Wild Bill vs: Davis Tutt

[Templar]

Here is an excerpt from the History Museum in Springfield, MO about the gunfight between Wild Bill Hickok and Davis Tutt.

"Standing about 75 yards apart and facing each other sideways in dueling positions, Tutt drew his gun first. Wild Bill steadied his aim across his opposite forearm. Both paused, then fired near simultaneously."


I do believe that this statement repudiates those who claim that Wild Bill used a two hand hold on his pistol during this gunfight, and thus justify their use of the two hand hold method as "period correct".

Captain Quigley

[Buffalo Creek Law Dog]

It's a little difficult to use the two hand hold when standing and shooting sideways. 

[Books OToole]

Per the coroners report;  Hickock's bullet entered at Tutt's fifth rib on the right, passed through his heart and exited through the fifth rib on the left.  At least Tutt was standing in a duelist stance.


Books

[Ol Gabe]

Regarding Tutt and his duelist stance...
Jist to clarify here: Books, do you have any data available on the condition of the street that day as well as the weather? For example, was it dry or muddy from a rain? Cloudy or clear? Was the Sun to Bill's back or Tutt's? I realize this may be impossible to acquire, but it does have bearing on Tutt's and Wild Bill's positioning of their feet if they were indeed in a 'duelist stance'.
Now, I'm not trying to pick nits here nor start a pissin' contest on how or why, jist asking out of simple curiosity as Wild Bill's feet positioning could indeed have effected the performance of his revolver. To look at the excerpt Templar mentions from the History Museum, "...facing each other sideways in dueling positions...Wild Bill steadied his aim across his opposite forearm..." OK, now IF Bill was in a dueling position, which side faced Tutt, did he favor his left or right that day and did the Sun and street conditions make any difference? After all, Bill was said to be able to shoot and hit with either hand equally if I recall correctly, so a left-front or right-front dueling stance/position could work with either forearm being used as a supportive means. IF Bill "...steadied his aim across his opposite forearm..." then Bill most likely would have had to had his left foot/left side forward towards Tutt in a dueling position, a normal stance for a right-handed shooter if he was matching Tutt out of niceties and the intricacies of the 'Code Duello'. It would also apply itself to a stance used by a two-handed shooter with the left hand supporting the right by placing the left palm under the base of the grip and cupping the right hand. IF the street conditions were dry, the forearm support would be adequate, if wet, then a two-handed in either stance would support Bill's aim and provide him the edge at 75 yards.   
Best regards and good researching!
'Ol Gabe
NCOWS #925

[Coffinmaker]

"Period Correct" is Oxymoron and should be stricken from all Lexicons.

And ...... Thank You very much .... since I have been shooting Gunfighter over 20 years in CAS it should be noted that "Gunfighter" is indeed shooting "One Handed" and as such should be immediately included in the Tally Book.  After all ..... it is simply the expedient of having a Gun ..... IN EACH HAND!!