What do you all think about the blue background and table cloth? Our earlier videos were taken against white cabinets and a white table. The autofocus on the camera sometimes overreacted. The video from two weeks ago had the blue background and a white table. That seemed to give the least distortion and we will use it after the current series is finished.
Having the darker, more neutral background is a good idea. You may also want to consider what colours you are wearing too, to avoid the contrast issue with the cameras.
I have a Marlin Ballard No. 8 Union Hill single shot rifle and I know almost for certain who the original owner was. The rilfle is factory original with matching serial numbers on all main parts. His name, Wm E Sargent is engraved on the butt plate along with his home town in Vermont. I did a web search for this guy and sure enough I found him. He was born in another small town only about 40 miles away in 1862 and the gun was made about 1884 based on its serial number. He may not be an historical figure but it’s pretty cool to know who the original owner was.
Have you tried to find out more about Mr. Sargent? There are genealogical research sites that can assist you in tracking him down. US Census Records are open to the public. Knowing where he was born and when is great information that will facilitate research. The Census usually lists family and occupations. Good luck. Be careful you don't get hooked on research. Ask me how I know.
@@evangreen9430 , The town on the butt plate is Thetford, Vt. I found the guy was born in Chittendon, Vt., and both are tiny villages only about 40 miles apart. Also, neither his father nor his son had the same name, so it wasn’t them. This makes almost certain he was the first owner. He would have been about 22 years old when the gun was made.
As someone who has been collecting firearms and other stuff for about 30 years now, one thing I've heard time and time again is that a certain gun was "probably" in a certain battle or could have been or it could have been here or there at one time. Of course, there's no way for most of them to be proven to be there, but it's pretty common. The biggest thing I learned as a history major and doing archival research in college many moons ago, was that unless there's some really good documentation behind it, it's all a good story, but just that.
We lived on Pebrican in Cheyenne in 1959 and I loved going to the State Museum , the sight of all the Indian weapons and Cowboy rifles and pistols was my favorite area in the museum. At 5 years old I decided one day to walk all the way to the museum and go directly to the my favorite area in the museum. Walked home and was never missed. 6 kids in the family. Still can’t believe I did that.
During his time as a sports writer, bat Masterson would buy used single action revolvers, and then pass them off as a gun that he had used when he was a law man.
I heard once that in her later years, the mother of the James brothers, (Jessie and Frank), would buy worn out and non-working junk pistols from the local hardware store for $.50 to $1.00, and sell them for $10.00 to $20.00 to people who came by her home, looking for souvenirs from the "James Boys".
A friend of mine owns a heavily rusted up Remington Rolling Block 1879 Argentinian Model cavalry carbine in 43 Spanish whose stock and forearm rotted away long ago. It was recovered from a river bed, it has the hammer cocked, either ready to fire or it was in the process of being reloaded when it's user lost it. The curious fact is that that particular river's course was changed here and there after the region was colonized following the so called Desert Campaign of 1879-1883 in Patagonia, Argentina (akin to the Indian Wars in the USA) leading us to believe that a cavalryman was in the process of crossing the river when the firearm fell into the water, perhaps under indian attack. Regardless of the veracity of the story attached to an object, particularly a weapon, any person with an interest in history will always admire such objects and wonder what drama it had seen or been through. Thank you for putting up such interesting material. Regards from Argentina.
Sorry to be late with this response. Earlier Colt percussion revolvers had brass grip frames. Brass left exposed on military issue. Civilian firearms often silver plated over the brass. But no brass framed Model 1873s.
Thanks Evan. As always an informative video, particularly the commentary on oral histories. As a ten, or twelve year old at scout camp we played a game called telegraph (?), where one of the group around a circle would read a statement provided by a scout leader, to himself, and then whisper it to the person on his right and so on around 10-15 kids and the last kid before the original one would then speak the received message out loud to the rest of the group. Invariably the message as relayed through the group over a period of a couple of minutes would bear little resemblance to the original. Beware oral histories from any source. If they can be corrupted in two minutes imagine the errors and magnifications in decades or centuries. 21:08
Great video, Evan. As you demonstrated, a healthy amount of skepticism is one of the most essential tools a historian can have, especially where the provenance of artifacts is concerned. 👍
32 W.C.F. is the 32-20, chambered in the 1873 and 1892 Winchester rifles as well as several pistols such as the Colt New Model Army aka SAA, and the Smith & Wesson Hand Ejectors, I've got one of those. The 32 Winchester Special is a larger cartridge similar to the 30-30 (30 W.C.F.), with a larger diameter bullet., .312" v .308".
