I have always been intrigued about the life of Bufford Pusser ever since I watched "Walking Tall" when I was a kid. I heard he carried a .41 Magnum and used it to kill a couple of people, and wondered about any other details about the gun and if it was a M57 or M58. Recently I found a Yahoo Group called "Crime Myths" and it has some good info and photos about his life and a list of his guns(he had some pretty nice guns for a small town sheriff) and on the list are serial numbers. Listed is a Smith & Wesson .41 Magnum, nickle plated with serial number 29482. There is no letter in the serial number but it should be around 1965-1966, and can anyone tell if this is a M-57 or M-58? The gun is owned by someone in Tennessee who's name is kept very confidential for some strange reason.
Bufford Pusser's .41 Magnum?
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TNDixieGirl
Member
BP Home
http://www.bufordpussermuseum.com/index.html
Check out the History area and you'll see mention of his guns.
The article about the day he was shot and his wife was killed mentions this:
Buford decided that it was time to change his artillery from a 12 gauge shotgun to an M-16 carbine. He also changed his .41 caliber magnum to a .357 magnum and started driving a new Oldsmobile Toronado. From that day on, Buford vowed to find the men that took a piece of his life away.
http://www.bufordpussermuseum.com/index.html
Check out the History area and you'll see mention of his guns.
The article about the day he was shot and his wife was killed mentions this:
Buford decided that it was time to change his artillery from a 12 gauge shotgun to an M-16 carbine. He also changed his .41 caliber magnum to a .357 magnum and started driving a new Oldsmobile Toronado. From that day on, Buford vowed to find the men that took a piece of his life away.
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Centenniel
Member
Pusser was an interesting character. If you are ever in Pigeon Forge, TN, Carbo's Police Museum has a lot of articles that belonged to him. Apparently, he has a real fondness for Colt Python revolvers. They also have what is left of the Corvette that he was killed in.
TNDixieGirl
Member
Last I heard, the Corvette wreckage was moved to the Buford Pusser Museum (his home) in Adamsville.
EDIT: Yep, thats where it is now.
http://www.bufordpussermuseum.com/photos.html
EDIT: Yep, thats where it is now.
http://www.bufordpussermuseum.com/photos.html
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Hi:
My understanding is that toward the end Sheriff Pusser began carrying a Charter Arms Bulldog .44spl.
Jimmy
My understanding is that toward the end Sheriff Pusser began carrying a Charter Arms Bulldog .44spl.
Jimmy
Joe in SC
US Veteran
I though he carried a big ole hickory stick!
all5x
US Veteran
Colt 357
A friend of mine has a Colt Python 4 inch nickel plated special salute to Bufford Pusser from the Colt Factory..wonder how much it would be worth today..and the Corvette he was killed in was given to him by a car dealer in Florence, Alabama for the work he did for her..he would be at the dealership signing books and autographs several times a year..I am sure it helped keep his legend alive for a lot longer than it would have normally been..due to the damage of the shooting in which his wife was killed and he was injured when he would smile only one side of his face would show emotion..the facial muscles on one side would not respond..gave him a weird look when he smiled..all5x
A friend of mine has a Colt Python 4 inch nickel plated special salute to Bufford Pusser from the Colt Factory..wonder how much it would be worth today..and the Corvette he was killed in was given to him by a car dealer in Florence, Alabama for the work he did for her..he would be at the dealership signing books and autographs several times a year..I am sure it helped keep his legend alive for a lot longer than it would have normally been..due to the damage of the shooting in which his wife was killed and he was injured when he would smile only one side of his face would show emotion..the facial muscles on one side would not respond..gave him a weird look when he smiled..all5x
jframe
Member
The car was given to him by the now defunct Gene Crump Chevrolet in Tuscumbia, Alabama in return for the many personal appearances he made at the dealership. Pusser and Crump were friends; in fact, Crump was a pallbearer at Pusser's funeral. The Corvette's remains do now indeed sit at the Pusser home and museum in Adamsville, Tennessee. As far as that .41 goes, it's a mystery to me as well. I live fairly close to McNairy County, and have a customer of mine who is the official Pusser historian for the county, and he can't give me a definitive answer on the gun. I think he knows who has it now, but has never volunteered the information to me.
OP
So can someone with an S&W catalogue tell if that partial serial number is a M-57 or M58?
Pusser's .41 magnum S&W
Hello to all, I have extensively studied the life of Sheriff Buford Pusser for several years. I have been in law enforcement for close to 28 years.
Buford's .41 magnum was a S&W Mdl. 58 4" Nickel with an "S" prefix serial number. I was told by a close friend of Pusser's that the .41 magnum was stolen from his house during a burglary and was never recovered.
Pusser started out carrying the Model 58 in 1964 which was the first year of production for the model. He later carried several different Model 19 S&W revolvers and was known to carry a 2" S&W or Colt .38 spl as a backup.
Pusser was also fond of the Colt Python revolvers. The night he died he had a 2 1/2" Nickel Python .357 that burned after the fatal crash with his Corvette.
Hello to all, I have extensively studied the life of Sheriff Buford Pusser for several years. I have been in law enforcement for close to 28 years.
Buford's .41 magnum was a S&W Mdl. 58 4" Nickel with an "S" prefix serial number. I was told by a close friend of Pusser's that the .41 magnum was stolen from his house during a burglary and was never recovered.
