Bonnie and Clyde rifle

otis24 · Dec 12, 2011

Caught the end of a program on the History Channel. It had something regarding a "40 caliber rifle" that was carried/owned by Bonnie and Clyde. It looked like an old H&R single shot shot gun that had been cut down to pistol size. Only got a glimpse of it but I think it did say Harrington & Richardson on the side. Not really sure? Anyone familar with this rifle?

30-30remchester · Dec 12, 2011

First off if you saw it on the history channel then there is a SMALL chance the imformation is correct. I am always astonished at the lack of knowledge of their "experts". I have seen a picture of this gun, it is owned by a museum. It is a H & R single shot "gardengun". These were cheap singleshots guns built to chamber the 44 WCF aka 44-40 shot and ball loads. Many people are reported to have used regular 44-40 ammo in them as well.

pilgrim6a · Dec 12, 2011

Possibly a H&R Handy Gun. .410 ga. break action pistol. They were legal back then.

30-30remchester · Dec 12, 2011

pilgrim6a said:
Possibly a H&R Handy Gun. .410 ga. break action pistol. They were legal back then.

Sorry but not a Handygun. As stated I have seen photos of it an it is a CRUDLEY cutdown 44 caliber gardengun.

Alpo · Dec 12, 2011

Yep. I saw that episode. The "expert" said that the cut down rifle and taped grip would intimidate victims. It would show that the guy with the gun was a professional that meant business.

Yeah, right.

Bonnie and Clyde, whose guns of choice were 1911s and BARs, are gonna use a hacked-up single shot.

The museum guy said it was donated to the museum by a cop who confiscated it from them. That sounded to me like Jesse James' guns, that his mama sold to tourists, Bat Masterson's guns that he tamed Dodge with, that he sold regularly for drinking money in New York, and all the guns that came home from WW2, "captured from a Nazi officer".

30-30remchester · Dec 12, 2011

Alpo speaks volumes. I did not watch the show mentioned, but I have seen photos of the gun SUPPOSEDLY retrieved from B&C. I as well wondered why they would choose a single shot gun when they used so many full and semi automatics. Seemed fishy to me. I used to know the model number of the gun but my memory aint what it used to be.

Dennis The B · Dec 12, 2011

Didn't Clyde have a cut-down BAR? I've seen pictures of it.

I believe that Bonnie and Clyde were slain by Frank Hamer, using a Model 8 Remington, in .35 Rem., with an extended magazine. Didn't the others in the posse have BARS also?

Sebago Son · Dec 13, 2011

Dennis The B said:
Didn't Clyde have a cut-down BAR? I've seen pictures of it.

I believe that Bonnie and Clyde were slain by Frank Hamer, using a Model 8 Remington, in .35 Rem., with an extended magazine. Didn't the others in the posse have BARS also?

I think that Clyde used to pack a Colt Monitor... the commercial variant of the BAR.

The .401 Winchester Model 1910 was popular as were the 1905's in .35 and even more so, the 1907's in .351.

Bonny's "Whippet" was a Remington 11 in 20 Gauge.

Hamer's Model 8 may have had a removable magazine by Police Officer's Supply in St. Joseph, Mo.

NE450No2 · Dec 13, 2011

I have seen Hamer's 35 Remington in the Texas Ranger Museum in Waco Texas. He had a few 20 round magazines.
I cannot remember who made them.

I have also seen the actual vehicle that Bonnie and Clyde were killed in.

It was shot to near Swiss Cheese.

lawandorder · Dec 13, 2011

Yep shot that old Ford &...............

the scumbags in it to pieces.

Alpo is right. If every famous criminal carried all of the guns that were alleged to belong to them they would need a Tractor Trailer truck or a whole sting of pack mules.

mkk41 · Dec 13, 2011

lawandorder said:
Alpo is right. If every famous criminal carried all of the guns that were alleged to belong to them they would need a Tractor Trailer truck or a whole sting of pack mules.

Word is that Jesse James mother , and probably other 'relatives' of criminals and lawmen , would buy old cheap (Iver Johnson, H&R, etc) revolvers and sell them at highly inflated prices as having belonged to their infamous kinfolk.

FTG-05 · Dec 13, 2011

mkk41 said:
Word is that Jesse James mother , and probably other 'relatives' of criminals and lawmen , would buy old cheap (Iver Johnson, H&R, etc) revolvers and sell them at highly inflated prices as having belonged to their infamous kinfolk.

I've heard that Wyatt Earp used to do the same thing in the early '20's LA.

Chromedhearts · Dec 13, 2011

That old single shot just might have been what was used to steal that old top break, that was used to steal that 1911 that was used in the jail break when the BAR was stolen, etc. 'Just saying.

Alpo · Dec 13, 2011

Nice selection of their guns, here.
Barrow weapons

Closest thing to that piece of junk would be the break-top IJ that Bonnie smuggled into Clyde, when he was in the city jail, early on in their relationship.

Interesting bit of trivia, to me anyway, on that site. I've always heard that they did not use Thompsons, preferring BARs. An interview with one of the gang member said they tried Thompsons, but the guns were, apparently, all lying on the floorboards of the back seat, and with all the bouncing around, the drums got dented, causing jams. The BAR 20-round box did not have that problem.

wbraswell · Dec 13, 2011

BARs are more effective on old, steel police cars.

jmcghee · Dec 13, 2011

I read somewhere?Clyde cut various shot guns down so the gang could hide them under their coats. Be a little hard to hide a BAR under your coat.

1 old 0311 · Dec 13, 2011

Alpo said:
Yep. I saw that episode. The "expert" said that the cut down rifle and taped grip would intimidate victims. It would show that the guy with the gun was a professional that meant business.

Yeah, right.

Todays version is turning the gun SIDEWAYS. That is SURE to spell professional.

redneckemt · Dec 13, 2011

Clyde did carry and use to great effect a cut down BAR. Shortened at the barrel and on the stock, wanting to say stock was about the length of a M-4 collapsed.

Wiki has some pics' from the scene.

Bonnie and Clyde - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lever action 10ga, Browning A5's, Remmy's all cut down were carried by Bonnie and Clyde. Clyde called them Whippet guns cause they could be whipped out from under a coat. Never heard about them carrying single shots. Kinda of a stupid move even back then. And with the way Clyde was modifing guns they were scary enough.

Can't remember where I read it. Either one of the Shelton's or one of Joaquin Jackson's books. Said that Frank Hammer fired two shots from his Model 8 during the Ambush. One head shot into Clyde one into Bonnie and it was over.

Old 44 Guy · Dec 13, 2011

I once saw a picture of Bonnie & Clydes shot up '33 Ford. It was a rusty wreck. Foreward many years to Las Vegas,NV. At stateline there was a beautifully restored '34 Ford all painted up with bullet holes intact. Sworn to be B&C's car. UMMMM, I don't think so.

loknload · Dec 13, 2011

It's been several years since I've been there but theTexas Ranger Museum had all the guns on display they had with them the day they were gunned down.
Very impressive museum and very impressive display.
Those days in America are some of my favorite in American history, some very different times

Bonnie and Clyde rifle

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