ohland
07-24-2015, 08:43 PM
Another period view of shooting.
SHOCK THE SYSTEM!
https://books.google.com/books?id=6B5YAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=rifle+sights&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CFoQ6AEwCDhQahUKEwiV7b2I9PTGAhWPmogKHcVUAFE#v =onepage&q=rifle%20sights&f=false
Field and Stream, vol 14, No 7, Nov 1909 - pages 618-620
Arms and the Woman
By Edwin C. Dickerson
THERE are many reasons why a woman should be acquainted with the use of firearms. Perhaps the strongest of all is the sense of protection given by the possession and knowledge of how to use one. Left alone in the house the greater part of the day, if living in the country or suburbs, or in the evening, with her husband at the club, it is surprising what comfort a timid woman can get out of a weapon to which she has accustomed herself and knows she can depend upon in an emergency. And shooting is no mean sport for a woman. Many a pleasant afternoon may be whiled away with rifle, revolver or pistol of small caliber, without tramping the surrounding country in search of something to kill.
A woman has a natural shrinking from the discharge of a gun. She does not like the noise, or the "kick." But this dread is no greater in her than it is in the small boy at the time of his first adventure in the realms of death-dealing instruments, and its as easily overcome, by continued acquaintance, as in the boy's case. Incidentally, her enthusiasm is about as great as his, once she has learned that the noise is harmless and the recoil a negligible quantity. There is no good reason, either, why a woman should not be as accurate a shooter as her male companion. She certainly has as much natural aptitude in that direction.
I still recall the patronizing manner with which I took my wife out to give her a first lesson in pistol shooting. I was using a .22-caliber, six-inch barrel target pistol, with open sights. I pinned a maple leaf to a free some thirty feet away— more with the idea of giving her some general direction in which to aim than with any belief that she would hit it. She promptly put three shots in succession into
145271
that leaf - a feat in which I was unable to follow suit. But this is exceptional, and, I may add, it was many months before she could do nearly as well again. The beginner is quite apt to find that the first few shots are far better than the next few hundred. This is because of the fact that he or she has not as yet commenced to “flinch.”
145273
Flinching is caused by an admixture of over-anxiousness to hit the mark with apprehension of the explosion, and is only overcome by long practice. Even then, it will creep in occasionally to mar an otherwise fine target. It results in a twitching of the hand when the trigger is pulled which, of course, deflects the bullet. The more one shoots, the less it bothers one.
For pistol practice a long-barreled six or ten-inch .22-caliber pistol is best for a woman to start with. This arm is accurate, has very little recoil, makes little noise, and is a graceful weapon, a point to be considered in the case of the fair sex. A big caliber revolver, which makes a noise like a small cannon, nearly jerks itself out of the hand and can be used successfully only by an expert, will, at the first shot, discourage a timid pupil from further trials. Yet, even this can be shot, and shot well, by women who have sufficient enthusiasm to acquaint themselves with the weapon.
145272
The correct way to hold a target pistol of the kind I have described is either at arm’s length or with the elbow crooked, as comes most easily to the shooter. Personally, I prefer arm’s length. The butt is held firmly, but not rigidly, the body turned away from the extended arm, and the feet placed slightly apart with the weight equally on each. If the pistol is held in the right hand, it should be sighted with the right eye.
The beginner will find it much easier to shut the other eye at first, although many veterans shoot with both eyes open. In this position, the pistol is raised or lowered. I prefer raising it, for then the object is never hidden from view until the front bead, lined in the V of the rear sight, rests in turn upon the bullseye or object of aim. At this point, eye and hand should work in perfect harmony. The pulling of the trigger should be mechanical, the shooter so concentrating her mind on the coincidence of sights and target as to be almost unconscious of when the trigger is pulled.
So much for shooting. But the best shot cannot secure good results with an improperly cared-for weapon. The first thing a woman should learn to do on acquiring a firearm is to take care of it. Small caliber arms foul much quicker than large ones, and therefore need more attention. A rusted or pitted barrel is useless for accurate shooting, particularly if the corroded spot be near the muzzle. A gun or pistol should be cleaned as soon as one is through using it. Never on any account should it be left over night.
After ordinary usage a cotton cloth run through the barrel on the end of a cleaning- rod, renewing the cloth until it comes out still clean, will be sufficient to clean the gun so that. the rifling shines like silver. If it has been shot a great many times and this treatment is not drastic enough, dip the cloth in hot water—or cold, if you have not hot—and you will find that the burnt powder dissolves readily. Carefully dry out the barrel with new cloths and then run in another piece with oil or gun-grease on it. In case you intend to. use your weapon soon, use oil bought for that purpose; if putting it away for some time, use the heavier gungrease.
It is surprising what pride a woman will take in the care of a pistol or revolver, once she has become a convert to its use. Her care puts to shame that of the veteran marksman, and the initiated know what that means.
