Hickok and His .36 Navy Revolvers

[M. De Land]

I prefer my Colts (3) over my Remingtons (2). Actions on the Colts are so much nicer.
Cap jams aren't an issue if you keep an eye out for them. Raising the gun or turning it to the side clears fired caps easily enough.

There are more permanent ways of dealing with cap jams and Colt.

I have both and think preference depends on the type of shooting most frequently engaged in. If one just likes to plink or small game hunt either will serve nicely but for open revolver competition, you will almost never see a Colt. This is where the solid frame guns have the edge , mostly because of sight placement advantage.
I think my early 60 Pietta (which has been extensively worked over) nearly the accuracy equal of my solid frame guns but the hammer nose rear sight hinders accuracy acquisition.

 

[M. De Land]

The problem in Viet Nam was the jungle was so thick, you often could not see the enemy and often had to lay down suppressive fire to fight through an ambush or on patrol, in many areas.

Before I went to Cambodia in 1972, at a Rifle Range in Northern Okinawa where there is still a lot of jungle, we shot in the morning then had to bush axe jungle in the afternoon each day. Just as a test, we had one Marine stand from where there was short grass to the edge of jungle and he was only back in the jungle one foot. He disappeared from view.

I have heard Wild Bill was truly ambidextrous and just as good with either hand. Is that true?

It is also amazing to me he was so fast with the reverse draw he used.

Gus

I've often wondered if carrying butts to the front wasn't actually a cross draw method. The reasoning is when one draws he can simultaneously turn his body sideways to present a much smaller target and is in position for a one handed,extended arm shot.
The fast draw manure depicted by modern cinema is almost all B.S. !

 

[hanshi]

The cinema BS, agreed. There are, of course, people who have such innate talent that their skill that almost appear to be magicians. Hickock, Hardin, William Bonny, Sundance, etc, would qualify. But there were many others who never shot anyone because they lacked one thing the killers had in spades; that thing was veins of ice water cold.

 

[Eutycus]

That is an interesting list of pistoleros. Its pretty much how I would make it out. I probably never would have gotten to Sundance , I dont know that much about him. Maybe he does belong on that list?? But the top 3, Ice Water indeed. Heres an interesting "what if". Had Hickock and Hardin ever faced off in a gunfight, who do you suppose would have walked away.

 

[nightwolf1974]

That is an interesting list of pistoleros. Its pretty much how I would make it out. I probably never would have gotten to Sundance , I dont know that much about him. Maybe he does belong on that list?? But the top 3, Ice Water indeed. Heres an interesting "what if". Had Hickock and Hardin ever faced off in a gunfight, who do you suppose would have walked away.

Hardin

 

[nkbj]

This thread has me wanting to break out the '51's and see how well I can pull some Hickok's.
Maybe duct tape a paper plate (happy face added of course) to a post and keep walking away across the yard shot after shot.

 

[Eutycus]

Maybe duct tape a paper plate (happy face added of course) to a post and keep walking away across the yard shot after shot.[/QUOTE]
You mention paper plates. I find it a more "fun" thing to shoot at steel targets like gongs. I love that sound. Both the gun going off then the gong soung. Music!

 

[m-g willy]

". Had Hicko k and Hardin ever faced off in a gunfight, who do you suppose would have walked away.

They did face off,,And were both smart enough to know not to pick a fight with a man that was their equal..The story goes,, "don't start trouble,, and there will be no trouble from me.".Which worked out...until Hardin shot through the wall and killed a man for snoring,,He then decided,, It was a good time to GET OUT OF Abilene..!..A more realistic story is Hardin was going by the name Wesley Clements and laying low so as not to have his head shot off by anyone..Remember ,,back in the old west, towns folk wasn't like the movies...If anyone had known that Hardin was in town with a dead or alive bounty on his head ,,chances are that Hardin would have been dead as soon as someone spotted him..(GOOGLE NORTHFIELD RAID )To see how townsfolk came out of the woodwork to shoot up the James Younger gang.,,Hardin said In his writings from prison that he had out drawn Hickok and Bill couldn't match Hardin's speed..Hickok stated that he never met Hardin. And if you think about it ..Why would Hickok allow Hardin to live with a bounty on his head?...If 'n you ask me,,,Hardin was a known liar and drunk,,And I doubt he ever looked Bill Hickok in the eye .

 

[Zonie]

Well, I think this topic has pretty much covered Hitchcock's 1851 Colts which is the only reason I let it go on as long as it has.

Almost everything posted here deals with Hitchcock's life after he got out of the military after 1865, the cutoff date limit for discussions in the forum rules.

It's been fun but it is out of place here. I'm sure you will understand.