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An eyewitness account which appeared in the February 4, 1905 issue of Forest and Stream gave some credence to the hearsay. Shortly after the Civil War, there was a small military encampment just north of new Orleans. A dozen soldiers, including our correspondent Cabio Blanco, took the afternoon off for a bit of pistol practice. When it came his turn to fire, a young trumpeter shooting one of the infernal Remingtons had three or four cylinders go off simultaneously. With a still stinging hand, the boy flung the gun into the canal where it doubtlessly still remains. (He wound up compensating Uncle Sam for the government issue pistol; $13 was deducted from his pay.)

Mr. E.C. Phillips of Trinidad, Colorado, wrote in the December, 1912 issue of Outers Book that he had one of the personal weapons of famous scout and frontiersman Kit Carson. This was an over/under double-barreled percussion rifle. There were two hammers, one on either side of the arm. Evidently, Carson saw the merit in having the extra shot at his command. Carlos Gove of Denver made the rifle entirely by hand for Carson in 1858. Reportedly, Gove made two such rifles. The other was for noted scout and Indian fighter Tom Tobin. Tobin, incidentally, is reported to have captured the infamous Esponisa band of outlaws for the price on their heads. Tobin camped with the gang, and while they slept, killed them and cut off their heads. He then gathered the heads in a gunny sack and carried the grisly baggage to the authorities and claimed the rewards.