In the spring of 1881 exhibition shooter Frank Butler bragged to fellow guests of a Cincinnati hotel that he could “beat anything living save Carver or Bogardus,” the preeminent shots of the day. A stranger offered $100 if Butler could beat an unknown marksman from around Greenville, Ohio. Butler took the bet.

Ten days later, Frank Butler “almost dropped dead” when a slim young woman stepped out to the mark. He later told reporters, “I was beaten the moment she appeared for I was taken off guard … but never did a person make more impossible shots than did that little girl. She killed 23 and I killed 21.” [Read more at SaluteProducts.com]

This is the first in a six gun, or rather, six blog post, salute—inspired by Annie’s legacy of smashing stereotypes and breaking glass ceilings. Follow the entire series of articles at the Salute Products blog.