Classic Handguns of the 20th Century. David Arnold

ranges out to 600 yards, shooting at single and multiple aerial targets and fast draws from the holster as well as speed shooting with frontier single-action revolvers.

      Initially, he started out his speed shooting with Colt 1911 45 semi-automatic pistols, but soon switched to double-action revolvers because he found them to be better for speed work.

      After honing his double-action shooting techniques through a considerable expenditure of ammunition, Ed McGivern began demonstrating his remarkable skills by performing at fairs and shows. On November 30, 1919, in Denver, Colorado, he set a world record by shooting six shots in three-fifths of a second at a distance of 15 feet, placing all six shots in a group that could be covered with the palm of a hand.

      To perform this remarkable feat, the revolver he used was a Colt Officers target model 38 Special revolver. As with all of his records, the shooting was performed in the presence of witnesses and the time recorded by a specially made timing mechanism attached to the revolver. McGivern repeated this record several times with the same revolver.

      Although McGivern used a Colt for this record, he seems to have preferred the Smith & Wesson Military & Police for most of his subsequent feats. Using such a revolver, he shot five shots in two-fifths of a second on September 13, 1932. He repeated this feat several times with the same M&P revolver.

      It is worth pointing out the Ed McGivern did all of his shooting using the then traditional one-handed shooting stance. None of the modern two-handed shooting techniques for him! In addition, an examination of the revolvers he used to set his records indicates that all were pretty much standard in respect to their triggers. It seems he never resorted to having the double-action pulls lightened. About the only modifications his revolvers had were better sights.