The firearms show up very nicely with the blue cloth. We all would like something exciting to be in our familys history. My own family were just hard working farmers raising thier family and living the good life and I could not be prouder. 👍
I used to wonder why my ancestors from the East did not move west after the CW. After watching 1883 and researching, I have come to the conclusion that we lost so many people during the CW, we needed people. So, there were plenty of jobs in the east. Immigrants from other countries came to own land, many had no firearms in their past. Which put them at a disadvantage, so they need to learn these traits to deal with Indians and others who wanted the land and the poor resources that was there, like water. I have noticed a difference in the land in the west, it takes a lot more to live off of than 160 acres.
I have only watched an episode or two of 1883. For the most part, I think they got the guns right and did not overly distort history. I speculate that many of the veterans of the Civil War came west in some cases to deal with PTSD, the trauma of the war. Of course it wasn't recognized at the time. Some popular histories don't give adequate recognition to the free Blacks who came west. A sizable percentage of "cowboys" were people of color. I'm working on episode about a Black woman who came to Cheyenne in the 1920s. By 1944, she owned a boarding house and cafe. She was approached by senior officers in the police department that told her to employ prostitutes and open gambling. The cops were sent by the mayor and the chief of police. The woman paid the extortion they demanded, kept the serial numbers, testified at the trial. The mayor, the chief, and the two officers were convicted and sent to prison.
@@evangreen3209 I think Taylor did a great job with 83 and 23. As a veteran and a southerner, I am going to tell you something that will get a lot of stuff started in the south. The loss cause is a farce. Period. I have PTSD, from my service, I get with the characters of Elliot and Garrett. I have had tell me they do not serve black soldiers, using the N term. I trying to cool down the situation, said good, because I don't eat em. I really like the job you do. Next time I am out west, I will try and stop by the museum and meet you.
a lot simply didn't make it. my Swedish grandmother told me her family would have died if the indians handn't told them how ot boil "Buckleys' Mixture" in Minnesota in the winter to get Vitamins. Yeh, you got it: BM out of MN. is ACTUALLY an old Indian native remedy, minus a few non-local herbs!!
I noticed this also. An easy mistake to make, talking more or less informally. Surprisingly nonetheless for someone with this gentleman's erudition. 21:08
@@tedpfenninger4972 Of course you both are correct. .32 Special was just a .30-30 necked up. .32 WCF was the ..32-20 chambered in the Winchester Models of 1873 and 1892. Also in some Colt Model 1873s.
I've dug quite a few frontier firearms. I dug a Burnside carbine in southern Colorado, minus the stock, having a difficult time researching the serial numbers to at least tack down what cavalry unit it was recieved.
The only list I have of Burnside carbine serial numbers runs between 33051 and 33758. Those were issued to various units of the 2nd Illinois Volunteer Cavalry during the Civil War.. Those numbers are not inclusive, too many gaps in the sequence. If you have your number, I can check it for you. Any other markings you can see will be helpful as well. Some of the firearms in the Museum's collection are too rusted/corroded and the markings are impossible to read. As you know, many Civil War firearms found their way to the American frontier after the war. There is a forum called Cascity. The founder's alias is Two Flints. He is an expert on Burnside Carbines and has serial number information. If you can't locate the forum, let me know and I will give you more specifics. UA-cam won't let me post a link.
@evangreen9430 ok, I'll try to find the forum. This particular site was a short-lived camp of Colorado cav unit in 1864. I know it wasn't issued to this particular unit. They had the usual Spencer carbines. I'll get the numbers for you as well, it's in fantastic shape due to soil conditions.
I once owned two Remington 3rd Model Smoot(s) in 38 rimfire. One was extensively shot yet poorly taken care of. But it had a rack number crudely stamped into the bottom of the pistol grip. Was it a department issue revolver for a plain clothes detective. Or a bodyguard from Pinkertons or otherwise on the east side of the Mississippi? The other one, also having the preferred saw back handle, had very nice mother of pearl grips. Nicely augmenting the nearly pristine nickel plating. And it looked like it was never ever shot. I say nearly pristine because on the right side of the cylinder, the high points of the fluting, the plating was worn down. As if. It was bought by a wealthy man for his wife. Maybe it sat in her frilly stuff drawer where the occasional movement of that unfinished wooden drawer, took its toll on the finish over a period of time? Maybe ??? But I can tell you one thing. During the paranoia WW1 & WW2, many of these worthy but elderly firearms were bought out, dusted off then carried-used for believed self protection in North America. Used or not.
Interesting guns, those Smoots. We don't have one in the collection. Your speculation about a rack number is probably correct as many police, military, and correctional officer firearms were so marked. Lots of handguns then and now live in the underwear drawer and seldom shot. But remain ready for duty if an emergency arises.
I was stationed in Cheyenne for 4 years back in the early 1970s...I loved Wyoming...I still have many friends out there. Also, what style is your hat? It's very distinctive.
Thank you. It's a Stetson Open Road with my take on the brim curl and hatband. It was first sold in Kansas City prior to 1972 because that's when the store went out of business. So at least 50 years old, maybe more.
