Nearly all the modern American pistols and revolvers are made to shoot metallic cartridges. There are a few fine muzzle-loading duelling and target pistols in use at the present time, but the great amount of time necessary to load them, in comparison with the modern breech-loading arms, makes them unpopular with most of the pistol-shots, and out of the question for revolvers for military use, where rapidity of firing and reloading is required. The difference between a muzzle and breech loading single-shot pistol is apparently the same as the difference between the two systems of rifles. If loaded a certain way there is no advantage in one over another. Probably a muzzle-loading pistol, loaded the usual way of duelling pistols, would show finer work than a breech-loading pistol of the same weight, length of barrel and bore, loaded with a factory metallic cartridge. But if two pistols exactly alike, with the exception of one being a muzzle-loader and the other a breech-loader, were loaded with the same charge, one being loaded at the muzzle, the other at the breech; but instead of using a factory metallic cartridge the bullet was seated in the rifling, and the shell loaded flush to its top, and placed in the chamber, after the manner of loading the modern breech-loading target rifle,--it is believed that one pistol would shoot as well as the other. Many of the foreign target and duelling pistols of recent manufacture are made breech-loading, and loaded in the manner described. The expert pistol-shot is well aware that he can secure a great advantage by preparing ammunition for certain purposes in a manner different from the way the manufacturer makes it for the trade; but this point will be described later.
With the exception of the pistols alluded to, all modern American pistols and revolvers take the metallic cartridges, which are produced in enormous quantities and variety of styles in this country. These cartridges vary in size, and are known to the trade from .22 to .50 calibre, and contain charges of powder from 3 grains to 40, and bullets weighing from 30 to 300 grains.
The cartridge companies in America manufacture the following cartridges, which are used in American pistols and revolvers:--