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Texas Ranger by John Boessenecker
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....2016 about 500 pages
***** Stars


A really fine biography about Frank Hamer, who, IMO, may be the finest gunfighter who ever lived. A man of exceptional skills as a Texas Ranger who learned all the ins and outs of the mentality of, trailing, tracking, and finding criminals coupled with wonderful shooting abilities. This meticulously researched book (35 pages of footnotes) shows the complete Hamer, warts and all. Probably will be the definitive Hamer biography. A survivor of at least 52 stand up gunfights and with well over 20 killed, including Bonnie and Clyde, he was not a man to be trifled with.

For Texans interested in the Rangers, not to be missed.

quote:
Less than 3 weeks later on March 22 (1921), Prohibition Agents Arch Wood and Stafford Beckett, Frank's friend and former Ranger, were slain in a violent gun battle with bootleggers at a ranch 5 miles East of El Paso..........

Hamer met with the federal officers and demanded, "What are you people doing to lose so many men?"

"Well, Frank," answered Raither, "we go out to the river when we hear that smugglers are coming over. We stake out the brush. When they come across, we stand up and holler, 'Manos Arriba!' (Hands Up!), but they always start shooting. And then we start shooting. And it seems one or two of our boys always end up dead."

Hamer shook his head. "All wrong. I'll show you how it's done."

One night, Frank led a posse to the river. Its members were Raither and two other Prohibition Agents....

They took up a position on a sand dune overlooking the dry stream bed (of the Rio Grande). By the light of the yellow moon, they spotted six smugglers, guns in hand, and liquor cases on their shoulders as they crossed over.

According to Raither, Hamer whispered, "Don't do anything until I give the word. When I give the word, do exactly as I do."

The moment the smugglers reached the US side, Hamer cried out, "OK!"

At the same time, he opened up a barrage with his Remington .25 and was promptly joined by McClure. "I got in just one shot," recalled Raither, who said that another of the possemen "didn't get a shot at all." It was Hamer and McClure's party. All six of the smugglers were dead.

As the posse stepped forward, Hamer toed the smuggler's bodies with his boot. Then, looking squarely at the young agents, he said, "Now holler, 'Manos Arriba!' at these sons of bitches and see how many of them shoot you."


After cleaning up the boomtown of Mexia early 1922...

quote:
The National Guard troops, some of them expert marksmen, were eager to see a shooting exhibition by Frank Hamer. Word got out, and a salesman for the Remington Arms Co. drove down from Dallas to watch..........

Several of the soldiers began throwing confiscated 3 inch butter dishes into the air so Frank could shoot them with his .25 Remington (model 8) rifle. The Remington man took motion pictures of Hamer as he shattered more than a hundred dishes, in the air, without a single miss....

Remington Officials were so impressed they prepared a beautifully scroll-engraved .30 Caliber Model 8 rifle, inscribed "Capt. Frank Hamer of the Texas Rangers" on the left side of the frame. ......where it was later presented to the unsuspecting lawman. He was surprised and greatly pleased, and it became his favorite deer hunting rifle.


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Posts: 17099 | Location: Texas USA | Registered: 07 May 2001Reply With Quote
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Gato, I had heard that Hamer was inordinately fond of his Model 8 in .25 Remington.


There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.
– John Green, author
 
Posts: 16680 | Location: Las Cruces, NM | Registered: 03 June 2000Reply With Quote
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I'm not sure when he started using his Model 8 .25 but once he did he used it for most of the rest of his career. In one gunfight with some outlaws in the book, the other Rangers were amazed at how rapidly and accurately he fired it, saying the flames coming out of end of barrel made it look like a cactus "pear burner" (used to burn thorns off of prickly pear cactus so cattle could eat then in a drought).

The author was not really a "gun" guy, but he covered Hamer's guns and his use fairly well.

For one thing, Hamer didn't think much of a Thompson machine gun, much preferring the BAR, which was one of the weapons of choice of Bonnie and Clyde (the others being sawed off semi-auto shotguns and 1911 .45s). The story of the stalking of Bonnie and Clyde was interesting. I was amazed at the DOZENS of 1911s and BARs they stole from National Guard Armories and wondered what they did with them.


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When considering US based operations of guides/outfitters, check and see if they are NRA members. If not, why support someone who doesn't support us? Consider spending your money elsewhere.

NEVER, EVER book a hunt with BLAIR WORLDWIDE HUNTING or JEFF BLAIR.

I have come to understand that in hunting, the goal is not the goal but the process.
 
Posts: 17099 | Location: Texas USA | Registered: 07 May 2001Reply With Quote
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Should go well with "I'm Frank Hamer".

He was fond of "Old Lucky" - his .45 Peacemaker (but was carrying a 1911 .38 Super when he did settle accounts with Bonnie and Clyde) and mentions the Model 8 and obtaining 30 (?) shot magazines for it........presumably they weren't readily available to civilians.

If I recall correctly his gunfight statistics were far more impressive. I thought it was 100 gunfights and 50 of his opponents on the ground.

I agree that he's probably the most successful "Shootist" ever.

He made the transition from horseback ranger to the automobile.
 
Posts: 348 | Location: queensland, australia | Registered: 07 August 2007Reply With Quote
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An excellent, thorough, well written and researched book. Anyone with interest in Texana, the old west or the Rangers should have this book.


NRA Life Member, Band of Bubbas Charter Member, PGCA, DRSS.
Shoot & hunt with vintage classics.
 
Posts: 9487 | Location: Texas Hill Country | Registered: 11 January 2002Reply With Quote
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Mine's on the way...........looking forward to reading more about what must be the greatest of all gunfighters.
 
