Old Western movie where a character has a da revolver with a saa grip

[Mad Dog Mitch]

Hi guys,

My dad was remembering the days of when he watched old cowboys movies as a kid, and he remembers a movie where one of the characters uses a double action with a saa grip, does anyone know which movie it would be?

Cheers

 

[Jim Watson]

Multiple instances.
I had an old Gun Digest article on movie prop guns.
Double actions with a dummy ejector rod housing were very common, but there were some with the grip altered to the SAA "plow handle." Also Colts with a web added under the barrel to resemble a Remington. Unfortunately no catalog of which ones were shown where.

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

I read somewhere that Tom Mix used a DA in his left hand because he couldn't get his two-gun shooting 'rhythm' right with two SAAs. Probably not the only western actor who did this.



I recall near the end of my all-time favorite western Winchester 73, Jimmy Stewart shoots "Waco Johnny Dean" (Dan Duryea) on the front porch of a saloon across from Wells Fargo -- when Dean's gun falls from his hand, you can see in silhouette that it was a more modern Colt DA, likely chosen because director Anthony Mann wanted the dying character to empty his gun one-handed into the ground.

 

[Sacramento Johnson]

A lot of times, they didn't even alter the gun; it was obviously a smith DA being used. Mitchum used one in "El Dorado", when he stormed the church.
Andy Clyde in the Gunsmoke episode "Durham Bull" also did; his was fixed up with an ejector rod housing, if I recall, but was obviously a DA. (I suspect it was his personal gun.) Van Heflin and Tab Hunter both used DAs in scenes in "Gunman's Walk"; a terrible late 50's western, I might add.
I seem to recall some DAs in "Firecreek"; another crappy western with an impressive cast, no less.

 

[UncleEd]

I can't believe Hollywood would ever fake
this gun stuff!

Well, maybe a few times.

Well documented where New Service or 1917 Colts
were taken, an ejector rod added, and wallah, you
sorta maybe had an 1878 DA Colt (Ignore the
swing out cylinder feature, please).

Of course, when Shane plugs Jack Wilson his SAA
turned into a Colt Police Positive and then
back again to a SAA. Almost impossible to spot.
The Police Positive, I mean.

OK, it happened all the time.

Check out the finale of "Hombre." Or "Five
Card Stud." Or "Firecreek,." Or.....

Those 1878 DAs and Thunderers or Lightnings
sometimes showed up just when you didn't
expect it.

 

[Riomouse911]

No one dreamt of Hi-def and home cinemas back then, so I doubt actors, prop masters or directors ever gave these substitutes a second thought.

Stay safe.

 

[buck460XVR]

I can't believe Hollywood would ever fake
this gun stuff!

The incorrect for the period guns used in many of those old westerns was not nearly as noticeable as the bad acting. Or the fact that many of those old guns never needed to be reloaded. I especially used to like the death/dying scenes......

 

[Jim Watson]

Here's one steely-eyed gunfighter with a mockup on a S&W M&P

 

[WestKentucky]

Hollywood faking gun stuff? Ludicrous. Next thing you’re gonna tell me is that those massive explosions in action movies aren’t real. It may come to fightin if you try to tell me that tv rastlin is fake.

 

[jar]

I read somewhere that Tom Mix used a DA in his left hand because he couldn't get his two-gun shooting 'rhythm' right with two SAAs. Probably not the only western actor who did this.

View attachment 1146263

One of my real tragedies in life was when I learned that Tom Mix got killed by his luggage while driving his Cord instead of him riding off to the Sunset on Tony.

 

[jmorris]

The incorrect for the period guns used in many of those old westerns was not nearly as noticeable as the bad acting.

Or contrails in the sky/background….

 

[jmr40]

A DA revolver wouldn't be inaccurate for the period. They were in use in the 1870's and MANY of the western movies were actually set in the 1900-1920 time frame. Cars, airplanes, semi-auto guns and even electricity were being used at the time. At least 2 of John Waynes movies featured such modern devices. The Shootist, and Big Jake.