I used to buy my western clothes at a store in downtown Cheyenne back in the early 70s. I just cannot remember the name of it. The did boots, hats, everything. I sure do remember the Mayflower though. Frontier Days was always great. @@evangreen3209
Years ago, I acquired the remains of an 1885 Enfield revolver. The cylinder was missing, but it had 4 or 5 notches carved in the grips and the barrel had been pounded square. The only thing I can imagine happened, is that some youngster was acting tough with his revolver, and a miner who really was tough took it away, pounded the barrel square and said, now you won't hurt yourself with it sonny. In all reality, there is no way to know what happened, but that square barrel sure got a few laughs.
We would buck hay for some friends around Douglas and they would let us hunt Elk. Apparently Tom Horn shot an Elk and then hung the skull above the barn.
The plain fact is if the firearm was made 20 years after the so called person or event happened, it's just a little bit sketchy but maybe old grandpa wanted to impress his family or friends.
ah, the excitement of 'This is the same gun that...' when one actually means 'This is the same model of gun that...', turning into 'My dad said this is the same gun that...', turning into 'My grandpa had the gun that...' The ever present problems with assuming 'You know what I mean...'.
How often do you find that an individual had multiple firearms? An ancestor, JT Williams territorial sheriff left 2 pistols at his home. One is a Colt 32-20 on a 45 frame with I believe with a patent date of 1875, and a .41 caliber Colt with a patent date of 1875 and a serial number of I believe 475. He was a territorial sheriff in about 1886-1888. Have a copy of a photograph of him with his deputy Joe Hazen dated 1886.
I can't make a broad generalization in answering your question. Not surprised that your ancestor would have two handguns while working in law enforcement. There is the much abused saying "Two is one and one is none" implying it is a good idea to have a spare. I have worked with law enforcement as a volunteer with the Laramie County Sheriff and in teaching handgun classes in their facility. Most of the officers I know carry a backup to their service weapon, often in the same caliber and manual of arms. Think a Glock 17 or 19 and a 26 in the vest or an ankle holster. Some even carry a third "get off me" gun such as one of the NAA mini revolvers.
Working in an LGS (post- Border Patrol retirement) my mantra was the old maxim "Buy the gun, not the story." Precious few folks have ANY provenance for the guns they want to sell. The descendants have, by this point, thrown away those old receipts, capture papers, boxes, accessories, etc. as an inconvenience. THAT is where the stories really get lost! I bought a 1943 M1911A1 pistol last year, all original, in so-so shape, at a very good price. It came with a very beat-up Ole Ohlmeyer shoulder holster (Which is probably worth more than the pistol.) Without provenance, not worth much more than I paid for it. With provenance, it would be worth far more. Cheers! Splice.
Years ago I was inspecting guns at an auction house that were going to come up for auction the next day. I lady came in with a Springfield rife that she wanted the company to sell for her. She said her Great-great- grandfather had carried it in the Civil War. I looked over at it, as the auction house employee was getting her information, and saw it was indeed a Springfield rife, but it was a Model 1873 Trapdoor Springfield. Now, her Great-great-grandfather MIGHT have carried it during the Indian Wars, but obviously NOT during the Civil War. I kept that information to myself, and moved on to look at the other auction items on display. I'm sure the lady had been told for years it was a Civil War rifle, but it was not my place to correct her long held belief, wrong as it was.
I attempt to be polite and gentle when informing people their story might not be true. Some accept that, a very few get angry. Hollywood is a source of firearms misinformation. Not unusual to see Winchesters lever guns and Colt Single Action Army revolvers in Civil War movies.
We're single action colts used in WWI? Reason I ask is a friend of mine showed me his grandfather's pistol which he said his grandfather carried in WWI. It was a single action peace maker. It was an older model with the side retainer pin secured by a screw instead of the newer model which can be pushed and has the spring inside and is a permanent fixture in the gun. Terminology probably incorrect but I think you might know about what I'm trying to explain.
General George Patton carried a Colt Single Action on occasion in WWII. He also had a Smith and Wesson .357 Magnum, a Colt Woodsman, and I think a Colt 1903 General Officer's pistol in .32 ACP. You accurately described the difference in the retaining mechanism for the cylinder pin. I knew exactly what you meant. The higher up the chain, the more discretion an officer has as to what handgun he carried. In Vietnam, individual enlisted men were sometimes given handguns by family, purchased them on the black market, or acquired them from other soldiers who were rotating home. Modified Colt Single Actions were used in the Spanish American War and the Philippine War for Independence after the Colt .38 adopted in 1893 proved to be inadequate in combat.
@@evangreen3209 I used to hunt with a Vietnam vet. He was a ranger. On patrol he claimed to have carried a Hill style longbow and a 12 inch Bowie that his brother had made for him from a car spring. I do know one thing. I would not have wanted him shooting at me with the longbow. I've seen him pick birds off a fence at 20 yards.
