Replicating Billy Dixon’s Long Shot and Other Nostalgia, 1995-2020

This collection of short stories centers on shooting and hunting experiences of the author, his family, and his friends. The theme of this book revolves around the famous long shot made by Medal of Honor recipient, Billy Dixon, at The Battle of Adobe Walls, in 1874.

In 1995, the author and a friend began discussing how to go about proving just how likely it was that Billy Dixon had some hope of making a shot at 7/8 mile. In 2020, the author and another friend made six hits out of eleven shots on the Official Friends of Billy Dixon Target. For that, they used a borrowed 1874 Sharps rifle, which is reminiscent of Dixon using a borrowed 1874 Sharps rifle to make his famous shot.

Between these stories, McPherson chronicles interesting shooting experiences he’s been involved with, while working to learn the accuracy limits of both antique and modern guns and ammunition. And, he shares some poignant family history, interspersed with the accounts of interesting hunts. Serious shooters, handloaders, gun tinkers, and hunters will likely agree that these stories offer more to ponder than the typical, me and Joe went hunting, accounts do.