And yet in many places' horses, SA Colts and wagons were still used much later. My grandfather still hitched mules to a wagon for transportation into the 1960's. He never had a driver's license.

This photo was taken in 1923, the same year my dad was born, not 1873.

 

[BobWright]

I beleive in one of Glen Ford's movies, the "fast gun" heavy used a Colt Lightning, And, fanned it.

But, many years ago, gun and arms dealer Robert Abels, in New York City, featured a number of doujble action fevolvers that had been fitted with ejector assemblies for movie use.

Bob Wright

 

[J-Bar]

One more example of using a modern double action revolver in place of the SAA... photos from page 107 in the book, "Cowboys And The Trappings Of The Old West." Actor John Carroll carried a pair of Colt DAs in a fancy Bohlin rig:

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

If you ever pass through greater Los Angeles, check out the Autry Museum in Griffith Park. It has a fine firearms collection, including a rather large collection of Hollywood western firearms that was on display when I last visited. Looks like they're featuring a Paterson Colt exhibit at present:

https://theautry.org/exhibitions/balance-power-american-frontier

 

[Sacramento Johnson]

I'd forgotten about Clu Gulager (died last year at age 93!), carrying a DA in his earlier episodes of the Virginian TV series! He must have become better with a SA, though, as he went to a SA in his later episodes.

 

[Zahn]

https://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Main_Page

Internet Movie Firearms Database

I'm not sure how complete it is.

 

[Pat Riot]

Or contrails in the sky/background….

View attachment 1146463

Or the “Westerns” where they wear skirts…

 

[UncleEd]

Or the “Westerns” where they wear skirts…

That's Lord Larry Olivier looking for Spartacus. And note all
the bodies strewn across the field. Maybe those contrails
are from alien space ships also looking for Spartacus.

 

[Jim Watson]

One more example of using a modern double action revolver in place of the SAA... photos from page 107 in the book, "Cowboys And The Trappings Of The Old West." Actor John Carroll carried a pair of Colt DAs in a fancy Bohlin rig:
View attachment 1146493

Nope.
Those are Smith and Wessons.
Look at the thumb piece on the lefthand gun, the sideplate screws on the righthand gun, and the grip inletting

 

[J-Bar]

You are right, I was just parroting the photo caption and should have been more observant.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Or contrails in the sky/background….

View attachment 1146463

definitely UFO’s !

 

[Old Hobo]

To shooters and historians, watching period-piece movies and TV can be downright painful in that so many mistakes are made. Movie directors often don't go out of their way to consult historians -- what with budget restrictions and all. Also, the Hollywood types figure that the most viewers will not notice; truth be told, they are for the most part correct in that assumption.

When I see safety issues in movies, now that really bothers me. "Brilliant" movie makers mostly are anything but brilliant. October 2021 there was a fatal shooting on a western set. Ignorance is one thing; however, putting lives at risk is felonious.

If one wishes to learn about firearms, military & police tactics, and firearm safety, TV shows and movies should be assiduously avoided as instruction sources.
.

 

[foxmeadow]

When I was 9 or 10 my uncle Wesley, with Dad's permission, gave me an old double action that looked like a single action. The cylinder didn't swing out, the frame had a loading gate, and an integral sleeve for an ejector like as SAA. the grip was something between a SAA and a DA grip. It had rearing horse stamps on it but my uncle said it was Spanish, probably. It was chambered in some .38 caliber flavor, but Wesley said they didn't make ammo for it anymore Before he gave it to me he removed the hammer mounted firing pin. I tried playing Cowboys and Indians with it with my cousins and got my butt beat, by my Dad, in my first firearm safety lesson.

 

[Jim Watson]

If it had the horsie it was likely a real Colt.
Lots of copies but they were tough on trademark infringement.
Maybe a 1877 .38 LC or an 1878 .38-40.