Distance of "Quigley Bucket Shot"

[PJ Hardtack]

A guy on the latest NRA bulletin calls BS on the movie "Quigley Bucket Shot".

He figures the ride out with the bucket was 20 seconds. He figures that a fast horse could maintain 40 mph for a short distance. Calculating that in fps, he calculates a distance of 400 yards.

We do a "Mini-Quigley" at our annual shoot, the targets being white painted 28 oz. tomato cans filled with water at 100m. Off hand, of course. I've won it a couple of times with my Shiloh 50-70 carbine.

Think it's easy? Try it .....

[Buffalo Creek Law Dog]

It's kind of like the Billy Dixon shot.  Dixon borrowed a 50-90 Sharps as he felt his 45-90 would not reach, he fired at a group of Indians and on his third shot, he knocked an Indian off of his horse at nearly a mile away.  The US Army verified the distance at 1538 yds or 7/8 mile.  The question is, was he aiming at a particular Indian or, was he aiming at a group of Indians and just happened to hit one?  I tend to believe the latter.  Doesn't say if he used cross sticks or off hand.

Regarding the Quigly shot, before his first shot he is taking his time on aiming but when he is interrupted, he then shoots before he can line up the sights on the target.  But, we have to keep in mind, it's Hollywood, where miracles happen.

[Coal Creek Griff]

The last time that I watched "Quigley Down Under" on TV, I used a laser range finder to measure the distance to the bucket. It measured 6' 4". I guess that it was just the perspective that made it seem farther away. 

CC Griff

P.S. In Billy Dixon's "autobiography" he calls that shot a "scratch [lucky] shot".

[Drydock]

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=quigley+shot+video&view=detail&mid=B64508CCEB1240F97A32B64508CCEB1240F97A32&FORM=VIRE

Mathamatics!

[PJ Hardtack]

Guess it depends on whose math(a)matics you believe.

For a movie  'scratch shot', it was still pretty impressive. Like the shot made by LaBeouf with his "Lead Belly" 50-70 carbine in "True Grit".
That movie is the reason I bought a Shiloh carbine in 50-70.

[Professor Marvel]

Ah, but the speed of a horse is a total guess, so lets use cinema arithmetic.

it took 3+ seconds for the stooge to hear pistol shot and drop bucket . We can try to factor in reation time, and just assume 3 seconds.
   at sea level, sound travels ~ 1000 ft per second, thus about 3000 ft or 1000 yards

then we can time Quigleys shot -  it took 2 sec for quigley's shot to hit bucket, at a MV of ~ 1500 fps thus about 3000 ft or 1000 yards.

yhs
prof ( loves math) marvel

[PJ Hardtack]

Like anyone could even SEE a wooden bucket at 1000 yds with the naked eye .....

That's quite a stretch even for Hollywood.

[Niederlander]

There is no shot a script writer can't make................

[Pitspitr]

Oh, sure. But you give me a weapon like that, and I could beat him with my eyes shut.





I love that movie. It's the reason I bought my sharp...and grew the moustache and goatee.

[Professor Marvel]

Oh, sure. But you give me a weapon like that, and I could beat him with my eyes shut.





I love that movie. It's the reason I bought my sharp...and grew the moustache and goatee.

It's the facial hair!
Without the facial hair trick shots or long shots are virtually impossible for a man.

yhs
prof marvel

[Gabriel Law]

PJ:  we're creating our own Quigley shoot for PG.  The bucket will be 10" t the bottom, 16" at the top and 20" tall...shot offhand at 200 m.  It's a big bucket, and close.  But at the end of the match, someone will have the highest score.   I find that people have more fun when they're hitting targets. 

[greyhawk]

A guy on the latest NRA bulletin calls BS on the movie "Quigley Bucket Shot".

He figures the ride out with the bucket was 20 seconds. He figures that a fast horse could maintain 40 mph for a short distance. Calculating that in fps, he calculates a distance of 400 yards.

We do a "Mini-Quigley" at our annual shoot, the targets being white painted 28 oz. tomato cans filled with water at 100m. Off hand, of course. I've won it a couple of times with my Shiloh 50-70 carbine.

Think it's easy? Try it .....

we do a paper plate shoot at 100 yards ....that aint easy even

[greyhawk]

It's kind of like the Billy Dixon shot.  Dixon borrowed a 50-90 Sharps as he felt his 45-90 would not reach, he fired at a group of Indians and on his third shot, he knocked an Indian off of his horse at nearly a mile away.  The US Army verified the distance at 1538 yds or 7/8 mile.  The question is, was he aiming at a particular Indian or, was he aiming at a group of Indians and just happened to hit one?  I tend to believe the latter.  Doesn't say if he used cross sticks or off hand.

Regarding the Quigly shot, before his first shot he is taking his time on aiming but when he is interrupted, he then shoots before he can line up the sights on the target.  But, we have to keep in mind, it's Hollywood, where miracles happen.

Ahhh but the bloke annoyed him - tried to put him off his shot - he got mad - nailed it - doesnt that work for you? Somebody pi$$e$ me off on the line I usually shoot a ten straight after - just cant maintain the rage long enough to keep doin it

[onegunred]

Just savor the moment and enjoy it.  Who cares how far it was, too many people just want to rain on a parade.

