Have to chuckle

[doc hamer]

whenever i watch a weatern movie or on tv and they are using a lever gun. They almost always refer to it as a Winchaster though it cold have been a Henry or a Marlin. Also usually the model shown is anacronistic. Guess it would have been difficult to find a period correct one in blanks. Oh well I still watch and enjoy regardless.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Keep in mind that Winchester had the market basically cornered on lever action rifles for quite a few years before Marlin came out with one in 1881.
Henry rifles were not made in very high numbers, with only about 14,000 being produced, and were only produced until 1866.

How many Winchesters were produced?

1866 "Yellowboy" - About 170,000
1873 - About 720,000
1876 - About 63-64,000

Winchesters were vastly more plentiful than Henrys, and were in production for 14 years before Marlin ever produced one.

So it makes sense that the word "Winchester" would be synonymous with lever action rifles.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

"Mauser" is a generic term for any bolt-action rifle in many parts of the world, regardless of the actual manufacturer.

 

[unspellable]

Everybody knows the "Missouri Troubles" were resolved with Winchesters before the civil war. If you don't believe me, just watch the movie.

 

[3Crows]

There was never a Henry Rifle Company until 1996. The "Henry" rifle was a product of the New Haven Arms Company which was renamed and became Winchester. The Henry Company of 1996 has no historical linage to the Henry/Winchester rifle. The Henry Co of 1996 rimfire rifles are pot metal Ithaca designs and the Henry centerfire products are basically a copy of the Marlin 1895/336 actions.

Most Westerns were set in time periods before the Winchester 1892 and 1894 existed much less the Marlin 1894 and 1895 rifles existed. And the Henry Repeating Arms Company of 1996 did not exist for over a hundred plus years yet. Most of the Western movies and television shows were using anachronisms. But, still, The Rifleman was fun to watch though the rifle he used did not exist during the setting of the series.

 

[doc hamer]

There was never a Henry Rifle Company until 1996. The "Henry" rifle was a product of the New Haven Arms Company which was renamed and became Winchester. The Henry Company of 1996 has no historical linage to the Henry/Winchester rifle. The Henry Co of 1996 rimfire rifles are pot metal Ithaca designs and the Henry centerfire products are basically a copy of the Marlin 1895/336 actions.

Most Westerns were set in time periods before the Winchester 1892 and 1894 existed much less the Marlin 1894 and 1895 rifles existed. And the Henry Repeating Arms Company of 1996 did not exist for over a hundred plus years yet. Most of the Western movies and television shows were using anachronisms. But, still, The Rifleman was fun to watch though the rifle he used did not exist during the setting of the series.

well I guess Hollywood can't get it right 100% correct 100% of the time. It reminds me of Quick & the Dead scene whwee Cort (Russell Crowe) calls for another bullet. .38 Long if I recall right yet in reality it should have been a .38 short. Lol.

 

[Gerd33]

It wasn't a Western themed TV show, but a number of years ago I was watching a show that had two characters in a conversation.

At the start of the conversation, Character 1 is holding a Marlin 336.
Cuts to Character 2 for their Dialog
Back to Char 1....Now holding a Winchester.
goes to 2 again, and then cuts back to Char 1 who's now back to holding the Marlin.

All within about 15 seconds of screen time.

Got a good laugh out of that.

 

[CraigC]

There was never a Henry Rifle Company until 1996. The "Henry" rifle was a product of the New Haven Arms Company which was renamed and became Winchester. The Henry Company of 1996 has no historical linage to the Henry/Winchester rifle. The Henry Co of 1996 rimfire rifles are pot metal Ithaca designs and the Henry centerfire products are basically a copy of the Marlin 1895/336 actions.

Most Westerns were set in time periods before the Winchester 1892 and 1894 existed much less the Marlin 1894 and 1895 rifles existed. And the Henry Repeating Arms Company of 1996 did not exist for over a hundred plus years yet. Most of the Western movies and television shows were using anachronisms. But, still, The Rifleman was fun to watch though the rifle he used did not exist during the setting of the series.

Bingo! The Henry was indeed actually a Winchester. Benjamin Tyler Henry designed the "Henry rifle" as an improvement on the Volcanic but he was only an employee of what became Winchester. Never had a firearms business of his own.

well I guess Hollywood can't get it right 100% correct 100% of the time. It reminds me of Quick & the Dead scene whwee Cort (Russell Crowe) calls for another bullet. .38 Long if I recall right yet in reality it should have been a .38 short. Lol.

The 1851 would have been a .38 Long Colt. I was surprised and impressed that they got that part right.

 

[doc hamer]

Bingo! The Henry was indeed actually a Winchester. Benjamin Tyler Henry designed the "Henry rifle" as an improvement on the Volcanic but he was only an employee of what became Winchester. Never had a firearms business of his own.



The 1851 would have been a .38 Long Colt. I was surprised and impressed that they got that part right.

thought i had read that authentic 1951 navy conversions was .38 short but then again you can't always believe what you read on the interwebs. lol.

 

[CraigC]

thought i had read that authentic 1951 navy conversions was .38 short but then again you can't always believe what you read on the interwebs. lol.

No, you certainly can't. The 1851/1861 Navy conversions were .38 Long Colt, centerfire or rimfire. The pocket models were Short.

