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Terry,
I was just curious as It didn't look like an Olympic shooting medal to me, I checked my records again just to be sure and they seem to be correct. Did some further checking and cant find any record of him shooting after 1911.

I know there is a silver cup with his name on it dated for 1908 and there may be some medals with his name on them. I'll check later tomorrow. I know that he shot as an individual in the 1908 Olympics as I have his scores for that event.

Is there any chance that he also shot in the Olympic Team events. If so maybe that's where he won his Gold Medal. I'm taking this from an old memory but I think the US won one of the Pistol events in the 1908 Olympics, and if that's so there would have been five Medals given, one for each shooter and one for the team Captain. I didn't check the team event scores but I have them in another area. I'll try to check them tomorrow.

Very interesting gun, as I'm sure you know the 1891 could be fired in three different calibers just by changing barrels, 22, 32, and 38, are both barrels 22 LR or is the other barrel a different caliber.
ST

Terry, and anyone else interested in J E Gorman.
I was mistaken when I said that I couldn't find any record of him shooting after 1911. I guess I just did not look close enough, that happens sometimes when I rush things and the old eyes are tired. I now found his shooting records up to 1913, his name is on two Silver Cups, the U S Revolver Cup for 1903 and the U S Pistol Cup for 1908. Also found that he used a S&W 38 spl with a Pope barrel in 1909 using U M C 38 spl Ammo.

Most all his 22 shooting from 1903 to 1913 was with Peters 22 LR ammo.
I ran out of time before I could check the team scores, I'll try checking next week if there is any interest.
ST

ST, I've asked Michael to post the medal photos as I can't seem to make it work. I did locate the book, "Bullet Holes, A Record of Records", by Douglas B Wesson, published April 1915. Your theory on the gold is correct, it was a team medal. J E Gorman (501), I R Calkins (473), John A Dietz(472) and C S Axtel (468) for a total of 1914. R H Sayre was Captain. Belgium was second at 1863, the United Kingdom third at 1817.

Both barrels for Gorman's 1891 are .22. I do have two or more S&W single shot barrels that are not on actions. At least one is other than .22, maybe more than that.

Did you see the Stevens Pope rolingblock pistol over on the ASSRA site?

Terry,

The reverse side of the medal is St.George the patron saint of England in the act of slaying the dragon which is between the horses legs, the lance can be seen piercing the dragons head. as you surmised the lady watching these proceedings is an angel.

Harry

Thanks Harry,
I knew I seen that "St.George slaying the dragon" somewhere before, just could not remember where, but was sure I never seen it on a shooting medal before, now it makes sense because of the Olympics being held in England. Then the light bulb went off, I have some British Gold Sovereign coins from the early 1900's that I think have that same St.George slaying the dragon on the back of them. I'll check to see what dates they are.

Terry,
I missed the Pope rolling block pistol, I'll go look for it when I have more time. I'll check the team records on Monday to see what else I can find.

Do you have any pictures of J E Gorman and if so could you post them, if you don't have any I'll look for some in my records, being he was such a great shot I may have a few, it would be neat to have a look at the shooter that shot so well with that gun.
ST

I thought "Bullet Holes" had a photo of Gorman, but I did not note one when I went through it yesterday. I would like to see one, should you find it. I think he had a bar in San Francisco circa 1900. He did have an impressive shooting record, per Wesson's book. From page 14 "This evidently was arousing the spirit of rivalry in the hearts of the western shooters, as we find in 1902, July 13, Mr. J. E. Gorman in San Francisco, girded his loins (no - revolver shooters don't gird their loins - the chances are that he laid down his cigar, wiped his hands on a dry cloth,took a deep breath and went to it). However, he fired 100 sots at 50 yards under the proper record conditions at that time and secured: 10 shots ....100, tying our friend Sergeant Johnson's 10 - shot score. 50 shots....475, 100 shots....924. This 100 shot score raising the record set in 1887 by 10 points. A good increase, but it took fifteen years to do it. Mr Gorman used the Smith & Wesson revolver in his shooting."

Found J. E. Gorman's addresses as follows:
1903 to 1908, 151 DeLong Ave. Sam Francisco, Calif.

Then he moved in 1909 to: 15 Hazelwood Ave. Sam Francisco, Calif.
Also found that he lived in Oakland, Calif. but have not found an address at this time.

Also found a picture of him and the 1908 Olympic team, I'm not that good of a camera guy and the person that usually takes the pictures is on vacation but I'll give it a try later. Yes he did have an impressive shooting record, more than a lot would think. Most would not believe the effort he put into just makeing the team.

Sorry guys,I just realized that this may be out of line for this forum being that it's supposed to be about and used for as the header says,

"Classic & custom high quality single barrel sporting rifles",

I hope that all this stuff about him and his shooting records does not up set anyone. Sometimes I get carried away when researching a shooter and / or the gun that was used.

Let me get the photos to Terry and then I'll back off this.

Steve, would it be ok for me to e mail you the photos to be up loaded.

By the way, somewhere in the back of my mind I'm thinking he was a also a great Schuetzen Rifle shooter, maybe that would be more appropriate for this forum, when I have some extra time I'll check into it, a lot of the old time pistol shooters were cross over Rifle shooters, but Rifle shooters very seldom crossed over to pistol.
ST

ST,
Keep'em coming. And if you don't post that picture here, I'll be really disappointed. Pistols are, to me, an missed opportunity for a rifle. But I don't mind an education in history. Besides, those pistols would work fine in a squirrel woods in a pinch.

Brent

ST, Don't give a second thought to your subject matter except that we consider it a rare treat! Just consider it a random tangient for those of like mind, you can tell us about the schuetzen later.
I'd be happy to post more pix, send 'em along.

Was shooting my S&W M-41 yesterday, an incredibly accurate "machine" and I just can't imagine trying to post a decent score with a featherweight single shot!?!? I guess I'll have to get the "queen" out of the safe and try her out again, it's been many years. If you could find out the size of the 10 ring bulls-eye, I might try it myself.

Terry, I noticed in the report it said S&W "revolver"? This could only be a New Model #3 or a single shot "revolver" from what I remember about available target S&W's in 1902. What do you think? (BTW: a G&H M-99 .250-3000 with a Zeiss(?) scope, Lyman tang and folding leafs on the 1/4 rib with a 3/4 length forend showed up at our informal shoot yesterday.)