The case for legalising duelling

Conservative Commentary ^ | 6 August 2002 | Peter Cuthbertson

[wardaddy]

Hear Hear!!!!!

Shooter, you would have to be banned from this I fear.

[inquest]

I'd go for it as long as it's only limited to swords. Gun-dueling doesn't really prove much of anything.

[Paleo Conservative]

If Clinton had lived in the 18th century, he would have either had to be an excellent shot or he would not have survived.

[wardaddy]

I fear that with the inherent accuracy in most of today's handguns that there would be quite a number of draws resulting in two dead duelers.....and if you went with the odd fashion of someone having first shot, I doubt you would have too many reply shots. 20-40 paces with most .38 caliber or larger handguns(sans snubbies) would be devastating.

[Shooter 2.5]

Nope. There was one thing that I learned when I was learning How to Fence and Sword fight. Sometimes it isn't the professionals you have to worry about. It's those darned amateurs.
I read a story in Shooting Times about a Border Patrol cop who was in a big shoot out with a drug smuggler. They were in a dry creek bed in the weeds hiding from each other for hours during the heat of the day. They had both pinned each other down and couldn't escape. The officer finally proposed that they both stand up and just leave. The officer's last words in the story were:
You know, that damned fool stood up.

[Shooter 2.5]

"Gun-dueling doesn't really prove much of anything.

What makes you say that?

[wardaddy]

I guess that would call for seconds holding loaded buckshot and a fair amount of honour. BTW, dumb drug smuggler

[Lexington Green]

Weapons? Thumbtacks at 1 pace

[Psycho_Bunny]

Screw that...Duels should be rounds of golf.

>:)

[Paleo Conservative]

I fear that with the inherent accuracy in most of today's handguns that there would be quite a number of draws resulting in two dead duelers.

That's why dueling pistols were always a matched set with smooth bore barrels that used ball ammunition.

[stuartcr]

We're talking about 2 people killing each other here. What could possibly be honorable about any of it? For that matter, if it's kill or be killed, why would cheating be bad?

[ofMagog]

Grenades at 100 yards.

[Cultural Jihad]

Next the moral-liberals will be returning gladiatorial combat, and this will be hailed by them as some great advance in civilization and a triumph of human rights: the commodification of human beings.

[Johnny Gage]

How about rubber band guns?

[wardaddy]

Yep....not terribly accurate by today's standards...but they punch a mighty large hole. The flintlock Charles Moore, a very common English dueling pistol was 44 smoothbore while the heavier Queen Anne's were 50s. I believe they also made some 36 caliber as well...the French in particular who were I suppose the last major country to ban dueling. And I guess for the truly suicidal, there were some 54s and 58s around as well.

[cinFLA]

Gun-dueling doesn't really prove much of anything.

It takes nerves of steel, a steady hand and focused attention to put a kill shot out before the other person nails you!

[Paul C. Jesup]

Could duelling be acceptable in today’s society?

If people get sick enough of lawyers, it just might happen.

[arthurus]

limited to swords

That would give the advantage automatically to the stronger and/or larger man.The pistol is the "equalizer."

[FreedomFarmer]

That's why dueling pistols... matched set with smooth bore barrels that used ball ammunition.

With the tiller over my shoulder, I can light a match at 50 paces with my .54 smoothbore Hand Gonne. I haven't tried any farther, because I've only had it a week.