@@larryreese6146 My son is an archer. With a compound bow, he can shoot a tighter group at 20 yards than I can with my most accurate pistol offhand. So I believe your story. Have seen it happen. I have put a few arrows down range over the years. Been a long time since I heard a reference to Howard Hill. Or Fred Bear.
@evangreen9430 I still love the old longbows and try to shoot Hill style. An old friend and his brother, the guy I was talking about, taught me. Those two grew up with their bows hunting grasshoppers lizards birds and anything that moved. Ive hunted rabbits, squirrels, and deer with them and spent many an hour just roving and shooting. Sometimes you surprise yourself.
While stationed at Ft. Bliss TX by El Paso I saw two colt SAA revolvers at two different bars said to have Belonged to John Wesley Harden. Harder at the end of his life was carring an 1877 Colt Lighting. The one bar did have a shot playing card in a frame signed by Harden I believe it to be legitimate since he signs a ton of shot playing card.
I've heard the same story about playing cards and maybe Hardin's business cards when he was a lawyer. He passed an apparently easy oral exam and practiced law for about a year before he was killed in 1895 by John Selman Sr.
I have a S&W M36 that JFK gifted to Jack Ruby with the inscription, "Just because." My retired barber's ex-girlfriend's cousin's half-brother said he was there when it was presented th JR. Do you think this revolver is a museum piece?
@evangreen9430 In fact, there is. In 2011 I flew to Denver and took a side trip to Cheyenne, WY on my way to Ft Morgan, CO. While in Cheyenne, thoughts of that revolver came to mind. There you have it, a Wyoming connection.
@@rokkinjohann Write it down, get the document notarized, and I will take it to accessions committee. Why were you going to Fort Morgan? I was born there and raised on a third generation cattle ranch.
👍 Interesting presentation. Apparently my great grandfather was not very inventive in telling his life experiences as there are no stories of my family rubbing elbows with famous folks or participating in any infamous events.
I recently watched that movie. Lots of inaccuracies conflicting with the historical record. When he escaped from jail in downtown Cheyenne, he ran into a neighborhood not across the prairie. He was not abused by cowboys with lariets. He did take from the jailer a "newfangled" semiautomatic handgun. He was unable to use it because he did not know how to disengage the safety.
@@randymagnum143 That's true and the reason I make every effort to separate the facts from speculation and conjecture. I still make mistakes as others noted that I conflated .32 Special with .32 WCF. Oops.
Just an FYI. I'm a devoted fan of Mr Green's presentations. I've subscribed at least twice, and yet continue to have accessed the channel to find I am no longer subscribed.
I understand what this man is talking about, and tend to agree, mostly, However I have seen and heard historians get it wrong and stories passed down where the correct version. Just because there is no documentation does not mean the story is wrong, you would need documents to prove it either way. The date of manufacture he uses tells the story too. I like the way he uses those.
It drives me crazy to see or hear misinformation passed on by people who should know better. A few minutes with Google would clear up many errors of fact. Museums and historians are not exempt from errors. I know of a couple close at hand.
What do you all think about the blue background and table cloth? Our earlier videos were taken against white cabinets and a white table. The autofocus on the camera sometimes overreacted. The video from two weeks ago had the blue background and a white table. That seemed to give the least distortion and we will use it after the current series is finished.
much easier on the eyes!
Having the darker, more neutral background is a good idea. You may also want to consider what colours you are wearing too, to avoid the contrast issue with the cameras.
I have a Marlin Ballard No. 8 Union Hill single shot rifle and I know almost for certain who the original owner was. The rilfle is factory original with matching serial numbers on all main parts. His name, Wm E Sargent is engraved on the butt plate along with his home town in Vermont. I did a web search for this guy and sure enough I found him. He was born in another small town only about 40 miles away in 1862 and the gun was made about 1884 based on its serial number. He may not be an historical figure but it’s pretty cool to know who the original owner was.
Have you tried to find out more about Mr. Sargent? There are genealogical research sites that can assist you in tracking him down. US Census Records are open to the public. Knowing where he was born and when is great information that will facilitate research. The Census usually lists family and occupations. Good luck. Be careful you don't get hooked on research. Ask me how I know.
@@evangreen9430 , The town on the butt plate is Thetford, Vt. I found the guy was born in Chittendon, Vt., and both are tiny villages only about 40 miles apart. Also, neither his father nor his son had the same name, so it wasn’t them. This makes almost certain he was the first owner. He would have been about 22 years old when the gun was made.
i could listen to Mr. Green for hours !!! Great presenter
Thanks for the kind comment. I enjoy sharing these stories with an appreciative audience.
