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wyatt earp and his buntline question


Trigger Mike

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The question of the "Buntline Special" is far from settled. There are those who insist that the very existence of the gun is highly unlikely, and there are those who point to a few tantalizingly ambiguous historical references that MAY suggest that Wyatt DID have a long-barreled Colt SAA. Most agree that if there WAS a long-barreled Colt owned by Wyatt, it was NOT a gift from Ned Buntline. I expect to meet Wyatt up beyond the Great Divide, and plan on asking him about this very question (along with a boat-load of others).

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Rumor has it that Ned Buntline gave long barreled guns to Wyatt and Bat Masterson. It's never been proven. Someone tried to track down Colt purchases from back then but a factory fire destroyed recordsā€¦another rumor!! :P

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One of the rumors I've heard is that it was used to 'buffalo' the bad guys. A longer barrel gave him more weight/force to get a knockout with one swing. Honestly though, there is so much myth surrounding the man and his family I doubt anyone will ever truly know.

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He was a terrible shot. Need the extra barrel length to hit the broad side of a barn when standing inside the barn with the door closed.

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He was a terrible shot. Need the extra barrel length to hit the broad side of a barn when standing inside the barn with the door closed.

He was never even so much as skinned by a bullet in all the gunfights he was in, historians say he was one of the best! He coined the phrase, "Take your time as fast as you can". ^_^

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One of the rumors I've heard is that it was used to 'buffalo' the bad guys. A longer barrel gave him more weight/force to get a knockout with one swing. Honestly though, there is so much myth surrounding the man and his family I doubt anyone will ever truly know.

You have to watch the true family history as it is now being told on that great show on TV now -.... Wynonna Earp !!! 😂

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Never an Earp fan. If such a weapon ever really existed, my thinking is that there would be multiple period documentation referencing such a revolver. You never know though. Maybe something will turn up.

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I recall reading that ONE of the recipients - don't think it was Earp. Maybe Masterson or Tilghman. Took the gun, thanked Buntline politely, then toted it down to the gunsmith and had the barrel bobbed to a more user-friendly length.

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Howdy,

A while back I tried to find out exactly what the barrel length was.

The more I looked the more sure I was that the buntline was a made up thing.

If REAL, someone somewhere would have a picture.

Cut a little in front of the ejector rod.

There is an order from one of the ol gunslingers to Colt.

Clumsy an slow didn't git it.

Best

CR

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