The Big Official Vintage Movie firearm discussion Thread

[kayzap]

Do you like to discuss firearms in old movies? Well this is the official place to do it.

Post your pics and let's get the conversation started.

Please remember this thread is about the firearms in the movie.

[ace]

per mitch's criteria..
this is the thread to discuss old movies with firearms.

i'll start it off with a borderline vintage movie but without a doubt my favorite western..
sam peckinpah's "pat garrett and billy the kid".

peckinpah was more in tune with accuracy in his films than most other hollywood directors although I'm sure he pulled the artistic license thing and made some mistakes too.
colts, Winchesters, and that double barrel shotgun loaded with dimes

second in line, the wild bunch. Winchester 97s and 1911 pistols and that stolen gatling gun! although I seem to remember someone saying that they weren't real 1911s.
I'm short on time regarding researching it right now, anyone have the answer to that?

[kenhwind]

M1911.org did a similar thread titled IIRC; 1911s in Movies.

So I will start off.
I recorded a movie with Glen Ford titled "The Big Heat." Well rated for the genre.' In the opening scene a character that sets the plot in motion, has a Detective Special laying on his desk. Other guns in the flick are a Smith & Wesson snubbie, and I think Ford's character carries the Colt D. S.
In the finale Ford shoots it out with Lee Marvin who uses a Luger, but in the 1950's all bad guys used the Luger. Neither one of them ran out of ammo.

If you catch a viewing of this one I recommend it, typical but pretty well done IMO.

[dsk]

For a vintage firearm-related movie nothing beats "Winchester '73" with Jimmy Stewart. The rifle was the star of the whole film.

[Pendennis]

There wasn't a Gatling Gun in "The Wild Bunch". They used a Browning Model 1917. The use of the Browning would have been an anachronism, since the movie setting was pre-The Great War, set around the time of the Mexican Incursion (Pancho Villa raid). Had the MG been a Vicker's or Maxim, it would have been more authentic.

There's been a lot of discussion in regards to "The Wild Bunch" using Model 1911's. At the time, ca. 1912, there were very few 1911's in use in the U.S. Army, so Pike's gang using them may be something of a stretch. However, the dialogue in the movie mentions the fact that the 1911 can't be obtained by civilians, indicating they were probably stolen. There were also Star Model D's, very anachronistic, since they were produced until ca. 1944.

[fitz2]

I watch "The Wild Bunch" at least twice a year there is no Gatling gun in it, water cooled browning machine gun. I biggest beef is the '03 rifles are ww2 03a3s, Pike wears a ww2 shoulder holster. I read somewhere they had to use Star 9mms because of blank issues. Crazy Lee uses a model 12. I can recite most of the lines from the movie, and use them in everyday conversation if I can. like, "why the hell don't you go to hell"

[Wyatt Burp]

We've all rolled our eyes at Winchester 92s used in post Civil War set westerns. but the reverse happens in "Broken Trail" with Robert Duvall. But these aren't mistakes, it's something else. The movie is set in 1898 and instead of using Winchester 92s, EVERYONE used Model 66s and 73s! They use rifles that should have been used in those other westerns. I know 66 and 73 Winchesters were still popular, but I just think they had an opportunity to show Win. model 1886, 92, 94, 95, Marlins, etc. Again, not mistakes, just kind of ironic, or something, to me. Good movie, though. Except Thomas Hayden Church has no front sight on his 66 carbine the entire film.

[OLDNAVYNUKESPOOK]

For me, "High Noon" is right up there with "Winchester '73".

[ace]

my bad on the gatling gun comment

you guys are right. I was on my way out the door and decided to start this thread in a spur of the moment without thinking it through

[trap4570]

Steve McQueen in 'Tom Horn'. I believe it was a '76 Winchester used in the movie. I did find this article that sheds some light and controversy on the whole Tom Horn affair. Tom Horn's Rifles