< Previous58 , SHOOTING T O LIVE exigencies of the police service of a great city, a service that -functions ceaselessly for twenty-four hours a day and is maintained by large numbers of men whom circumstances compel to go armed with pistols. For a portion of the force, economy demands a ratio of approximately two weapons to three men. It is plain that the same men carmot be on duty aU the time and it follows that in the course of twenty-four hours weapons and ammunition must be returned at intervals to poUce stations for sub sequent issue to other men going out on duty. Such " change-overs," as they are known technically, occur not less than three times in twenty-four hours. At each " change-over " 'safety demands that the weapons be imloaded, only to be reloaded on issue to the next men. Apart from the " change-overs," which are due to motives of economy, it -will be recognised, too, that even in those cases where weapons are provided for each individual, a certain amount of loading and unloading is Kkely to take place in the interests of safety. Add now the fact, mentioned already, that the ammunition is carried in aU weathers and we have a set of circumstances definitely indicative of hard usage. Careful records of over fifteen years show that under these circumstances the extreme length of time for which automatic pistol ammunition can be expected to be rehable is four months. Subsequently, defects begin to be apparent and work out very steadily at about two rounds per ten thousand. But WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKPIST OL AND CAR TRIDGE 59 for every week thereafter the number of defective rounds increases with surprising rapidity. The records referred to show that revolver ammuni tion does not measure up to this standard. In point of fact, the ratio of defects is approximately double that of automatic pistol ammunition. The reasons a r e n o t f a r t o s e e k . The loading and rmloaduig of revolvers imply much more handling of the ammunition than is the case with automatic pistols, which carry their ammunition in box magazines. Here the magazmes receive most of the rough treatment. With aU the care in the world we must expect, too, that occasion ally ammunition will he dropped on the ground, possibly on the unsympathetic cement floor of a poUce station. Such treatment has less effect on automatic pistol ammunition, with its tightly crimped jacketed buUets, than on revolver cartridges, parti cularly those of large caUhre carryuag soft lead bullets. Wlrfle there may he no noticeable deforma tion of the latter, they are more liable to be jarred loose from the crimping and that is the prelude to o t h e r t r o u b l e s . Apart from what may he regarded as inherent disadvantages in revolver ammunition, careful com parisons of respective measurements inchne us to the belief that very often somewhat less, care is exercised in its manufacture than is the case with automatic pistol ammunition. Of sheer necessity, the latter must conform more rigidly to accepted ) WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UK60SHOOTING T O LIVE standards. Too great a departure from standard would be revealed very quickly by the automatic action of the weapon in which it is used, a compelling factor in the production of reliable ammunition. It is only fair to add that defects in the automatic ammunition put out by makers of repute are few a n d f a r b e t w e e n . T h e " l i f e " o f a m m u n i t i o n i s a m a t t e r w h i c h merits the most careful attention, particularly when we have to consider the needs of a service which is obliged to have a large amount in constant use. In some cases, too, complications arise from climatic conditions and distance from source of suppUes. It is possible to keep ammunition in excellent condition for a number of years provided that it is not removed from its cartons and packing-cases and that common-sense is used in the matter of storage. Having in mind the needs touched upon in the preceding paragraph, we prefer, however, not to trust to reserve supphes kept in stock for a number of years but to adopt instead what may be described as a " revolving credit." The tables given in the Appendix wiU convey our meaning more clearly, but we may state here that two basic conditions influence their construction, viz. :— The undesirability of carrying ammunition in daily u s e f o r m o r e t h a n f o u r m o n t h s . The undesirability of keeping ammunition in stock longer than two years. WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKPIST OL AND CAR TRIDGE 61 From this as a starting point, quantities requii-ed on ail counts can be estimated. By means of this " revolving credit " system we are spared certain anxieties which would occur were reserve supplies to Be kept in stock over a number of years. With our full supply expended in under two years, and replenished as necessary, we do not have to worry about such things as seasonal cracking or other forms of deterioration in the brass, deterioration of the smokeless powder charge, increased pressures due to that deterioration or, more important stiU, the reliability of the primers. We do not waste first-class ammunition on practice and trandng shoots, but use only that which we consider might be no longer rehable. The reference to the reliability of the primers should be explained. We have in mind the modern non-fouling primer. It wiU be unnecessary for us to refer to its value in all circumstances, and particularly those in which the cleaning of weapons after firing has to be deferred longer than it should be. Up to date, however, it does not appear to last as long in adverse cUmatic conditions as the old rust-producing type. We admit that we are not quite sure of this, but while there is any doubt in the matter we prefer to take no more risks than we need, and this aspect is fully taken care of by the " revolving credit." We think it will be helpful if our system of dealing WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UK62SHOOTING T O LIVE with the ammunition supply is closely Imked with the armoury records which should be kept in respect of both ammunition and weapons. Practice and training courses are invaluable in bringing to hght any defective ammunition or pistols, which should be immediately "withdrawn and sent to the armoury for examination. I f t h e e x a m i n a t i o n r e v e a l s a m m u n i t i o n d e f e c t s which are not due to ill-usage but to obvious faults in manufacture, the matter should be taken up "with the makers, full records being kept. As regards the pistols, there should be a history