Lever action rifles
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Tommygunn
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Well, it was probably a Uberti repro .... which is probably .44-40 ..... so Catpop was actually correct, sorta.
'Cept it being tv, it was really blanks ....
[/wiseacre mode]
Yeah, ok, it was supposed to be .44 Henry Rimfire. Even guns can .... "act."
'Cept it being tv, it was really blanks ....
[/wiseacre mode]
Yeah, ok, it was supposed to be .44 Henry Rimfire. Even guns can .... "act."
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
I loved Back to the Future III. My favorite part is the four western legends at the saloon. Harry Carey Jr, Dub Taylor and Pat Buttram are sitting at the table while Matt Clark tends bar.
That 24" Henry is awfully quiet with that space age attachment.
That 24" Henry is awfully quiet with that space age attachment.
Speedo66
Member
Can you say steampunked?
Driftwood Johnson
Member
Well, it was probably a Uberti repro .... which is probably .44-40 ..... so Catpop was actually correct, sorta.
It was absolutely an Uberti reproduction. Henry Repeating Arms had not started making their version of the 'original' 1860 Henry yet, and I doubt very much it would have been an original.
Caliber? Either 45 Colt or 44-40. A few of the very early ones Navy Arms imported were chambered for 44 Henry Rimfire, but since factory ammo was not available, they stopped making them pretty quick.
Did Gus know his rifle real well?
Seeing as he was shooting blanks, did he really need to know it well?
By the way, here is a photo of Jeff Corey as Tom Chaney in the original 1969 production of True Grit (the John Wayne version) holding what is most likely an original 1860 Henry. I don't think the Uberti versions had come out yet, and if they had, the Hollywood prop departments probably still owned a few original Henries. They had not reached the astronomical values they have reached today.
Driftwood Johnson
Member
Prior to the 1990s, it would pretty much be limited to Winchester Model 1892 Lever Guns, and Colt Single Action Army revolvers.
The Hollywood studios owned large quantities of both. So in pretty much every old Oat Burner, no matter when they were set, you usually saw 1892 Winchesters and Colts.
Around that time the move studios realized they were sitting on a big pile of money with all those old guns and how much they had appreciated over the years, so they sold off most of them.
When movies like Tombstone came out in 1993 you started seeing more attention paid to old guns. Most of which were Uberti replicas, supplied by new businesses catering to supplying the movie makers with authentic looking guns of the era.
Prior to that time, if the movie makers wanted something that looked like a Henry, they would just remove the fore stock from an 1892 Winchester so it looked kind of like a Henry.
When Winchester '73 was made with James Stewart in 1950, they took a run of the mill '73 and sent it back to Winchester to dress it up to look like a 1 of 1000 '73. Even so, I remember seeing at least one 'Hollywood Henry' (an 1892 with the fore stock removed) in the shooting contest scene. And twice one of the actors claimed he was shooting a Henry when he was plainly holding a Model 1873.
When Tom Selleck made Crossfire Trail in 2001 he sent two original 1876 Centennial Winchesters to a smith to have them married together to make up one rifle.
After the 2007 version of 3:10 to Yuma came out, with one of the outlaws sporting a Schofield replica, Roy Jinks reported that lots of people wrote him about Schofields they owned that turned out not to be Schofields at all.
Merwin Hulbert
Here is a scene from Godfather II with one of the Italian actors holding a real Merwin Hulbert to his head.
Here is a closeup of young Clemenza's hand holding the same Merwin Hulbert in the scene where young Vito helps him steal a rug.
Here is a photo of Randy Quaid holding a MH in The Long Riders from 1980. These are originals because there are no replicas.
Here is a photo of Robert Ryan holding a Marlin in The Naked Spur. Ryan was a bad guy, and somehow he got the rifle away from Millard Mitchell. I would have to watch the movie again to see how he did that.
Other than these examples, mostly Winchester Model 1892 and Colt SAA is what you usually saw in a Western.
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Tommygunn
Member
In the old TV western, "HAVE GUN, WILL TRAVEL," I recall Paladin toting a Marlin carbine that looked like Robert Ryan's with the trademark knight head on the stock.
I also recall the use of an old Merwin Hulbert in one episode where it was not fired, as it purported to be an "old" gun which fell apart on its owner.
And finally, in an episode recounting how the Paladin character created his persona, before he acquired the trademark SAA, he was shown carrying what was either a Colt Opentop or some type of conversion revolver.
Ben Cartwright in "BONANZA" in one episode had a fairly fancied-up Winchester 1873.
I also recall the use of an old Merwin Hulbert in one episode where it was not fired, as it purported to be an "old" gun which fell apart on its owner.
And finally, in an episode recounting how the Paladin character created his persona, before he acquired the trademark SAA, he was shown carrying what was either a Colt Opentop or some type of conversion revolver.
Ben Cartwright in "BONANZA" in one episode had a fairly fancied-up Winchester 1873.
Catpop
Member
Ok, if old Agustus couldn’t do them bad ticks in at 500 yards I’m sure Quigley could! And if he couldn’t then Clint in the Good/Bad/Ugly could!
