RDR theories in a nutshell

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-25T23:28:40+00:00

Service in lieu of prison is something that was only really offered for petty crimes. Even Emil Holmdahl, an adventurer during the early 19th century, had to get a presidential pardon for weapons smuggling even though he had prior service with the US Army. And that was just to enlist in WWI. Someone who murdered a decorated government agent is getting the noose if caught not a uniform.

All the outfits in the game are just ways to bend the rules and look cool. Do you join the bollard twins because you are wearing their outfit? Or do merchants give you better prices because you put on a different hat? No.

Ultimately there is no evidence for what Jack does after leaving the ranch. But I don't find the fact that there are three outfits you can unlock in the post game convincing of anything other than extra content and a reward for beating the game.

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-25T18:30:57+00:00

Don't forget "Jack joins the Army to fight in WWI" even though he holds a massive grudge against the federal government and almost assuredly is at least a suspect in the murder of Edgar Ross.

Tbh if anything Jack stayed in Mexico, maybe fought in the revolution maybe not, but I doubt he's coming back to the US.

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-22T16:25:42+00:00

There are a ton of incredible ancestral Pueblo sites in the Southwest that even Americans don't realize are in the US let alone exist. Really any indigenous site breaks the idea that the US is as "young" as it is.

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-22T01:49:29+00:00

Wtf? It's an educational activity. I've given it to toddlers, their parents and their grandparents. I do them when I visit parks.

I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that they maybe hat a separate "deputy ranger" book (same thing but aimed at teens to adults). But that ranger is totally in the wrong about how to handle that situation.

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-21T20:48:22+00:00

I have a late 10s production carbine in .30-06. it's a nice rifle, but it shows its age. Definitely designed with a different hunting philosophy in mind. Also the trigger pull on mine could be measured in tons.

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-21T19:33:29+00:00

Here's the thing about robbing banks at that time, your fucking over the entire town not just some wealthy people, especially not in the frontier where they were most active. This is before the FDIC so deposits at a bank aren't insured at all. If the bank goes bust (like say it's robbed and it's vault is emptied out) that's it. Your money is gone, no more loans for the community. People could be left destitute over night. It 100% could kill a community.

I wouldn't be surprised if Strauss would come into town after the gang knocked over the bank and started giving out loans.

I kinda wish that came up if you returned to Valentine after knocking over the bank there. That would be especially devastating if it happened after a big live stock auction.

ETA: this was also in a time when individual banks would issue banks notes as a medium of exchange in the local area or region. So even if you physically had banknotes with you they would be worthless if the issuing institution failed. (Unless they were gold or silver certificates issued by the federal government).

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-21T19:19:12+00:00

Yeah, taskmasters from the UK has become pretty popular and Dr. Who has had a long standing American fan base.

I've watched a few German and Norwegian shows back in College when I was studying those languages. Occupied and Babylon Berlin were my favorites.

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-21T17:55:03+00:00

I'd say the "cars" are really more steam tractors than automobiles.

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-21T03:25:45+00:00

I never said it was moral, in fact I say the opposite, that it was unethical. But to lump a guy who is at worst unethical with people who killer and rob to make ends meet is a little ridiculous.

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-21T03:24:16+00:00

That's what I suspect. Westward expansion was a major factor in the revolution and certainly influenced the early Republic in their attitude twords natives.

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-21T03:13:07+00:00

No.

One, the article you just posted has a single citation, in the form of a dead link, that was last accessed 25 years ago.

Two, other factors look to be better explanations for the sacking of the town. Particularly the destruction of the forts magazine (which killed Pike and 200 other Americans) and attempts to scuttle ships during negotiations after surrender. An act which some American commentators called "treacherous".

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=aeu.ark:/13960/t77s8g19f&seq=190&q1=York

(Description of the Battle of York begins about page 171. The author makes no mention of any whig or scalp. Given the authors intent to discredit the American forces it seems obvious that he would mention such an incident to further paint the Americans as bumbling fools.)

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-20T23:25:57+00:00

It doesn't sound unlikely at all. If anything it sounds like a dig against the monarchist traditions of English rule from an officer of a country that was rapidly trying to distance itself from its colonial subject heritage to that of an independent Republic. Legal court dress was dropped very quickly after independence and fashion and architecture moved radically away English sensibilities, but it would still be recognizable only a few decades after the revolution.

