The Magic Gun Genie

[jjadurbin]

Of course we all know better than to expect movies to deliver historic fact or technical reality, but there are times when it's obviously important and so shame on HOLYWOOD'S biggest lefties for failing to make more of an effort. I don't watch much TV, this subject came from a private school teacher who is engaged to my oldest son. As part of a core curriculum on modern history, she dedicates two semesters to World War Two. To that end, she has her kids watch several films and report. Among them, BAND OF BROTHERS and SCHINDLER'S LIST, and as regards firearms, a few student observations show how attentive and perceptive they are.

For Band of Brothers she said several students were interested in an effect one keen student called the MAGIC GUN GENIE, that is, weapons of all types seem to vanish and appear and seem to morph from thin air. Since these kids were all raised on tech, they were able to supply examples. One is this amazing transformation from an M1 Garand to a M1 Carbine. I watched from a DVD provided and sure enough ...rifleman climbs tree, the big Garand is awkward and so ...POOF ...it becomes a diminutive Carbine. This in the Brecourt Manor Assault.

Then one young lady wondered if "special flame guns" were made just for "shooting Jews." Since the scene she referred to was so horrific, it's easy to tell why she could think that. As the picture shows, a Luger stunt gun is connected to a hose running up the actor's sleeve, flame appears like a barbecue lighter, and then a full cartridge ejects. Not that it matters but I had noticed none of these things.

As for good news, here's proof these students are really learning -- as one boy said -- even if you showed them that these are bad mistakes "...they would just blame us for seeing them. That's why my dad calls them HOLYWOOD because they're always acting holier-than-thou."

 

[Speedo66]

Is the guy in the tree the same guy in both pictures? Has sgt. stripes in one photo, not in the other.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I have discovered that some of the younger kids at work are pretty up on their WW2 weaponry thanks to video games. Game like "Call of Duty" and "Battlefield" actually show the required ammunition and correct reloading sequences for individual guns.

I love the magic sniper rifle in Saving Private Ryan that transforms from an '03 with an Unertl to an '03A4 with a Weaver, lol.

Of course, there are the time-travelling Krags from the future in Gunga-din too......gotta love/hate Hollywood.

I have yet to see it, but people tell me "The Pacific" was pretty accurate with regards to the weaponry involved.

 

[DustyGmt]

I like the magic shotgun that Hershel in The Walking Dead has, he fires 40-50 rounds consecutively out of a 5 shot pump action 12ga and it inexplicably has no recoil..... only at the end of the scene do you see him stop to reload.

I rarely see accurate representations of guns in movie. Guy pulls glock with hammer cock/slide rack sound effect added when only the gun is pulled into view. Last night I was watching the walking dead new episode and Carol pops the cylinder out on her colt cobra to see she only has one round left so she lines it up perfectly in line with the hammer when she closes the cylinder.(to indicate it will fire on the correct cylinder next time she pulls the trigger when in actuality it would just be a disappointing click had she needed to fire).

I do appreciate when directors take the time to make the gun scenes accurate and realistic. I always liked the gun fight between Hank and Tuco in Breaking Bad. I thought it was a pretty accurate representation of a lone DEA agent being confronted by a meth addled maniac with a machine gun. Looked like the actor playing Hank had some training with that Glock for that scene. Also the gunfighting scenes in Collateral with Tom cruise. That was good stuff.

 

[Bwana John]

Bolt action in Zulu volley firing sequence.

 

[Flintshooter]

[QUOTE="NIGHTLORD40K,

Of course, there are the time-travelling Krags from the future in Gunga-din too......gotta love/hate Hollywood.

Not to mention the Krags issued to the Luftwaffe guards at Stalag 13 in Hogan’s Heros

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

[QUOTE="NIGHTLORD40K,

Of course, there are the time-travelling Krags from the future in Gunga-din too......gotta love/hate Hollywood.

Not to mention the Krags issued to the Luftwaffe guards at Stalag 13 in Hogan’s Heros

Ahhh, I give Hogans Heros a pass. Captured Norwegian Krags actually were issued to rear echelon German troops such as prison guards. Indeed, the Nazis held the Krag in such high regard that some unsuccessful attempts were made to restart production in 7.92mm for their use.

