The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - What kind of gun did Wild Bill Hickock and Wyatt Earp use?

ZVP · March 11, 2010, 09:41 PM

I still wonder what truely drove Hickock to choose the less powerfull .36 Colt over the .44 Army?
I suppose the superior qaccuracy of the .36 Navy and low recoil had a lot to do with his choice. SUrely the power of the Navy was not the issue here!
Maybe the high velocity of the .36 Navy made it more likely to penetrate the heavy clothing of the era and that it still retained enough velocity to reach the vital points that could bring a fight to an end? Maybe similar to the high penetration of the 9mm?
I own both a .36 Uberti London and a .44 navy replica and a pair of Remington .44 armies. I am going to try and devise some sort of test to help to understand Hicock's choice.
What is your opnion of Hickock's choice?
ZVP

March 11, 2010, 09:41 PM	#18
ZVP Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2009 Posts: 1,102	Why a .36 in Hickocks hand? I still wonder what truely drove Hickock to choose the less powerfull .36 Colt over the .44 Army? I suppose the superior qaccuracy of the .36 Navy and low recoil had a lot to do with his choice. SUrely the power of the Navy was not the issue here! Maybe the high velocity of the .36 Navy made it more likely to penetrate the heavy clothing of the era and that it still retained enough velocity to reach the vital points that could bring a fight to an end? Maybe similar to the high penetration of the 9mm? I own both a .36 Uberti London and a .44 navy replica and a pair of Remington .44 armies. I am going to try and devise some sort of test to help to understand Hicock's choice. What is your opnion of Hickock's choice? ZVP