Annie Oakley Purchases Smith & Wesson Gun
On this day in 1888, Annie Oakley, the star female sharpshooter in Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show, purchased a Model 3 handgun made by the Springfield firm of Smith & Wesson. Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson had joined forces in the 1850s and opened a factory in Springfield to produce a revolutionary type of gun and ammunition. Their design pioneered the use of sealed cartridges for quick-loading and rapid-firing. The company continued to innovate, introducing the Model 3, which became a favorite of the U.S. cavalry, cowboys, and European soldiers; the 38 revolver, carried by policemen all over the world; and the Magnum made famous by Clint Eastwood in the movie "Dirty Harry."
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