Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - Billy the Kid and the Colt Thunderer pistol

Jim McDougall · 10th July 2019, 04:44 PM

Thank you for the observation and those details.
Actually I worked at finding the correct image with him holding the Winchester in his right hand, as I frankly got tired of the back and forth over this detail and wanted to avoid spending more time with it.

The photo I posted, unless I am severely disoriented, shows him holding the rifle in his right hand. If I am not mistaken the image you show has the left hand posture. I must say that I am impressed with your thorough detail and references in the rebuttal however.

Apparently photo historians revealed that the reversal situation in the tintype (also known as ferrotype) was the indeed the case as they noticed his waistcoat buttons and belt buckle were reversed as well in the original image.

I really do appreciate your reading and responding to my post. I put some time and thought into it, and thought I would share it here as I am presently in these areas and trying to learn more on the 'Billy the Kid' mystery.

I am hoping to find more on why these 'Thunderer' pistols were suggested to be Billy's 'favorite' as the only one he seems to have had was 'possibly' the one previously noted (known as the Momaday pistol). ..which he could have only had for 10 days.

10th July 2019, 04:44 PM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,738	Thank you for the observation and those details. Actually I worked at finding the correct image with him holding the Winchester in his right hand, as I frankly got tired of the back and forth over this detail and wanted to avoid spending more time with it. The photo I posted, unless I am severely disoriented, shows him holding the rifle in his right hand. If I am not mistaken the image you show has the left hand posture. I must say that I am impressed with your thorough detail and references in the rebuttal however. Apparently photo historians revealed that the reversal situation in the tintype (also known as ferrotype) was the indeed the case as they noticed his waistcoat buttons and belt buckle were reversed as well in the original image. I really do appreciate your reading and responding to my post. I put some time and thought into it, and thought I would share it here as I am presently in these areas and trying to learn more on the 'Billy the Kid' mystery. I am hoping to find more on why these 'Thunderer' pistols were suggested to be Billy's 'favorite' as the only one he seems to have had was 'possibly' the one previously noted (known as the Momaday pistol). ..which he could have only had for 10 days. Last edited by Jim McDougall; 10th July 2019 at 05:00 PM.