 

[Speedo66]

I was watching an old western where in the beginning, they set the date in the 1860’s.

Low and behold, the characters start out holding Winchester 94’s.

I guess they figure the average viewer either won’t know or won’t care.

Sort of like Steve McQueen in “Wanted, Dead or Alive”, he carried a ‘92, but his cartridge belt was filled with rifle cartridges.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Bingo! The Henry was indeed actually a Winchester.

Wasn't the action basically the same as the 1866?
I'm thinking the only thing they did different was add a forearm and a loading gate to load from the side.

 

[CraigC]

Wasn't the action basically the same as the 1866?
I'm thinking the only thing they did different was add a forearm and a loading gate to load from the side.

Yep, the 1866 was the next progression. Mostly adding the loading gate and a wood forend. Then the `73 and finally the upsized `76.

 

[Ks5shooter]

I love how when anticipating a bad situation/gun fight they rack the gun right B4 firing.I would already be chambered. tv and movies and guns....meh too much inaccurate portrayal.Just like shooting more ammo than you possibly carry.

 

[jmorris]

well I guess Hollywood can't get it right 100% correct 100% of the time.

What, movies are fake!

How am I ever going to get my hands on an 88 magnum?


Finger!

Yeah, I know it’s just an old Colt new service in 45lc...

I don’t want to spoil your world but the good guys don’t always win or get the girl either.

 

[3Crows]

I love how when anticipating a bad situation/gun fight they rack the gun right B4 firing.I would already be chambered. tv and movies and guns....meh too much inaccurate portrayal.Just like shooting more ammo than you possibly carry.

I think that was then and still often now is a common practice.

 

[CraigC]

What, movies are fake!

How am I ever going to get my hands on an 88 magnum?

View attachment 1204958
Finger!

Yeah, I know it’s just an old Colt new service in 45lc...

I don’t want to spoil your world but the good guys don’t always win or get the girl either.

His mother told him not to put his finger on the trigger......once.

 

[doubleh]

I have been watching movies for a long time. Gene Autry always made me think of a banker, Roy Rogers was a flashy dude, Dale Evans wasn't that great looking, and the Lone Ranger and Hopalong Cassidy were just lame. I shouldn't have read my dad's books about Hopalong became the movie version was nothing like the book version. I didn't have TV until I was married although I did watch my future father-in-law's while awaiting my future wife to finish primping sometimes. I learned to watch for the story and ignore the inevitable boo-boos long ago. Ever seen a contrail across the sky or a highline pole in a western set before either existed. I make it a point to ignore all the off the wall content in today's offering. That doesn't mean I don't notice it. I just don't let it ruin the story line. After all it's grown up make believe or call them adult fairy tales and some producers and directors go to greater lengths to get things right than others.

 

[Pat Riot]

I pick up on annoying mistakes in TV programs and movies. I used to announce these errors to my wife and friends. One day I realized I was being annoying and stopped doing that.

I do like finding the errors though.

 

[Legionnaire]

@Pat Riot, you just explained why my wife often looks at me funny. I've even been known to stop a streaming movie to scroll back and show her the error. She's very patient, even though she does roll her eyes sometimes.

 

[Jim Watson]

"Mauser" is a generic term for any bolt-action rifle in many parts of the world, regardless of the actual manufacturer.

Right.
Any lever action is a "Winchester" even if made by Marlin, Colt, Burgess, Bullard, etc.
Any cheap .22 is a "Flobert" even if not of one of his action types.
Any auto pistol is a "Browning" even or especially if a Spanish knockoff.
At some times and places, any handgun is a "revolver" even if an autoloading action.

Anachronisms and continuity errors are common.

 

[Pat Riot]

@Pat Riot, you just explained why my wife often looks at me funny. I've even been known to stop a streaming movie to scroll back and show her the error. She's very patient, even though she does roll her eyes sometimes.

Same here. She rolls her eyes too.

 

[Jim Watson]

My bad cinema habit is comparing the movie to the book. Seldom favorably.

 

[3Crows]

Right.
Any lever action is a "Winchester" even if made by Marlin, Colt, Burgess, Bullard, etc.
Any cheap .22 is a "Flobert" even if not of one of his action types.
Any auto pistol is a "Browning" even or especially if a Spanish knockoff.
At some times and places, any handgun is a "revolver" even if an autoloading action.

Anachronisms and continuity errors are common.

And soft drinks are cokes even if they are not a Coke .

 

[CraigC]

It is curious why we never saw many Marlins in westerns. If they can use 1892's way too early for them to have been present, they could've used Marlins just as easily. Same for Colt SAA's compared to S&W's and Remingtons. I'm just glad that in recent decades, they've gone to the trouble of being a little more authentic but that probably has a lot to do with the replica market. Up until the 1950's and `60's, they didn't have many options for props, except original guns. Wasn't really until the `70's that the Italians stepped in and we started seeing cap `n ball guns, along with cartridge conversions. Thanks to Clint Eastwood and later, Tom Selleck.

My grandpa was from LA (Lower Alabama) and called them "soda water". Never heard "pop" or "soda" until I met my first yankee. For me, only a Coke is a Coke, a Dew is a Dew and Pepsi need not apply.