As someone who has been collecting firearms and other stuff for about 30 years now, one thing I've heard time and time again is that a certain gun was "probably" in a certain battle or could have been or it could have been here or there at one time. Of course, there's no way for most of them to be proven to be there, but it's pretty common. The biggest thing I learned as a history major and doing archival research in college many moons ago, was that unless there's some really good documentation behind it, it's all a good story, but just that.
Yes, absolutely. Lots of firearms and other artifacts picked up on the Custer battlefield. More than were in use by all participants at the time.
Love the blue background. The camera is picking up the details of the firearm your discussing much better. Thanks Evan for your history lessons 👍🏻
We lived on Pebrican in Cheyenne in 1959 and I loved going to the State Museum , the sight of all the Indian weapons and Cowboy rifles and pistols was my favorite area in the museum. At 5 years old I decided one day to walk all the way to the museum and go directly to the my favorite area in the museum. Walked home and was never missed. 6 kids in the family. Still can’t believe I did that.
How is this not a more well known channel? The knowledge given about historical Western firearms is beyond compare
Thank you for the comment. I appreciate your support.
During his time as a sports writer, bat Masterson would buy used single action revolvers, and then pass them off as a gun that he had used when he was a law man.
I heard once that in her later years, the mother of the James brothers, (Jessie and Frank), would buy worn out and non-working junk pistols from the local hardware store for $.50 to $1.00, and sell them for $10.00 to $20.00 to people who came by her home, looking for souvenirs from the "James Boys".
Mr Dillon Mr. Dillon come quick... Kitty just traded a bottle of whiskey to Bat Masterson for his
street sweeper.
A friend of mine owns a heavily rusted up Remington Rolling Block 1879 Argentinian Model cavalry carbine in 43 Spanish whose stock and forearm rotted away long ago. It was recovered from a river bed, it has the hammer cocked, either ready to fire or it was in the process of being reloaded when it's user lost it. The curious fact is that that particular river's course was changed here and there after the region was colonized following the so called Desert Campaign of 1879-1883 in Patagonia, Argentina (akin to the Indian Wars in the USA) leading us to believe that a cavalryman was in the process of crossing the river when the firearm fell into the water, perhaps under indian attack. Regardless of the veracity of the story attached to an object, particularly a weapon, any person with an interest in history will always admire such objects and wonder what drama it had seen or been through. Thank you for putting up such interesting material. Regards from Argentina.
Was there ever a colt 1873 saa with a brass grip frame like on some of the reproduction made now
Sorry to be late with this response. Earlier Colt percussion revolvers had brass grip frames. Brass left exposed on military issue. Civilian firearms often silver plated over the brass. But no brass framed Model 1873s.
Thanks Evan. As always an informative video, particularly the commentary on oral histories. As a ten, or twelve year old at scout camp we played a game called telegraph (?), where one of the group around a circle would read a statement provided by a scout leader, to himself, and then whisper it to the person on his right and so on around 10-15 kids and the last kid before the original one would then speak the received message out loud to the rest of the group. Invariably the message as relayed through the group over a period of a couple of minutes would bear little resemblance to the original. Beware oral histories from any source. If they can be corrupted in two minutes imagine the errors and magnifications in decades or centuries. 21:08
Great video, Evan. As you demonstrated, a healthy amount of skepticism is one of the most essential tools a historian can have, especially where the provenance of artifacts is concerned. 👍
32 W.C.F. is the 32-20, chambered in the 1873 and 1892 Winchester rifles as well as several pistols such as the Colt New Model Army aka SAA, and the Smith & Wesson Hand Ejectors, I've got one of those. The 32 Winchester Special is a larger cartridge similar to the 30-30 (30 W.C.F.), with a larger diameter bullet., .312" v .308".
His comment cought me immediately. 32 Winchester Special is not a 32 Winchester center fire or 32-20
I caught that as well, but didn't want to say anything. We all can have a slip of the tongue now and then.
Thanks for being polite. I made a mistake. I appreciate your patience.
@@MrTruckerf Feel free to correct me when I mess up. How else will I learn?
Fascinating as usual, many thanks from London, England.
Thank you for your comment. Nice to have viewers from abroad.
I've had one of those Buldog 10 shot 22s in my hands, they did existed, it was in rough shape broker, just in europe here.
Thanks for the information! As I noted, those revolvers were very popular. I was unaware they were made in .22 caliber.
The firearms show up very nicely with the blue cloth. We all would like something exciting to be in our familys history. My own family were just hard working farmers raising thier family and living the good life and I could not be prouder. 👍
Thanks for the comment. I will consider retaining the table cloth.
I used to wonder why my ancestors from the East did not move west after the CW. After watching 1883 and researching, I have come to the conclusion that we lost so many people during the CW, we needed people. So, there were plenty of jobs in the east. Immigrants from other countries came to own land, many had no firearms in their past. Which put them at a disadvantage, so they need to learn these traits to deal with Indians and others who wanted the land and the poor resources that was there, like water. I have noticed a difference in the land in the west, it takes a lot more to live off of than 160 acres.
