Since the other post was getting a bit long and laborious, I thought I'd restart with the quote about inverted conical bullets in Walker revolvers during the Mexican War. This comes from "Rip Ford's Texas".
"While at Vergara, 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. Many of the men had not used revolvers. Some of them put the small end of the conical ball down first. A single fire usually burst the cylinder. Some let the loose powder trail around the cylinder; six shots would be fired at once. One day a 'greeny' was in the tent cleaning his pistol. The adjutant (Ford meant himself) advised him to remove the caps. He said he would. In a minute or two a pistol shot was heard. Greeny had shot his own horse in the head and put himself afoot."
Another reference to the Walker vs. the Mississippi rifle is also made as follows:
"While at this camp (meaning Encerro) the men made a trial between the Mississippi rifle and the six-shooter of Colt's last pattern. The six-shooter threw a ball a greater distance than the rifle."
The "Mississippi rifle" referred to is the M.1841 rifle of .54 caliber that took a standard charge of 75 grains of "rifle" grade powder. The name "Mississippi" came from Jefferson Davis' Mississippi Volunteers who's fight at Buena Vista had gained such renown. The rifle was also called the "Windsor" and other terms due to the contract maker's name stamped on the lockplates.
Another interesting comment from Ford's book concerns the results of another fight in Mexico. Much is made of Hickock's gunfight at 75 yards. How about this?
"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 hundred and twenty yards. Hewitt was one of the best shots with a pistol the writer ever saw."
No kidding Rip!
"While at Vergara, 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. Many of the men had not used revolvers. Some of them put the small end of the conical ball down first. A single fire usually burst the cylinder. Some let the loose powder trail around the cylinder; six shots would be fired at once. One day a 'greeny' was in the tent cleaning his pistol. The adjutant (Ford meant himself) advised him to remove the caps. He said he would. In a minute or two a pistol shot was heard. Greeny had shot his own horse in the head and put himself afoot."
Another reference to the Walker vs. the Mississippi rifle is also made as follows:
"While at this camp (meaning Encerro) the men made a trial between the Mississippi rifle and the six-shooter of Colt's last pattern. The six-shooter threw a ball a greater distance than the rifle."
The "Mississippi rifle" referred to is the M.1841 rifle of .54 caliber that took a standard charge of 75 grains of "rifle" grade powder. The name "Mississippi" came from Jefferson Davis' Mississippi Volunteers who's fight at Buena Vista had gained such renown. The rifle was also called the "Windsor" and other terms due to the contract maker's name stamped on the lockplates.
Another interesting comment from Ford's book concerns the results of another fight in Mexico. Much is made of Hickock's gunfight at 75 yards. How about this?
"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 hundred and twenty yards. Hewitt was one of the best shots with a pistol the writer ever saw."
No kidding Rip!
