Dueling Class Has Everything But The Gunshot

When pretending to have an old-fashioned pistol duel, it’s a good idea to stand sideways and stick your hip bone out a little. Standing sideways gives your opponent less to shoot at and sticking out your hip bone might just catch a lead ball heading in your direction. Fourteen people looking for entertainment on a Saturday morning came to a West Oakland warehouse to learn the finer points of surviving an 18th century pistol duel. Instructor Benjamin Bowles, who holds the class once a month, says there’s no shortage of fun-loving folks curious about how noblemen settled their quarrels the civilized way — at sunrise, with flintlock pistols, firing on the count of three. In the first place, duelists never stood with their backs to one another and walked 20 paces before turning and firing. In order to survive a duel, Bowles said, it was important to stand sideways, presenting as small of a target as possible, and to bend your elbow, so that more of your arm might be in a position to deflect a lead ball heading for your heart. [...] Bowles called for volunteers and just about everyone wanted to take part but not everyone could because dueling is a one-on-one thing. The shooting was to be done with outstretched index fingers, a sensible choice of weapons that has eluded most duelists over the years. Bowles, who teaches fencing during the week, said violence is part of human nature. “Violence, aggression and anger — they’re always going to be there,” said Bowles, who plans to hold another 18th century dueling class next month in West Oakland, because the demand is there.