A real Knock Out?

[Aunt Jen]

I was watching another documentary on the TV that dealt with gun handling, "Support Your Local Gunfighter," and in it, the protagonist was mistaken for a gunslinger. He didn't want to get into the fight, so he clubbed the other man on the head with his revolver. I think it was a Colt.

 

Now, the problem is how he did it.

 

He pulled his revolver out of his holster with the same grip he'd use if he were going to shoot with it, but he raised it high, instead, and brought it down on the guy's head.

 

It struck me---figuratively---that that might be a bad way to do it, but I've see it that way in other documentaries as well.

 

Wouldn't that technique likely result in a smashed pinky finger? As it rides on the front lower part of the grip. Or might it over time loosen the barrel of the gun? Or might it be an uneven bashing of the head, with the barrel taking part of it, the trigger guard taking part, and the front edge of the grip taking another part---or your finger.

 

However it's done, was that the proper way to do it?

 

Aunt Jen

[Tom Bullweed]

'Buffalo-ing' a baddie was a very common practice in the west. The Earps and Mastersons were just some of the law enforcers that would subdue a drunk or rowdie in that manner. The rowdie might actually thank the lawman in the morning who could just have easily shot the out-of-hand miscreant.

The barrel of a longer gun (7-1/2") or the base of the grip could be used with equal effect. S&W's would likely be used by using the grip base due to the weak barrel action. M&H's had an option of an extension of the grip base known as a skull-crusher in street lingo. The Remington 1875 was rumored to have the blade gusset under the barrel for such use (probably was used to differtiate it from the Colt).

[Smuteye John SASS#24774]

Don't forget that most folks (men especially) back then were smaller. A feller that's 6 foot tall nowadays is about average height in the US. Back then, he would have been considered big because the average was more along the lines of 5'8". Since they were shorter, it stands to reason that their hands were proportionally smaller as well. That would mean that maybe an average sized feller in the late 1800's wouldn't have needed to put his pinkie under the bottom of the grip frame to shoot a SAA. Heck, I'm 6'1" and have fairly large hands but prefer to keep all 3 fingers on the grip frame. I tried the 'pinkie under the grip' thing a couple times and it don't feel right to me.

 

As far as Mr Gardner in Support Your Local Sheriff is concerned, chances are James faked the blow to the head anyhow. How he was holding the gun wouldn't have mattered 'cause he didn't make serious contact to anything but the stunt man's hat.

[DocWard]

I suppose any method could be used effectively, if attention is paid to where the hand is in relation to the striking surface. If I am holding the grip and planning on hitting with it, I would hope to be bright enough to get my pinky out of the way.

 

Interesting related tangent: My office has video of a would-be robber at a convenience store. He smashed a 40 oz. beer bottle over the head of the customer in front of him, we assume to let the clerk know he was serious. Problem was, he just ticked off the customer in front of him, who was a burly biker looking guy. After wincing and grabbing his head, the biker turned ready to fight. I always think about it when someone smashes a bottle on someone's head in a movie and knocks them cold.

[Nasty Newt # 7365]

I read years back that Hugh O'Brian had a rubbber Buntline for use in buffaloing scenes.