firearm

The man in the photograph is Alfred P. Lane, Olympic shooter and gold medalist who was hired by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) in 1914 to train police officers how to shoot. Lane competed in two Olympics, winning three gold medals (50m Free Pistol, 50m Team Free Pistol, and 50m Rapid Fire Pistol) in the 1912 Olympic Games (Stockhom), plus a bronze medal (50m Free Pistol) and two more gold medals (50m Team Free Pistol, 50m Rapid Fire Pistol) in the 1920 Olympic Games (Antwerp). Lane would later be among the first inducted into the United States International Shooters Hall of Fame in 1991. Also of interest in this photograph is the pistol Lane is shooting. It is a Colt Model 1908 Hammerless Pistol (Colt M1908), designed by John Moses Browning, and manufactured by Colt. It is noteworthy because during this period the NYPD became one of the few police departments of the era to have adopted a semi-automatic pistol as an issued firearm (in this case for its detectives.) However, the M1908's career in the NYPD was short lived, and it was withdrawn from NYPD service by 1918 (thought to be because of accidental/negligent discharges by some of the officers it was issued to). The NYPD would not authorize the widespread issue of semi-automatic pistols again until 1993.

I added him to Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_P._Lane

LOC -- his name is Alfred P. Lane, not "Alf Plane"

Taking Aim at the Future

Looks like a double barreled 12 gauge shotgun....

C. W. Billings was a member of the American Olympic Trapshooting team. He competed in the Travers Island Trap competition in both 1911 and 1913.

I started an entry in Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._W._Billings

美麗的照片

For some reason this picture make me happy. I would also be a great photo for the cover art of an album named 'Throwing Guns Into the Sea'. Already sounds groovy. Maybe Fleet Foxes-esque freak folk tinged with sea shanties.

The guy looks like a high ranking officer (stripes on his sleeves). Must be a "for show/photo op" shot.

Two other Bain/LOC photos show the cache of forfeited guns, about to be cast into the sea:

I am guessing this is related to this 1912 New York times article about the NYC Police throwing $12,000 worth of confiscated weapons into the sea. query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=940DE...

"I am guessing this is related to this 1912 New York times article about the NYC Police throwing $12,000 worth of confiscated weapons into the sea." Good find! And look how much it has helped New Yorkers be safe!