I have only watched an episode or two of 1883. For the most part, I think they got the guns right and did not overly distort history. I speculate that many of the veterans of the Civil War came west in some cases to deal with PTSD, the trauma of the war. Of course it wasn't recognized at the time. Some popular histories don't give adequate recognition to the free Blacks who came west. A sizable percentage of "cowboys" were people of color. I'm working on episode about a Black woman who came to Cheyenne in the 1920s. By 1944, she owned a boarding house and cafe. She was approached by senior officers in the police department that told her to employ prostitutes and open gambling. The cops were sent by the mayor and the chief of police. The woman paid the extortion they demanded, kept the serial numbers, testified at the trial. The mayor, the chief, and the two officers were convicted and sent to prison.
@@evangreen3209 I think Taylor did a great job with 83 and 23. As a veteran and a southerner, I am going to tell you something that will get a lot of stuff started in the south. The loss cause is a farce. Period. I have PTSD, from my service, I get with the characters of Elliot and Garrett. I have had tell me they do not serve black soldiers, using the N term. I trying to cool down the situation, said good, because I don't eat em. I really like the job you do. Next time I am out west, I will try and stop by the museum and meet you.
a lot simply didn't make it. my Swedish grandmother told me her family would have died if the indians handn't told them how ot boil "Buckleys' Mixture" in Minnesota in the winter to get Vitamins. Yeh, you got it: BM out of MN. is ACTUALLY an old Indian native remedy, minus a few non-local herbs!!
Great but the 32 special and 32 WCF are two different cartridges.
I noticed this also. An easy mistake to make, talking more or less informally. Surprisingly nonetheless for someone with this gentleman's erudition. 21:08
@@tedpfenninger4972 Of course you both are correct. .32 Special was just a .30-30 necked up. .32 WCF was the ..32-20 chambered in the Winchester Models of 1873 and 1892. Also in some Colt Model 1873s.
I've dug quite a few frontier firearms. I dug a Burnside carbine in southern Colorado, minus the stock, having a difficult time researching the serial numbers to at least tack down what cavalry unit it was recieved.
The only list I have of Burnside carbine serial numbers runs between 33051 and 33758. Those were issued to various units of the 2nd Illinois Volunteer Cavalry during the Civil War.. Those numbers are not inclusive, too many gaps in the sequence. If you have your number, I can check it for you. Any other markings you can see will be helpful as well. Some of the firearms in the Museum's collection are too rusted/corroded and the markings are impossible to read. As you know, many Civil War firearms found their way to the American frontier after the war. There is a forum called Cascity. The founder's alias is Two Flints. He is an expert on Burnside Carbines and has serial number information. If you can't locate the forum, let me know and I will give you more specifics. UA-cam won't let me post a link.
@evangreen9430 ok, I'll try to find the forum. This particular site was a short-lived camp of Colorado cav unit in 1864. I know it wasn't issued to this particular unit. They had the usual Spencer carbines. I'll get the numbers for you as well, it's in fantastic shape due to soil conditions.
@@diggingthewest7981 Thank you! Love to see the numbers.
I once owned two Remington 3rd Model Smoot(s) in 38 rimfire.
One was extensively shot yet poorly taken care of. But it had a rack number crudely stamped into the bottom of the pistol grip.
Was it a department issue revolver for a plain clothes detective. Or a bodyguard from Pinkertons or otherwise on the east side of the Mississippi?
The other one, also having the preferred saw back handle, had very nice mother of pearl grips.
Nicely augmenting the nearly pristine nickel plating. And it looked like it was never ever shot. I say nearly pristine because on the right side of the cylinder, the high points of the fluting, the plating was worn down.
As if. It was bought by a wealthy man for his wife. Maybe it sat in her frilly stuff drawer where the occasional movement of that unfinished wooden drawer, took its toll on the finish over a period of time? Maybe ???
But I can tell you one thing. During the paranoia WW1 & WW2, many of these worthy but elderly firearms were bought out, dusted off then carried-used for believed self protection in North America. Used or not.
Interesting guns, those Smoots. We don't have one in the collection. Your speculation about a rack number is probably correct as many police, military, and correctional officer firearms were so marked. Lots of handguns then and now live in the underwear drawer and seldom shot. But remain ready for duty if an emergency arises.
I was stationed in Cheyenne for 4 years back in the early 1970s...I loved Wyoming...I still have many friends out there. Also, what style is your hat? It's very distinctive.
Thank you. It's a Stetson Open Road with my take on the brim curl and hatband. It was first sold in Kansas City prior to 1972 because that's when the store went out of business. So at least 50 years old, maybe more.
