movie trivia-PALE RIDER

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bushmaster65

New member
OK, I saw a clip of the final duel in pale rider. It looks like Eastwood is removing the cylinder from a Remington BP. Then obtaining a new one from a cylinder holster and placing it back in the weapon. A close look shows what I think are brass cartridges. OK, movie buffs, what is it he has? Is this historically correct? etc...
BTW- you can see this scene on utube if you want reference.
 
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It's an 1858 Remington, and it's been well documented in a variety of places that the movie prop gun that he used was modified to accept brass cartridge blanks. The original Remmies were, obviously, cap and ball revolvers. The small revolver he uses to shoot the final shot it also a Remington.

He must have practiced a bit, as the cylinder exchange was flawless.

It's a classic scene.



Willie


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that is one of the coolest scenes ever..if i can ever buy one of those guns ill have to have it....i always wondered exactly what that gun was..thanks
 
Cylinder swapping isn't historically correct. Cylinders back then didn't fit just any gun.
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Is that why those Army purchase lists that accompanied each shipment of firearms never listed spare cylinders with the rest of the tools and supplies?

But in the novel "Bright Starry Banner" by Alden R. Carter, one of the Yankee officers had several "capped and charged" cylinders for his Colt 1860.
 
But in the novel "Bright Starry Banner" by Alden R. Carter, one of the Yankee officers had several "capped and charged" cylinders for his Colt 1860.
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Don't believe everything you read, specially when it's fiction.:p:D
 
Cylinder swapping isn't historically correct. Cylinders back then didn't fit just any gun.
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Hawg is correct. I have seen no evidence of the use of spare cylinders historically. Cylinders would have had to be hand fitted to that particular gun. In my way of thinking, the use of an extra cylinder in a cartridge gun seems a bit redundant.
 
No eye witness accounts, no written record, no pictoral record, no cylinder pouches in pics or museums.
 
Hawg Haggen said:
No eye witness accounts, no written record, no pictoral record, no cylinder pouches in pics or museums.
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The documention for these items have been mentioned on this forum before and "De Nile" isn't just a river in Egypt. :D
There has been some documentation mentioned on this site for extra cylinders with cased sets, that a Navy spare cylinder pouch existed and there's photos of a museum quality 1851 holster rig that belonged to a civil war officer.
Gee whiz, all over movie trivia.... :rolleyes:

Original 1851 Navy and holster rig - must see

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=474640&highlight=cylinder+pouch+documentation

bedbugbilly said:
The U.S. Navy issued a spare cylinder box very similar to this one only it had a wood block in the bottom with a shallow blind hole the diameter of the cylinder. They were placed in the box with the nipples in the up position - just as this box illustrates. The navy box held two cylinders and there was no divider of any kind between the cylinders.
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carrying spare cylinders-dangerous ?

http://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...highlight=cylinder+pouch+documentation&page=3

madcratebuilder said:
I have two books that reprint much of the Colt sales records, extra cylinders are very rarely mentioned and then only with cased sets.
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Supposedly the reason for the cartridge cylinder being used is that Eastwood was goosey about the capped cylinders and didn't want to use them.
 
There were some in cased sets but few and far between. The photos of the 51 belt rig shows a standard cartridge box with the liner missing. Cylinders in the day had to be matched to the gun. It was a lot easier to time a gun to a cylinder than a cylinder to a gun. Just wasn't done.
 
There has been tons written about this, there are entire messge boards just on Clint Eastwood movies. Here's one: http://www.clinteastwood.org/forums/index.php

Something I read lately, might have even been here, that Clint was involved somehow in a chainfire during the Spaghetti-Western days and made a decision not to have Percussion revolver around.

While this is a movie, real life historical records show no (or at least not enought to write about) evidence that anyone carried extra cylinders primed and capped. It's also very important to remember that revolvers were not the primary weapon of the armies, they were more often than not, considered a liability.

Except for the bands of guarillas, who were armed to the teeth with as many revolvers as they could beg, borrow, or steal and put them everywhere. Since there IS much written about this process, and none written of the carring extra cylinders...well, how much more evidence do we need?

Then lastly, Pale Rider was the only movie that I know of, where a cylinder change was promoted. This should also tell us somthing about the use of extra cylinders. Since this was the 1st time it was actually done in a movie and now we are debating "If was regularly done in war." The evidence is in-it wasn't.

But, we can still talk about it and have fun with the idea.
I have two '58's and 6 cylinders. All JUST FOR FUN.
 
Gee whiz, all over movie trivia....
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You're the only one that seems to be getting their panties in a twist, fella.

On your 51 navy rig, the tin lined box is an ammo box for rifle/carbine ammo. It even has the tin liner like most variations of the era. You see, that other box on that belt is a military ammo box made specifically to carry packaged paper or foil cartridges for revolvers.
http://www.yankeecollector.com/catalog/item/2839455/8633750.htm
As OJW pointed out, the revolver was not the primary weapon. Just because a cylinder fits into the box, doesn't mean that's what it was made for. You know what they say about ass-umptions. As for cased sets with spare cylinders, as Hawg said few and far between. Most cased sets with extra cylinders that I have seen were Colt Paterson revolvers. How many "regular" cowboys, shop owners, lawmen etc. do you think carried (or could afford) a cased set revolver? These were mainly presentation grade guns. Given to heads of state, military officers, entertainers etc. Most were engraved and/or had custom grips. These were not the guns of the "working man". And few had "spare" cylinders. If as you say, spare cylinders were used during the civil war, westward expansion etc., why do you not see dug up relic "spare" cylinders in civil war museums alongside the dug up relic revolvers? Just something to think about.:rolleyes:
 
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One of my favorite movie firearms. Historically correct or not!

http://www.nramuseum.com/the-museum...ibits/hollywood-guns-8/pale-rider-(1985).aspx

clint01.jpg


TK
 
It's as I suspected then. It is pure Hollywood and nothing else. If anyone did carry a spare cylinder back in the day, they would likely be the equivalent of a modern day "show off" or "dumb ass". Very interesting responses though, as well as pics , etc.

Thanks to all who found the time to respond.
Now if you will excuse me, I need to order my Uberti walker :D
 
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