I don't know. . . I'd heard that it was the other way around: that with swords, sometimes duels were arranged to be fought only until "first cut": or that if a first cut were made, the referee would ask the challenger, "Is honor satisfied?" and he might well say that yes, it was: thereby ending the duel.
With pistols, a mortal or serious wound tended to be inflicted, always: unless both duellists missed, and they elected to proceed no further.
Jim
Last edited by Jim McArthur; 29-05-2011 at 04:41 PM.
UBC's Police Pistol Manager
"Nasty, noisy things, revolvers, Count. Better stick to air-guns." Sherlock Holmes, The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone
Over 10 years I had an original cased pair of 58 cal Mortimer percussion duelling pistols and believe you me they were more accurate than me.
If I can add my own experience. I shoot a Durs Egg flintlock made sometime in the early 1800s. My best with it, in an MLAGB competition was 96 using standard scoring (ball more than halfway across the line to count).
I also shoot an original French percussion pistol which has won me a Gold and Bronze at consecutive World Championships. It regularly shoots high 90s. The last time out, I used it in a 15 shot, all to count match and scored 140 (with 3x8s and 8x10s).
Needless to say they are both very rewarding pistols to shoot!
I'm guessing that the flintlock is smoothbore (as dueling pistols were generally?), and the percussion is rifled. (?)
Jim
UBC's Police Pistol Manager
"Nasty, noisy things, revolvers, Count. Better stick to air-guns." Sherlock Holmes, The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone
Hi Jim,
Yes, the flinter is smoothbore (only type allowed in MLAIC Cominazzo competition). The percussion has quite deep rifling and I use 15 thou patches in both. The flint needs that sort of thickness to keep the ball diameter down and to stop it burning through when 30 grains of Swiss 1 goes off behind it. The percussion needs it because of the depth of the rifling.
Do you ever get to Friendship? We were there when the World Championships were held in Batesville and thought it was an amazing facility.
Nick, your excellent scores certainly prove that those old pistols could be extremely accurate: even the smothbores, even out to 25 meters.
I've never been to Friendship. I was never really able to get started in black powder: been too busy with air and cartridge guns, and lacking a nearby range to shoot them.
Jim
UBC's Police Pistol Manager
"Nasty, noisy things, revolvers, Count. Better stick to air-guns." Sherlock Holmes, The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone
i heard that they were made less accurate by the makers so that the duellers didnt kill each other and that way the gunsmith didnt lose bussiness
atb
jamie