SHOCK THE SYSTEM!
https://books.google.com/books?id=6B5YAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=rifle+sights&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CFoQ6AEwCDhQahUKEwiV7b2I9PTGAhWPmogKHcVUAFE#v =onepage&q=rifle%20sights&f=false
Field and Stream, vol 14, No 7, Nov 1909 - pages 618-620
Arms and the Woman
By Edwin C. Dickerson
THERE are many reasons why a woman should be acquainted with the use of firearms. Perhaps the strongest of all is the sense of protection given by the possession and knowledge of how to use one. Left alone in the house the greater part of the day, if living in the country or suburbs, or in the evening, with her husband at the club, it is surprising what comfort a timid woman can get out of a weapon to which she has accustomed herself and knows she can depend upon in an emergency. And shooting is no mean sport for a woman. Many a pleasant afternoon may be whiled away with rifle, revolver or pistol of small caliber, without tramping the surrounding country in search of something to kill.
A woman has a natural shrinking from the discharge of a gun. She does not like the noise, or the "kick." But this dread is no greater in her than it is in the small boy at the time of his first adventure in the realms of death-dealing instruments, and its as easily overcome, by continued acquaintance, as in the boy's case. Incidentally, her enthusiasm is about as great as his, once she has learned that the noise is harmless and the recoil a negligible quantity. There is no good reason, either, why a woman should not be as accurate a shooter as her male companion. She certainly has as much natural aptitude in that direction.
I still recall the patronizing manner with which I took my wife out to give her a first lesson in pistol shooting. I was using a .22-caliber, six-inch barrel target pistol, with open sights. I pinned a maple leaf to a free some thirty feet away— more with the idea of giving her some general direction in which to aim than with any belief that she would hit it. She promptly put three shots in succession into
145271
that leaf - a feat in which I was unable to follow suit. But this is exceptional, and, I may add, it was many months before she could do nearly as well again. The beginner is quite apt to find that the first few shots are far better than the next few hundred. This is because of the fact that he or she has not as yet commenced to “flinch.”
145273
Flinching is caused by an admixture of over-anxiousness to hit the mark with apprehension of the explosion, and is only overcome by long practice. Even then, it will creep in occasionally to mar an otherwise fine target. It results in a twitching of the hand when the trigger is pulled which, of course, deflects the bullet. The more one shoots, the less it bothers one.
For pistol practice a long-barreled six or ten-inch .22-caliber pistol is best for a woman to start with. This arm is accurate, has very little recoil, makes little noise, and is a graceful weapon, a point to be considered in the case of the fair sex. A big caliber revolver, which makes a noise like a small cannon, nearly jerks itself out of the hand and can be used successfully only by an expert, will, at the first shot, discourage a timid pupil from further trials. Yet, even this can be shot, and shot well, by women who have sufficient enthusiasm to acquaint themselves with the weapon.
145272
The correct way to hold a target pistol of the kind I have described is either at arm’s length or with the elbow crooked, as comes most easily to the shooter. Personally, I prefer arm’s length. The butt is held firmly, but not rigidly, the body turned away from the extended arm, and the feet placed slightly apart with the weight equally on each. If the pistol is held in the right hand, it should be sighted with the right eye.
The beginner will find it much easier to shut the other eye at first, although many veterans shoot with both eyes open. In this position, the pistol is raised or lowered. I prefer raising it, for then the object is never hidden from view until the front bead, lined in the V of the rear sight, rests in turn upon the bullseye or object of aim. At this point, eye and hand should work in perfect harmony. The pulling of the trigger should be mechanical, the shooter so concentrating her mind on the coincidence of sights and target as to be almost unconscious of when the trigger is pulled.
So much for shooting. But the best shot cannot secure good results with an improperly cared-for weapon. The first thing a woman should learn to do on acquiring a firearm is to take care of it. Small caliber arms foul much quicker than large ones, and therefore need more attention. A rusted or pitted barrel is useless for accurate shooting, particularly if the corroded spot be near the muzzle. A gun or pistol should be cleaned as soon as one is through using it. Never on any account should it be left over night.
After ordinary usage a cotton cloth run through the barrel on the end of a cleaning- rod, renewing the cloth until it comes out still clean, will be sufficient to clean the gun so that. the rifling shines like silver. If it has been shot a great many times and this treatment is not drastic enough, dip the cloth in hot water—or cold, if you have not hot—and you will find that the burnt powder dissolves readily. Carefully dry out the barrel with new cloths and then run in another piece with oil or gun-grease on it. In case you intend to. use your weapon soon, use oil bought for that purpose; if putting it away for some time, use the heavier gungrease.
It is surprising what pride a woman will take in the care of a pistol or revolver, once she has become a convert to its use. Her care puts to shame that of the veteran marksman, and the initiated know what that means.