Sheriff Buford Pusser

[BB57]

the sheriffs office might still have the evidence logs from that far back. would be interesting to know the disposition of the revolver. let us know what you find. lee

That would be interesting.

Way back in the day, once a case was closed and the weapon was no longer needed for evidence, and assuming the person was convicted, officers in many police departments were able to apply to the court to be given a weapon they had seized. A lot of those weapons that were suitable, ended up as duty weapons and back up guns.

I'm not sure if that happens much anymore, given the political pressure to cut them up.

 

[ldausmc1369]

I worked in an executive position with the State of TN in the late 70's/early 80's and dealt a lot with the Dept of Corrections and the institutions. The warden of Ft. Pillow knew Sheriff Pusser very well and said a lot of the movie was fact and a lot of dramatization. I was 6'1' and 210 at the time and the warden said Sheriff Pusser made me look small and was very much the man the movie made him out to be. A gentleman and Marine I wished I could have met.

 

[50-tennessee]

Have you looked at my #13? No offense toward you intended, as you asked the original question, and deserve an answer. No one was even attempting to answer your original question - just many extraneous unrelated postings.

DWalt I appreciate you response. I just want to separate fact from fiction regarding this gun. I was just hoping with the serial number provided and knowing the gun was made prior to 1966 might help provide facts. I am not here to talk about Pusser or the gun misfiring. I have seen all 5 cartridges that were in her pistol and I am convinced it was a bad reload on the cartridge that misfired. The primer was indented but didn`t fire. I have heard many people say it was a Smith and Wesson .38 Chief`s Special Airweight with an alloy cylinder. Some say it was steel. Is there anyway of really knowing anything?

 

[DWalt]

Allegedly, the highest known SN for an Airweight Chiefs Special having an alloy cylinder is 43926, which was shipped in January, 1954. Whether that SN is accurate, I do not know. As the SN you provided is a little beyond that, there is at least a good possibility it had a steel cylinder. I have to wonder why she was using reloads. Is it definitely known she was using reloads?

 

[50-tennessee]

Allegedly, the highest known SN for an Airweight Chiefs Special having an alloy cylinder is 43926, which was shipped in January, 1954. Whether that SN is accurate, I do not know. As the SN you provided is a little beyond that, there is at least a good possibility it had a steel cylinder. I have to wonder why she was using reloads. Is it definitely known she was using reloads?

I can`t say 100% for sure they were reloads but here is why I believe they were. There were 5 rounds in her pistol. The shot she fired that went out the window was a Western .38 cartridge. The others had different manufacturers names stamped on them. In other words the ammo didn`t match. This is why I would suspect reloads.

 

[ralph7]

Oh, to have been a fly on the wall in that room that day.

 

[Bobmar]

Wouldn't a factory letter from Roy answer all your questions? JMHO Bob

 

[Wyatt p. Tato]

Finally proof that revolvers don't go bang everytime. If she would have had a Glock ...

 

[DWalt]

There are numerous potential reasons for a misfire, and misfires are not limited to reloads. I have had factory load misfires. Also could be the result of excessive age, poor storage conditions, oil getting into the primer, no propellant, etc. Regarding mixed headstamps, you might read the Warren report about the ammunition in Lee Harvey Oswald's .38 Victory revolver. It's interesting and puzzling, and to my knowledge, the commission chose to ignore it rather than try to explain it. And it's reasonably certain Oswald was no reloader.

 

[wordsmith]

I've had more than my share of Pre-37's over the years, with both alloy and steel cylinders, and don't recall having one with an alloy cylinder numbered above the high 20,XXX range. In recent times we've had two in the 44,XXX range with steel cylinders and I'm familiar with a couple more like them. My money would be on Louise's gun having a steel cylinder, esp. with it being in that same s/n range.

As a (very) young deputy sheriff in North Alabama, I was privileged to meet and spend a couple hours with Buford Pusser in late-1973 as he was touring a number of Deep South PD's and SO's promoting the first movie and W.R. Morris' book about his life story, "The Twelfth of August". At 6'-6" and well-over 250-260 lbs, he was a 'big boy' to say the least. He was only 35-36 years old at the time, in the rearview mirror that now seems ever so young....

That was a great afternoon, one I will never forget.

DLC

 

[50-tennessee]

There are numerous potential reasons for a misfire, and misfires are not limited to reloads. I have had factory load misfires. Also could be the result of excessive age, poor storage conditions, oil getting into the primer, no propellant, etc. Regarding mixed headstamps, you might read the Warren report about the ammunition in Lee Harvey Oswald's .38 Victory revolver. It's interesting and puzzling, and to my knowledge, the commission chose to ignore it rather than try to explain it. And it's reasonably certain Oswald was no reloader.

DWalt as I said I am not 100% certain they were reloads but it was definitely mixed ammo. Thanks for your response.

 

[black1970]

As to the whereabouts of said Smith 38 you are all not taking into account where and when the said incident took place. It took place in McNairy county Tennessee with McNairy county law enforcement and McNairy county officials. That should explain in itself what happened to said weapon. You can bet that said weapon is safe and secure somewhere in McNairy county today.

 

[Warren Sear]

"AT THIS POINT, WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE???"!!!

 

[Warren Sear]

Aren't we forgetting the *T* ?
As in: Buford T. Pusser

Roscoe Coletrain just isn't the same without the *P* in between...

You might have been referring to Buford T. Justice.

 

[Kid_Pappy]

You might have been referring to Buford T. Justice.

Ha ha. I doubt if Buford Pusser came from his loins.

 

[BB57]

As to the whereabouts of said Smith 38 you are all not taking into account where and when the said incident took place. It took place in McNairy county Tennessee with McNairy county law enforcement and McNairy county officials. That should explain in itself what happened to said weapon. You can bet that said weapon is safe and secure somewhere in McNairy county today.

That's a given. What we want is the story. What officer talked the judge into letting him have it, who lost it to who later on in a poker game…etc, etc, etc.

 

[TenTea]

Aren't we forgetting the *T* ?
As in: Buford T. Pusser

I am not forgetting anything. I do not know who Buford T. Pusser is. I was referring to Buford Hayse Pusser who served as McNairy County, Tennessee Sheriff from 1964 to 1970. Please see attached photo.

You might have been referring to Buford T. Justice.

50-tennessee: I stand corrected.
Thank you for posting that vintage photo!
In the mixed up mind of my youth, Joe Don Baker's character in Walking Tall along with the real Sheriff Pusser and Jackie Gleason as Buford T. Justice (thanks Warren Sear) are all intertwined.
Thanks for the review of facts and good luck solving your mystery.

 

[lamarw]

Back as a kid, I can remember seeing a number of folks who would dump their unused rounds in a mason jar with a sealed lid. This was particularly true with .22 rim fire rounds. I recall my Grandmother keeping the ammo for her .32 in a mason jar and my Grandfather on the other side of the family would keep mixed calibers and store bought brands of rounds in a jar.

This is a remote possibility to explain this situation since it seemed to be a common practice particularly in the South where there is a lot of humidity. At the time there were few who had air conditioning.

 

[dogsoldier]

As to the whereabouts of said Smith 38 you are all not taking into account where and when the said incident took place. It took place in McNairy county Tennessee with McNairy county law enforcement and McNairy county officials. That should explain in itself what happened to said weapon. You can bet that said weapon is safe and secure somewhere in McNairy county today.

Having been an LEO in Selmer, TN, there are TWO ways that your comment can be construed....

 

[CH4]

Having been an LEO in Selmer, TN, there are TWO ways that your comment can be construed....

And....
Still waiting...