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 Replies: 15 / Views: 2,562 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2443 Posts |
 On this week's episode of PBS's "History Ditectives" they're going to investigate a story on whether Annie Oakley shot a coin. Check you local listings for times. http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetec...leycoin.htmlSo what do you guys think they're going to be able to prove it? Personally, I think that they might say it's possible that it could have been shot by her if the coin owner's relative was somehow in a position to work with her or her people. Edited by Amazon99
06/29/2008 04:26 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1231 Posts |
I would think it is possible. But I don't think the investigators will say anything for a definite.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1840 Posts |
I know it can be done. Tom Knapp, a professional shooter for the gun maker Benelli, can shoot an aspirin out of the air with a .22.
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Rest in Peace
United States
2668 Posts |
I could do it with a slingshot or my .22 rifle, the one I take bird hunting.  |
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Moderator
 United States
6563 Posts |
There really is no way to prove it nor does the storey claim there is any proof to begin with except saying it's "lore" I think I'm gonna go outside and shoot me a 1800's french coin with my .22 and say Booth did it  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6326 Posts |
The "talent" of those Old West sharpshooters WAS legendary for sure and for certain.......now there was a lot of "bragging" and "exaggeration" I'm sure....but don't let that diminish what was proven on a regular basis.
The level of "trick shooting artists" is a mostly forgotten thing in comparison to then and now.....a few still do it, but not nearly on the scale of the 1800's.
Tracking animals is an art also being lost or nearly gone....(and I don't mean tracking a whitetail after it's shot)
Edible plants and plants used for medicinal purposes is about 98% lost from knowledge by the Native Americans.....the "old ones" didn't have the chance to pass down teachings to the younger generations during "The Indian Wars" and through the starvation and misery of forced marches to reservations with death and disease plagues.........much information was "forever lost" by them sadly and never had a chance to be "passed down."
Oops !.......little off topic there......
Yeah, I think it'd be hard to "prove" this coin was shot by Annie Oakley ! Even if relatives have possession of it.....the "authentication" part would be an issue.....it would be more a "claim" than a "proven fact" probably.
Anybody know what happened to Hickocks guns ?
Jesse James pistol ?
Billy the Kid's hat ?
Tom Horn's famous rifle ?
I "have" seen Jim Bridgers 50 cal. Hawken rifle in the Mountain Man Rendezvous Museum in Pinedale, Wyoming.....I guess it's "authenticated".....
Things like that are so interesting and valuable "if" able to be proven for sure !
Edited by eaglefoot
06/30/2008 12:09 pm
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Valued Member
United States
486 Posts |
It can definitely be done! Like Snowman I saw a show on the History channel where they tested shooting myths of the old west. The experts were able to recreate every shot successfully. -PP
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19931 Posts |
Didn't they test this on mythbuters too?
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Valued Member
United States
201 Posts |
It would be impossible to prove it was Annie unless provenance can be shown for the coin. Cool piece, though.
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Valued Member
United States
201 Posts |
Also off-topic but I love this show.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1267 Posts |
The hard part is finding the coin afterwards, especially if it's tossed into the air. My dad used to put the coin on the edge of a popcan (stationary target) which was laying on it's side and when the bullet hit the coin, the coin flys into the popcan making it much easier to find. Take Care Ben Here is one I shot a long time ago.  Edited by Bonedigger
06/30/2008 5:59 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
628 Posts |
We used to target dimes wedged into the tops of fence posts with an old Remington Scoremaster .22. Probably wrecked a few silvers.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2443 Posts |
BadThad, Mythbusters was testing to see if it was possible to shoot the coin 6 times before it falls to the ground, or something like that. I remember that they also shot a hole in a Morgan dollar. Steamwalker: I like the show too. |
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Moderator
 United States
187702 Posts |
Ben, what did that poor quarter do to offend you? Must have made a crass comment towards your bust halves!  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5318 Posts |
"The "talent" of those Old West sharpshooters WAS legendary"
Today, it's easy to forget that guns weren't a hobby for many of these people--but an essential part of survival in the wilderness.
I'm not at all surprised at their marksmanship, because it eventually became second nature.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6326 Posts |
 Exactly ! |
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Replies: 15 / Views: 2,562 |
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Posted 06/29/2008 10:04 am
