What was Jed's rifle?

[Peter Stines]

If ypu watch the opening credits, when ol jed raises is rifle up to shoot, you can see a distinctive hump just forward of the hammer. Bear in mind you are looking at the left side of the gun.

I could be wrong, but I'll bet a six-pack of Guiness it's a trap door springfield.

You'll see a lot of those out of place in a lot of old frontier and civil war movies.

My favorite worst movie gun screw-up is "The Man From the Alamo". San Antonio, Texas, 1836, a few days after the fall of the Alamo, and Glen Ford is packin a single action Army Colt and a 1892 Winchester.

SO WRONG!!!! :rotf:

Try John Wayne in THE COMMANCHEROS. Set in 1844 but '92 Winchesters and '73 Colts. I think they used a set of cap lock dueling pistols at the begining of the film. And remember SPRINFIELD RIFLE with Gary Cooper or COLT .45

Or fly shoot'in. "We just put a dab of sorghum on the wall and shoot'em on the wing... "

And Ellie May using her sling shot
with Randolph Scott ?

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Try John Wayne in THE COMMANCHEROS. Set in 1844 but '92 Winchesters and '73 Colts. I think they used a set of cap lock dueling pistols at the begining of the film. And remember SPRINFIELD RIFLE with Gary Cooper or COLT .45

And Ellie May using her sling shot
with Randolph Scott ?

The "double barreled" sling shot?

 

[HiDesertHunter]

Every gun forum eventually has a 'movie gun goofs' thread or two - and I'll add just one entry - 'The Rifleman' on TV - set in the mid 1880s but Lucas is swingin' a mod 92!

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Jed carried that rifle in case he had to shoot some billiards....

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Jed carried that rifle in case he had to shoot some billiards....

To serve on the fancy eating table...with pot passers...

 

[Frontstuffer]

John Wayne hardly ever carried the correct period firearms for most of his westerns. From 1939's Stagecoach to 1969's True Grit, he carried a sometimes correct Colt SAA and a usually incorrect 1892 carbine--most of the time with the fantasy loop lever. Stunt man Yakima Canutt, Wayne, and John Ford came up with the loop lever for the movie: "Stagecoach" so Wayne could spin cock it for a memorable introduction when he first hails the stagecoach out on the prairie. They had to cut the barrel down an extra few inches on the one he spun in the scene so it would clear his armpit.

Here's an old promo shot of Fess Parker as Davy Crockett. That's supposed to be a flintlock pistol but you can plainly see the trapdoor breechblock and locking lever between the fake frizzen and fake flint cock that also acts as the Trapdoor hammer. I've spotted these in a few old pirate movies also.
.

Cheers

 

[SamTex1949]

Following along this topic, a while back when "Sargent York" was on I captured the different shooters during the turkey shoot to try and really see what they were using ! NO fake prop guns here (45-70 converts) . From what I can tell there are at least 3 different rifles used / shared by the different shooters, one being a back action lock.

 

[rickystl]

Interesting Thread. I seemed to recall the early opening credits that Jed was firing an original percussion rifle. But I could have been mistaken. I'll have to look again at one of the earlier B&W episodes.
I actually met Buddy Ebsen at a coffee shop in the Hilton hotel on Wilshire Blvd. back - I believe in 1981. We were both sitting at the counter having a hamburger and cup of coffee. Odd time around 2:00PM. We were the only two customers in the place at that time. A tall guy. I struck up a conversation with him. Me, being half his age at the time, mentioned my memories of the Davy Crocket series when I was a kid. He laughed and seemed thrilled I remembered all this. Didn't discuss prop guns. Just my 15 minutes of fame. LOL
Those trapdoors mocked up as flintlocks seemed to be in use with movies from at least the 1930's through the 1960's.
I remember a brief scene with Buddy on horseback firing a pistol just like the one Fess Parker is holding above.
Here is a Link to the Arab style mentioned above. Notice the small tube running down the side of the barrel which would allow some smoke from the blank round to travel back making some realistic looking smoke from a pan. I believe Turner Kirkland owned a movie trapdoor with this same modification

https://www.ima-usa.com/products/or...n-1939-gunga-din-movie?variant=31813466456133
Here is one of those guns cut down to carbine length. Supposed to have been used in an MGM movie, but don't know which one. And a close-up of the lock area.

Rick

 

[Timber Wolf]

This is great stuff. Thanks to those posting real experience stories or real “fake” guns. I happen to own a former Stembridge Movie Rentals gun, but it is an unmentionable.

The BH episode with Granny shooting skeet my be my all time favorite. When asked why all the Skeet she shot are just chipped, she responds “I just shot them a little bit so you could use them again”.

 

[Whitworth]

Or fly shoot'in. "We just put a dab of sorghum on the wall and shoot'em on the wing... "

Don't forget, you lose your turn if you hit a hit a bee.

 

[Josephg]

I don't know about Jeds rifle but Granny had one with a Maynard tape primer on it. Them hillbillies used whatever they could get their hands on.

 

[Dray Calhoun]

If ypu watch the opening credits, when ol jed raises is rifle up to shoot, you can see a distinctive hump just forward of the hammer. Bear in mind you are looking at the left side of the gun.

I could be wrong, but I'll bet a six-pack of Guiness it's a trap door springfield.

You'll see a lot of those out of place in a lot of old frontier and civil war movies.

My favorite worst movie gun screw-up is "The Man From the Alamo". San Antonio, Texas, 1836, a few days after the fall of the Alamo, and Glen Ford is packin a single action Army Colt and a 1892 Winchester.

SO WRONG!!!! :rotf:

Just think

Every gun forum eventually has a 'movie gun goofs' thread or two - and I'll add just one entry - 'The Rifleman' on TV - set in the mid 1880s but Lucas is swingin' a mod 92!

Wanted Dead Or Alive. Josh Randall, ‘92 Winchester Mares Leg, Civil War vet, 30 years old. Must have been born on the battlefield...