antedating "service revolver" (UNCLASSIFIED)

[Mullins, Bill AMRDEC]

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE



> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On
Behalf Of
> Jonathan Lighter
> Sent: Thursday, October 28, 2010 6:23 AM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: service revolver == sidearm/service weapon
>
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
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> -
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: service revolver == sidearm/service weapon
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------
> -
>
> For many years my worthless impression has been that "revolver" is
often
> used when "pistol" is correct.
>
> OED has "service revolver" from Hemingway in 1926. Presumably he meant
an
> actual revolver.
>
> JL
>


T. Longmore, _Gunshot Injuries_  London:  Longmans, Green, and Co., 1877
[google books]
p. 38 "The diameter of the barrel of the first, 'Adam's Service
Revolver,' is 0.434 inch, and that of the bullet 0.455 inch."

_The Times_ [London] 3/7/1879 p 8 col B [letter by John Adams,
2/28/1879]
"As for accuracy, at 60 yards an ordinarily skilful shot could hit a man
with a service revolver nine times out of ten; at thirty yards, targets
of twenty-four consecutive shots have been made at Woolwich over and
over again which could be covered by a man's hand; and the same number
of shots can be fired with fair accuracy in one minute thirty seconds."

(Most of the early cites I could find came from the British Empire)
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

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