[saintclair]

Earlier this week, I was watching an old rerun of THE BIG VALLEY in which Andrew V. Duggan was a senator who had once been a famous marshal. The six gun he was using had the classic plastic fake stags like Great Western made famous. Sure enough when the cocked the gun, it had the hammer without the firing pin that Great Western used in just about all of their guns (firing pin built into frame). I immediately thought of Jim Martin who told me he worked for Great Western when he was a young man.

 

[sturmgewehr]

As I recall wasn’t Big Valley also famous for “side ejection” Marlin Lever Action rifles in lieu of Winchester’s?

 

[Wyatt Burp]

As I recall wasn’t Big Valley also famous for “side ejection” Marlin Lever Action rifles in lieu of Winchester’s?

Yes. And watching it recently, when the "Barkleys" were in a shootout with a rival ranch those guys had Marlins, too. They just passed the guns around for each scene. Also, I saw Heath's" sixgun when cocked was also a Great Western, but not Nick's. Thank God! I thought Nick was such a cool guy name because of Nick Barkley and comic book Nick Fury I named my son Nick. Thanks God again. Jim Martin told me Peter Breck of the Big Valley was one of the nicest guys he ever met among actors.

 

[Rick Bowles]

Paladin's saddle gun was also a Marlin.

 

[sturmgewehr]

Paladin's saddle gun was also a Marlin.

I missed that one!

 

[Walter Rego]

As I recall wasn’t Big Valley also famous for “side ejection” Marlin Lever Action rifles in lieu of Winchester’s?

I was never much of a fan of The Big Valley but the other day while going around the dial in search of some entertainment I landed on an episode of that show. Very clearly shown in a short segment was what looked like a 1960's vintage Marlin 336. I could tell from the side ejection, lever boss area and the "bullseye" white plastic insert in the bottom of the buttstock.
Pretty lame propmaster on that set.

 

[dogface6]

Not really - as far as anyone was concerned, every revolver was a 'Colt' and every lever gun was a 'Winchester', and camera lenses of the era didn't show much by way of nuances, they were completely focused on the entertainment value of a non-documentary.

What I always wondered about was where they got the pleasure saddles, stretch fabric and 'Aquanet' in the 1890s…

 

[Chaffee]

I've only seen Big Valley a couple of times since I was a kid and never noticed the Marlins. Maybe I was too focused on Audrey ♥......My favorite Western faux pas is where they take the forearms off of '92's to make them into Henrys.

 

[Wyatt Burp]

Looks like Peter Breck used his own personal rig on this show since he also wore it on an obscure previous western called "Black Saddle". Whoever made this rig obviously made the one Montgomery Clift wore in "Red River" with his gun down by his knee. Poor Audra Barkley. The best looking chick in "the valley" stuck in that big ranch house an old maid forever because every guy she got the hots for is a crook or a lunatic and had to die by the end of the show. Same with all the guys and the girls they meet.

 

[Chaffee]

If I was passin through the big valley and met her I would probably make a nusiance of myself by hangin around every day trying to woo her. Oh and the Cartwright bros had the same problem with gals.

 

[saintclair]

I noticed the Marlin Lever Actions when the show first aired. At that time I had never seen a Great Western single action.

 

[Walter Rego]

Not really - as far as anyone was concerned, every revolver was a 'Colt' and every lever gun was a 'Winchester', and camera lenses of the era didn't show much by way of nuances, they were completely focused on the entertainment value of a non-documentary.

What I always wondered about was where they got the pleasure saddles, stretch fabric and 'Aquanet' in the 1890s…

I always wondered where the women in the westerns made in the 1950's got those bullet bras ?

 

[dogface6]

They were perfect for telling the Sheriff - 'They went thataway'...

 

[Romulus]

Paladin's saddle gun was also a Marlin.

I honestly didn't know that.