Wild Bill Hickok and vest pistol
While discussing these suicide specials and concealed guns:
It is worthy of note that at the OK Corral, none of Earp and his men were holstered, but Wyatt for example had a Smith & Wesson in his coat pocket, Doc had a Thunderer in his pocket.
Wild Bill Hickok always favored the Colt M1851 Navy, but as eyesight failing in later years, and he turned to professional gambling, he carried a Smith & Wesson #2 .36 rimfire in his vest. Didnt do much good as he was shot from behind by the coward Jack McCall in #10 saloon in Deadwood, South Dakota.
Goes to the old convention these days in the west........gunfighters seat, always face the door, back against the wall.
With these smaller guns, the barrels ranged from 2.5" to 7.5". The shorter barrels were termed 'SHOPKEEPERS PISTOLS' as they were kept in the vest, by storekeepers for protection.
The images show Hickok with the type Smith & Wesson carried in his 'activities' in Deadwood as it looked 'in the day'.....not exactly the Vegas strip!! Also, the Colt 1851 Navy revolver he favored in his gunfighter days...this one however a London marked example (1856). While that would seem to disqualify it for use in the west, many weapons came in from England, just as Bowie knives, the Webleys and Adams & Deane revolvers.
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