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Mark on Shootists, Gunhawks, Pistoleers, & Other Ranahans by Mark Hatmaker

 


The following question, from good man, Ron Casas, prompts what follows…

“Do you have a favorite, Old Western Gun fighter ( Pistoleros)?”

My child answer [or Brian Regan answer] is I have many favorites. 2-3 dozen come to mind immediately, but I find I am constantly expanding “My Favorite.”

I work Western firearms 6-days per week when I’m in town.

Just as with our Black Box pugilism, wrestling, rough ‘n’ tumble and vicious weaponry array I have adjusted my firearm method to “historical recreation” or schoolyard “play pretend.”

I pick a human-target, so to speak, and for that week of drills/scenarios, seek to emulate what they did right, what they advocated, and in some cases, what to avoid when it finally went toes-up.

For Example—This Week’s Target is George W. Flatt.

·        Flatt, a fellow Tennessean, wound up in Caldwell, Kansas.

·        Flatt had worked variously as a saloon keeper, range detective, and “law officer” which often meant, when something hairy was going on, a deputy could call on George to back his play.

·        Flatt wore two tie-down guns, a little rarer than the movies would have us believe but, and this is what fascinates me, he could hit with both under duress.

July 7, 1879, Caldwell, Kansas.

·        It’s a Monday afternoon and two cowboys from the Cimarron Strip, George Wood and Jake Adams show up at the Occidental Saloon and begin to “enjoy themselves.”

·        The two wound up “enjoying themselves” into the street and firing their guns willy-nilly.

·        Constable W.C. Kelly and Deputy John Wilson confront them.

·        Wood and Adams head back into the saloon and refuse to come out or surrender their weapons.

·        Kelly and Wilson “posse up” with two citizens W.H. Kiser and George Flatt.

·        The four enter the Occidental. Guns are demanded to be handed over.

·        Wood and Adams pull their weapons again and say “You hand yours over.”

·        Flatt replies, “I’ll die first.”

·        Wood and Adams sought to accommodate.

·        The first shot whizzed by Flatt and grazed Kiser’s temple who stood behind him.

·        Flatt drew both pistols, Wood lunged for the door, Flatt snaps two shots, one goes wild, the second clips off the end of Wood’s forefinger, tearing off the trigger of his gun, passed though both lungs before coming out under his right shoulder blade. [Such post-shooting replays were common in newspapers of the day. See Glendon Swarthout’s novel “The Shootist” for an excellent fictional portrayal of this practice.]

·        The impact rolled Wood into the street where he died.

·        Almost simultaneously Flatt fired with his off-hand and hit Adams in his right side. The slug tore through his body and lodged in the wall.

·        Adams fired back as he was hit, missed Flatt and grazed Wilson’s wrist.

·        Wilson fired twice hitting Adams in the head and stomach.

·        Adams dropped to the floor firing one more shot that hit Wilson in the leg before dying.

It is remarkable to me that Flatt could get off three shots from two guns, firing at two different moving targets while under fire himself.



The Lesson Plan

·        Fast double poker-chip draw so that both weapons are at presentation before the chip hits. See here for how to add Poker Chip draws to your own training with any weapon. https://indigenousability.blogspot.com/2019/11/speed-in-weapon-acquisition-poker-chip.html

·        Double thumb-bust fire with the good hand [as one would expect you should be able to do.]

·        And get at least one quality single out of the off-hand.

·        Stay in close,  and aim to gradually increase distance by a pace until a bit of smoothness is felt.

Of course, I will lack the facing down two wild men with guns aspect, and I’m thankful for it.

But, long story short. That is my method for how I work with my “favorites.”

If you dig such historical recreations and applied methodology, well, I can assure you that is what The RAW/Black Box Project is all about.

Researched to the nth degree, then applied for veracity and utility, and then tied up in a pretty instructional bow just for you.

To stand in the footsteps of such Hombres or for more info, see here:

https://indigenousability.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-black-box-project-by-mark-hatmaker.html

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