Davis Tutt Shot

[Tom A Hawk]

Depending on which account you read, Wild Bill may have used either a .44 Dragoon or a '51 Navy in his encounter with Davis Tutt. I don't have a Navy but I do have a 2nd Model Dragoon.

"Don't cross the street with that watch Dave"....

Watch at 4:00 in the 9 ring.

 

[Whitworth]

Well done Always wind up a pistol session with a few shots at my Davis Tutt steel silhouette at the required 75 yards. I can bat about .500 but most of my hits aren't the heart though

 

[Stantheman86]

I had always heard the story of the Davis Tutt shot being made with Hickok's .36 Navy but historical memory is flawed.

Either way making a 75 yard shot to the chest of an armed opponent, after just being shot at by this opponent, is a really solid piece of shooting.

The distance isn't so much the issue but making this shot under stress after Tutt fired and missed. I'm sure there was a little luck involved too , I doubt Hickok did an Indiana Jones and capped off one round at 75 , then turned around and walked off as Tutt crumbled into a heap. I'm willing to bet Hickock was ready to fire again but was probably like "oh sht I hit him!'

 

[Stantheman86]

Tried it today, at a target the size of a piece of Printer Paper , I missed about 4" off to the left. And the paper wasn't shooting at me

 

[Pete G]

More than likely a lucky shot, but the better you shoot the luckier you get.

 

[bobthemotorcycle]

I believe the shot.

Bill knew his guns and where they hit at. A man with only one set of guns knows his guns.

Got to remember that he traveled alot. When he got hungry you can't pull off the bypass into a McDonald's drive thru, you had to shoot to eat and he knew his guns. You see a jackrabbit you pop off a shot and there's lunch. You see a turkey you shot it and ate. If you missed you went hungry.

I remember my grandad had 3 guns. A rifle, a shotgun and a small rifle. He never had a shooting range or did ballistics but he bring home more game than any gun nut I know of. He knew his guns.

 

[Treestalker]

I'm living proof my dad was a good shot with a shotgun. I plucked enough ducks and geese to feather Mars. Starting when a stretched out Canada Goose was taller than I was! Gumbo, Dumbo!

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Hmmm, want to try that myself.

 

[user 48679]

I believe the shot.

Bill knew his guns and where they hit at.

A man with only one set of guns knows his guns.

His life depended on his proficiency...….

.

 

[No second place]

Not hard to believe. I bet at least 50 of the pistol shooters I shot with at the NMLRA / NRA sponsored national championships last week could make that shot at least 8 out of 10 times. Top 10 shooters 10 of 10...c

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

More than likely a lucky shot, but the better you shoot the luckier you get.

Three of my muzzle loading friends and myself were talking about the Hickok/Tutt shootout and decided to try it for ourselves. We all were using second generation Colt's: one Navy and one Second Model dragoon (me), an 1860 Army, and a 3rd Model Dragoon. We used a full size torso target and fired away. We couldn't even wing it. We were holding over and as it turned out, we were shooting way over. We then remembered that these revolvers were often sighted for 100 yards. We held a bit lower and immediately started getting hits. Later we moved the target to 100 yards and still got solid hits. Trust me, if I could do it, I have full confidence that Wild Bill could.

 

[Dude]

Remember - they were both standing sideways, which makes for a narrower target.

 

[Pete G]

Remember - they were both standing sideways, which makes for a narrower target.

...and the target was shooting back!
I once read a report where two "gunmen" held the end of a bandana in one hand and a sixgun in the other. Both emptied their pistols, but neither was hit; however two windows were shot out and a mule was hit in the hind leg.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Three of my muzzle loading friends and myself were talking about the Hickok/Tutt shootout and decided to try it for ourselves. We all were using second generation Colt's: one Navy and one Second Model dragoon (me), an 1860 Army, and a 3rd Model Dragoon. We used a full size torso target and fired away. We couldn't even wing it. We were holding over and as it turned out, we were shooting way over. We then remembered that these revolvers were often sighted for 100 yards. We held a bit lower and immediately started getting hits. Later we moved the target to 100 yards and still got solid hits. Trust me, if I could do it, I have full confidence that Wild Bill could.

I did some further testing at the range yesterday with an 1858 Remington and was able to bust clay pigeons at 50 yards. Next week I will try it on a silhouette at 75 and 100.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I did some further testing at the range yesterday with an 1858 Remington and was able to bust clay pigeons at 50 yards. Next week I will try it on a silhouette at 75 and 100.

These percussion revolvers are accurate at ranges much longer than many people realize. I have shot my Walkers at 100 yards a number of times and had a lot of fun doing it. I should mention that my real interest is for flintlock rifles and fowlers, so my handgun talent is actually pretty low. If I can do it most anyone can do it too. Enjoy.