle competitions, so far as they are applicable, shall be in force in all pistol competitions.In all matches, when not otherwise mentioned, either single-shot pistols or revolvers will be permitted upon equal conditions; but if matches call for the revolver the single-shot pistol will not be admitted, unless specially mentioned.

SPECIAL RULES.

Pistols and revolvers allowed in competitions must conform to the following conditions:—

A.—Army or Navy Revolvers must be such as have been adopted by any government for the armament of its army or navy, and must conform in all respects of model, sights, and ammunition used, to the service revolver of such nation.

B.—Any Revolver.—Revolvers of any calibre, maximum weight, three pounds; maximum length of bore, including cylinder, ten inches.

C.—Single-Shot Pistols.—Any breech or muzzle loading pistol, maximum weight, three pounds; maximum length of bore, ten inches.

Trigger-Pull.—In all matches, or in practice shooting, the minimum trigger-pull shall be three pounds.

Sights for any Pistols or Revolvers.—The front and rear sights must be open; the notch of a rear sight, to be considered open, must be as wide at the top of the notch as at any part; no aperture or peep sights, nor any manner of covered sights, shall be permitted. Lateral sliding-bars or wind-gauge may be used on rear open sight, also any elevating front or rear open sight. The use of a notch for a front sight will not be permitted. Sights may be smoked or blackened in any desired manner. No device shall be worn on or over the eye, or on glasses, to secure the sight through an aperture.

Diagram of six consecutive shots, fired from a rest, at 50 yards, with a Colt’s Frontier Model revolver, .44 calibre, full charge,—40 grains of powder, 200 grains of lead.

Ammunition.—If factory ammunition is called for it shall be of any make, of any established manufacturer, generally procurable in stores, and brought to the shooting-point in unbroken boxes, with the label of the manufacturer intact.

Cleaning.—In any match where both pistols and revolvers are allowed, competitors may clean their arms at will, provided such cleaning does not delay the firing, which shall be at the rate of one shot per minute, or oftener during the firing of each score, except in case of accident. In such case the time may be extended, in the discretion of the executive officer.

In matches confined to revolvers the cylinder must be fully charged, or a sufficient number of chambers charged to complete the score. Blowing into or cleaning the barrel in any way will not be permitted, except when the cylinder is completely discharged.

Loading and Firing.—No arms shall be loaded except at the firing-point, the muzzle of piece being kept in the direction of the target till the arm is either discharged or unloaded.

Miss-fires shall not count; but an accidental discharge shall, in every instance, be counted.

Position.—The position shall be as follows: Standing, free from any other artificial support; the pistol or revolver held in one hand only, with the arm extended free from the body, and unsupported in any way. The rear sight of the pistol or revolver shall not be nearer to the eye than twelve inches.

Targets.—The Standard American target, full size, having an eight-inch bull, shall be used in matches at fifty yards’ distance. The same target reduced to one-half size, having a four-inch bull, in matches at thirty yards’ distance. The same target reduced to one-quarter size, having a two-inch bull, in matches at twenty yards’ distance. The target reduced in the same proportion to distance, in matches of a lesser range.

Marking and Scoring.—Unless otherwise specified, each competitor will have a separate target provided and will fire his score throughout, when the target will be examined by the scorer and the score recorded. In case of any dispute as to the value of a shot, the same may be challenged, as provided for in Rule 3, sec. 4, of shooting rules governing rifle competitions.