Amazing how good cops could shoot in the 50's

[john14_18]

Was on youtube the other night watching an episode of " Highway Patrol" with Broderick Crawford. The guy he was in a car chase with pulls off the side of the road and runs up a hill at full speed. Broderick Crawford jumps out of his car, pulls out his 38 snub and shooting from the hip, drops the guy at about 50 yards away in full stride. What a man!

 

[Farmer17]

I think a lot of cops could shoot pretty good in the 50s since many practiced slow fire bulls eye shooting. In the early 70s I was with my dad getting some fence materials in Tulsa near 11th and Sheridan when a Volkswagen beatle bug raced around the corner with two police cars chasing it. The Beatle bug stopped and the driver started running away and a cop stood sideways and put his left hand on his hip and pointed his gun in the sky. He then slowly lowered the revolver and fired and hit the guy running in the back of his thigh. The guy was clutching his thigh and limping and he didn't go much further and it looked like pretty impressive shooting (but I'm not sure that's what the cop was aiming for).

 

[6518John]

^^Anyone stupid enough to try to out run the cops in a VW Bug deserved to be shot in the ***!

 

[labworm]

In one episode of Highway Patrol I have seen Broderick Crawford chase Carl Lewis and catch him.

 

[Rustyt1953]

I haven't thought about it in decades but when you mentioned "Highway Patrol" I immediately thought of Broderick Crawford (naturally) and Art Gilmore the narrator.

 

[Muley Gil]

IIRC, I saw Barnaby Jones shoot a sniper who was on top of a skyscraper. Barnaby was armed with a Chief's Special.

 

[El Biblioitecario]

I knew a fellow who wrote for Highway Patrol. He said Crawford, when chasing felons on camera, would shout: "Get ready to cut!" then double over for several seconds huffing and puffing before resuming the chase.

I read from another source that dialog scenes were typically shot in the AM because in the PM Crawford sometimes had difficulty remembering lines.

 

[rwsmith]

That's nothing....

Mannix can shoot a guy on the roof of a tall building.

Honestly, though I'm not taking away from latter day police, I think they expected gunplay to be much more a requisite for the job because they had a more free reign in stopping suspects with gun fire. Watching those old timers train actually shooting from the hip in a crouch is pretty amazing.

I get a kick out of the 'Untouchables' when in a warehouse full of gangsters, one guy makes a break then everyone is hit by a fusillade of G Man bullets.

I learned something new today. After WWI there wasn't much call for Tommy Guns in any service until the post office ordered a bunch to defend against train robberies.

"Run! It's the P-Men!"

I believe that was the perfect choice of weapon for that mission. Spraying bullets like crazy would make people in every direction take extreme caution.

 

[rwsmith]

Jed.....

IIRC, I saw Barnaby Jones shoot a sniper who was on top of a skyscraper. Barnaby was armed with a Chief's Special.

Just watch the Beverly Hillbillies. Jed and Jethro practiced shooting by hitting flies on the street wall gate.

 

[rwsmith]

Who else gets a kick......

I knew a fellow who wrote for Highway Patrol. He said Crawford, when chasing felons on camera, would shout: "Get ready to cut!" then double over for several seconds huffing and puffing before resuming the chase.

I read from another source that dialog scenes were typically shot in the AM because in the PM Crawford sometimes had difficulty remembering lines.

...out of the Twilight Zone's, "Showdown with Rance McGrew?

 

[Old cop]

Eferam Zimbaslist Jr., who starred in The FBI, made some pretty amazing shots w/his snub too.

 

[shouldazagged]

And remember, there was never, ever the slightest flicker of muzzle flip.

Same with the SAA's in westerns, and some grizzled sidekick types could shoot a 10 gauge double barrel with no sign of recoil. Remarkable.

 

[Whitwabit]

Even better shooting then the cops were the cowboys !! I would like to get one of those six-shooters that never need reloading !!

Now that's the home defense gun you need !!

 

[Biggfoot44]

Back during WWII as a USMC MP , my late FIL was once asked by his commanding ofc " Cpl His Name, why did you shoot the escaping prisoner in the knee ? " , " Because that's where I was aiming sir ! " .

 

[Muley Gil]

Mannix can shoot a guy on the roof of a tall building.

Honestly, though I'm not taking away from latter day police, I think they expected gunplay to be much more a requisite for the job because they had a more free reign in stopping suspects with gun fire. Watching those old timers train actually shooting from the hip in a crouch is pretty amazing.

I get a kick out of the 'Untouchables' when in a warehouse full of gangsters, one guy makes a break then everyone is hit by a fusillade of G Man bullets.

I learned something new today. After WWI there wasn't much call for Tommy Guns in any service until the post office ordered a bunch to defend against train robberies.

"Run! It's the P-Men!"

I believe that was the perfect choice of weapon for that mission. Spraying bullets like crazy would make people in every direction take extreme caution.

The postmaster general bought the Thompsons, but requested that the Marine Corps furnish the manpower. All of a sudden, the robberies ceased. But it seems the Marines "forgot" to give those Thompsons back to the PO when their mail guard duty was over.

 

[Abbynormal]

The last time I went shooting with my Dad was in 1999/2000. He was 72 years old and shot my WWI M1911 which had never shot.

Dad started hip shooting a beer can at about 10 yards out to about 40 yards all from the hip!

He hit it every time and on the last shot at 40 yards, hit it in the air!

Odd thing is, Dad would never teach me his hip shooting. He wanted me to
learn Isosceles and Weaver stance.

I never knew why he wanted me to do that.

To my unfortunate state, it's taken me 20 years, 100k of rounds to be able
to match Dad's performance!

 

[Texas Star]

The postmaster general bought the Thompsons, but requested that the Marine Corps furnish the manpower. All of a sudden, the robberies ceased. But it seems the Marines "forgot" to give those Thompsons back to the PO when their mail guard duty was over.

I think they also used Thompsons in Nicaragua and in Haiti. The Marines fought some battles there during insurgencies.

 

[amazingflapjack]

Hey-you guys just need to work on your "intuitive shootin'" like Broderick and the boys!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[NYlakesider]

I think they also used Thompsons in Nicaragua and in Haiti. The Marines fought some battles there during insurgencies.

For sure CHESTY PULLER showed them the light when he was down there. They just loved their Thompsons!

O FWIW I used all caps on his name because I think he deserves that!

 

[Milton]

Have you all forgotten Sledge Hammer !!!!