< Previous18SHOOTING T O LIVE chapter has only to disregard, therefore, anything which obviously relates to the mechanics of the Colt automatic. He will have uo difficulty in doing that. The mechanics of the revolver are so simple and so familiar by now to everyone that it is uimecessary, we think, to include any description of them. We would emphasise, however, our preferences for the very firm grip, with the fully extended thumb, the exclusive use of the double-action, firing in bursts, for all short range shooting and for the single-action at longer ranges, in circumstances which afford the necessary time for its use. Speed with the double- action is attainable more easily than is generally thought, but only by training the trigger-finger by means of continual snapping practice. The instructor should commence by taking up a pistol and " proving " it. This is done by removing the magazine, working the slide back and forth several times, and finally pulling the trigger. The insertion of a magazine and the loading and un loading of the pistol should then be demonstrated and explained. Each operation is described in detail and illustrated in the following pages.' This is the moment for the instructor to point out and give the reason for the pinning-down, out of action, of the safety-catch on the left-hand side of the pistol. He should make it perfectly clear that the pistol, when carried on service, should have a charged magazine i n s e r t e d b u t t h a t i t s h o u l d n e v e r h e c a r r i e d w i t h a WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKT R A I N I N G : P R E L I M I N A R Y C O U R S E F O R R E C R U I T S 1 9 round in the breech. He should show that when it i s d e s i r e d t o fi r e a l l t h a t h a s t o b e d o n e i s t o l o a d in the manner described in para. 2 (c). He should then proceed to demonstrate the extreme speed with which it is possible to draw, load and fire by this method, which compares more than favourably -nuth the alternative of drawing, pulling down the safety- catch and firing a round already in the breech. It should be shomi, too, that the first method (with the breech empty) elimmates the fumbling and un certainty inherent in the use of the safety-catch. With this preface, all is now ready for the com'se to commence. 1 . O n e H o u r ' s " D r y " P r a c t i c e (a) On taking the pistol in the hand, we recommend, as an aid to accurate pointing, that the thumb be fuUy extended and pomting forward m the same plane as the pistol barrel (Fig. 1). (b) Stand square -with the target, gripping the pistol now as if it weighed twenty or thirty WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UK20SHOOTING T O LIVE pounds, pistol arm straight, rigid and across the body (Fig. 2). Bend the hand shghtly to the right, to bring the pistol exactly in line mth the vertical centre-lme of tlie body (Fig. 3). (c) Raise the pistol (pistol arm stiU rigidly straight and pivoting from the shoulder), keeping it exactly in line with the vertical centre-line of the body until it covers the aiming mark on the target (Fig. 4). Both eyes are to be kept open and the recruit simply sees the target surrounding his pistol, making no attempt to look at or line up the sights, or to let the master-eye control the aim. (d) Immediately the aiming mark is covered, pull the trigger and lower the pistol to the position shoTO in Fig. 3 (the " ready " position). Notes Paragraphs (6) and (c) in conjunction with Fig. 4 reveal a dehberate attempt to eliminate conscious control by the master-eye. Instead, the aim is controlled by the combination of the square stance and the maimer of holding the pistol, i.e. in the centre of the body, with the hand bent over to the right, elements which were employed unconsciously in the experiment on page 6. The mastery of this combination is aU that is required for effective aiming at short range, a point which will emerge more clearly. WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKT R A I N I N G ; P R E L I M I N A RY C O U R S E F O R R E C R U I T S Fio. 2.—^Preliminary to Ready Position. WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UK22SHOOTING T O LIVE Fig. 3.—Ready Position. WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKT R A I N I N G : P R E L I M I N A R Y C O U R S E F O R R E C R U I T S WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UK24SHOOTING T O LIVE perhaps, in the next chapter in discussing shooting with the pistol held well below the hne of sight. Trembling due to the firm grip will not cause a wild shot. The trigger must be released, not by violent pressme of the forefinger alone but by mcreasing pressure of the whole hand. The combination of the very firm grip and the pressure of the fuUy- extended thumb are of great assistance in the proper release of the trigger. The firm grip helps also in two other ways. It ensures smoother action in raising the pistol from the " ready " (Fig. 3) to the firing position (Fig. 4) and it counteracts the tendency to raise the pistol higher than the point of aim. 2 . O n e H o t j b ' s P r a c t i c e i n S a e e t y P r e c a u t i o n s Loading and Unloading {a) Demonstrate the proper ways of charging and uncharging magazines. To charge, press cartridges downwards against the forward end of either the magazine platform or the topmost cartridge, as the case may be, sliding the cartridge rearwards under the inwardly curving lips of the magazine. If cartridges are forced vertically downwards past these lips, the magazine cannot escape deformation. To uncharge, hold the maga zine in the right hand and eject the cartridges one by one by pressure of the right thumb WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKT R A I N I N G : P R E L I M I N A R Y C O U R S E F O R R E C R U I T S 2 5 on their bases. The cartridges should be caught m the left hand and on no account should they be allowed to drop on the ground. (6) Hold the pistol as in Fig. 5. Lisert the charged magazine. To make sure that it is locked in place, push up, with the left thumb, on the base plate of the magazine. Relax the pressure, and it will be obvious by touch whether the magazine is locked. (c) To load the pistol turn it over, as m Fig. 6, grasping the shde firmly vith the thumb and forefinger of the left hand. Push forward %vith the right hand until the shde is felt to be open to its fuUest extent (Fig. 7). Immediately that point is reached, release the hold with the left hand. The shde ffies forward, taking with it and forcing into the breech the topmost cartridge of the magazine, the pistol pointing to the ground meanwhile (Fig. 8). Turn the hand to the " ready " position (Fig. 3), the pistol being now cocked and ready for action. {d) To remove the magazine, hold the pistol as in Fig. 9 and release the magazine by pressing the magazine catch with the left thumb. The magazine must be caught in the palm of the left hand and should then be restored to pouch or pocket, as the case may be, or h a n d e d t o t h e i n s t r u c t o r i f t h e l a t t e r s o directs. The pistol meanwhile must be kept pointing to the ground, since it is stiQ cocked WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UK26 SHOOTING T O LIVE WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKT R A I N I N G : P R E L I M I N A RY C O U R S E F O R R E C R U I T S WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKNext >