Guns in the movies

[davy]

Here is the half stock Hacker Martin made rifle that the Duke used in the Alamo film with some of the prop clothing etc that he wore in it as well.

Here is the other rifle .. an original that he switched and used as well in the Alamo film.

Here is a tale of two knives as well ... the big one is the original Musso Bowie knife, and the smaller one is the original Iron Mistress knife that was used in the Alan Ladd film by the same name as well as the Wayne's Alamo and several others. I had a great day last October seeing & handling it among other things there. :shocked2: :grin:

Davy

 

[Tumblernotch]

That's pretty neat. It would be as exiting to look at and handle stuff that the Duke used, and very exiting to handle a rifle made by Hacker Martin!
:thumbsup:

 

[davy]

Off topic ... but how about one of the original Winchesters that Wayne used in "Stagecoach"? It blew me away just to see it ... much less handle! :hmm: :grin:

Back on topic ... it seems interesting that Wayne picked one gun of each to represent Crockett's activities in the battle. Kinda following the logic we have extrapolated here.

BTW I was told the gun Widmark used was two guns ... an original Knock Volly rifle used for standup scenes, and an electically fired replica that was used for action sequences. :hmm:

Davy

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Davy, do you recall any details about the long rifle?

 

[Tumblernotch]

BTW I was told the gun Widmark used was two guns ... an original Knock Volly rifle used for standup scenes, and an electically fired replica that was used for action sequences. :hmm:

Davy

I remember mentioning that volley gun in the Alamo thread. It's been so long since I've seen that movie, I couldn't remember the details of the gun.

And I just noticed another thing, Davy. Can you remember what kind of gun was leaning against the wall that you can see in the picture of you holding the longrifle? It appears next to Wayne's leg in the picture. It appears to be a breechloading military type piece with a backaction flint lock on it. Probably a parts gun made into a prop. Curious looking thing. :hmm:

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

Very cool... It would be interesting to get some history behind both of the Duke's rifles. :thumbsup:

 

[davy]

I will have to ask about that stuff .. I was just blown away being there, and seeing so much. I do know the short percussion rifle is a Hacker Martin replica, and the long rifle was an original.

How about the rifle Wayne first used in The Big Trail?

Or Fess Parker's original rifle that he used in Davy Crockett series?

Or who remembers this painting above the fireplace in the film "Fort Apache" and the uniform blouse Wayne wore in the film as well? Great stuff!

Davy

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

A favorite trick was to take a Trapdoor Springfield and fit it with a non-functional totally fake flintlock. The cock moved with the Springfield's hammer, and appeared to be real from a distance. This allowed them to use standard movie blanks and not have to reload a real muzzleloader. When seen up close, these locks are very crude and incorrect.

 

[Tumblernotch]

I have seen those! That's probably what that is in the picture.

 

[Tumblernotch]

You know, I've got a good DVD of The Big Trail, but I never could see that carving on that Springfield. I'm going to have to watch it again and zoom in and look at it better!

And I believe the Big Trail was set in an earlier period than that gun was made too! Oh well!
:grin:

 

[kragluver]

Davy -- where were you visiting when you got to see all that neat stuff?

 

[davy]

Here is a better picture of the carving ....

Or how about the knife Wayne used in The Searchers?

This stuff is in the private collection of a friend of mine named Joe Musso. He has so much wonderful stuff there. Joe is a great guy and I thank him for allowing me to show some of his wonderful stuff!

Davy

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

That's the fanciest '61 Springfield I've ever seen!

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

Those were great pictures! It would be great if he could give you the particulars on some of those pieces. Do you have any information about the Fess Parker rifle?
Again, really cool. Thanks. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[Robert an saa fan]

Thanks for posting Davy!

Great stuff! :hatsoff: :thumbsup:

 

[davy]

Joe did tell me some facts ... but he has a nice collection of original antique weapons and I was just blown away looking the ones I did. Joe Musso is a great guy, and I am proud to call him a friend.

I did get to meet Fess Parker a couple o years ago at an Alamo Society Symposium in San Antonio. Areally warm gentleman! :hatsoff:

Davy

 

:wink: The next time you get to talk to Fess Parker ask him if he knows what kind of sound cannon Disney used in the Davy Crocket series to imitate the sound of muzzleloaders being fired?
I have never heared this sound being used again.

 

[davy]

Well I doubt I will talk to him again ... it was a wonderful opportunity when it happened, but not likely a repeatable event unfortunately. Maybe somebody here can answer our question? :thumbsup:

Davy

 

[Emet Huntsman]

If you look real carefully in the movie you can make out the Springfields. They had a ton of em and warehoused them in an old barracks building on Ft. Clark. No security at all -- know cause we kids used to wander through and play with them!
After the movie wrapped, they were selling them off for $70.00 each. Lot of money in '58-'59, but wish I had bought one!

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I've always had a soft spot for the Springfields--both the rifle-muskets and the various trapdoor models. Never had a fancy one with a carved stock though.