sheet for each weapon and on it should be noted the attributed and actual causes of the defects (sometimes these differ "widely), the repairs effected, the date returned to ser"vice and other appropriate data. I t i s t r u e t h a t a l l t h i s i n v o l v e s a c e r t a i n a m o u n t of clerical work, but it is more than justified by the general efficiency which results and it sinks into insignificance when it is remembered what that efficiency may mean to men whose lives would otherwise be needlessly endangered. WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKCHAPTER VI PRACTICAL PIST OL RANGES Doubtless most of us would prefer to do our pistol shooting out of doors. There is the pleasure of heing in the fresh air, there are no powder fumes to contend mth, and the noise is less trjdng than m an mdoor range, where so many men find it necessary to plug t h e i r e a r s . Apart, however, from these consideratioirs, the value of an outdoor range is hmited. It can only be used in daylight and in good weather. Further, though it may be a minor point, the equipment of an outdoor range is hable to deteriorate more rapidly than it would indoors. Influenced by the necessity to conduct pistol training regardless of weather and frequently after dark, om preference is for the indoor range. It gives us in addition greater facilities than would he reasonably possible out of doors for varying the lighting at wUl. We have in mind training courses which endeavour to reproduce as closely as possible the conditions which pohce the world over so often encounter in the course of duty. Criminals favour darkness or semi-darkness for the exercise of their talents, and a large proportion of the shooting affrays in which pohce are concerned take place under precisely those conditions. We venture 63 . WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UK64SHOOTING T O LIVE to suggest that every man who has to use a pistol in the course of duty should learn how to do so in the dark. It can be done, it is often necessary, and the acquisition of confidence in this respect is invaluable. K circumstances dictate an outdoor range, select, if you can, a piece of ground on which a high bank or a hillside provides a natural stop butt. A disused quarry or gravel-pit usually answers the purpose admirably. If the only ground available is flat, the stop butt is best constructed of a steeply sloping bank of earth backed by a waU of brick, stone, concrete or heavy timber. Reference to the plan (Fig. 19) of an indoor range will show the lay-out we suggest. The contents of the next paragraph apply equally to outdoor and indoor ranges. Every precaution must be taken against ricochets. The earth of which the stop butt is built up must be thoroughly sifted to ensure the removal of aU stones, large and small. It is a good plan to face the sloping front of the stop butt -with turf. Every scrap of metal used in the construction and which is liable to Explaimtion— 1, 1, 1. Frames for three bobbing targets, full flgui-e. 2. Track and frame for running target, half figure. 3. Track and frame for running target, full figure. 4. Track and frame for running target, full figure. 5, 5, 5, 5, 5. Frames for five bobbing targets, balf-figure. 6, 6, 6, 6. Frames for four disappearing targets, bead and shoulder . WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKPRACTICAL PIST OL RANGES 65 Bu-it Fig. 19.* WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UK66 SHOOTING T O LIVE be struck by bullets from the firing point must be thoroughly protected by earth or soft wood. At intervals, depending on the amount of shooting, the stop butt should be raked and dug over in order to remove all expended bullets. These do not penetrate very far in any case, and continued firing con centrated on particular spots tends to brmg them to the surface. Their removal should not be deferred too long, for being close to the surface of the bank and most likely in agglomerations of many bullets together, they constitute a definite cause of ricochets. And no one can ever foretell the course (or force) of a ricochet. The sale of the metal recovered in this manner often helps materially to reduce the running costs of a range. Prudence suggests that both the site and the plans of construction should be approved by the competent local authority before any Avork is undertaken, and doubtless that authority Avill insist on an examination of the completed range before firing is permitted. Reverting to the plan, Ave draAV attention to one feature that may be unusual and to another that certainly is. The former is the Control Room, and the latter is the absence of any fixed firing point. The control room houses the men who operate the targets. It provides them Avith perfect safety Avhile firing is in progress, and from it they emerge at intervals to patch the targets. But they do not emerge until the Range Officer SAvitches on a green light Avhich shows high over the targets and is Ausible WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKr P R A C T I C A L P I S T O L R A N G E S 6 7 to them. A red light is shown in the same place while firing is actually in jDrogress or about to take place. As stated, there is no fixed fii-ing pomt nor is there any barrier across the range. The range is not divided uito longitudinal sections, with booths for individual shooters at the firmg end. Such devices woiild be impracticable for the trauung system which we advocate, and this wiU be clear if we add that we have to make provision for such -nddely differing demands as two-handed shooting at 25 yards, hip shooting at practically point-blank range, and practices which entail runnmg at fuU speed a certain distance down the range m order to fire at several suddenly appearmg movmg targets. Obviously there is only room for one man at a time to shoot in safety under such conditions. The only time when this rule is permitted to be broken is in the initial recruit practices at stationary targets, when three men may sometimes shoot side by side, under the watchful eye of the instructor. It might be inferred fi'om the fact that, with the one exception mentioned, only one man at a time can shoot, the proceedings would be unduly slow. In actual practice, however, the range illustrated and the system described have shown their capacity for a number of years to take care of the training and practice requirements of a force of 6000 men, or, if Ave mclude auxiliaries Avho also have to be trained, nearly 9000 men. Freeing the range from aU the obstacles that would WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKNext >