Bufford Pusser's .41 Magnum?

DeadAye said:
The original movie was shot here in Hardeman County and in Madison Co.
The bar that the *bad guys* ran in the movie and that was shown burning at the end is still there, btw. My b-i-l was a bouncer there for several years. That particular bar, The Pine Ridge Club, was never one of THE problem bars in this part of TN - Sheriff Pusser wouldn't have dealt with them anyway since it's in Madison Co.

Back when I was working I was a factory rep and spent a LOT of time on the road. I loved it when Walking Tall came on the TV - Those are the back roads that I ride my bike on. :)

I also know a few of the extras in the flick (one lives 3 houses down from me) and it's really cool seeing them as they were in 1972-73. Hard to believe that was almost 40 years ago :eek: We were just kids in our 20s.....
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Where in Madison County and Hardeman are these locales? My girlfriend is from Leapwood and Adamsville, and used to hang out as a kid in Henderson, so I've seen the courthouse where courtroom scenes were filmed, but neither of us have any idea where the other locations are.
 
The first movie was filmed here in Henderson, Tn ( Chester County ). Most people here at the time knew Buford. Some where friends with him.
 
I spoke to the historian for the museum and he was kind enough to give me the serial number and model of the gun. It was a nickle plated 4 inch model 57. According to Smith and Wesson the serial number dates the manufacture date late in 1963. My understanding is that this gun was given to a family friend after the Louise Hatchcock shooting. Out of respect for those that own this weapon I did not inquire as to whom they were or where they resided.
 
In the first movie the Lucky Spot bar is played by The Pine Ridge Club, which is located on TN-18, north of Bolivar (Hardeman Co.) and is just into Madison Co. Here's the Google Map of the area - The white box at 18 & Swink Rd is the bar.
If you ride east on Swink and zoom about some of the roads shooting off of it you'll see some sights that may be familiar to you. They shot the movie on a lot of roads here about including south of the bar location in Hardeman County. They are mostly very nicely paved now as opposed to what you see in the movie :)
As Smith41Mag points out they also shot in Henderson (great gun store in Henderson, btw) in Chester Co. There are roads in the movie that I'm not familiar with which may well be near and around Henderson. Henderson is at the junction of US-45 and TN-100.

A really nice motorcycle ride to Henderson from the bar is to just follow Swink (it keeps changing names) south/ south/east to TN-100 and turn left on 100.
 
PUSSER'S 41 MAG.

S&W brought out the Model 58 in July of 1964. The beginning serial numbers started for the first production year (S-prefix) #S-258032 to S-260632 first production run started started July 10 1964. Months later the guns would have started appearing on gun shop shelves. (Fact: Pusser was carrying a .41 mag Smith in 1964 the first year of his first term as Sheriff of McNairy Co.) This info on the production dates is in S&W's Factory Book by S&W historian Roy Jinks. The Serial number listed here in this blog is NOT correct.

Deputy Petie Plunk , Buford's deputy for several years, told me that Pusser's nickel .41mag had fixed sights consistant with the model 58. Plunk also confirmed Pusser's Nickel .41 magnum was stolen from his home during a burglary and was never recovered. Maybe thats why (IF, someone does possess Pusser's 41mag.)they do not wish to be identified.

I always try to get facts straight before I speak. There have been numerous curators at the museum thru the years passing out less than accurate information. I have lost track at how many (curators) have come and gone. The Moffett girls were usually on top of the facts when they were there. Their father Jim, served under Pusser as a Deputy.
 
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Joe in SC said:
I though he carried a big ole hickory stick!
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Like this?

Ax1.jpg


Cherokee Slim
 
Really cool thread; it's been going two years. I'd like to learn more about the whereabouts of that .41, and other interesting facts about Pusser. I actually emailed A&E, and told them I'd like to see a true Buford Pusser documentary. No response, but hopefully, someone will read it, and give it a try.
 
I never saw this thread and thought I'd bring it back. I really enjoyed it and hope others do too.
 
I was just talking about Buford Pusser a couple of days ago and wanting to find the movies. You can still get them on Amazon. I have not seen any of the three movies on TV for quite a long time.
 
I have Bufford Pussers gun list but for some reason I cannot upload it to photo bucket. If someone wants me to email it to them maybe they can it get it posted on this forum.
 
jframe said:
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.
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Seeing this thread brought back up makes me chuckle. There is so much supposedly accurate information about Pusser's life and death it boggles the mind.

But take "jframe"s comment above and ask yourself why the History channel or another documentary entity has not been made. There is much more about the man that has never been brought to film or book. There are many stories locally that paint a different picture. And though I have only been around the area for a few years (I live very near to his home), I have heard stories from many who actually knew/grew up with him. Some good, some not so good. I personally won't comment as I did not know the man, and can only relate what I have been told. Some stories made me sad as I too, grew up with those movies and thought of him as an American legend.

As for the .41, I had heard it was a M58
 
Don't know, have not talked to anybody that claimed to know but I would like to believe that Bufford would carry a 58.;)
 
robertwhite said:
Seeing this thread brought back up makes me chuckle. There is so much supposedly accurate information about Pusser's life and death it boggles the mind.

But take "jframe"s comment above and ask yourself why the History channel or another documentary entity has not been made. There is much more about the man that has never been brought to film or book. There are many stories locally that paint a different picture. And though I have only been around the area for a few years (I live very near to his home), I have heard stories from many who actually knew/grew up with him. Some good, some not so good. I personally won't comment as I did not know the man, and can only relate what I have been told. Some stories made me sad as I too, grew up with those movies and thought of him as an American legend.

As for the .41, I had heard it was a M58
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I enjoy all the stories about him, good and bad. I figure the guy was human, and not entirely perfect like many others made him out to be. Legends are not always good; many are tainted, but that still doesn't make them any less interesting. I've always thought Frank Hamer, the Ranger who was behind getting Bonnie and Clyde was an interesting legend. Basically, he ambushed and killed both of them. However, things were different in the Thirties, just like they were different in the Sixties, when Pusser was sheriff. I know one thing for sure: there was a bunch of bad business at that Mississippi/Tennessee state line in McNairy and Alcorn counties all through the Forties, Fifties, Sixties, and probably most of the Seventies. Pusser may have took bribes, looked the other way, whatever. But I damn sure know that I wouldn't have wanted to be in his shoes on some of his trips down there, and I wouldn't have wanted to go through what he went through in that ambush in '67. Nope, I'm sure he may have had his own share of corruption, but I suppose that's what happens when you have to deal with snakes.
 
jframe said:
I enjoy all the stories about him, good and bad. I figure the guy was human, and not entirely perfect like many others made him out to be.

I know one thing for sure: there was a bunch of bad business at that Mississippi/Tennessee state line in McNairy and Alcorn counties all through the Forties, Fifties, Sixties, and probably most of the Seventies. Pusser may have took bribes, looked the other way, whatever. But I damn sure know that I wouldn't have wanted to be in his shoes on some of his trips down there, and I wouldn't have wanted to go through what he went through in that ambush in '67. Nope, I'm sure he may have had his own share of corruption, but I suppose that's what happens when you have to deal with snakes.
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Very astute observations. From all that I have heard, there was less than legitimate dealings on all sides of the law during that time, and a whole lot of drinking and gambling, but as you said, no matter what, that ambush was just plain wrong.
 
I know this is a old post

But here are some more facts. My father was in the movie, his best friend was one of the deputies in the movie, best scene was when he beat one of his deputies in the front yard for being a RAT. The deputy with he dark sideburns was my fathers best friend. The House used in the movie is in the curve on HWY138 across form the CO-OP at Mercer. The reason the highways don't look familiar to some is in the movies is HWY 138 was used a lot, the Corvette wreck was filmed I believe on 138 on further down from the CO-OP. The funeral was filmed in Henderson. And yes the Pine Ridge club was used as mentioned.
All these places were used because McNairy county wanted no part of any movie being filmed there about him. I have lived here all my life, I lived right in the middle of where the movie was filmed and its neat. The old house where women could be bought (saying it nicely) still stands right past the Chester/McNairy line on hwy 45 3 stories tall and purpose built has balconies on all levels. I grew up in Madison County and I found 8 different still sites as a kid. All those big gallon glass jugs we busted on for months! whew worth some change today.
 
My uncle retired as a captain from the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
While still a patrolman, he worked some in McNairy County.
He said these things about Buford:
1) He was so big and strong 3 ordinary men didn't stand a chance against him in a fight.
2) He wasn't very smart.
3) He wasn't scared of anything or anybody.
He said sometimes that makes a good law enforcement officer, and sometimes a bad one.
 
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okfive-o said:
Trooper Paul Erwin worked the crash. He later retired from the Tennessee Highway Patrol and was later elected Sheriff of McNairy Co.
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Nope. It was THP Trooper Paul IRVIN. He gave me my first speeding ticket on TN HWY57, right outside Eastview in 1982. He was later the Sheriff of McNairy County when I was a Patrolman in Selmer.
 
DeadAye said:
The original movie was shot here in Hardeman County and in Madison Co.
The bar that the *bad guys* ran in the movie and that was shown burning at the end is still there, btw. My b-i-l was a bouncer there for several years. That particular bar, The Pine Ridge Club, was never one of THE problem bars in this part of TN - Sheriff Pusser wouldn't have dealt with them anyway since it's in Madison Co.

Back when I was working I was a factory rep and spent a LOT of time on the road. I loved it when Walking Tall came on the TV - Those are the back roads that I ride my bike on. :)

I also know a few of the extras in the flick (one lives 3 houses down from me) and it's really cool seeing them as they were in 1972-73. Hard to believe that was almost 40 years ago :eek: We were just kids in our 20s.....
Click to expand...

Part of the first movie was shot at Freed-Harman University's Youth Camp, in Henderson, TN. The house that burned in the first movie was located in the Oak Grove community, near Jacks Creek, TN in Chester County.
 
I think it's great that the pusser thread keeps gettin bumped for whatever reason.

It's an interesting story either way... And it inspired me to acquire a 58, which I took to far beyond my expectations. What a fantastic weapon.
 
Bump for 2016.
I too found the original 3 movies and the story of Buford fascinating. Would love to make the trip from NC to TN to see the museum.
As far as the 41 mag, I too remember hearing that the gun had been stole during a burglery. If I'm not mistaken remember reading somewhere Buford was carrying the 41 mag when he shot Charles Hamilton. It was during that altercation that Charles shot at Buford hitting the handle of the 41 mag breaking it off.
Wandered aswell though why he switched from carrying the 41 to a 357.
 
I like the original Walking Tall with Joe Don Baker. I believe I bought it on Amazon, where I buy most of my movies. Check on Amazon for it.
 
Maybe he could not shoot the .41 very well.

raven28690 said:
Wandered aswell though why he switched from carrying the 41 to a 357.
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He would not be the first one with this problem. I can shoot my model 58 OK. But recovery time between shots is tough.
 
A hickory pic/axe handle I gots to get me one of those for behind the bedroom door. Should I yell FOUR first?

Great post, great true story of a man that had a pair now if he was in DC, oops can't go there.

WOW as I read in the articles posted here all the info I had no clue about comes up what a true story. Is there a Pusser book on this with all the history on this man? The conflict sounds worse than the movies.
 
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Know of the movies but never saw them; must admit I had no idea they were based on a real individual.

Fascinating and inspiring -- if also sad -- reading. Thanks to all...
 
I can tell you that lots of the fast Chevys of the period had fast speedometers so that the owners did not complain. ie., showing 130 while going 110. Timed, they were a different matter.

Not to say that a good mechanic could not get them to perform better.

Jack
 
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