Firearms used in (mostly) western movies and TV shows
If you have a good memory for useless facts or trivia about the weapons used in western movies and the old TV shows and would like to add more to this list, please e-mail me with your comments. Likewise please let me know if you spot a mistake, either way, I'd be happy to be able to include your additions/corrections.
Everything below was sent in by friends, comes from my personal memory banks or in some cases, both.
Strictly Smith & Wesson (well, almost). . . in movies and TV
John Culligan's list of TV Shows
LIFE & LEGEND OF WYATT EARP, Hugh O'Brian as Wyatt used a Colt Buntline - the one on the show was modified and had a aluminum barrel to make it lighter. (JC)
YANCY DERINGER, Jock Mahoney as Yancy & "X" Brands as Pahoo. Yancy used a four barrelled Sharps Deringer, his Indian companion Pahoo carried a short, sawed-off, outside hammer shotgun like Johnny Yuma. (DC, JC)
JOHNNY RINGO, Don Durant as Ringo used a LeMat revolver. Stembridge adapted it to fire nine .44 rimfire cartridges. A full-load .45 blank was inserted into a metal sleeve fashioned to look like a shotgun shell.
THE REBEL, Nick Adams as Johnny Yuma used a shotgun with the barrel cut to just past end of forearm and only a pistol grip and at times he carried a Remington 1875. (JC)
SHOTGUN SLADE, Scott Brady as Detective Shotgun Slade used a sawed off over and under shotgun, Slade did not utilize the normal six-shooter as his weapon of choice. He relied instead on an over-and-under combination shotgun/rifle (the lower barrel fired a 12-gauge shotgun shell) rifle (the top barrel fired a.32 caliber rifle bullet) giving Slade both heavy stop "ping power" at close range and distance when needed. (JC)
THE RIFLEMAN, Chuck Connors as Lucas McCain used a Model 92 Winchester carbine with large loop and an aluminum barrel for lighter weight. (JC)
WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE, Steve McQueen as Josh Randall used a sawed off Model 92 Winchester, with enlarged loop, butt end sawed off too carried in a special holster . It was called the "Maires Laig". (DC, JC)
BAT MASTERSON, Gene Barry as Bat carried a Remington Navy .36 for a while then a Colt SAA 45 with 4 ¾" barrel. (JC)
TRACKDOWN, Robert Culp as Hoby Gilman used a S&W New Model #3 (JC)
RESTLESS GUN, John Payne as Vint Bonner used a Colt 45 that had a removeable longer barrel & detachable buttstock. (JC)
GRAY GHOST, Tod Andrews as Maj. John Singleton Mosby used two nickel plated 1875 Remingtons (JC)
After the 50's the Lonesome Dove trilogy (and the later on tv series based on it)the mold, featuring S&W Americans, Russians, Schofields. (JC)
John Culligan's Movie List
The Unforgiven with Eastwood featured the S&W Schofield (JC) (a Spencer and a Starr! -DC)
Jesse James with Tyrone Power as Jesse had him carrying a Colt peacemaker and nickel plated S&W New Model #3 (instead of the Schofield he actually did) on the gunbelt he took off just before Bob Ford shot him. (JC)
The Return of Frank James (filmed at the same time as Jesse James but released a year later) with Henry Fonda as Frank James in both, had John Carradine as Bob for carrying the same S&W NW#3 it looks like. (JC)
Hanny Caulder with Robert Culp has him again carrying a S&W New Model #3. (JC)
Triumphs of a Man Called Horse (3rd in the series) had a mysterious killer using what looked like the action of a Melwin-Hulbert but it was a rifle. (JC)
The Last Hunt, had Lloyd Nolan as the cook of a buffalo hunting party carrying a S&W New Model # 3. (JC)
Sources: DC: Dave Chicoine. EC: Ed Clark article in SWCA Journal & OTS Dispatch. JC: John Culligan. JS: Jim Supica~ taken from letters sent in to the Old Town Station Dispatch.