Pusser started out carrying the Model 58 in 1964 which was the first year of production for the model. He later carried several different Model 19 S&W revolvers and was known to carry a 2" S&W or Colt .38 spl as a backup.
Pusser was also fond of the Colt Python revolvers. The night he died he had a 2 1/2" Nickel Python .357 that burned after the fatal crash with his Corvette.
OP
There is a Yahoo Group called "Crime Myths" that is all about the life and times of Bufford Pusser and in the pictures section it has a list of aprox. 40 of his personal guns, including Smiths, Colts, Brownings, Berettas, and Winchesters. He even has a S&W M-76 Submachinegun!
David LaPell
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I just ordered a book written by Bufurd's daughter Dwana. I was always fascinated by Buford, and I wish that there were still more lawmen like him today. There are still alot of good men, but I am starting to see alot of politicians in some of these offices more than just cops. Some departments are starting to get more about image than integrity. They would rather make sure their officers look good and don't make trouble instead of doing good old fashioned police work.
jframe
Member
I have that book, "Walking On" by Dwana Pusser. It is very informative, and gives a side to Sheriff Pusser not seen by his enemies or his friends. It is through the eyes of his daughter, who looked up to her Dad like any other little girl.
BEARMAN
Member
Any truth to the rumor of the tie-rod on the Corvette he died in being partially hacksawed almost in two; being the suspected cause of the crash?
I've heard this tale told ever since he died in the Corvette crash that fateful night.
I've heard this tale told ever since he died in the Corvette crash that fateful night.
Pusser crash
No, I have seen nothing to back up the tie-rod story, just speculation. In my opinion, I know of two other crashes that occurred with similar year model Corvettes. There was speculation that he may have been poisoned. Nothing ever panned out as his father "Carl" didn't want his grave disturbed for autopsy.
The big problem with those cars (Corvettes) was HORSE-POWER. The cars would out-run the bias ply tires and even the new radials out at that time had lots of problems (Remember the Firestone 500 radials from 73-74) They had major problems sheding their belts. Now, years later, we know about matching a quality tire that is speed rated to a particular car for safety reasons.
There was a witness, if memory serves me right, that lived close that thought they heard a blow-out or gunshot right before Pusser's crash. Which a blow-out, would allow for the car being out of control and producing skid and yawl marks like those left at the accident site.
Trooper Paul Erwin worked the crash. He later retired from the Tennessee Highway Patrol and was later elected Sheriff of McNairy Co.
No, I have seen nothing to back up the tie-rod story, just speculation. In my opinion, I know of two other crashes that occurred with similar year model Corvettes. There was speculation that he may have been poisoned. Nothing ever panned out as his father "Carl" didn't want his grave disturbed for autopsy.
The big problem with those cars (Corvettes) was HORSE-POWER. The cars would out-run the bias ply tires and even the new radials out at that time had lots of problems (Remember the Firestone 500 radials from 73-74) They had major problems sheding their belts. Now, years later, we know about matching a quality tire that is speed rated to a particular car for safety reasons.
There was a witness, if memory serves me right, that lived close that thought they heard a blow-out or gunshot right before Pusser's crash. Which a blow-out, would allow for the car being out of control and producing skid and yawl marks like those left at the accident site.
Trooper Paul Erwin worked the crash. He later retired from the Tennessee Highway Patrol and was later elected Sheriff of McNairy Co.
BEARMAN
Member
Anybody got a clue why they never show the original movie "Walking Tall" with Joe Don Baker?
They used to show it alot, however, lately you never see it replayed anymore.
They show the one with the Rock and Johnny Knoxville...but it's not representative of the true story of Buford Pusser. IMO
Sure wish I could find it on dvd.
They used to show it alot, however, lately you never see it replayed anymore.
They show the one with the Rock and Johnny Knoxville...but it's not representative of the true story of Buford Pusser. IMO
Sure wish I could find it on dvd.
jframe
Member
I've got all the books, and a box set DVD of all three movies put out about a year ago by Rhino, but I understand the box set is out of print, I think. I wish someone would make an ACCURATE representation film of the late Sheriff, or at least someone like the History Channel produce a good documentary. As much as I like those three films, the reality of them is that they are BASED on certain events in the life of Buford Pusser. Sip, you live in Hollywood. See what you can do!
imjin138
US Veteran
I have the boxed set of 3 movies and the TV series with Bo Svenson all are ok. I also have the book by his daughter and that is really good and the books by Morris.
I belong to a few yahoo groups and one is specifically about him it has a lot of good information.
But I do wish the History Channel or discovery would do something on him that would be something to watch.
I belong to a few yahoo groups and one is specifically about him it has a lot of good information.
But I do wish the History Channel or discovery would do something on him that would be something to watch.
Alk8944
US Veteran
An N-Frame with that serial number (it probably is an assembly number) would have to come sometime in 1972 and would be an N prefix. It is not possible to determine specific model number from a serial number as all N-Frames regardless of model were numbered in the same series. It could just as well be a 27, 28, 29, etc as either a 57 or 58.
The gunwriter, Frank James wrote a book some years back and it makes mention of the gun Sheriff Pusser used was a 4 inch nickel plated model 57 Smith & Wesson. I have not read or spoke to anyone that has said anything else though I did email his daughter and inquire about that particular handgun, but she was unable to provide me any additional information.
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