Author Topic: Movie gun handling  (Read 7050 times)

Offline PJ Hardtack

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Movie gun handling
« on: November 24, 2016, 11:24:50 AM »
People get all bent out of shape over guns being incorrect for the era, but what about gun handling?

"The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" was on the tube this am. In the scene where John Wayne is giving James Stewart a shooting  lesson, he comes out of the holster, twirling the gun and then keeps the gun level, pointing it carelessly while instructing one of his pals to place paint cans on fence posts.
Stewart no sooner places the last can when JW starts shooting from the hip, fanning the gun and shooting the cans, the last one right above Stewart's head.

Do we get upset about this or do we simply take it as the stuff of movies and appreciate the story line?
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I don't do these things to others and I require the same from them."  John Wayne

Offline Buffalo Creek Law Dog

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Re: Movie gun handling
« Reply #1 on: November 24, 2016, 01:10:17 PM »
Just watched it myself.  I don't don't get bent out of shape at these things and realize that it is just Hollywood. The classic one was the shooting of the flipped in the air coins with the Winchester '73, in the movie by the same name.  Especially the part where Jimmy Stewart shoots the flipped disc with a hole in the centre,with the hole not being much larger than the diameter of the bullet yet, the bullet goes through with out touching the inside of the disc. When no one believes it, he sticks a postage stamp over the hole, it is flipped into the air, and he does it again with the bullet going through the stamp.  I just say to myself..."Horse Hockey" or words to that effect.
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Offline PJ Hardtack

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Re: Movie gun handling
« Reply #2 on: November 24, 2016, 01:29:59 PM »
"When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."   Line from "Liberty Valance".

Think of all the impossible, highly unlikely things we see in dusters. Odd that in most cases (Steve McQueen and Chuck Connors excepted) rifles are aimed whereas revolvers are merely pointed, shot from the hip and fanned.

The only aimed pistol shot that readily comes to mind is the deliberate shot by James Coburn at a fleeing Bandito in "The Magnificent Seven".

"That was the best shot I've ever seen!" "No, worst. I was aiming at the horse."
"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, I won't be laid a hand on.
I don't do these things to others and I require the same from them."  John Wayne

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Re: Movie gun handling
« Reply #3 on: Today at 05:46:21 AM »

Offline Major 2

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Re: Movie gun handling
« Reply #3 on: November 24, 2016, 03:02:56 PM »
Just watched it myself.  I don't don't get bent out of shape at these things and realize that it is just Hollywood. The classic one was the shooting of the flipped in the air coins with the Winchester '73, in the movie by the same name.  Especially the part where Jimmy Stewart shoots the flipped disc with a hole in the centre,with the hole not being much larger than the diameter of the bullet yet, the bullet goes through with out touching the inside of the disc. When no one believes it, he sticks a postage stamp over the hole, it is flipped into the air, and he does it again with the bullet going through the stamp.  I just say to myself..."Horse Hockey" or words to that effect.

Not phooey at all nor Hollywood magic. the late great Herb Parsons made the shot for real,  off camera.
when planets align...do the deal !

Offline Coal Creek Griff

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Re: Movie gun handling
« Reply #4 on: November 24, 2016, 03:13:19 PM »
The gun Parsons used is displayed at the Cody firearms museum.  It has one of the "coins" he shot (actually a token from the studio) inlet into the stock.  Here's an article about it: http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/gun-shots/gun-week-herb-parsons%E2%80%99s-winchester-model-71-lever-action-rifle.

I think the point of the OP was, if I understood it correctly, that we are willing to accept poor gun handling in the name of entertainment, but get bent out of shape when they use an incorrect gun for the time period.  That's a point well taken; I have fallen into that myself.

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Offline PJ Hardtack

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Re: Movie gun handling
« Reply #5 on: November 24, 2016, 04:54:00 PM »
My point perzackly!

Anyone who has shot tens of thousands of rds in practice and competition (the average CAS/IDPA/IPSC competitor) knows when they are seeing Hollywood movie BS. The idea that movie heroes are somehow magical beings that can pull off fantastic shots is the stuff of childhood Saturday matinees.

