Comments on: Episode 79: Western Myths

By: Dan

Dan — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 16:23:14 +0000

Another thing you’re missing is that a lighter bullet is more affected by wind than a heavier bullet. So why the theoretical range will be increased accuracy will suffer. After all, we typically don’t shoot guns at long ranges in climate controlled environments.

By: MSpears

MSpears — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 09:49:45 +0000

Hmm, another good point. They were using buckshot, not a slug.

By: MSpears

MSpears — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 09:48:50 +0000

Fair enough, though it would also require some very precise shooting.

By: MSpears

MSpears — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 09:47:37 +0000

Norman, you’re forgetting the fact that silver is also a harder metal than lead, with a higher melting point. Metal expands when heated, but when a lead bullet expands, it makes contact with the grooves in the barrel, which makes it spin, which gives it accuracy.

A silver bullet does not expand enough to properly make contact with the grooves, so even if it had a higher velocity, it would NOT have greater accuracy, and in fact, would probably have a SHORTER range than the lead bullet.

In fact, when the rifle was first introduced (they had been using smoothbore muskets up until that point), the Church tried to declare that it was unholy technology. To prove this, they held a contest… one rifle loaded with lead bullets, the other loaded with silver bullets that had a cross etched into the tip. Not a single one of the silver bullets hit the target.

By: MSpears

MSpears — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 09:43:13 +0000

It can act as a tamponade, slowing the bleeding long enough to receive medical attention.

That’s why I was taught in grade school that if you get impaled on something, DON’T pull it out! Go to a hospital and let the DOCTORS get it out.

By: MSpears

MSpears — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 09:38:06 +0000

Yes, but accuracy suffers. That’s because silver is a harder metal and does not expand enough to properly engage the rifling in the barrel (if at all). Therefore it does not spin as fast as it should, its ballistic arc is more unstable, and its range and accuracy suffer.

And as they point out in the summary, silver was used as a form of currency in the Old West. You would be (literally!) shooting your money at the target.

By: Norman M. Canter, M.D.

Norman M. Canter, M.D. — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 07:05:41 +0000

Silver’s mass is 107.8, lead is 207. With a given muzzle energy the velocity of silver should be 2X as great, with a flatter projectory. Greater accuracy would be expected particularly at the extreme ranges for a pistol or rifle….in my opinion.

By: Janice

Janice — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 22:47:21 +0000

Higher speed (and larger) bullets would just “slice through, without moving an object”.

Lower speed (and smaller) bullets can “move an object” when it makes the hole.

By: ERIC S

ERIC S — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 22:56:36 +0000

Maybe the Lone Ranger really did NOT want to hurt anyone, just REALLY get their attention.
So a bullet that really doesn’t penetrate would go along with the Lone Ranger’s character.

He mostly just shot the guns out of their hands anyway.

Also, the Lone Ranger and Tonto had a secret silver mine so getting silver wasn’t a problem.

By: grandpa

grandpa — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 21:05:05 +0000

the lone ranger used silver bullets as his mark not because they were better than lead hi ho silver away. horse pulling out cell bars hay guys you did not use showdy construction methods. When was Steel comercially produced? it was surely not used in old west jail cells Brick buildings if brick was available had no reenforcementand the mortor they had available was not very strong and the bars would probably have been buried only one brick deep.