I used to buy my western clothes at a store in downtown Cheyenne back in the early 70s. I just cannot remember the name of it. The did boots, hats, everything. I sure do remember the Mayflower though. Frontier Days was always great. @@evangreen3209
Years ago, I acquired the remains of an 1885 Enfield revolver. The cylinder was missing, but it had 4 or 5 notches carved in the grips and the barrel had been pounded square. The only thing I can imagine happened, is that some youngster was acting tough with his revolver, and a miner who really was tough took it away, pounded the barrel square and said, now you won't hurt yourself with it sonny. In all reality, there is no way to know what happened, but that square barrel sure got a few laughs.
We would buck hay for some friends around Douglas and they would let us hunt Elk. Apparently Tom Horn shot an Elk and then hung the skull above the barn.
The plain fact is if the firearm was made 20 years after the so called person or event happened, it's just a little bit sketchy but maybe old grandpa wanted to impress his family or friends.
ah, the excitement of 'This is the same gun that...' when one actually means 'This is the same model of gun that...', turning into 'My dad said this is the same gun that...', turning into 'My grandpa had the gun that...'
The ever present problems with assuming 'You know what I mean...'.
How often do you find that an individual had multiple firearms? An ancestor, JT Williams territorial sheriff left 2 pistols at his home. One is a Colt 32-20 on a 45 frame with I believe with a patent date of 1875, and a .41 caliber Colt with a patent date of 1875 and a serial number of I believe 475. He was a territorial sheriff in about 1886-1888. Have a copy of a photograph of him with his deputy Joe Hazen dated 1886.
I can't make a broad generalization in answering your question. Not surprised that your ancestor would have two handguns while working in law enforcement. There is the much abused saying "Two is one and one is none" implying it is a good idea to have a spare. I have worked with law enforcement as a volunteer with the Laramie County Sheriff and in teaching handgun classes in their facility. Most of the officers I know carry a backup to their service weapon, often in the same caliber and manual of arms. Think a Glock 17 or 19 and a 26 in the vest or an ankle holster. Some even carry a third "get off me" gun such as one of the NAA mini revolvers.
Working in an LGS (post- Border Patrol retirement) my mantra was the old maxim "Buy the gun, not the story." Precious few folks have ANY provenance for the guns they want to sell. The descendants have, by this point, thrown away those old receipts, capture papers, boxes, accessories, etc. as an inconvenience. THAT is where the stories really get lost! I bought a 1943 M1911A1 pistol last year, all original, in so-so shape, at a very good price. It came with a very beat-up Ole Ohlmeyer shoulder holster (Which is probably worth more than the pistol.) Without provenance, not worth much more than I paid for it. With provenance, it would be worth far more. Cheers! Splice.
The Border Patrol has some great characters, like Bill Jordan, Skeeter Skelton, and Harlan Carter. Who wouldn't want one of their guns?
Years ago I was inspecting guns at an auction house that were going to come up for auction the next day. I lady came in with a Springfield rife that she wanted the company to sell for her. She said her Great-great- grandfather had carried it in the Civil War. I looked over at it, as the auction house employee was getting her information, and saw it was indeed a Springfield rife, but it was a Model 1873 Trapdoor Springfield. Now, her Great-great-grandfather MIGHT have carried it during the Indian Wars, but obviously NOT during the Civil War. I kept that information to myself, and moved on to look at the other auction items on display. I'm sure the lady had been told for years it was a Civil War rifle, but it was not my place to correct her long held belief, wrong as it was.
I attempt to be polite and gentle when informing people their story might not be true. Some accept that, a very few get angry. Hollywood is a source of firearms misinformation. Not unusual to see Winchesters lever guns and Colt Single Action Army revolvers in Civil War movies.
@@evangreen9430; for your information, I didn't tell the lady she was full of crap. In fact, I didn't tell her anything.
We're single action colts used in WWI? Reason I ask is a friend of mine showed me his grandfather's pistol which he said his grandfather carried in WWI. It was a single action peace maker. It was an older model with the side retainer pin secured by a screw instead of the newer model which can be pushed and has the spring inside and is a permanent fixture in the gun. Terminology probably incorrect but I think you might know about what I'm trying to explain.
@@sd01 thanks for the reply. Enjoy the guns and the history lessons.
General George Patton carried a Colt Single Action on occasion in WWII. He also had a Smith and Wesson .357 Magnum, a Colt Woodsman, and I think a Colt 1903 General Officer's pistol in .32 ACP. You accurately described the difference in the retaining mechanism for the cylinder pin. I knew exactly what you meant. The higher up the chain, the more discretion an officer has as to what handgun he carried. In Vietnam, individual enlisted men were sometimes given handguns by family, purchased them on the black market, or acquired them from other soldiers who were rotating home. Modified Colt Single Actions were used in the Spanish American War and the Philippine War for Independence after the Colt .38 adopted in 1893 proved to be inadequate in combat.
