The Gun That Fired All Calibers, or things I learned from the Buckaroo

Was listening to the Leon Metz Radio Show the other day.  The guests were John Hansen and Joel Jones, local history buffs and veteran gun collectors. Mention was made of the guns used during the Mexican Revolution, and it triggered some memories of great stories I learned from the Original Buckaroo as we sat around the back room of the shop.  That back room was a great place to gain a wealth of knowledge of history, guns, and the unmentionable history of the Old West.  Come to think of it, the best stuff the Buckaroo shared of his vast knowledge was unmentionable in mixed company.

To put himself through school, the Buckaroo would travel rural Mexico during the early 1960’s, armed with a generator and 8mm movie projector. He’d charge a few centavos to watch old westerns projected on a sheet hung the far side of the placita.  One the show was over; the Buckaroo would ask around and find out who might have old guns they would be willing to sell.  For dirt cheap, he would pick up old Colt Single actions, and Winchester carbines, and haul them back to El Paso for resale.

During one such trip, he was directed to this little old man. Following an old goat trail up the mountain, the Buckaroo found the dingy adobe shack the old man lived in.  In traditional Mexican fashion, the old man would bring out one gun at a time, and they would dicker over the price.  The Buckaroo picked up a couple of decent pistols, and passed on the others. This went on for quite awhile. 

Finally, the old man brought out the last gun, his best gun.  The Buckaroo was skeptical when he saw the old man proudly lay down a worn out gray ghost of a single action.  There was no telling how long the barrel had been originally, it had been bobbed years ago.  The cylinder wobbled as it cycled, and didn’t quite lock up in battery.  The grips were homemade blocks, poorly fitted.  The gun was a wreck waiting to happen, yet the old man was extraordinarily proud of it.

“This gun my best gun, Shoot all calibers!” exclaimed the old man.

 To prove his point, the old man loaded a .44 special cartridge into the cylinder and let loose into the ceiling.  In that tiny room, the boom was deafening.  Dust and debris from the roof rendered the air almost un-breathable.  It didn’t deter the old man.  He next loaded a .45 Long Colt, followed by a .38-40, .44-40, and .44 Russian cartridges.  There was no telling what caliber it had been originally chambered in, but it was worn out to the point where you could shove about anything into it and fire. 

The previous guns had gone for anywhere between 8 and 12 dollars, but for this gun, the “Gun That Fired ALL Calibers”, he would have to have $25.  Of course, the Buckaroo had to pass on the deal.   

To be truthful, this story was a lot better when the Buckaroo would tell it.  The gestures, and faces he’d make in the telling were hilarious.  And I do admit that I wish he had bought the “Gun That Fired ALL Calibers.”  It would have made a great display of one man’s junk being another man’s treasure.

Until next time, Take Care, God Bless, and Keep your Powder Dry!

Euolgy for an Icon

July 17^th saw a minor tragedy here in El Paso.  The Prairie Flower was skimming through her Facebook, when she pointed out that there was a fire down town.  With heavy heart I checked out the local news station’s website, and sure enough, it was one of the buildings I worry about.  The reporter only knew it as an historic old building that houses a liquor store.  It was not just any old building.  It had once been the Wigwam Saloon.

The original build went up in 1883, as the Fashion Saloon.  It was the first saloon to feature electric lights.  It remained one of the more fashionable salons, being renamed the Wigwam in 1889.  As the Wigwam, the saloon earned its place in El Paso history.  In 1889-1890, prior to becoming Constable, John Selman worked as a bouncer  at the Wigwam.  Saloon keepers, political hack, and rancher George Look owned the Wigwam for a period of time.  With the arrival of John Wesley Hardin in 1895, the Wigwam played a part in his saga.  For a brief time in May ’95, the famed gunman had a half interest in the saloon.  May 1^st, Hardin didn’t like the play at the poker table, and robbed the pot.  The alley beside the Wigwam has a history as well.  It was the very early hours of Easter Sunday, 1896 that Deputy Marshal George Scarborough pumped three bullets into Constable John Selman.

After the turn of the century, and the demise of legal gambling in El Paso, the owners partial demolished the building, and rebuilt it as a theatre.  The Wigwam Theatre became a mainstay of downtown entertainment for years, eventually becoming the State Theatre.  By the 1970’s the establishment was showing 2^nd run movies, and by the late 80’s Spanish language and adult films.  It finally closed.  Since then various businesses have occupied parts of the building.  Until last year, a liquor store operated out of the saloon proper, while a credit agency and later a gun store occupied the rest.

With the fire, it is difficult to guess what is going to happen to this icon of the American West.

Early day gunfights, and what we DON'T know about them.

 Aultman Collection El Paso Public Library

This month we see the anniversary of one or two of the early day encounters here in El Paso. One of the first took place in 1858.  It involved Dr Frank Giddings, and a gambler by the name of Tom Smith.   It was a brief encounter, and we only really have one primary account of the story, that being Nancy Hamilton's in her biography of Ben Dowell.  We have it from W.W. Mills that he attempted to prevent two men from killing each other with pistols, when he was informed that it was considered bad manners to interfere thata way.  There is the story told of a gentleman taking pot shots at a politician, and missing.  Either in outrage at the poor marksmanship, or that folks actually liked the politician, the guilty gentleman was chased behind the Central Hotel, where he was gunned down.  We also have the story of three men sentenced to death in 1879.  Instead of hanging, they were sentenced to death by firing squad.  Acting as Marshal, Ben Dowell commanded the squad that carried out the executions, right there on El Paso street.  Again, We have very little to  work on with these stories, even fewer details.  With the arrival of the railroads in 1881, three newspapers began operations.  Through them we have a fairly reasonable idea of the events during and after various encounters here in El Paso, plus the surrounding area.  It would be an very nice addition to El Paso's Old West history iffn some up start "want to be" began researching the archives and records, putting a better picture togather concerning those early day gunfights.  Just an idea.


El Paso Inc, interviewed Bernie Sargent this week in his capacity as Chairman of the El Paso County Historical Commission.  Darn good piece.  I do disagree with some of the over all concepts the Mayor's Lyceum, and the Down Town Revitalization crew have put forth, but they are at least looking the the right general direction.