OK Corral and coach guns

[urbanspaceman]

How odd. I was just,last week, wondering why firearms were not present on this forum but supposed a forum called Viking Sword told it all.
Is there an interest in firearms?
I have some interesting pieces with late 1800s USA history.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by urbanspaceman

How odd. I was just,last week, wondering why firearms were not present on this forum but supposed a forum called Viking Sword told it all.
Is there an interest in firearms?
I have some interesting pieces with late 1800s USA history.

When we began this forum in 2008, we set the scope of arms discussions to cover virtually all historic times and forms of arms and armor, and within reasonable inclusion through the end of the 19th century. In most cases weapons beyond the turn of the century become modern militaria, and despite exceptions in certain cases , fall into that category.

While my interest lifelong has been swords, growing up in the west it was hard not to be aware of the gunfighters, and the modern 'paladins' (Richard Boone, "Have Gun Will Travel") whose duels were with guns.

A curious exception was the 70s classic "Master Gunfighter" with Tom McLaughlin (Billy Jack) set in Spanish California with the caballeros strapped with holstered revolvers....AND wearing SAMURAI katanas!!!!!
Hooray for Hollywood! quoting the words of one screen writer.

The Viking sword title was emplaced by the founder Lee Jones, whose key interest was in, of course, Viking swords. The scope of interest broadened to ethnographic weapons and that title prevailed, though the IT address remained Vikingsword.

When the ethnographic denominator became too restrictive, the European (intended collectively to all arms outside ethnographic) Armory was begun.
The keris forum was intended to tend to these intensely specialized weapons, but of course discussions on them tend to transcend the categoric barriers, as of course often happens between European and ethnographic.

So yes, firearms, at least as I recall from the inception of this forum, were always intended to be part of the subject matter included for discussion.

[urbanspaceman]

Something I discovered recently that I thought I would open up for potential correction:
the trumpet like muzzle of a blunderbuss was not to spread the shot - a short barrel would do that - it was to facilitate re-loading while sitting on a moving coach.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by urbanspaceman

Something I discovered recently that I thought I would open up for potential correction:
the trumpet like muzzle of a blunderbuss was not to spread the shot - a short barrel would do that - it was to facilitate re-loading while sitting on a moving coach.

Wow! Now I NEVER realized that but makes perfect sense! sorta like a funnel.
Those kinds of trivia bits are priceless.
Thank you Keith.
Also, now mentioned, those coach guns are truly desirable......very romanticized, the Highwaymen etc. Always wanted one but if you CAN find one..$$$$$$

[David R]

A couple from me.
Growing up in (1970's)Shrewsbury UK a place where gun shops proliferated and often carried antiques my boyhood hangout was one of these. The back wall was hung with pistols, rifles and smoothbores and the enthusiastic staff shared readily to an interested schoolboy. One of these guns was a short, 18", twist barreled double with "Wells Fargo" on the midrib. It rattled like no ones business. A comment above explains a lot, yep, 99% sure it was a Liege product made for the US market, and a mystery explained!
Back to Doc' an article in "Guns and Ammo" surmised that his personal side arm was a cut down 12 bore, pistol grip stock and 12"barrel,hung on a lanyard under his coat, as reputedly carried by Brigham Young's bodyguard, Orrin Porter Rockwell. (Who is well worth a google).

[Jim McDougall]

Thank you for responding David!! and especially for the great story!! It is so amazing to share these memories of our youth, and realize how much our number were so much alike before our pursuit of arms became lifelong fascinations.
That old shotgun you saw there truly brings the question, 'did Liege' create shotguns FOR the famed Wells Fargo? or had they reached the same kind of renown as the 'Bowie' knife (virtually most in the US were made in Sheffield) and marketed in the UK accordingly?

According to what I have found through the years, the 'street howitzer' (as called by Wyatt) used by Doc, was picked up by him at the Wells Fargo office on the way to the shootout. These were typically 12 guage and had shorter barrels than the average, and measured 18-24". As far as I have known, none of these ever had altered stock, nor would have had a lanyard.......this article sounds as if they are suggesting it was Docs personal weapon. He had two revolvers in his coat pockets, the standard manner of carry in town in those days.
The strapped 'cowboy' rig holsters were only worn on the range. Even lawmen packed revolvers in reinforced pockets, as did Wyatt.

Good note on Orrin Porter Rockwell, Brigham Youngs 'Angel of Death' is indeed worth a look. He was the 'enforcer' and body guard for the famed Mormon prophet. While not sure if he had a shotgun, he did have a most unusually modified Colt revolver with short, sawed off barrel........one of the original 'stub nose' specials.

[urbanspaceman]

David! Shrewsbury was awash with weapons?
Why was that? You make it sound like it was the norm. Was it a dangerous place? More dangerous than Tyneside!? Nowhere except Sicily was more dangerous than Newcastle upon Tyne and we never had a plethora of gun-shops. We had two, both exclusively sporting and fowling stockists who would never deign to speak to curious youngsters.
Perhaps it was your nuclear affiliation prompted folk to be well armed. You've got four minutes... grab your gun and pass the ammo!