Jim Bowie's Rifle

[Majorjoel]

 I sure cannot vouch for this information or add anything to this other than say that it is interesting. It seems that every movie rendition of Bowie's death has him bed ridden and using two pistols for his send-off. Pure Hollywood of coarse. As for the pictures of this rifle, it is sad that they shoot so many shots of small areas without showing any substantial views of importance. But here is the website http://tenring.com/bowie/JimBowieAlamoRifle.html  Would love to hear others opinions of this unknown "to me" rifle and it's supposed history.

[Mike R]

Does not seem to be the type of rifle a frontiersman would have in that era [fancy squirrel rifle].  But I have read everything I could find about Jim Bowie and his brothers and rifles are rearely mentioned, let alone described.  One of Rezin Bowie's [attributed] rifles I believe has survived and if memory serves it is silver mounted. Bowie is usually described as carrying a pistol or two [along with a knife] in most accounts.  His brother John, however, referred to hunting trips, so I assume Jim had a rifle.  The Bowies also ventured into Indian-controlled central Texas looking for the San Saba silver mine and had a pitched battle with Indians--presumably Jim toted a rifle--but hard to imagine it was a .36.

[oakridge]

I'm familiar with the story of this rifle, although I've never seen it. It's been owned by the same family for several generations, and was supposedly acquired from the Mexican who claimed he took it out of the Alamo after the battle. This oral history of the rifle has been known for a century or more, but who knows if it's true. As Mike R said, it's hard to believe Bowie carried a rifle of .36 caliber. And, James Bowie never used, or was known to have a middle name or initial. Nor did any of his family have the initials JHB. Of course, that doesn't mean it wasn't his rifle, I just don't think it proves anything.