The guns of Bonnie and Clyde 80 years later

[Trebor]

Here's my latest Michigan Firearms Examiner article on the guns of Bonnie and Clyde and the Frank Hamer posse. (It was supposed to go up on the actual 80th anniversary, but got delayed by other priorities)

The guns of Bonnie and Clyde 80 years later

"This month marks 80 years since the crime spree of notorious Depression-era outlaws Bonnie and Clyde ended in a firestorm of law enforcement gunfire in rural Louisiana. Even now, eight decades after their deaths in the May 23, 1934 ambush, the pair are pop-culture icons.

To commemorate the anniversary of the duo’s fate let’s take a look at the guns used by Clyde Barrow, Bonnie Parker, and the lawmen who brought them to their end."

 

[bamaranger]

Model 8

I found a pretty knowledgeable appearing website dedicated to the Model 8 and 81 Remington rifles. It was the consensus there that the rifle in the Ranger Museum as being used by Hamer is not correct by a long shot.

Seemed convincing at the time, but I cannot recall all the details. Wrong model wrong year or some such.

I've always had a fascination for the Rem 8/81, and kick myself for not buying one back when they were more easily located (and affordable). And I cut my deer hunting teeth on the M0d 8' cousin, the Model 14 pump, chambered in .30 Rem, likely the same cal Hamer used in the ambush (some say).

 

[bamaranger]

while I'm at it

You occasionally read where the Win SLR were in the last shootout, chambered in .351 Win. And while that combo saw use in the auto bandit era, it was not in the Louisiana fight that ended Bonnie and Clyde.

There is some evidence that some of the lawmen may have had 12 ga shotguns.
That always puzzled me, as it had been pretty much determined at that point that .45 acp from Thompsons, and other handgun rounds, were not defeating the heavy sheet metal of the old Fords. (Thus the BAR's at the fight). Well, if 230 gr ball was not getting it done, I doubt buckshot was either (back to 12ga).
I wonder if those lawman pumps were loaded with slugs?

 

[Hawg]

I wonder if those lawman pumps were loaded with slugs?

It doesn't really look as if any shotgun rounds hit it. You can see dents in some of the harder areas that look like .45 ACP rounds hit it. The 06's made neat holes. Those were all straight on hits which means the law men were firing straight into the side of the car.

 

[Mike Irwin]

I suspect that shotguns were at the ambush for one very good reason...

Bonnie and Clyde were in a car, not a tank, and it wasn't know under what conditions they would be encountered (in the car, out of the car, one in, one out, etc.).

Even though they were in a car, the car had glass windows, and shotguns with buckshot and slugs can get through pretty thick glass.

A shotgun is a devastating weapon. Not always appropriate for all situations, but that's why you take a variety of weapons, which the group did.

Having everyone armed with shotguns would have been as silly as having everyone armed with BARs.

 

[Trebor]

Someone just pointed me to the vintage film of the ambush posse inspecting the B&C death care after the ambush. If I would have seen this sooner I would have put it in the article, so i thought I'd share it.

Film of the Bonnie and Clyde death care after the ambush

 

[markj]

Both had perfect gunshot holes in the backs of their heads. Hamer shot them with his hunting rifle, then the others piled on shooting dead people.

Hamer was one big guy, he stood head and shoulders above most men.

He could shoot too. Lots of stuff out there about him.

 

[Mike Irwin]

Looks like there are two shortened shotguns leaning up against the bumper of the car.

Don't know if they were the possee's or B&C's.