Spare Ammo in the movies

[Short Knife Johnson]

There was one of the gun battles in either Young Guns, or Young Guns II where one of the Lincoln County Regulators had run both pistols dry.  If you watch carefully, you can see the actor firing wildly until the actions are cycled two three times onto empty and spent chambers before the realization is made there are no more bullets.  Totally in character, the look is "Oh crap," the scrambed for cover.  mid the smoke and panic it was hard to catch, but was a genius touch.  Made me laugh when I saw it, and I had to back it up to show everyone else.  They didn't get it.

Favourite part of those movies was when they all got fried on Peyote Cactus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11rsHQ15gE0&feature=related

[RickB]

One of my pet peevs is people calling a magazine a clip. You should know that the two are not the same. You can load a magazine with a clip, but never a clip with a magazine. When someone uses clip when they are talking about a magazine they are showing their lack of knowledge. Just my 2 cents worth.

[Harley Starr]

A couple of good guide lines for a real gunfight.

1) Hold on to the dang gun, the gun you loose ain't worth crap to you

2) Never give up your gun, better to die fighting than on your knees

3) Count your shots if possible, it's really bad to shoot your gun dry during a gunfight

It wouldn't hurt for movies to learn these. I've seen more Reel good guys than I can remember either loose thier gun or give it up than I can remember.

Can I quote you on that?

[Advertising]

[Short Knife Johnson]

Finally got around to watching "Open Range" last night.  Hadn't seen it before.  The usual predictable format - Good guys, Bad guys, the girl, and raging gunfight to settle the feud.  Kudos to the sound guy for getting the BP roar just right.  Anyway, there was lots of tactical reloads done during the big fight.  I turned a blind eye to the one instance of the high-cap SAA, but likely due to the way the film was cut for different perspectives of the same moment. 

[Devil Anse Hatfield]

I watched Hidalgo last night, almost saw it all for the first time. At any rate in the big gun fight rescue part . He was actually reloading a SAA as he was running . Dont realy know if he was getting the job done or just attempting to do so.

[Short Knife Johnson]

It probably could be done by an experienced hand.  The pistol likely being a big bore would have made things easier.  I'd say a top break S&W would be ideal for such an exercise.  Try it and let us know how you do. 

[Drayton Calhoun]

Always wanted to see someone fan a LeMat...

[Harley Starr]

Always wanted to see someone fan a LeMat...

Me too.

[Stillwater]

...or how about passing up the dead guys guns?  If I were in a real life situation, I'd be collecting as much armament and ammo as I could carry.  If there's one thing that I yell at the TV it's: "Get his guns!"  All due respect to the fallen, but their weapons and ammo can be put to good use! 

I always say that too...

Bill

[Harley Starr]

There was one of the gun battles in either Young Guns, or Young Guns II where one of the Lincoln County Regulators had run both pistols dry.  If you watch carefully, you can see the actor firing wildly until the actions are cycled two three times onto empty and spent chambers before the realization is made there are no more bullets.  Totally in character, the look is "Oh crap," the scrambed for cover.  mid the smoke and panic it was hard to catch, but was a genius touch.  Made me laugh when I saw it, and I had to back it up to show everyone else.  They didn't get it.

Favourite part of those movies was when they all got fried on Peyote Cactus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11rsHQ15gE0&feature=related

Love that movie.

[kcub]

The Last Outlaw with Mickey Rourke is all about spare ammo.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110307/

I'd like to see a bad guy get it from the shot barrel of a LeMat from underneath a poker table.

[Harley Starr]

The Last Outlaw with Mickey Rourke is all about spare ammo.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110307/

I'd like to see a bad guy get it from the shot barrel of a LeMat from underneath a poker table.

Eustus- "Inventory!"

They need to show more LeMat's in the movies.

[Drayton Calhoun]

Of course I would also love to see someone ordered to drop his weapon, which he does and the blasted thing goes off taking out the one giving the order. There is also a scene in Top Secret where the one dude is loading a Thompson with a powder horn, nearly wet myself!

[RickB]

Of course I would also love to see someone ordered to drop his weapon, which he does and the blasted thing goes off taking out the one giving the order. There is also a scene in Top Secret where the one dude is loading a Thompson with a powder horn, nearly wet myself!

They did a scene just like that in the old "Sledge Hammer" TV series back in the 80s. I have both seasons on DVD and in one of the early shows Hammer is told to drop his gun and when he does he positions it so it goes off and shoots the gun out of the bad guys hands. Pretty funny show. A true classic. Makes good fun of Dirty Harry.

I also remember the scene from Top Secret you mention. That whole movie is hilarious. One of the best.

[River City John]

Just watched the other day The Westerner, with Gary Cooper as Cole Harden and Walter Brennan as Judge Roy Bean.
At the ending where they shoot it out in the concert hall they reload after only shooting five rounds at each other!!
 

And there was a lot of reloading in Major Dundee, although it was supposed to be 1864-65 yet everyone had cartridge conversions.

RCJ
 

[Drayton Calhoun]

They did a scene just like that in the old "Sledge Hammer" TV series back in the 80s. I have both seasons on DVD and in one of the early shows Hammer is told to drop his gun and when he does he positions it so it goes off and shoots the gun out of the bad guys hands. Pretty funny show. A true classic. Makes good fun of Dirty Harry.

I also remember the scene from Top Secret you mention. That whole movie is hilarious. One of the best.

Trust me, I know what I'm doing...yeah, I'm a Sledge fan too!

[RickB]

Trust me, I know what I'm doing...yeah, I'm a Sledge fan too!

If you're looking for the DVDs check e-bay. I got both seasons for around $30.00 or so and they are great. I want that gun. Looks like a S&W 629 with a 6 inch barrel. Of course the ivory grips with the sledge hammer on them would complete the package.

[Drayton Calhoun]

The Last Outlaw with Mickey Rourke is all about spare ammo.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110307/

I'd like to see a bad guy get it from the shot barrel of a LeMat from underneath a poker table.

Ooooooo, that's gonna leave a mark!

[Fiddler Green]

Try to find Missouri Breaks... Brando, Nickleson(spelling sorry Jack) & Quaid oh yeah, and  Harry Dean Stanton...There is a reference in the beginning to the Spare ammo. Also the movie Open Range and Lonesome Dove you will see references to it. But why do you never see them reload those cap and ball shooters in the movies.

Watch the movie "Gettysburg". You'll see Chamberlin fumbling with his 1860 during the fight for Little Round Top.

In "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" you see Blondie not only load his pistol but clean it too!

In Rio Lobo, JW takes two boxes of ammo for his rifle and reloads it during the fight.

Bruce

[Drayton Calhoun]

Sort of on the subject, but, Richard Widmark in The Alamo when he cuts loose with his multi-barreled flintlock carbine, or whatever it was...it was impressive, but what a drag to reload in a fight!