The Best Muzzleloading Movies

Gold Grizzly said:

I think know this but did Jedediah Smith live or trap in far Northern California and Oregone ? I think I read that he was mauled by a grizzly bear and had his scalp ripped off and he stitched his scalp back on himself. Hope this is not too much off topic.

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As I recall it was Hugh Glass whod been mauled, De Capprio in his role "The Revenant" portrayed him.

With reference to the great movie "Jeremiah Johnston" I came across this presentation only yesterday, its an interesting look at the real character and the making of the movie.

B P Maniac Shooter said:

I loved the Patriot movie so well.......
I tried to duplicate the rescue scene with amateur acting and cheap cameras....LOL

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That looked like a lot of fun! You got the thousand yard stare down pretty well, but you needed blood all over you and your shirt for proper effect at the end!

Not perfectly in the spirit of the thread, but I can’t believe no one has mentioned Little Big Man.

One of my favoritest movies!

The various movies about the Alamo have some good (and some really bad) gun scenes also.

Swiss family Robinson , I always enjoyed that one. Not my favorite, but a fun movie.

In regard to the incredible survival story of Hugh Glass.

For me it’s Red Badge of Courage (Audie Murphy) and the most memorable scene is where the troops scratch out little level spots in the earth to place their percussion caps handy.
The Artillery galloping to the front and caring not who got run over also stuck in the memory.

Slinginslugs said:

Master and Commander

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Lll

toot said:

Quigley down under. I fell in love with crazy Alice. she was just killer.

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Here in Australia its regarded as a manure PC movie, Whites being typecast and pilloried.
BTW a fella would have to be built like a Gorilla to hold a full length Sharps rifle, off hand steady enough to hit anything out to range.

Centennial, parts of the last of the Mohicans , parts of the Patriot, a movie from the 50’s Deerslayer. Alamo, Gettysburg.Jeremiah Johnson, parts of Sargent York

Coinneach said:

Here in Australia its regarded as a manure PC movie, Whites being typecast and pilloried.
BTW a fella would have to be built like a Gorilla to hold a full length Sharps rifle, off hand steady enough to hit anything out to range.

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I was told that the rifle used in the gun handling scenes had an aluminium barrel so that it could be handled. I doubt if many shooters would be happy firing 45/110 or 45/120 cartridges. In most films a certain amount of poetic licence is acceptable. The actor playing the part of the ranch owner was, in my opinion, the greatest villain ever.
We all fell in love with the ‘crazy’ lady.

Thanks to all who contributed, I did not expect such a responce to a simple question. A lot of very good movies listed.
Thank you.

Watched "Untamed" last night. Lot of shooting muzzle loaders against the Zulu's is south Africa.

There could have been some really good "westerns" if Hollywood would have done the right thing and got a technical advisor who used only period correct firearms. Vera Cruz with Gary Cooper is a good example.

I thought it was "Crazy Cora" in Quigley Down Under.Not sure who Alice is. My wife has a niece named Cora so it kind of stuck. Plus she's alittle crazy too.

Eutycus said:

Hard to believe no one mentioned Josey Wales yet. Or have they and I missed it?

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Josey Wales is a weird one because it is so cool and iconic with the Walkers and they have the muzzleloading long guns during their stand, but there are also a bunch of jarring cartridge conversions, like when he is learning to shoot.

TobJohn said:

Josey Wales is a weird one because it is so cool and iconic with the Walkers and they have the muzzleloading long guns during their stand, but there are also a bunch of jarring cartridge conversions, like when he is learning to shoot.

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That is another good example of how western movies could have been made so much better if the right "equipment" had been used.

If you want to see a western that is historically correct and shows the west as it really was forget the muzzle loaders and watch Paint your Wagons. The best western ever made!

Eutycus said:

That is another good example of how western movies could have been made so much better if the right "equipment" had been used.

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Very true. I really enjoyed Django unchained but it did the same (as a modern film), but in the opposite way. The Remingtons and colts were all actual percussions guns, but they also had Henry and cartridge sharps rifles. I think they also had an anachronistic derringer too… either way, Tarantino has never been beholden to historical accuracy haha

Coinneach said:

Here in Australia its regarded as a manure PC movie, Whites being typecast and pilloried.
BTW a fella would have to be built like a Gorilla to hold a full length Sharps rifle, off hand steady enough to hit anything out to range.

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That's why Shiloh made 2 of them. The actual weighed in at around 16 pounds but for the offhand scenes they made a lighter 11 pounder