Guns of Pale Rider

T

twhidd

New member
I saw the old Eastwood movie "Pale Rider" again yesterday (one of my favorites). I always love the old movie guns. I've read that Eastwood was always diligent to keep the guns in his movies period correct, the preacher's 1858 Remington Conversion not withstanding. Many of the other guns in the movie appeared to be Colt Conversions. I just wonder how many actually carried spare cylinders like the preacher did in the movie. Old west speedloaders seems like a cool idea.

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Read it again wog, he said it was a Remington. As far as carrying spare cylinders I doubt many if any did. You simply didn't need that fast of a reload. Not everyday in the old west was like in westerns.
 
I had never noticed that it was a conversion cylinder. Seems a bit silly to carry a spare cylinder, if it's not cap and ball.
 
No loading gate. Have to remove cylinder anyway to load. Makes sense but most just didn't do it. There's no records of sales of extra cylinders like there would be if was a commom practice. Even during the C.W. cavalry carried up to six revolvers not spare cylinders.
 
If I remember correctly....

....The "other" pistols in the movie...Namely John Russell's gang...were mostly 1860 colt coversions.

I believe in Josey Wales, Eastwood carried a couple Dragoons and a couple 1863 Remingtons.
 
In old Hollywood westerns, Los Angeles made Great Western revolvers were used by the prop departments of many studios. For close up work they'd add a Colt style hammer (w/ firing pin) since the standard GWs had floating pins. If you're really paying attention, you may see where they've simply added a triangular web attempting to make a Great Western pass for a Remington.
 
The carrying of a loaded extra BP cylinder doesn't make sense with a Colt design, due to the need to pull the barrel to change cylinders - not so with the Remmy, as so aptly demonstrated in the film.

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makes me nervous...

I always figured a loaded cylinder, especially percussion, was foolhardy. That would make me more than a little nervous. Must just be a hollywood thing.
My .02 worth
 
I'm sure a few people did the extra cylinder thing, but VERY few. Took a lot of $$ to get a smith to make and fit a few extra cylinders...most folks just didn't make that much money.
 
The historical accuracy/probability of having several spare cylinders aside, I think the filmmaker's intent was to show an alternative to typical SAA-type loading. Obviously, he was successful -- we're still dissecting the scene 25-years later.

Discussing Eastwood's films, non-shooters will often comment on Preacher's reloading sequences -- they recognize there is something different happening, but didn't have a clue about the particulars. Until seeing the OP's pic, I'd always assumed the spare wheels were of the percussion variety. Cap or cartridge, it doesn't change my appreciation of the film.
 
The movie was of course fiction, so why not have a few extra cylinders to fit the character?

"And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him", Revelation 6:8, King James verson.


BTW, the character Megan is seen in the movie reading that verse to her mother.
 
Idaho

I have always enjoyed Clint's movies. He was asked what the worst thing about making a film in Idaho was. He relpied , "leaving". (Pale Rider was made near Salmon, Idaho.)

I have been here 58 years, my family a 148. Come see us! (Don't need no range, just go shoot!)

Best.................IR
 
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I have always enjoyed Clint's movies. He was asked what the worst thing about making a film in Idaho was. He relpied , "leaving". (Pale Rider was made near Salmon, Idaho.)
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I have a soft spot for "Bronco Billy". I know, I know. But I was a sophomore in high school when he came to the Boise valley to film and he did some awfully nice things for my high school to make up for some disruptions during filming. Oh, and the Hungry Onion burger joint has a quote on their menu from him to remind folks that they've got the best burgers in Idaho!
 
The carrying of a loaded extra BP cylinder doesn't make sense with a Colt design, due to the need to pull the barrel to change cylinders - not so with the Remmy, as so aptly demonstrated in the film.
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The reloading sequence always confused me, as i am fairly ignorant of old west firearms; i wondered if there was a reason the otherwise well-equipped "deputies" didn't do the same. Thanks!

If nothing else, it just looked very cool. :)
 
orangello said:
The reloading sequence always confused me, as i am fairly ignorant of old west firearms; i wondered if there was a reason the otherwise well-equipped "deputies" didn't do the same.
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Most of the guns used in Pale Rider are supposed to be cap-n-ball revolvers converted to use cartridges. A conversion may or may not include a loading gate like those used on modern single action cartridge revolvers. The preacher's 1858 Remington has been converted but does not have a loading gate thus the cylinder must be removed to take out the used brass then insert unspent cartridges. However, in the preacher's case it is much faster to install a new cylinder with pre-loaded cartridges....kind of like a speed loader. The deputies probably have loading gates on their converted revolvers. Stockburn certainly does. If you have a loading gate on your revolver you probably would not remove the cylinder to reload. Also, with Colt type open top revolvers removing the cylinder means knocking out the wedge and removing the barrel. The Remington design is superior in this aspect as no tools are needed and the barrel doesn't have to be taken off to get to the cylinder.
 
Oh, and the Hungry Onion burger joint has a quote on their menu from him to remind folks that they've got the best burgers in Idaho!

Yup! Still do. (MHS class of '69)

Best ..........IR
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