Where Are All The Old West Bullet Hole Silver Dollars?

Nice find thq... Thing is now I really want a certified authentic Annie Oakley shot morgan. They HAVE to be out there... Although I may have to sell a kidney first?

Thanks celtic, I love history detectives. It sucks me in every time.

On a side note, I now have a kidney and half of a liver for sale

Thank you Coner101

First off The average cowhand made $3 or less a week right up into the 20th century. The normal work week was 6 days so you are talking about two days pay. Not likely that they would be throwing two days pay in the air and shooting at it.

Secondly the average cow hand was a terrible shot. A Colt peacemaker with a Walker style holster and belt enough ammo to practice enough to get any where near good with the piece would have set you back near $50. So that would be about 16 weeks pay. So not very many average cow hands were anywhere near proficient enough to shoot a silver dollar thrown in the air. On the range a revolver was just short of useless, expensive, and heavy. A rifle or shotgun was much more useful and the weapon of choice.

Third and most telling

I formally worked at one of the largest firearms dealers on the east coast of the USA. I have personally known several collectors of firearms and ammunition of famous exibition shooters. I have seen and handled firearms, ammo, and targets used in the acts.

Things like silver dollars and solid bullets were used, but very often the ammo was special shot capsules that made the rifle or revolver act like a shotgun. Look at the posted picture of the coin shot by Annie Oakly it was hit by shot not a solid bullet.

Remeber that the Show was put on in a confined area and at very close range. Solid bullets were far too dangerous to use in many situations and shot gave the shooter a better chance of hitting the target. No one wanted to pay money to see a trick shot have a bad day, they HAD to hit the target.
And more importantly consider;
A .22 long rifle cartridge fired level at 6 feet above level ground will fly just over 5 miles before it hits the ground. What do you think the range is when the muzzle is elivated?

The movie gunfighter did not exist in the real life west no where is there a recorded a High Noon style shoot out.

... also Google Tom Knapp. A modern day Annie Oakley type trick shooter for Benelli... although most people could not do it a special few then and now CAN

Interesting tryna. The clean hole on the disc edge looks drilled but the split/dent in the center looks like a bullet hit.

I thought Annie Oakley used a lever action Marlin 22 for most of her trick shooting.

http://gunsoftheoldwest.com/2013/03...eys-rimfire/

And Wyatt Earp's well-documented OK Corral account is probably the model for movies and TV.

If you visit Tombstone you'd be surprised how small the corral is. It was not an exhibition of marksmanship.

FWIW, none of the charms on Ms. Oakley's charm bracelet have holes in them...

http://historical.ha.com/itm/wester...6110-44041.s