any idea?

buckskin billy · December 05, 2010, 09:46:24 AM

got me some questions about the photo i posted below.
first any one know the year this photo was taken.
and the coat kelly is wearing, any one know what it is made of? i see what looks to be fringe and wonder if its buckskin, its hard for me to tell. it looks double breasted to me as well with no buttons? looks like he is wearing it loosely like one would wear a capote
and is that a fur collar?

Delmonico · December 05, 2010, 10:53:57 AM

Well with what looks like a 73 Winchester it would have to be no earlier than 1873 and most likely later.

Will Ketchum · December 05, 2010, 04:55:09 PM

I think the coat is a hunting frock like riflemen wore in the Revolutionary War. They were popular for many years after. I always thought the rifle was a Henry but never looked at it closely.

What's the pistol the middle man has in his waist band? It appears to be double action. I don't recognize the grip frame.

Will Ketchum

buckskin billy · December 05, 2010, 11:08:48 PM

i believe the rifle is a henry . the pistol in the guys waist band don't appear to be a double action. it appears to be a colt percussion of some type. the guy with the pistol i just noticed is holding a rifle. looks to be a trap door but aint for sure. it has a large hammer. the guy on the left looks to have the same kind of rifle. is the guy standing wearing a turbin? or a dew rag?
one of my pards pointed out that the sleeves of kelly's coat looks to have fur trim as well. with the mocs he's wearing and the style of the day i'm wanting to think buckskin, but i would like to know for sure

Dead I · December 06, 2010, 05:48:58 PM

Yep, that could indeed be a Henry. It has a long barrel and as we all know there were no short barreled Henry's. However it seems like I can see case hardening on the receiver, if that's the case then it is a 73 rifle. The pistol in the belt of the fellow in the middle looks like a Starr DA and the gent on the left holds some kind of a cut down CW type musket. Looks like Kelly's coat is buckskin with short fringe, similar to the one that Custer wore. The collar is off center and it does look like fur, but he is wearing a neckerchief that blurrs his neckline. Looks like he is wearing tall moccasins, but they don't date anything.

I'd date the picture "ca. 1868" and be within a year or so, since I tend to think that is a Henry.

Delmonico · December 06, 2010, 06:10:05 PM

The barrel on the rifle looks round to me.

buckskin billy · December 06, 2010, 06:30:17 PM

every thing i have ever read on yellow stone kelly states he carried a henry and then got a model "66.
at a gun show this past october. a guy had a table set beside mine and he had a original 66 with a round 24 inch barrel, said they were a custom feature from winchester. i don't remember the date the gun was made now. so a round barrelled '66 is possible.
i have another picture of yellowstone kelly that claims to be dated 1872. in that picture his hair is a lot longer and his mustache is thiner. he looks younger than the above pic.
after looking at the pistol in the standing guys waist band again, i'm not sure what to think. has a slim grip but looks as if there is a lot bigger space between the recoil shield and cylinder than on a colt. so its anyones guess

Dead I · December 06, 2010, 06:47:14 PM

I considered a '66 too. I don't see a vestage of a forearm. I doubt that someone would remove one. I'm not sure of the shape of the barrel; it could be oct.

If however, history says that Kelly carried a Henry, then it's a pretty good evidence that he is carrying one here.

I sure wish someone would make a Henry now with the original chambering (they did for a while) and also make the round. I'd buy one. I'd buy a case of rounds, smokless or no. I'd just like to experience how hard the old Henry shot, it'd be a natural for SASS. Ammo couldn't be too expensive could it?

Delmonico · December 06, 2010, 07:35:28 PM

It also looks like it has sideplates. Is there anymore info on the picture. Looks like a scan out of a book, if so see what you can find in the picture bio.

Dead I · December 07, 2010, 12:36:00 AM

Quote from: buckskin billy on December 05, 2010, 11:08:48 PM
i believe the rifle is a henry . the pistol in the guys waist band don't appear to be a double action. it appears to be a colt percussion of some type. the guy with the pistol i just noticed is holding a rifle. looks to be a trap door but aint for sure. it has a large hammer. the guy on the left looks to have the same kind of rifle. is the guy standing wearing a turbin? or a dew rag?
one of my pards pointed out that the sleeves of kelly's coat looks to have fur trim as well. with the mocs he's wearing and the style of the day i'm wanting to think buckskin, but i would like to know for sure

There wasn't a Colt DA percussion pistol. So I'm a'think'n it's a Starr DA. I've got one and the grip is sort of funny look'n. Might be the same kind'a gun.