Bill Jordan's ...

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mc5aw

mc5aw

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... "No Second Place Winner" in now available in softcover. I just received mine this afternoon. Good news for all of us lacking the title in our respective libraries as the book had been out of print, and used prices were ridiculously high.

One interesting note. A thread some time ago discussed the famous photo of Jordan standing tall with drawn revolver next to a crouching individual purported to be Jelly Bryce. I had never found definitive proof for or against it being Bryce, until flipping through the book's page today. Several photos that Jordan included are of Elmer Keith and Charles Askins, with clear listings of both names. The photo with "Bryce" has no name listed, thus I am confident it was simply an anonymous someone posing in the "Gunman's crouch" who history misidentified.
 
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Ironically, Jordan never mentions that his negligence led to the death of another BP agent in the office while Jordan was screwing around with revolvers. Shot him in the head through a wall:


John A. Rector - CBP.gov
 
I found this on a google search, I have no way of knowing it its legit, but I think it rings true.
Hello I am here to tell you that the story of Bill Jordan accidentally shooting a fellow Border Patrol officer is true. That man was my father, John A. Rector.
I was 13 years old and in the 8th grade, and that has been some 55 years ago, but my memory is very clear. According to the Coroner's inquest, this is the way it happened: Bill Jordan was showing a pistol, a 357 Magnum, to another man. They were in Bill's office at the headquarters of the San Diego Sector in San Ysidro, CA. The gun was unloaded initially, and Bill was demonstrating how he drew and fired. He then reloaded the gun and put it into a desk drawer.
The conversation continued, and forgetting he had loaded the gun he took it out of the drawer, aimed it at the wall and fired. My father was sitting at his desk on the other side of that wall. The bullet went through the wall and hit him in the head. He died about 3 hours later. There was no wrongful death suit, or anything like that. Bill was so upset that he had to be taken home under sedation and the next day I remember he and his wife coming to our house, and he sobbed as he told us how sorry he was. He and my Dad were friends.
I have often given my story as an example of how ANYONE can have an accident with a gun, no matter how expert you are with them.
My Dad did not see me complete my education, he was not there to walk me down the aisle when I married, nor did he see me graduate from college. He never knew that I had a successful career. I don't hate Bill Jordan, nor bear him any ill will. I expect he is gone from this earth now too.
I just wanted to set the record straight for those of you in this forum and elsewhere who think this might have been a false story.
Find it here Bill Jordan. Colt Border Patrol. Is this Bunk? [Archive] - The Firing Line Forums
 
I had not heard about that ND. Proving once again how careful you must be when dry firing. Wow.

As to the book, when I was a kid I sent away for a hard copy from the ad in Shooting Times. When it arrived I was delighted to find that the man himself had autographed it to me. Years later it was in a box in my basement that my daughters cat decided to mark and claim as her own. I hated that cat.
 
If you want "No Second Place Winner" Amazon has used paperbacks from $8, New paperback from $12.95, new hardbacks from $25.95, and used, collectible, original hardback copies from $21.80 to $999.00. Take your pick.

Here is a link to an article about the death of Agent John Rector. Jordan it not mentioned and it sounds like they were in the same room. http://www.odmp.org/officer/11072-border-patrol-inspector-john-a-rector Not bashing Jordan in the least. Regardless of who the Agent was it is an excellent object lesson.
 
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I heard of the incident many years ago. I also have his book. Many times here and on other gun sites when the subject of gun safety comes up it is usualy pointed out what morons are that had/have NDs. Like the writer is always so flawless. I bet in many of those cases the person that thinks people that have had them are sub human idiots probley worshiped every word bill jordan wrote not knowing the story. I havent had a gun accident but have been around them by knowledgable people. I always think that but for the grace of God it could have been me or have caused a injury or death instead of just a hole in the wall. Here is a similar story to jordans that I was party to but luckly no harm was done.
My best friend worked with me as a guard. He was also a ex cop. He liked guns as much as me and we shot together many times.:
We stopped at a gun shop and I bought a set of grips for a s&w model 60 I owned. Bill`s house was nearby so we went to it to get a screwdriver and put on my grips. Thank God his wife wasnt home. I brought the gun in, unloaded it in front of bill. He picked it up off the coffee table between me and him. He dry fired it at a rug with a picture od a elk woven in it that was nailed to the wall. Then he gets a screwdriver and I change the grips, we both try it out dry fireing again. Then square in front of him with him looking me in the eye I load the gun as we keep BSing about something. I set the gun down on the table instead of pocketing it. Again bill picks up the gun and aims at said rug on the wall I yell as he fires!
His first words were, "Why ya rotten f-----! Ya played a trick on me!!
He nailed the elk on the wall.
Evidently that was the exact same senerio that happened to jordan!
 
