[mec]

From Rip Ford's Mexican War book:
page 70
"While at Vergera, we drew six-shooters, the old fashioned long-barreled arm. It carried a ball as near the mark, and to a greater distance, than the Mississippi rifle."

A footnote by Oates, the editor page 87:
Throughout the Mexico City operations the Americans found the enemy soldier to be an extremely poor shot, even at close range. A look at his ammunition revealed why this was so: a Mexican cartridge contained twice as much powder as was necessary. This caused the escopetas to kick bruisingly, which in turn spoiled the Mexican aim. Some feared the recoil of their weapons so much that they closed their eyes and flinched while firing. Poor Mexican marksmanship was a major factor in the American ability to win victories at relatively light cost. Another important factor, said Captain Ephraim Daggett, "was the holy awe and superstition entertained by the untutored Mexican in regard to the 'revolver.' They understood the term to mean a turning around and about--a circulator; and were led to believe the ball would revolve in all directions after its victims, run around trees and turn corners, go into houses and climb stairs, and hunt up folks generally." (Daggett, "Adventure with Guerrillas," in Isaac George, Heroes and Incidents of the Mexican War, pp. 210-213)

page 101:
"A skirmish ensued at a little place called San Carlos; Sergeant Major William Hewitt stood in one place and killed three Mexicans with a six-shooter. After the firing ceased the rangers measured the distance, and reported it over one hundered and twenty yards. Hewitt was one of the best shots with a pistol the writer ever saw."

page 105 "While at this camp the men made a trial between the Mississippi rifle and the six-shooter of Colt's last pattern. The six-shooter threw a ball greater distance than the rifle."

[Tommygunn]

" ... the holy awe and superstition entertained by the untutored Mexican in regard to the 'revolver.' They understood the term to mean a turning around and about--a circulator; and were led to believe the ball would revolve in all directions after its victims, run around trees and turn corners, go into houses and climb stairs, and hunt up folks generally." :D:what::neener::neener:;);):eek:
Man, that's funny.
Sorta made me think of an old Tom Selleck movie where this BG had a gun that fired "guided bullets." Of course ... that was set over a century after this ....*SIGH!* absurdity.:)

[Misfire99]

Interesting. I have never seen nor heard the term "Escopetas" before. So I did a google search. Here is something I found interesting:
DOS ESCOPETAS TENGO - Clint Norris (¿Chuck Eastwood?)

Now I understand why they thought the bullets would chase them upstairs. When you have such Bad Asses as Clint Norris and Chuck Eastwood after you who wouldn't be scared.

[Shawnee]

Great Stuff, MEC !! Thanks !!


:cool:

[GENTLEMAN OF THE CHARCOAL]

Mec, thank you for the trouble you went to posting that. You made me feel good. I love the Walker and it make's me feel good just knowing that other people have at least some idea of just how good it really is..Plus you know you're going to hear from Bigbadgun just as soon as he find's the post...Okay...

[bigbadgun]

Mec I enjoyed that posting very much makes me want to set a target at 100 yards and see if I can hit it. And yes a Walker well climb stairs to get you. Trees aint no trick it well just go thru it. LOL
G of the C every body knows I love my Walker more than you love yours so lets not go there.:banghead:

[GENTLEMAN OF THE CHARCOAL]

Bigbadgun, but do you really?! Can you really and honestly say that you care more for yours than I care for Mrs. Walker?
Oh, Bigbadgun I just find it so difficult to plumb the true depths of my feelings and emotions. The stirrings down deep within me when I remove the caps from her beautiful nipples and expose her mighty 44's! (it take's a .457 cup just to hold one of them)
Do you hold her close on a cold winter's night and seek solace and comfort from her compact and strong yet so beautiful frame while you marvel in wonder and delight at the heat, and the power and energy, and the driving force contained within her? Do you come awake sometimes around 0200hrs and pull her even closer to you and French kiss her passionately and deeply tongue her muzzle as you taste the lube and rust preventative?
I thought not! YOU sir, have been caught in your own snare! Ye have fallen into the pit which thou hast digged for others! You sir, are a false prophet and you do NOT come to the people in the name of The Colt!....
(I cannot believe I just sat here and typed all of this s*** at five o'clock in the morning!)
Good morning Bigbadgun. Well, the coffee's ready. Let me grab a mug. Later ya'll...Okay...

[bigbadgun]

:what: ummm yeah :what:

[mykeal]

Geesh. Get a room.:neener::D

[B yond]

Somehow I knew it was going to go there. I guess that's why they make bore butter out of non-toxic food grade ingredients. :scrutiny:

Keep it in your holster guys.

[mec]

Mec, thank you for the trouble you went to posting that. You made me feel good. I love the Walker and it make's me feel good just knowing that other people have at least some

No trouble at all. I just posted what SAAMAN sent me in an e-mail

[Old Fuff]

"While at this camp the men made a trial between the Mississippi rifle and the six-shooter of Colt's last pattern. The six-shooter threw a ball greater distance than the rifle."

Colt apparently knew of this and similar incidents, as he included it in his advertising.

"A skirmish ensued at a little place called San Carlos; Sergeant Major William Hewitt stood in one place and killed three Mexicans with a six-shooter. After the firing ceased the rangers measured the distance, and reported it over one hundered and twenty yards. Hewitt was one of the best shots with a pistol the writer ever saw."

Of course today we have many shooters that refuse to even practice beyond "gunfighting distance," which they define to mean 15 yards. :uhoh:

[GENTLEMAN OF THE CHARCOAL]

Old Fuff, wasn't the 1858 New Model Army .44 ranged and sighted in at the factory for 70 yards? I read that on here somewhere and it make's good sense to me. If they were only fit for about 25 yards as a lot of people on here claim (which I never believed anyway) then it wouldn't even be worth packing along, not to mention the extra weight of the balls and so forth. I know my Uberti .44 Cattleman'e Carbine is spot on at one helluva lot further than 25 yards (one helluva lot further) and it's built on the same frame, just has the little shoulder stock and an 18 inch barrel instead of the 7&1/2 inch barrel. I also know, that in the hand's of someone who knows what he's doing, a 7&1/2 inch barrel will reach out there and touch someone. I know there's a lot of good people on here who know a lot, but I also know there's some people on here who will run a bunch of s*** off on someone in a New York second because I'vd done read it on here more than once. (and I have been given to understand that a New York second is pretty fast) I understand this thread is about the Walker but I wanted to ask my question while it was still fresh in my mind...Okay...

If the ball is not hitting the target, then perhaps someone need's to check the shooter and not the gun, hmmm?

[bigbadgun]

Of course today we have many shooters that refuse to even practice beyond "gunfighting distance," which they define to mean 15 yards.
I see this all the time at the range 15 yards with modern handguns please.
I usually shoot at 25 yards but today I got a wild hair up my arse and sat targets at 50yards.
No tight groups but if I was shooting at a person they would have been hit everytime. And that was with my 1851 Navy in .44 cal and my 1858 Remmie new army Police 5.5 inch barrel .36 cal. The looks I got walking back in from setting the targets out to 50 yards were priceless and even better when I brought them back in Hell I had people scoping MY targets lol. funny very funny.

P.S. G of the C please stop showing that thing off

[BigG]

MEC, it's always a pleasure to read something new about old Colt's pistols. Thanks! :)