Guys like Herb Parsons, Jerry Miculek and others are few and far between.
"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, I won't be laid a hand on.
I don't do these things to others and I require the same from them."  John Wayne

Offline Will Ketchum

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Re: Movie gun handling
« Reply #6 on: November 24, 2016, 11:16:16 PM »
Not a movie thing but I read letters in gun magazines where the writer gets all bent out of shape when a previous issue had an old picture of guys with their fingers in the trigger guard.  This is a modern thing. If you see pictures from WW2 everyone has their fingers in the guard. While in the Marines I was never told to hold m finger out.  Everyone on patrols always had their fingers in the trigger guard.
It wasn't until I started shooting IPSC and then CAS that i was ever told to do this.  I understand the safety issues and don't disagree with them but people should understand that this is relatively new.

Oh I once saw Bob Munden shoot through a hole in a washer and then repeat it with tape over the hole.

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Offline Buffalo Creek Law Dog

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Re: Movie gun handling
« Reply #7 on: November 25, 2016, 07:47:36 AM »
Not a movie thing but I read letters in gun magazines where the writer gets all bent out of shape when a previous issue had an old picture of guys with their fingers in the trigger guard.  This is a modern thing. If you see pictures from WW2 everyone has their fingers in the guard. While in the Marines I was never told to hold m finger out.  Everyone on patrols always had their fingers in the trigger guard.
It wasn't until I started shooting IPSC and then CAS that i was ever told to do this.  I understand the safety issues and don't disagree with them but people should understand that this is relatively new.

Oh I once saw Bob Munden shoot through a hole in a washer and then repeat it with tape over the hole.

Will Ketchum

Was the washer flipped into the air when he shot it?  Just asking.
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Offline Galen

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Re: Movie gun handling
« Reply #8 on: November 25, 2016, 09:58:49 AM »
Ketchum is right, finger outside the trigger guard is relatively new. I've been shooting as a teen the early 60's and believe this is a 90's thing.

Offline Will Ketchum

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Re: Movie gun handling
« Reply #9 on: November 25, 2016, 11:21:55 AM »
Was the washer flipped into the air when he shot it?  Just asking.

Yes, both times.

Will Ketchum
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Offline PJ Hardtack

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Re: Movie gun handling
« Reply #10 on: November 25, 2016, 11:29:11 AM »
It came about in IPSC due to AD's during mag changes. For a while, it was recommended to apply the safety prior to changing mags.

Back when it was still "Combat Pistol Shooting" (before it morphed into IPSC), straight finger draw was the rule, but I recall the occasional AD between the draw and engaging the first target. The shooter's reaction always a give-away despite protestations to the contrary.

Finger out of the guard when on the move is always a good idea. The current rule in IPSC/IDPA is finger out of the guard at all times when not engaging a target.

We have a CAS shooter who insists on wearing his tight fitting leather gauntlets. In the small trigger guard of a SAA this would not see to be a good idea. Sho' nuff in our annual shoot last year he had a premature let off, incurring a miss.

If you watch any of the current cop shows, they make a point of finger out of the guard when on the move.

But back to movie gun handling ..... I have a memory of movie bad guys like Jack Elam short stroking their '92s, making that ominous sound as a precursor to upcoming gun play. That was long before anyone though about "short stroke" kits.
"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, I won't be laid a hand on.
I don't do these things to others and I require the same from them."  John Wayne

Offline PJ Hardtack

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Re: Movie gun handling
« Reply #11 on: November 25, 2016, 11:34:53 AM »
I saw Bob Munden perform twice live. Incredible to watch him hit three balloons, sounding like one shot!

I asked him how he did it. Answer - "I clear my mind and just do it. If I thought about it, I'd fumble it."


Was the washer flipped into the air when he shot it?  Just asking.
"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, I won't be laid a hand on.
I don't do these things to others and I require the same from them."  John Wayne

Offline Buffalo Creek Law Dog

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Re: Movie gun handling
« Reply #12 on: November 25, 2016, 01:11:12 PM »
Yes, both times.

Will Ketchum

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