In this case, the actor who played Schultz was a WW2 vet who lost many Jewish relatives to the Nazis and refused to carry a K98. The Krag was an acceptable substitute- the historical accuracy of such being coincidental!

 

[Flintshooter]

Ahhh, I give Hogans Heros a pass. Captured Norwegian Krags actually were issued to rear echelon German troops such as prison guards. Indeed, the Nazis held the Krag in such high regard that some unsuccessful attempts were made to restart production in 7.92mm for their use.

In this case, the actor who played Schultz was a WW2 vet who lost many Jewish relatives to the Nazis and refused to carry a K98. The Krag was an acceptable substitute- the historical accuracy of such being coincidental!

I always figured Krags were just cheap and plentiful. The action wasn’t strong enough to lend itself to a custom build like an 03 or Mauser. At the time Hogan’s Heros was in production Krags were probably in the under $50 category.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I always figured Krags were just cheap and plentiful. The action wasn’t strong enough to lend itself to a custom build like an 03 or Mauser. At the time Hogan’s Heros was in production Krags were probably in the under $50 category.

The movie prophouses bought large numbers when they were surplused out in the '20s so they wound up in everything from WW1 movies to Westerns. My first Krag was modified for blank firing and had an RKO pictures property stamp. Lol.

 

[OrangeCat]

Then one young lady wondered if "special flame guns" were made just for "shooting Jews."

I can't find it right now but I seem to remember that they did infact make a reduced load .32 apc specifically for concentration camp executions.

I googled it but couldn't find it and my googling eventually took a dark turn so I took a break and started googling bird dogs. If someone else knows more they are welcome to chime in I'll be over here watching the video of the dog using a duck call.

 

[jjadurbin]

Is the guy in the tree the same guy in both pictures? Has sgt. stripes in one photo, not in the other.

Yup, same guy, in the film he moves around. You can't see the stripes on his left in the first shot because of the angle.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I always cringe a little when I see that kid in "O' Brother Where Art Thou?" shooting that '03 Springfield too. Although technically period-correct, the chances of a depression-era dirt farmer having even a low-numbered M1903 are pretty low. Even if a civilian could have laid hands on one, it would have been rare and expensive, though some police departments certainly had them by that time. A Krag or even a Trapdoor would probably be more likely and a break-open shotgun much more so.

 

[jjadurbin]

I have discovered that some of the younger kids at work are pretty up on their WW2 weaponry thanks to video games. Game like "Call of Duty" and "Battlefield" actually show the required ammunition and correct reloading sequences for individual guns.

I love the magic sniper rifle in Saving Private Ryan that transforms from an '03 with an Unertl to an '03A4 with a Weaver, lol.

Of course, there are the time-travelling Krags from the future in Gunga-din too......gotta love/hate Hollywood.

I have yet to see it, but people tell me "The Pacific" was pretty accurate with regards to the weaponry involved.

Your observation on video games would explain much if they're as detailed as your post suggests ...the two examples I posted are from dozens these kids commented on. I was fascinated they watched anything with such a critical eye ...they are not muttonheads to be certain.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I like the magic shotgun that Hershel in The Walking Dead has, he fires 40-50 rounds consecutively out of a 5 shot pump action 12ga and it inexplicably has no recoil..... only at the end of the scene do you see him stop to reload.

I rarely see accurate representations of guns in movie. Guy pulls glock with hammer cock/slide rack sound effect added when only the gun is pulled into view. Last night I was watching the walking dead new episode and Carol pops the cylinder out on her colt cobra to see she only has one round left so she lines it up perfectly in line with the hammer when she closes the cylinder.(to indicate it will fire on the correct cylinder next time she pulls the trigger when in actuality it would just be a disappointing click had she needed to fire).

I do appreciate when directors take the time to make the gun scenes accurate and realistic. I always liked the gun fight between Hank and Tuco in Breaking Bad. I thought it was a pretty accurate representation of a lone DEA agent being confronted by a meth addled maniac with a machine gun. Looked like the actor playing Hank had some training with that Glock for that scene. Also the gunfighting scenes in Collateral with Tom cruise. That was good stuff.

Ya, I shake my head at Walking Dead gun logic too.....

It amazes me how many full-auto AKs and ARs they find just laying about in Post-apocalyptic Georgia! Tyrese must have had a large secret cache of .30 carbine ammo hidden somewhere too. Well, I suppose it dissuades potential thieves from trying to snag your gun if they dont know where to find ammo for it!

