Anne Oakley
1860 – 1926

She was born in 1860 in Ohio under the name of Phoebe Anne Oakley Mozee or Mosey. Her family lived under more modest circumstances than average. At the age of 8 she fired off a small-calibre rifle for the first time: she hit the mark on a squirrel running at a furious pace on the ground. She was a born talented person, she became shortly an excellent hunter. She helped her family’s kitchen to game, and lightened their financial difficulties selling surplus.

Later she held the boards with her skills on public programs.

In 1884, in the city of Tiffin she hit 943 from the 1000 thrown-up glass-balls with a .22 calibre Stevens rifle. She repeated it somewhere else, her result was 95% then.

She presented her most memorable show in London. She shot a coin held by the hand of the German crown prince (later the emperor II. Wilhelm), then she knocked the ashes off a cigarette held by him, firing off her favourite Marlin rifle. She had an enormous success.

In general she appeared with her husband Frank Buttler in Cody’s spectacular circus. The famous sioux chieftain Sitting Bull gave her the name “Little Sure Shot” (Oakley was a small built petite). She could hit a card from a distance of 30 steps using her favourite .22 Marlin, It doesn’t seem to be a singular performance if we don’t add to it that the card was edge-on.

One of her favourite performances was putting 25 holes in the heart of the card ace within 27 seconds, from the distance of 12 yards. She was able to hit 24 from the 25 fast flying discs while holding the rifle with one hand. With a shotgun she hit 100 from 100 ones. And she could do that even at the age of 62!

Her guns were:

–          shotguns: 2 Lancasters, 2 Scotts, a Parker and a Francotte

–          rifles: a Lancaster and a double-barreled Holland & Holland, and she had some Winchester and Marlin repeating rifles (the latter was her favourite one).

She died in 1926, several books were written about her life, and even a successful musical with the title “Annie get your gun!”.

So guys, the lesson is: don’t allow Oakley to buy a rifle! 🙂

Page by GREYMAN