[Illustration: Eighteen shots with a revolver, by Mr. GEORGE BIRD, at 12 yards, winner of first prize in revolver match, Conlin's Gallery, New York. Score, 210; possible, 216.]
Parties who essay to perform such feats as lighting matches and driving tacks with a bullet usually attempt them at a distance of about 7 yards, as that is about as long a distance as the average person can see such objects. Ten and 12 yards is about the shortest distance at which target-shooting is practised; at this distance the modern revolver, with a barrel from four inches upwards, if properly charged and held, if all the cylinders are loaded, ought to place every shot in a group which could be enclosed or touched by a circle one inch in diameter. It requires a good revolver, proper ammunition, as well as a skilful marksman, to do such work; but it is no uncommon occurrence in galleries where the range is 12 yards, as will be seen by the illustrations in this chapter.
It is nothing uncommon for experts with pistol or revolver to place a series of shots in a smaller circle than one inch, at 12 yards, especially if a .22-calibre, single-shot, heavy pistol is used; but it should be stated that such shooting is generally done with light charges; but it can and has been done with full, heavy charges. At 20 yards it is not uncommon to place all the shots, when fired at a rest, in or touched by a circle one and one-half inches in diameter.
When revolver-shooting was introduced as an adjunct to rifle-shooting it was thought that the Standard American target for 200 yards rifle practice was the proper thing for revolver-shooting at a distance of 25 yards. A match was first announced at the annual meeting at Creedmoor, in 1886, in which there were three scores of 48 out of a possible 50 in five shots secured. There were three scores to count, or possible 150 points. The highest three scores in this match were 143, 140, 134. There were five scores only of five shots each in which the shots were all inside of the nine-circle, which is 5-54/100 inches in diameter. A month later the Massachusetts Rifle Association announced a revolver match, in the annual fall meeting programme, under similar conditions, excepting the match called for five scores to count. As both matches were unlimited reëntry matches, the best three scores of the highest four individuals are taken to compare with the results secured at Creedmoor. Four scores are selected because the person at the head of the list was a professional shot, and his skill at that time was considerably in advance of his competitors.