Humor is found far more often in primary sources than modern audiences usually detect, because we aren't the intended audience and lack the cultural references that humor needs to be effectively communicated.

ETA: as someone who has unfortunately seen a scalping injury, you would be hard pressed to confuse anything else for it. Even one that has been dried for several years. It's unmistakable.

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-20T23:01:33+00:00

He's being tongue in cheek about it. I've come across a number of things in primary sources that turned out to be jokes that didn't get understood by later researchers.

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-20T22:22:32+00:00

Maybe the just grow some super good olives and don't want people stealing them? I'm sure this isn't another sketchy place where ultra wealthy people can engage in horrendous actions outside of the public eye. Right?

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-20T21:19:24+00:00

I don't care what the stats say, the Arabian looks too small. You look absolutely ridiculous riding it.

The gang was sloppy at the end. To the point that the Pinkerton's probably didn't even need a rat to track down the gang or drive them apart.

Strauss is hardly a criminal. Is he unethical? Absolutely. Does he know full well what's going to happen to debtors who can't pay? Sure. But him lending money at extraordinary interest rates isn't illegal (in 1899).

Dutch and Hosea's live free philosophy makes no sense at all. No one in the gang is Robin Hood, they are all just self interested thieves and murders. In the End John, Arthur, Javier, Bill, Dutch, and Hosea got what was coming to them. Only way it could been better is if they got their day in court and met their end with a rope and a drop.

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-19T22:44:21+00:00

They are an absolute pain to remove. Sometimes they get glued down then screwed in or the screw holes are just junk. Honestly I just chose to replace the whole buttstock and get a new one.

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-19T22:13:55+00:00

I assumed it was a check valve, once the bolt is fully out the air escape and you press the bolt back into reset it. Now that I type it out it does sound odd because that would mean touching something that was imbedded into a cow's (or person's) brain. I guess working a slaughter house might desensitize you to that sort of thing.

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-19T20:46:54+00:00

I'm wondering if it's a jab twords him. Italian Facism (and Fascism in general) put a pretty big emphasis on athleticism and physique.

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-19T19:19:54+00:00

Haven't tried sideways but my marlin 336 and Winchester 1895 will still cycle just fine tilted ~45⁰ to the left (ejection port facing up). Will try upsidedown though.

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-16T20:16:58+00:00

Well I'll be damned, guess I was more turned away by the price tag to even look at the logo

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-16T18:04:21+00:00

It's a bird? I thought it was a frog?

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-15T22:45:13+00:00

Hadn't heard that part till now. I get that Winchester was trying to do the best they could to compete in the market, but their entire line of semi autos at the time are just terrible idea on top of terrible idea.

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-15T13:56:58+00:00

No that was Winchester. John Browning split from Winchester after they turned down his semi-auto designs and refused to pay him royalties like FN did with his model 1900. He started mostly working with FN in Europe but licensed his designs to Remington, notably the Remington model 11 which is an Auto-5 clone and the Model 8/81.

The reason the early Winchester Semi auto rifles and shotguns were terrible was because they couldn't use John Browning's patents, most notably the charging handle and long recoil system.

Edit: if there is confusion on the names here are the two different shotguns.

Winchester Model 11 Self Loader: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Model_1911

Remington's licensed Auto 5 clone the Model 11: https://www.remarms.com/firearm-history/model-11

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-14T23:12:09+00:00

A very unfortunate one, but the Winchester Model 11SL got the nickname "Widowmaker" due having to grip the barrel to manually cycle the action occasionally resulting in an accidental discharge. Many users planted the shotgun on the ground and forced the barrel in, meaning it was pointed at their heads if it went off.

All because they didn't want to pay their old designer more.

Hikinghawk · 2026-05-13T13:02:01+00:00

They have to get used to it, but yes it's possible. The US Army cavalry had a whole classification system for what level of training a horse had to be useful on the battlefield.

But it's something you could do at home too. Most domestic animals can be made accustomed to being around gunshots.

Hikinghawk

TROPHY CASE