Ain’t Hollywood full of it!!!!! (And still is)
Oh yeah I almost forgot Jethro Clampett shooting flys off granny’s jam on the estate fence in Beverly hills! Wasn’t he using a muzzle loader?
Ain’t Hollywood full of it!!!!! (And still is)
Oh yeah I almost forgot Jethro Clampett shooting flys off granny’s jam on the estate fence in Beverly hills! Wasn’t he using a muzzle loader?
Alaskan Ironworker
Member
Ive personally put over 500 rounds of .454 through my rossi carbine, and I bought it used. It is a very tough action. I load them quite hot also. 300 grainer chronographed on average about 1890 fps. Could probably go hotter still.
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forward observer
Member
I think they used 1873 or later Springfield trapdoors on the Beverly Hillbillies because even though they are breech loaders, they still have an external side lock hammer that one has to cock. I know Jed uses one in the opening sequence where he is "a huntin' for some food when up from the ground comes a bubblin' crude."
In addition to the 1892 Winchester and the 1873 SAA, Hollywood bought up truckloads of trapdoor springfield carbines and 2 band muskets. Of course the carbines were correct for all movies in the John Ford/John Wayne cavalry trilogy, but not for the one they made set during the ACW called "The Horse Soldiers".
Hollywood gimmicked a lot of the 2 band trapdoor muskets up to look like flintlocks so they could be used for movies set in much earlier times. They would weld or solder on a fake frizzen and then rework the trapdoors percussion hammer to look like a flint cock. They even cut some trapdoor's down to look like flintlock pirate pistols.
Here's a publicity photo of Fess Parker as Davy Crockett holding one of the fake flintlocks. You can plainly see the trapdoor breech hiding behind the fake flint cock/hammer and frizzen.
They also faked up Colt SAA's to look like ACW 1858 Remingtons by welding on a fake web like loading lever under the barrel. I always thought they were using 1875 Remingtons for this until I saw a close up shot and realized it was all fake.
Remember Manolito from High Chaparral.
Hollywood never let historical accuracy get in the way of a good yarn
Cheers
Graywolf686
Member
Over the years I have had Winchesters 1886 45/70, 1892 44 mag and a 94 30/30 , Marlin 336 30/30 and 1894 44 mag and a 1895 Guide Gun 45/70 a Legacy Sport Puma 44 mag and a Rossi R92 38/357. I cant say anything bad about any of them and wish I still own everyone of them. My favorite of these was the Winchester 1886 24” 45/70 it was pretty and shot great and second my Rossi 92 20” stainless 38/357 Never cared much for the Henrys I don’t like the way they’re built.
SwampWolf
Member
In terms of practicality, most, if not all, lever-action rifles ever made are plenty "strong" enough when being used for hunting with factory ammunition. I'm not sure if they've ever been tested for relative strength (which would stand the most over-loaded cartridge before blowing up?), but my guess is the strongest lever-action rifles ever made were the Winchester Model 88, the Sako Finnwolf, the Browning BLR, the Winchester Models 1886/71, the Savage Model 99 and the Winchester Model 1895-in roughly that order.
Graywolf686
Member
Never owned a Savage 99 my older brother had a 99e and never shot it just showed it to people. I understand they’re good rifles.
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NIGHTLORD40K
Member
Charlie98
Member
I've got both a Browning 71 and a Savage 99 in .308. Love the 71, the action is like a bank vault door when it cycles. I bought the 99 on a fluke... I kinda always wanted one just to see what they were like, and now it has a permanent spot in the safe, and sold off the Marlin 336 it replaced. Handles like a dream, and the action is just as slick as anything. I would not, however, consider the 99 to be a strong action.
SwampWolf
Member
Probably not, when compared to other type actions (bolt-actions, single-shot actions, etc.), but when compared to many other lever-actions (excepting, possibly, with the rifles I cited), the Savage Model 99 is a strong lever-action. Mine is chambered in .358 Winchester and has shown no signs of "weakness".
Charlie98
Member
I said that, meaning compared to other lever actions. I was looking at the lockup and, unless I'm missing something, it doesn't look all that robust. Granted, I've not had mine apart to really look at it.
I owned a Marlin 336 lever in 30-30. Reloaded my own ammo. Sold it after a couple of years due to the high recoil and the relatively large size (not fun to shoot). Replaced it with a Rossi in 357 mag (only 5.2 lbs). I really enjoy the relatively small rifle and low recoil. Have since bought one in 45 LC and am falling in love with it too. Lots of varieties of loads to experiment with (low recoil to high), also have a Uberti SA in 45 LC. Both of my Rossi levers were good out of the box. Neither needed action mods. Like others have stated, Rossi levers are budget priced, but hard to find. I almost gave up finding my 45 LC stainless until I found a friend with one and twisted his arm to sell it to me. He bought it years ago, but was not shooting in much. He's now into ARs. PS. I also enjoy back-to-basics shooting without a scope. I can hit 6 inch plates consistently at 120 yds off hand with iron sights. Btw, those living in CA and other non-friendly assault weapon states might consider levers as an alternative.
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