Charles Askins

mc5aw said:
... "No Second Place Winner" in now available in softcover. I just received mine this afternoon. Good news for all of us lacking the title in our respective libraries as the book had been out of print, and used prices were ridiculously high.

One interesting note. A thread some time ago discussed the famous photo of Jordan standing tall with drawn revolver next to a crouching individual purported to be Jelly Bryce. I had never found definitive proof for or against it being Bryce, until flipping through the book's page today. Several photos that Jordan included are of Elmer Keith and Charles Askins, with clear listings of both names. The photo with "Bryce" has no name listed, thus I am confident it was simply an anonymous someone posing in the "Gunman's crouch" who history misidentified.
Click to expand...

There are some wonderful pictures in an article penned by Charles Askins for the 1956 Gun Digest. After reading your post last night I thought I'd check, and sure enough - there it is. It is titled "Gunfighters in Texas". Don't know if it would be available on the Internet - haven't looked. Great pics of different techniques and even some shots of holsters of the era.
 
Bill Jordan Gunmans Crouch Louis Werne, Jr

I can confirm the identity of the shorter "Gunmans Crouch" partner with Bill on page 56 of the first edition "No Second Place Winner".

In this 1964 image, this is 5'8" Border Patrol Inspector Louis M. Werne, Jr. You will also see Louie again on page 21, demonstrating the risks to the arresting officer wearing a cross-draw holster. Louie earned photography credit for the entire book project on the copyright page.

Louis M. Werne, Jr.'s Immigration Service career spanned from 1961 to 1976. From these Border Patrol Inspector beginnings with Bill, Louie's career advanced to Officer in Charge of the INS office in Norfolk, VA.

Yes, this was a staged photo. Bill felt strongly that the Gunman's Crouch introduced delay .. which was unacceptable even if the stance presented a smaller target. It was Bill's sense of humor that staged this book image with the comically shorter Louie Werne to make the point.

The autographed copy of this image I know reads :
"Louie .. Don't you figure you're in enough of a hole without all that damn squatting? - Bill"

Almost all of the photos for Bill's book were taken in 1964 near Brownsville, TX. I was personally present for many of these photo sessions with Bill Jordan & Louie Werne.

Thanks for letting me correct the Jelly Bryce misinformation that has spread over the internet.
Jelly Bryce was 26 years older than Louis M. Werne Jr. and 5 years older than Bill Jordan.

Tory Werne (son of the gunman's crouch shooter)

http://smith-wessonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=230987&d=1458622933
 
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Big gift

fwiw Recently set up a box of good gun related
books for a well advertised charity auction including signed Jordan book. Should be lots of lookers for a fine little box ! Well the not well gun acquainted auction house put it aside for the next months auction of Quipy dolls. You can guess the doll collectors interest. bb
 
Alk8944 said:
If you want "No Second Place Winner" Amazon has used paperbacks from $8, New paperback from $12.95, new hardbacks from $25.95, and used, collectible, original hardback copies from $21.80 to $999.00. Take your pick.

Here is a link to an article about the death of Agent John Rector. Jordan it not mentioned and it sounds like they were in the same room. Border Patrol Inspector John A. Rector, United States Department of Justice - Immigration and Naturalization Service - United States Border Patrol, U.S. Government Not bashing Jordan in the least. Regardless of who the Agent was it is an excellent object lesson.
Click to expand...

I think there were three agents involved. One in the room with Jordan and Rector in an adjacent room as ". . . a round passed through the wall."
 
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