The problem with Hollywood

Many people see movies and think they are getting the truth.
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You mean we really didn't beat back an alien invasion in the late 1800's as shown in "Cowboys and Aliens"?

I'm shocked...

Next, you'll be telling me that light sabers aren't real...
 
I enjoyed that movie. With the exception of aliens I don't think it was to bad. Nice to see cowboys and Indians on the same side.
 
IMHO, the really unrealistic part of "action" movies is that they talk. And talk. And talk. I am under the impression that if a mob hit man wants to kill someone, he just does it; he doesn't talk about it. He and the intended victim don't carry on a long conversation until the cops come to the rescue.

I have never been in combat, but I doubt troops on the move in enemy country carry on an endless stream of chatter about the morality of war, thus neatly giving away their position to every enemy soldier within a ten mile radius.

I guess I am lucky, but I have never shot anyone, or been shot. But I tend to think that someone hit in the chest by the charges from both barrels of a 12 gauge shotgun would just die, not carry on a ten minute philosophical discussion of the meaning of life.

But then just dying, without talk or theatrical moaning would not win an Oscar.

Jim
 
Hollywood is about making money. If they got everything accurate most would be boring as hell, no one would pay to watch it.

You have other issues too. Even if they try to be as accurate as possible sometimes there simply aren't enough props that fit accurately for that era. Lots of WW-2 films made in the 1960's-70's used American tanks etc to stand in for German tanks. There weren't any German tanks left. Today computer generated graphics can be used to create a better illusion of accuracy.

Fortunately I see a lot more effort to try to be accurate today. It was much worse with movies/TV shows from the 1920's-1990's. All the settlers on wagon trains in the 1850's carrying Colt SAA's and Winchester 94's. Even remember seeing a few Marlin 336's on a few wagon trains.
 
I always liked the extra round in The Rifleman's Winchester M-1892. That was done to synchronize with the music. And there is no evidence that anyone "back then" created a large loop for a lever action.
The Buntline Special ? The Mare's Leg ? Johhny Yuma's scatter gun ? All designed to give the character a distinct persona, and create tie -in merchandise.
 
"And there is no evidence that anyone "back then" created a large loop for a lever action."
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The first use of a "speed ring" (large lever hoop) was in the movie Stagecoach.

Director John Ford wanted something unique for Ringo to do for his opening scene. It was suggested to John Wayne that he figure out "something to do" with a revolver that would be unique for his opening appearance in the movie.

John Wayne was at a bit of a loss as to what could be done with a pistol that was new and unique for the shot and decided to talk it over with Yakima Canutt the stunt coordinator.

Yakima Canutt said that one of the most amazing things he had seen as a child was a guy in a wild west show who cocked a lever action rifle with one hand and repeatedly shot it. He asked if John Wayne thought he could do that? Wayne tried it with a standard lever action, and because his hands were so big he could not get the gun to rotate around his hand as needed.

So, John Wayne and Yakima Canutt went to the prop master and asked him to modify a rifle so it could be cocked one handed - showing him the problem with the standard rifle lever.

After some trial and error, the large lever hoop was developed so that the rifle could be cocked one handed. Then it turned out the barrel was too long to easily work the gun, so the barrel was shortened - and that's the first appearance of a large lever hoop lever action rifle in the movies - John Wayne's opening shot in Stagecoach.

It became one of John Wayne's trademark guns that he used consistently throughout his western movie career.

Whether anyone actually used a rifle modified like that outside of a wild west show or the movies is unknown - but, it's certainly possible.
 
I think if the old west was depicted realistically, we'd see more cowboys killed by their own horses and die of infection or disease than killed in gunfights.

Also, the state of Texas in no way even remotely resembles the landscape of Monument Valley, Utah.
 
hollyweird half cock

@double naught spy

Actually, yes 1/2 cock is meant as a short term safety in single action revolvers, along with the ability to free spin the cylinder for loading.
Because when the gun is working properly no matter how hard you pull the trigger, it won't drop the hammer.
Course this is primarily for cartridge guns.
Where if you already had 3 or 4 loaded in the chamber, you wouldn't want the hammer to accidentally fall.
In C&B not such a big deal as you probably haven't capped them yet

Back in the day (until about 1973) if a S.A. (cartridge) hammer fell from 1/2 cock onto a loaded chamber it could set off the round.
As the safety transfer bar wasn't implemented until that date.
 
Actually, yes 1/2 cock is meant as a short term safety in single action revolvers, along with the ability to free spin the cylinder for loading.
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I've never heard of anybody using half cock for a safety. 1/4 cock for lack of a better term is the safety.
 
"After some trial and error, the large lever hoop was developed so that the rifle could be cocked one handed. Then it turned out the barrel was too long to easily work the gun, so the barrel was shortened..."

The story is that they figured out that the barrel was too long the first time Wayne tried to twirl it.

It came around and caught him square in the chin and knocked him out.
 
g.willikers,
Tom Horn was pretty accurate except for the rifle he was carrying. By the tail end of his career he was using a Winchester '94 chambered in .30WCF or .30-30.
That is the rifle he allegedly killed the kid with.
 
Usually when they get it wrong it is still entertaining. Going South starring Jack Nicholson was/is a really funny movie but it was so long since I've seen it I can't remember mistakes.
 
I had a conversation with Sam Peckinpah once about this ... seriously, he was good friends with a history teacher of mine.

He absolutely knew that almost 99% of what is shown on-screen regarding gun fights is pure BS, and the other 1% is questionable. He didn't bother himself with that fact, as he knew that movies were about entertainment, and nothing else.
 
DDforlifeusmc, not to criticize just a little clarification as far as transfer bars on revolvers. Yes the 1970's time frame is correct for Colt 1873 like revolvers starting with Ruger but the technology is way older. Iver Johnson in the 1890's had their patented "Hammer the Hammer" transfer bar system. They had ads of people using a hammer to hit the trigger and the guns not going off. Their ads even had babies in cribs playing with them. I own 3 of them today and wouldn't hesitate to carry all chambers loaded. Although this would be late cowboy era I am sure some cowboys in the day were armed with them from my readings.
 
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