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William L. Powers to Horace Kephart, February 7, 1919

  • wcu_kephart-1800.jpg
  • In a letter to Horace Kephart on February 7, 1919, William L. Powers asks questions about Kephart’s “backwoods rifle” paper. Mr. Powers wishes to know more information about Mr. Pope, the type of rifle he shot, and the shooting technique he used. He wonders how Buffalo Bill shot glass balls on horseback. Powers also hopes Kephart will write an article for “Outing” about the Allegheny mountaineer who rifled a gun with his own wooden machine to improve bullet trajectory.
  • Machias, Me., Feb. 7, 1919. Mr. Horace Kephart, Bryson City, I# C. Dear Mr. ITephart:- In one of your papers on the "backwoods rifle" yon mentioned, a famous rifle shot. Pope by name. Who was Mr. Pope, what rifle did he shoot, when & where did he live, and where can I find out something about the kind of shooting that he and other experienced riflemen of my day have done? I saw Buffalo Bill ride horseback and shoot glass balls thrown into the air by another man riding horseback just ahead of Buffalo Bill. Did Buffalo Bill shoot a rifle with 6ne ball only in it or did he shoot a charge of shot? Perhaps you saw the same thing done. I wish you would write a paper for "Outing" on the method employed hj that Allegheny mountaineer who rifled a gun with a wooden machine made by himself. Yery truly yours,