This story isn’t about combat guns that we normally talk about

[silvercorvette]

But it is about a gun used in combat from a different era. I found it to be an interesting read and thought others might find it interesting. It involves a story or a myth about an impossible shot with a Sharps rifle made by Billy Dixon in 1874. Billy Dixon knocked an Indian off his horse at a distance later surveyed to be 1,538 yards. A forensic scientist calculated that a .50-90 black power Sharps couldn’t throw a bullet that far. Here is the story of the tests they ran to prove it.
Click on the link to read the story
I hope you enjoy this short story as much as I did

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[APachon]

interesting. What could account for the long trajectory with such a hefty round?

~A

[silvercorvette]

When you consider this was a kill shot at almost one-mile away it was somewhat amusing(I am sorry if my choice of words offends anyone but I can’t think of a better word. I didn’t mean to imply that anything about the tragic death of the victims was amusing. My comment was directed at the press and TV media that were totally clueless about weapons. In fact they called in firearms experts that were clueless because their experts had no idea what a real sniper is) to hear the way the media reported the DC sniper as a super skilled marksman because he was able to make a shot from a few hundred feet with a modern weapon. If they knew anything about guns they would have known that any average shooter could make a similar shot. I take nothing away from one of the greatest snipers that ever lived, Carlos Hatchcock. But when you read about this story or the 1,200 yard shot that killed General Sedgwick at Spotsylvania in 1864 you really have to be awed by what they were able to do with equipment that was primitive in comparison.

[Bumper]

That is pretty interesting. I wonder if the powder was similar to the powder used in that period. Modern powder has a whole lot more power than the old stuff. I read somewhere that quite a few of the soldiers shot from a long distance during the Civil War had bullets removed that penetrated only an inch or so under the skin. The Sharps was an awesome rifle and in the hands of the right person, I wouldn\'t dispute him. Good shot, Billy ;)

[Pylon]

Wow thats a great article. I won\'t ever doubt the leathlity of bullets at range again :O

[Bud White]

A true sharps just seem to be a long range beast that can launch them out there i would bet if they werent using a actually sharps rifle it would havnt went as far.. close but not near as far

[silvercorvette]

If you found this story interesting you might want also read the story of General Sedgwick at Spotsylvania, Virginia in 1864.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig/southwick3.html