Thompson-LaGarde Tests
Encyclopedia
The Thompson-LaGarde Tests were a series of tests conducted in 1904 to determine which caliber
should be used in new military handguns. The US Army's fighting men had considerable difficulty stopping the Moro warriors and other combatants with the .38 Long Colt
, and the Army began to consider the problem.
The task was assigned to Colonel John T. Thompson
of the Infantry
, and Major Louis Anatole LaGarde of the Medical Corps
. The tests were conducted at the Nelson Morris Company Union Stock Yards
in Chicago, Illinois, using both live cattle outside a local slaughterhouse, as well as some human cadaver
s. Several different calibers were used during the tests: .476 Eley (UK), 7.65x22mm Parabellum (.30 Luger), 9x19mm Parabellum (Germany), .38 Long Colt
, .38 ACP
, .45 Colt
(US) and the .455 Webley
(UK).
The first day of testing involved eight live cattle; seven were shot through the lungs using different caliber rounds, and the effects recorded. The remaining animal was shot through the intestines with the .476 Eley. If the animal took too long to die, it was put down by a hammer blow to the head. Results were highly variable due to differences in shot placement, round types, animal size, and the number of times the animal was shot.
For the second day, the test procedures were changed so that each animal would be rapidly shot in the lungs until the animal had died or 10 rounds had been fired. For this test, five animals were used. Again, results were highly variable; weapon jamming also contributed to the variability this time.
The cadaver tests were conducted by suspending the body, and measured the sway caused when the body was shot from different distances. The measurement was completely subjective and for comparison purpose only.
After the tests, Thompson and LaGarde stated, "the Board was of the opinion that a bullet, which will have the shock effect and stopping effect at short ranges necessary for a military pistol or revolver, should have a caliber not less than .45." This may have been viewed by them as a reasonable recommendation in the face of inconclusive evidence, an idea furthered by their recommendation that "...soldiers armed with pistols or revolvers should be drilled unremittingly in the accuracy of fire" if there was "no hope of stopping an adversary by shock or other immediate results."
The Thompson-LaGarde Tests have since been criticized as being "highly unscientific" and producing a recommendation unsupported by the test results.
Caliber
In guns including firearms, caliber or calibre is the approximate internal diameter of the barrel in relation to the diameter of the projectile used in it....
should be used in new military handguns. The US Army's fighting men had considerable difficulty stopping the Moro warriors and other combatants with the .38 Long Colt
.38 Long Colt
The .38 Long Colt is a cartridge introduced by Colt's Manufacturing Company in 1875, and was adopted as a standard military pistol cartridge by the United States Army in 1892 for the Colt New Army M1892 Revolver. It is slightly more powerful than the .38 Short Colt, or .38 SC. The .38 Long Colt...
, and the Army began to consider the problem.
The task was assigned to Colonel John T. Thompson
John T. Thompson
John Taliaferro Thompson, , was a United States Army officer best remembered as the inventor of the Thompson submachine gun.-Early life:...
of the Infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
, and Major Louis Anatole LaGarde of the Medical Corps
Medical Corps (United States Army)
The Medical Corps of the U.S. Army is a staff corps of the U.S. Army Medical Department consisting of commissioned medical officers – physicians with either an MD or a DO degree, at least one year of post-graduate clinical training, and a state medical license.The MC traces its earliest origins...
. The tests were conducted at the Nelson Morris Company Union Stock Yards
Union Stock Yards
The Union Stock Yard & Transit Co., or The Yards, was the meat packing district in Chicago for over a century starting in 1865. The district was operated by a group of railroad companies that acquired swampland, and turned it to a centralized processing area...
in Chicago, Illinois, using both live cattle outside a local slaughterhouse, as well as some human cadaver
Cadaver
A cadaver is a dead human body.Cadaver may also refer to:* Cadaver tomb, tomb featuring an effigy in the form of a decomposing body* Cadaver , a video game* cadaver A command-line WebDAV client for Unix....
s. Several different calibers were used during the tests: .476 Eley (UK), 7.65x22mm Parabellum (.30 Luger), 9x19mm Parabellum (Germany), .38 Long Colt
.38 Long Colt
The .38 Long Colt is a cartridge introduced by Colt's Manufacturing Company in 1875, and was adopted as a standard military pistol cartridge by the United States Army in 1892 for the Colt New Army M1892 Revolver. It is slightly more powerful than the .38 Short Colt, or .38 SC. The .38 Long Colt...
, .38 ACP
.38 ACP
The .38 ACP also known as the .38 Auto was introduced at the turn of the 20th century for the Browning designed Colt M1900. The cartridge headspaces on the rim. It had first been used in his Model 1897 prototype, which Colt did not produce...
, .45 Colt
.45 Colt
The .45 Colt cartridge is a handgun cartridge dating to 1872. It began as a black powder revolver round developed for the Colt Single Action Army revolver, but is offered as a magnum level handgun hunting round in modern usage. This cartridge was adopted by the U.S. Army in 1873 and served as the...
(US) and the .455 Webley
.455 Webley
.455 Webley is a British handgun cartridge, most commonly used in the Webley top break revolvers Marks I through VI.The .455 cartridge was a service revolver cartridge, featuring a rimmed cartridge firing a .45 bullet at the relatively low velocity of 650 ft/s...
(UK).
The first day of testing involved eight live cattle; seven were shot through the lungs using different caliber rounds, and the effects recorded. The remaining animal was shot through the intestines with the .476 Eley. If the animal took too long to die, it was put down by a hammer blow to the head. Results were highly variable due to differences in shot placement, round types, animal size, and the number of times the animal was shot.
For the second day, the test procedures were changed so that each animal would be rapidly shot in the lungs until the animal had died or 10 rounds had been fired. For this test, five animals were used. Again, results were highly variable; weapon jamming also contributed to the variability this time.
The cadaver tests were conducted by suspending the body, and measured the sway caused when the body was shot from different distances. The measurement was completely subjective and for comparison purpose only.
After the tests, Thompson and LaGarde stated, "the Board was of the opinion that a bullet, which will have the shock effect and stopping effect at short ranges necessary for a military pistol or revolver, should have a caliber not less than .45." This may have been viewed by them as a reasonable recommendation in the face of inconclusive evidence, an idea furthered by their recommendation that "...soldiers armed with pistols or revolvers should be drilled unremittingly in the accuracy of fire" if there was "no hope of stopping an adversary by shock or other immediate results."
The Thompson-LaGarde Tests have since been criticized as being "highly unscientific" and producing a recommendation unsupported by the test results.