I can remember as a kid how my dad would always point out the inaccuracies. Red badge Of Courage had no shortage of trapdoor Springfields. I'm sure I have seen that flick, I'll have to keep an eye out.

 

It did have trapdoor Springfield rifles. I saw an old movie years ago, it was in black and white and was set in Revolutionary War era, they were shooting trapdoor rifles.

 

I grew up watching westerns with my grandpa, who had been there and done that. Like we can pick apart the firearms flubs, he did the same with horses, harness, wagons etc., and I still still see it watching them today. You always know when a runaway wagon scene is coming by the oblong slot cut in the front of the wagon for the reins.

 

I saw one old movie where Brian Keith used a ram rod on his front stuffer. He was running for his life and being chased by two Indian braves, he jumps over a log and shoots one and starts loading his rifle when the second brave jumps over the log, so he shoots him with the ramrod.

 

My cousin has a SxS muzzle loader that belonged to his great grandfather, that shot an Indian with the ramrod. It has the blood stains to prove it, and he wrote the story down in the old family Bible when it happened. I've been trying for years to get him to send me pics of the gun so I could research the maker for him.
Grizz, The Mountain Men, with Kieth and Heston?

 

I don't know, I came in the house and my dad was watching it on TV, I watched that scene and went back outside. I just remember him shooting the ramrod and of course ram rods are instant death.

 

"Gunga Din" Sam Jaffe as Din. Oh so British, you know, except they were using French Lebel's.

 

I'm kinda glad I don't know as much about old west gear.as I do guns and holsters.

 

It was The Mountain Men with Keith and Heston. Heston's son Fraser was the director and he and I believe the script writer tried to be sticklers for authenticity. The movie was well received in the re-enacting and muzzleloading magazines at the time but the language was a bit rough.

TRAP, I'm kinda that way about tack and gear. Ya gotta love all the 1930's and 40's saddles in 1870's Texas....and the 1950's hats in 1960's westerns. The old movies from the 1930's and early 40's were often more accurate but, a lot of those guys had been there.

 

The part that gets to me about westerns is not the guns. It is the way thay talk. I, do not really think people used real grammer in those days.

 

Many of them were well spoken and articulate.

 

I've often wondered why more attention isn't paid to accuracy. For me, an otherwise good movie can be ruined by the industry not paying attention to detail.

I know that they hire consultants, but are those consultants qualified? Do they listen to the consultant?

I've come to the conclusion that it's just "too hard" to be concerned with accuracy. I think that they realize that only a small percentage of their audience will recognize inaccuracies.

Cop shows/movies are often full of technical errors, and those errors ruin it for me. How hard would it be for them to hire a retired cop, and listen to his/her advise?

 

They're starting to try, with westerns anyway but they never seem to get it completely right.

 

Joyce's favorite phrase when I comment about such, "only you would notice that." NOT TRUE!!!!!!!........

Given the many books I've read that were written during the period of "The Old West" I am confident that if an individual had at least a 6th grade education they were at least as articulate as a high school graduate of today. Their spelling, punctuation and grammar skills almost assuredly exceeded those of a second or third year college student. Their heads were not filled with extraneous and nefarious tripe.

If you want your language and reading skills challenged, try "The Complete Works of Burke" of the late 18th century or, the personal correspondence among Madison, Jefferson and Adams. You'll learn quickly that the writing of today's youth and young adults compares favorably with a chimpanzee.....and your own isn't all that hot either and, I include myself in that.

 

I don't recall which movie, but I did notice a set of shock absorbers on a stage coach.

 

Well, it's entirely probable the actors/actresses of today are not as hardy as the pioneers of a century and a half ago. The coach mounted on leather straps can only swing fore and aft, not up and down....

 

Most historians think he carried a S&W model 3. Wyatt himself said he put his gun in his coat pocket to conceal it. Kinda hard to do with a 12 inch barrel.

 

One caveat on the accuracy of leather in Tombstone. Johnny Ringo's holster was a single loop holster in style only. It was made of thicker cowhide and his revolver sat higher in it, more like the holster for a buscadero rig. Traditional double loop holsters are more pliable than the leather holster for the buscadero rig.

 

I agree with most every response made. I love westerns and am a stickler for accuracy when it comes to period correctness. Inaccuracies don't totally ruin the movie for me, but they are a distraction. In the movie Open Range when Kevin Costner shoots the bad guy in the forehead and then quickly fans off another 10 or 11 shots from his SA Colt, it is a real distraction. Another distraction is when US cavalry members are shooting Model '92 Winchesters. Where were the costuming personnel when those movies were made~?

 

In the movie Open Range when Kevin Costner shoots the bad guy in the forehead and then quickly fans off another 10 or 11 shots from his SA Colt, it is a real distraction.

The reason this happens is due to multiple takes and editing. I think I read they fired over 2,000 rounds for the main gunfight scene. A scene where he takes a second SAA from his belt was cut as well as him killing a wounded man.

Still one of my favorites!!!!

 

This is not about firearms. Once, I was watching Pale Rider. There was a scene, where Hall's woman was looking out the door, there was a close up of the side of her head. You can see a gold ear ring post in her ear.

 

Watched a movie a week or two back where Germany occupies Norway. The Norwegian soldiers were using the 30-40 Krag.

 

Don, that was their issued rifle chambered in 8x58R and some in 6.5 Swede.
Some have brought up Sgt Shultz carrying a Krag in Hogans heroes. The Norwegian made Krags were issued to rear guard troops, and Shultz refused to use a Nazi Mauser 98.

 

Dave, I didn't know the caliber, but they were Krag rifles.

 

I think I just watched the same movie, Narvik?, good one too, and was impressed they found that many in such good shape for the cast to use. Even the French that came to drive the Germans out, had the correct rifles.