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Your observation on video games would explain much if they're as detailed as your post suggests ...the two examples I posted are from dozens these kids commented on. I was fascinated they watched anything with such a critical eye ...they are not muttonheads to be certain.

Ive spent many hours rummaging through the (virtual) ruins of Stalingrad searching for a few rounds of 7.92×33 for my STG44, and good luck finding .30 carbine ammo after you leave the Okinawa beachead! In video games, as in real combat, it often behooves you to pick up a few enemy weapons when ammo shortages bite. Some also come equipped with bayonets.

In Call of Duty, you actually work the bolt and reload via stripper clips when applicable. The Garand actually ejects its Enbloc clip and all the magazine capacities are correct! Even the sight aperatures are pretty accurate.

 

[Waveski]

Although the following is well known , it is still worthy of mention:

In "Open Range" Charlie is able to fan 10 rounds from his sa revolver in 7 seconds with pinpoint accuracy , and seems to have benefited from a gunsmith named Merlin who enabled his gun to discharge 15+ rounds without reloading.
No wonder the good guys won against seemingly impossible odds.

 

[doubleh]

It's all just make believe in the movies or tv. Making money is the objective, not providing correct or even close historical content, much less real life situations. Watch it for the story and not the technical details and you won't be annoyed, otherwise don't watch. I just put my brain on idle and go with the flow as long as it doesn't become totally stupid. If it does I switch to something else to watch. The same thing goes with reading novels which I do a lot of. It's all on the market for the price of admission, not reality.

 

[Outlaw75]

Ya, I shake my head at Walking Dead gun logic too.....

It amazes me how many full-auto AKs and ARs they find just laying about in Post-apocalyptic Georgia! Tyrese must have had a large secret cache of .30 carbine ammo hidden somewhere too. Well, I suppose it dissuades potential thieves from trying to snag your gun if they dont know where to find ammo for it!

Explained (very sarcastically) here @ 6:06 in:

 

[DustyGmt]

Explained (very sarcastically) here @ 6:06 in:

I always laugh at Paul Harrell videos. Without fail. It's not that it's meant to be funny, if it is he's a comic genius but he always says something that makes me bust a gut. 8:25 when he expresses disappointment with the one flyer, just his expression and the way he says it makes me laugh. Very dry but funny

 

[Outlaw75]

I always laugh at Paul Harrell videos. Without fail. It's not that it's meant to be funny, if it is he's a comic genius but he always says something that makes me bust a gut. 8:25 when he expresses disappointment with the one flyer, just his expression and the way he says it makes me laugh. Very dry but funny

Oh, he knows what he's doing. He's just not really over the top most of the time.

Some times he does let go like this one starting @ 1:03:



or this one starting @ 3:35:

 

[Jim Watson]

A veteran wrote that ammo was so tight in Normandy that front line infantry were swapping cigarettes for .30 carbine from support troops.

Robert Duval said an Open Range reload ended on the cutting room floor.

 

[Waveski]

And Kevin Kostner said that he had always wanted to reel off an unrealistic number of shots in a western gunfight.
Speaking of Duval , it is somewhat remarkable that he was able to converse with his partner after discharging his sawed off "scattergun" in the little shed , should have been pretty much deaf.

All part of movie fun.

 

[Speedo66]

Same for movie assassinations in automobiles. Shoot, talk immediately like nothing happened.

Well, like we always say, you're in a movie theater, suspend belief upon entrance.

Speaking of movies, looking forward to seeing "The Irishman" with De Niro, Pacino, and Pesci, but being frugal (cheap), I'll wait 'till it hits Netflix at the end of this month.

 

[rodregier]

Michael Mann's productions tend to have great training for the on-screen gun handling by his characters.
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000520/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Another movie that had great/accurate gun handling by the characters was "Way of the Gun".
Suspect the director/writer having a retired SEAL advising (his brother Doug) helped
(The characters as depicted were scum.)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0202677/?ref_=nv_sr_1?ref_=nv_sr_1

 

[buck460XVR]

Yup, same guy, in the film he moves around. You can't see the stripes on his left in the first shot because of the angle.

Looking at the sights and the end of the barrel, seems to be two different weapons also.