@@evangreen3209 I used to hunt with a Vietnam vet. He was a ranger. On patrol he claimed to have carried a Hill style longbow and a 12 inch Bowie that his brother had made for him from a car spring. I do know one thing. I would not have wanted him shooting at me with the longbow. I've seen him pick birds off a fence at 20 yards.
@@larryreese6146 My son is an archer. With a compound bow, he can shoot a tighter group at 20 yards than I can with my most accurate pistol offhand. So I believe your story. Have seen it happen. I have put a few arrows down range over the years. Been a long time since I heard a reference to Howard Hill. Or Fred Bear.
@evangreen9430 I still love the old longbows and try to shoot Hill style. An old friend and his brother, the guy I was talking about, taught me. Those two grew up with their bows hunting grasshoppers lizards birds and anything that moved. Ive hunted rabbits, squirrels, and deer with them and spent many an hour just roving and shooting. Sometimes you surprise yourself.
Love your videos thank you
While stationed at Ft. Bliss TX by El Paso I saw two colt SAA revolvers at two different bars said to have Belonged to John Wesley Harden. Harder at the end of his life was carring an 1877 Colt Lighting. The one bar did have a shot playing card in a frame signed by Harden I believe it to be legitimate since he signs a ton of shot playing card.
I've heard the same story about playing cards and maybe Hardin's business cards when he was a lawyer. He passed an apparently easy oral exam and practiced law for about a year before he was killed in 1895 by John Selman Sr.
I have a S&W M36 that JFK gifted to Jack Ruby with the inscription, "Just because." My retired barber's ex-girlfriend's cousin's half-brother said he was there when it was presented th JR. Do you think this revolver is a museum piece?
Unless there is a Wyoming connection in there somewhere, we would probably not be interested. 😉
@evangreen9430 In fact, there is. In 2011 I flew to Denver and took a side trip to Cheyenne, WY on my way to Ft Morgan, CO. While in Cheyenne, thoughts of that revolver came to mind. There you have it, a Wyoming connection.
@@rokkinjohann Write it down, get the document notarized, and I will take it to accessions committee. Why were you going to Fort Morgan? I was born there and raised on a third generation cattle ranch.
Knowing some cousins as I do, they, like me, apt to embellish a good story, why wouldn't a great-grandpa add some 'frills to his own 'yarns'.
👍 Interesting presentation. Apparently my great grandfather was not very inventive in telling his life experiences as there are no stories of my family rubbing elbows with famous folks or participating in any infamous events.
Steve McQueen sure made Tom seem like a likable character. Lol
I recently watched that movie. Lots of inaccuracies conflicting with the historical record. When he escaped from jail in downtown Cheyenne, he ran into a neighborhood not across the prairie. He was not abused by cowboys with lariets. He did take from the jailer a "newfangled" semiautomatic handgun. He was unable to use it because he did not know how to disengage the safety.
Lol kinda like manual transmission today with the young folks
@@dowdawg Good analogy. Manuals are theft prevention devices.
Moral of this episode: if you’re gonna tell a story, don’t tell it to a historian 🤣
Plenty of nonsense *comes* from "historians" in academia
@@randymagnum143 That's true and the reason I make every effort to separate the facts from speculation and conjecture. I still make mistakes as others noted that I conflated .32 Special with .32 WCF. Oops.
@@evangreen3209 it was a very interesting video, I enjoyed and appreciated it!
@@randymagnum143 Thank you.
I like that British Bulldog. Very nice.
Just an FYI. I'm a devoted fan of Mr Green's presentations. I've subscribed at least twice, and yet continue to have accessed the channel to find I am no longer subscribed.
Thanks for that information. I will see if I can rectify the situation. Paid staff and people smarter than me manage the channels for the museum.
We are at a loss as to why your subscriptions disappear. Could be UA-cam glitch. Did you subscribe under the same email address?
I understand what this man is talking about, and tend to agree, mostly, However I have seen and heard historians get it wrong and stories passed down where the correct version. Just because there is no documentation does not mean the story is wrong, you would need documents to prove it either way. The date of manufacture he uses tells the story too. I like the way he uses those.
It drives me crazy to see or hear misinformation passed on by people who should know better. A few minutes with Google would clear up many errors of fact. Museums and historians are not exempt from errors. I know of a couple close at hand.
Well, I can say with near certainty that the rusty revolver was mine. 😂
Stop by the museum with your bill of sale and we will hand it over.
Do you ever bet to shoot any of the guns you evaluate. Would be fun I think
I would love to, but it's not allowed. Possible damage.
Uhhh..4:20
Yes, I misspoke. I always appreciate being corrected when I have the facts wrong. Thanks for support our videos.
I think you like the sound of your own voice, pity your wife😢
Count views and subscribers. Please don't bring my family into this. Hard to make an informative video without talking.
BORING!
Feel free to watch something else.