[Will Ketchum]

I'll mention a scratch shot I made once with my flintlock. A couple of guys with scoped rifle were shooting at a Pabst can at 130 yards prone at our local range. I didn't know them. I told them they couldn't shoot and that I could make the shot offhand with a muzzle loader. They said prove it. I grabbed the rifle out of my truck, loaded it. I didn't realize the trigger was fouled and was like a set trigger. As I was pulling down on the can the gun went off, and the can flew over the berm. I sent my son to retrieve the can. The ball had struck one of the ribbons in the logo. I said, "sh!t I was aiming plumb center."  Hoping they wouldn't notice my bleeding lip from the recoil of not having the butt tight to my shoulder.

Will Ketchum

[Slamfire]

 Quote " I see you know your rifle " by the way ,, I bet the wagon shot was just as far & moving ,, love the show ,, make's me try harder .


  smoke'm if y'a got'm ,, Hootmix

[PJ Hardtack]

When you told me you weren't going to shoot in your match due to your eye surgery, I decided not to bring along one of my Shiloh 45-70s.
But - since you are offering the chance for a real rifle shot, I guess I have to reconsider .....

I'll need to check my '0' when I get to your range as I don't think I'll have the time otherwise.

And you're right - people don't enjoy missing.

PJ:  we're creating our own Quigley shoot for PG.  The bucket will be 10" t the bottom, 16" at the top and 20" tall...shot offhand at 200 m.  It's a big bucket, and close.  But at the end of the match, someone will have the highest score.   I find that people have more fun when they're hitting targets.  

[PJ Hardtack]

Just got back from the range checking my 200 m '0'.

Target was a blank white paper 18" x 20". Sitting with no x-stix, I centred my x-hairs and fired. The rd hit low and right. I focused and the next rd was about as centred as you can get!

I then moved to the 200m 18" steel gong and could not miss it, again sitting with no x-stix.

Then I got brave and fired 5 rds offhand at the gong - 1/5. Room for improvement.

Tough challenge. I think the match should be called the "Quigley Luck-it" event, not "Quigley Bucket".

[greyhawk]

Just got back from the range checking my 200 m '0'.

Target was a blank white paper 18" x 20". Sitting with no x-stix, I centred my x-hairs and fired. The rd hit low and right. I focused and the next rd was about as centred as you can get!

I then moved to the 200m 18" steel gong and could not miss it, again sitting with no x-stix.

Then I got brave and fired 5 rds offhand at the gong - 1/5. Room for improvement.

Tough challenge. I think the match should be called the "Quigley Luck-it" event, not "Quigley Bucket".

PJ
If youre a bit chunky built and once you figure it out, sitting position is a pretty darn good platform (almost as good as prone for me) - body is still flexible enough to take fairly hefty recoil but its a good solid shooting position.
Off hand is the great leveller eh! As a youngster I remember a couple of old timers (well known as crack shots) would tap a two inch nail (or several) into the top of a fence post and hit it regular at 15 yards or so offhand - BRNO model 2 was the rifle of choice those days - Later (in my 20's) I was good friends with another older bloke who had been a contract dingo trapper in the eastern mountains - regarded as the best shot in the district he was challenged to a match by a feller from outside that was working bulldozers - somebody put up a prize was about half a weeks wages so old mate went for it - saturday night at his place for dinner I asked how it went - oh I won it - my BRNO still shoots nice - what did you shoot at - ahh a match box at fifty yards 10 shots - (our old redheads match box is two inches by one and a half with a picture of the redhead in the centre about 3/4 inch across) - so tell me ? - oh we both got ten in but mine was a bit neater - he pulls the matchbox out of his pocket to show me - ten shots dead centre in a space the size of my thumbnail !!! Wow ! - oh we were rested on the landrover bonnet (said that like as if it was cheating) - I used to be able to do that standing up ......just the as issue barrel sights no scope. 

[PJ Hardtack]

I shoot in the military x-legged sitting position. Like you said, it's as good as prone. But, "chunky built" I'm not. I'm 130 lbs which is why sitting and prone are so comfortable for me.

In he Army, we'd be slung up in the sitting position with .303 Lee-Enfields (equipped with P-H microsights) and an NCO would walk down the line in front of us saying - "Soldier, I'm going to push down on your barrel and when I do, I want to see your ass come off the ground."

I also do daily sit ups, push ups, chin ups, pump a little iron and hand stand push ups, so I don't lack for upper body strength. I do a lot of off hand shooting, but seldom with my Sharps rifles. Especially my Business Rifle which has a barrel the diameter of a sewer pipe!

Today I was shooting my #1 Sporter which is a lightweight compared to the BR.

PJ
If youre a bit chunky built and once you figure it out, sitting position is a pretty darn good platform (almost as good as prone for me) - body is still flexible enough to take fairly hefty recoil but its a good solid shooting position.
Off hand is the great leveller eh! As a youngster I remember a couple of old timers (well known as crack shots) would tap a two inch nail (or several) into the top of a fence post and hit it regular at 15 yards or so offhand - BRNO model 2 was the rifle of choice those days - Later (in my 20's) I was good friends with another older bloke who had been a contract dingo trapper in the eastern mountains - regarded as the best shot in the district he was challenged to a match by a feller from outside that was working bulldozers - somebody put up a prize was about half a weeks wages so old mate went for it - saturday night at his place for dinner I asked how it went - oh I won it - my BRNO still shoots nice - what did you shoot at - ahh a match box at fifty yards 10 shots - (our old redheads match box is two inches by one and a half with a picture of the redhead in the centre about 3/4 inch across) - so tell me ? - oh we both got ten in but mine was a bit neater - he pulls the matchbox out of his pocket to show me - ten shots dead centre in a space the size of my thumbnail !!! Wow ! - oh we were rested on the landrover bonnet (said that like as if it was cheating) - I used to be able to do that standing up ......just the as issue barrel sights no scope.