I’ve long suspected two things:

1) dudes were shooting off of horses. If you’ve never done that, its a whole ‘nother skill, and they probably just missed.

2) poor marksmanship combined with youthful egos. In many conflicts, dudes make claims of inadequate weaponry that are better explained by missing the target, or only hitting extremities. In fact, in studies of where on the body people get wounded, extremities account for the majority. Some of these other urban legends are that the .30 carbine can’t penetrate winter clothing, or that Somalis are unkillable due to khat.

And a third thing that I know, rather than suspect: pistols suck at dropping dudes, even with reasonable shot placement.

I’d be interested in reading something that could pass as evidence.