First, digital pics and video were taken of the proceedings, but not by me. As soon as they are emailed to me, I will post them.
But, here's what happened.
Today, at my backyard range, there were four college facutly members doing a "living history" experiment about duels.
Basically, one of the history faculty at my college wound up reviewing Bellesile's book "Arming America" for the local library after I asked a question about it to the librarian.
The book is still in the library, but with an errata page glued to the inside front cover, detailing the controversy, and what happened to Bellesiles about a year after the book came out.
But this history faculty was reserching Bellesiles' use of a couple of travel books written by men who traveled through Arkansas in the 1830s and 1840s, and especially the accounts of bloodless duels.
So, to check it out, we had a .50 caliber Queen Anne flintlock pistol, a life-sized target at 20 paces, and fired some shots.
We had differing levels of experience.....
Me (an NRA and state police certified handgun instructor, and English faculty)
History faculty #1--a casual shooter and gun owner.
History faculty #2--a CCW holder and holder of several National Parks service blackpowder demonstrator certificates and ratings
English faculty #2--a rifle owner and casual shooter (No handguns), plus his oldest son who is 17 and has limited shooting experience.
Here is the short version.
A total of 9 flintlock shots were fired at the life-sized silhouette target. There were 7 hits. Six of the hits were in the "kill zone" in the chest of the target.
Looks like the flintlock technology was plenty good.
Two shooters (me and the 17-year-old) tried shots "under stress" to replicate as best as possible the experience of shooting under an big adrenaline rush.
We ran wind sprints while someone ran with us and shouted at us. Then we did a series of pushups, and with someone yelling at us from the side, we picked up the flintlock, and fired.
We both hit the target in the abdomen. We did this in separate runs, definitely NOT simultaneously.
We also tested the effects of a flintlock pistol on a gallon milk jug full of water.
It made a .50 caliber entry hole, and about a 1.5 inch exit hole. The jug sort of shuddered, and the water spewed out in a stream.
When we whacked the gallon milk jugs with a bowie knife, another common period weapon that often was used in fights and duels, the destruction was noticeably worse. The jug was chopped in half easily.
A tomahawk produced similar results on the milk jugs.
We also shot a slab of pork ribs (don't worry. The ribs were washed off and are currenrly smoking out back). Again, realistic, gruesome effects.
The bowie knife lopped the slab of ribs in half with one smooth swipe. It also stabbed right through with little effort.
Ever seen the "Cold Steel" video of big knives going into sides of beef? Yep, it's all true. And it makes that sickening wet "Schnick" sound when it goes through a slab of ribs.
In short, give me a duel with flintlock pistols over a bowie knife fight any day.
Yikes. Bowie knives are very, very, very baaaaaaaaad.
hillbilly
But, here's what happened.
Today, at my backyard range, there were four college facutly members doing a "living history" experiment about duels.
Basically, one of the history faculty at my college wound up reviewing Bellesile's book "Arming America" for the local library after I asked a question about it to the librarian.
The book is still in the library, but with an errata page glued to the inside front cover, detailing the controversy, and what happened to Bellesiles about a year after the book came out.
But this history faculty was reserching Bellesiles' use of a couple of travel books written by men who traveled through Arkansas in the 1830s and 1840s, and especially the accounts of bloodless duels.
So, to check it out, we had a .50 caliber Queen Anne flintlock pistol, a life-sized target at 20 paces, and fired some shots.
We had differing levels of experience.....
Me (an NRA and state police certified handgun instructor, and English faculty)
History faculty #1--a casual shooter and gun owner.
History faculty #2--a CCW holder and holder of several National Parks service blackpowder demonstrator certificates and ratings
English faculty #2--a rifle owner and casual shooter (No handguns), plus his oldest son who is 17 and has limited shooting experience.
Here is the short version.
A total of 9 flintlock shots were fired at the life-sized silhouette target. There were 7 hits. Six of the hits were in the "kill zone" in the chest of the target.
Looks like the flintlock technology was plenty good.
Two shooters (me and the 17-year-old) tried shots "under stress" to replicate as best as possible the experience of shooting under an big adrenaline rush.
We ran wind sprints while someone ran with us and shouted at us. Then we did a series of pushups, and with someone yelling at us from the side, we picked up the flintlock, and fired.
We both hit the target in the abdomen. We did this in separate runs, definitely NOT simultaneously.
We also tested the effects of a flintlock pistol on a gallon milk jug full of water.
It made a .50 caliber entry hole, and about a 1.5 inch exit hole. The jug sort of shuddered, and the water spewed out in a stream.
When we whacked the gallon milk jugs with a bowie knife, another common period weapon that often was used in fights and duels, the destruction was noticeably worse. The jug was chopped in half easily.
A tomahawk produced similar results on the milk jugs.
We also shot a slab of pork ribs (don't worry. The ribs were washed off and are currenrly smoking out back). Again, realistic, gruesome effects.
The bowie knife lopped the slab of ribs in half with one smooth swipe. It also stabbed right through with little effort.
Ever seen the "Cold Steel" video of big knives going into sides of beef? Yep, it's all true. And it makes that sickening wet "Schnick" sound when it goes through a slab of ribs.
In short, give me a duel with flintlock pistols over a bowie knife fight any day.
Yikes. Bowie knives are very, very, very baaaaaaaaad.
hillbilly
