Billy Dixon. 2nd Battle of Adobe Walls shot of the Century 1232 yards in 1874

[JW]

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Billy Dixon. Second Battle of Adobe Walls, Texas
1232 yards with a 50-90 Sharps. The shot was later measured by the US Army Corps of Engineers after the battle at 7/10's of a mile.

Second Battle of Adobe Walls

Main article: Second Battle of Adobe Walls
Dixon led the founders of Adobe Walls to the Texas Plains, where he knew buffalo were in abundance. The group of 28 men and one woman occupied the outpost of five buildings 15 miles northeast of Stinnett.

The outpost was attacked on June 27, 1874 by a band of 700 to 1200 Indians, and that is when Dixon went into the history books for firing "The Shot of the Century" which effectively ended the siege. Although Billy Dixon states in his biography that it was a "scratch shot", he is still honored to this day with competitions in England and the US which attempt to match his skill.

The stand-off continued into a third day, when a group of Indians were noticed about a mile east of Adobe Walls. It is said that Dixon took aim with a quickly borrowed .50-90 Sharps (as, according to his biography, he only had a .45-90 Sharps and felt it could not reach) buffalo rifle and fired, knocking an Indian near Chief Quanah Parker off his horse almost a mile away on his third shot. The Indians then left the settlement alone. Commemorative "Billy Dixon" model reproduction Sharps rifles that supposedly recreate the specifications of Dixon's famous gun are still available today.


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[Tx625]

I couldn't do that with any of my custom rifles. lol

[JW]

Billy Dixon. 2nd Battle of Adobe Walls shot of the Century 1232 yards in 1874

I couldn't do that with any of my custom rifles. lol

I just found this as well. I've read 7/10 of a mile. That was also reported on The History Channel. This says 9/10 of a mile. Either way great shot for today much less 1874.

Controversy prevails over the exact range of Billy Dixon's shot. Baker and Harrison set it at about one thousand yards, while a post-battle survey by a team of US Army surveyors, under the command of Nelson A. Miles, measured the distance: 1,538 yards, or nine-tenths of a mile. For the rest of his life, Billy Dixon never claimed that the shot was anything other than a lucky one; his memoirs do not devote even a full paragraph to "the shot".

Also what I've read was he was shooting a telescopic sight or early form of a rifle scope. Maybe not exactly like but not to unlike this pictured. Which is said to be a replica of his set up. But obviously that is contested here and there also.



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Cimarron Production Replica

[rebelbow]

either way,one heck of a poke!

[RR 314]

I'm fairly embarrassed I have never read of this feat. My kids will repeatedly watch Gus MaCrae do the same and giggle like school kids--well, I guess that is appropriate since they are school kids.

[deerwatcher51]

That was quite a feat! Thanks for sharing the story.

[fullsizeaggie]

Good story regardless of the distance

[JW]

Good story regardless of the distance

Either way I agree. Tough Ol boys back then for sure.


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[UncleBubba]

Thanks for sharing

[C.Read]

He was a better shot than this fella was.....

[NF HUNTER]

Ive always liked the Sharps, Rolling Block rifles and the Highwalls. In fact I do hunt with a 1871 replica Remington Rolling Block 30" barrel 45/70. I've read up on Billy Dixon and that is an impressive shoot. Thanks for sharing Ragin,

[JW]

Ive always liked the Sharps, Rolling Block rifles and the Highwalls. In fact I do hunt with a 1871 replica Remington Rolling Block 30" barrel 45/70. I've read up on Billy Dixon and that is an impressive shoot. Thanks for sharing Ragin,

Yeah it's hard not to like one of those style rifles.


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