Posts: 348 | Location: queensland, australia | Registered: 07 August 2007Reply With Quote
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I'm ordering my copy. Another great one that should be in everyone's library is "The Texas Rangers" by Walter Prescott Webb.


Never mistake motion for action.
 
Posts: 17357 | Location: Austin, Texas | Registered: 11 March 2013Reply With Quote
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NormanConquest,

You should be in a good position to research the Rangers........isn't their museum in Austin?
 
Posts: 348 | Location: queensland, australia | Registered: 07 August 2007Reply With Quote
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It is in Waco,about 1 1/2 hour north of here. I must confess that it is the ONLY thing of value worth seeing in Waco. Gatogordo has mentioned another museum upcoming but I am unaware of it.


Never mistake motion for action.
 
Posts: 17357 | Location: Austin, Texas | Registered: 11 March 2013Reply With Quote
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The Texas Ranger Heritage Center is in my town of Fredericksburg: www.trhc.org. I do not consider it on the same level as the one in Waco. Also, there is www.thebryanmuseum.org in Galveston, a world class Old West museum.


NRA Life Member, Band of Bubbas Charter Member, PGCA, DRSS.
Shoot & hunt with vintage classics.
 
Posts: 9487 | Location: Texas Hill Country | Registered: 11 January 2002Reply With Quote
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Thanks for the info. Something to check out the next time we make a run for those great peaches.


Never mistake motion for action.
 
Posts: 17357 | Location: Austin, Texas | Registered: 11 March 2013Reply With Quote
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Received this book about a week ago.

I've just started the "Bonnie and Clyde" chapter.

The man is bigger than life. He went from one hell hole to the next solving crime.

Hamer could certainly back up his mouth with actions.

He'd have been "a good man to ride the river with".

Recommend it whole heartedly.
 
Posts: 348 | Location: queensland, australia | Registered: 07 August 2007Reply With Quote
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Just finished reading my copy.Excellent! He has done fabulous research on this,however I have one issue. It appears that in the capture of Ed Putnam in 1906 Capt. Rogers kept Putnam's Lugar. Now the Luger was invented in 1908 (or at least was introduced to the military in 08).If he did have a luger at that time he would have been as superiorly armed as the rumor of the Colt Patterson at the Alamo. Also I found it interesting that Frank's widow sued Warner Bros studios for defamation of character due to the 1967 movie "Bonnie + Clyde" which showed Frank Hamer as the villian.She won by the way as Warren Beatty had no wish to go to court.Great book,I recommend it highly.


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Posts: 17357 | Location: Austin, Texas | Registered: 11 March 2013Reply With Quote
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BTW,she was awarded $20,000.00


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Posts: 17357 | Location: Austin, Texas | Registered: 11 March 2013Reply With Quote
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I finished reading my copy a couple of days ago.

Great book. very thoroughly researched.

His presence, and reputation, promoted peace..........but "Old Lucky" was there if they weren't enough to settle the situation.
 
Posts: 348 | Location: queensland, australia | Registered: 07 August 2007Reply With Quote
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"He has done fabulous research on this,however I have one issue. It appears that in the capture of Ed Putnam in 1906 Capt. Rogers kept Putnam's Lugar. Now the Luger was invented in 1908 (or at least was introduced to the military in 08)."

quote:
The Pistole Parabellum 1908—or Parabellum-Pistole (Pistol Parabellum)[2]—is a toggle-locked recoil-operated semi-automatic pistol. The design was patented by Georg J. Luger in 1898 and produced by German arms manufacturer Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken (DWM) starting in 1900 with other manufacturers such as W+F Bern, Krieghoff, Simson, Mauser, and Vickers;[3] it was an evolution of the 1893 Hugo Borchardt–designed C-93. The first Parabellum pistol was adopted by the Swiss army in May 1900. In German Army service, it was succeeded and partly replaced by the Walther P38 in caliber 9×19mm Parabellum.


xxxxxxxxxx
When considering US based operations of guides/outfitters, check and see if they are NRA members. If not, why support someone who doesn't support us? Consider spending your money elsewhere.

NEVER, EVER book a hunt with BLAIR WORLDWIDE HUNTING or JEFF BLAIR.

I have come to understand that in hunting, the goal is not the goal but the process.
 
Posts: 17099 | Location: Texas USA | Registered: 07 May 2001Reply With Quote
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Thanks Charlie,that is the reason that I did not make a definate statement on the P-08's inception. I was aware of the Borchard of course.I was interested in feedback on this issue. As I said before that he was armed with a new weapon (despite it being a 9mm) was akin to using a Patterson at the Alamo.Invented in 1836 + 3 months later it sees service at Bexar,half a country away.I will admit that that was a rumor as there were never found any percussion caps,spent or unfired.Of course all the weapons were gone as to be expected.


Never mistake motion for action.
 
Posts: 17357 | Location: Austin, Texas | Registered: 11 March 2013Reply With Quote
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My grandfather was John Larkin Hess, and I met Capt. Rogers in my youth as he used to come to our house and visit grampaw..I knew Frank Hammer fairly well as I met him on several occasions when I was in Houston, San Antonio and McAllen. Texas. I was with US Customs and later in DEA..Actually I knew a lot of Rangers over the years, mostly thru my grampaw..I have a pretty darn nice Ranger Gun and Paraphanallia collection from stuff given to me by a number of old time Texas Rangers. A lot of them retired as foremen on the KIng Ranch, but they are all gone to a better place..


Ray Atkinson
Atkinson Hunting Adventures
10 Ward Lane,
Filer, Idaho, 83328
208-731-4120

rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com
 
Posts: 42226 | Location: Twin Falls, Idaho | Registered: 04 June 2000Reply With Quote
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