Paladin Uses a '76 Carbine

[Coal Creek Griff]

I have the first few seasons of "Have Gun Will Travel" on DVD and I'm working my way through, trying to watch only a couple at a time so that I don't get them all watched up too soon.

Last night, in season two, there is an episode called, "Duel at Florence".  Paladin needs to borrow a rifle, so he borrows one from an old-timer (those guys are looking progressively less old, but that's a different topic).  The gun he borrows and uses in the ensuing gunfight was a Winchester 1876 carbine.  Someone with more knowledge could probably identify the caliber since he is seen loading it and ejecting rounds.  At one point, when he needs to jump between rooftops, the '76 magically becomes a '92 when he does the jump, then changes back into a '76, but most of the time it remains the same model.

It was pretty cool.  He usually just uses his 7 1/2" Colt, but I liked his pick when he needed a rifle.

I tried to find the episode on YouTube so that I could link it here, but I can't find it.  As I said, it was season two, and I think it was episode 5, in case someone else does a better job tracking it down.

CC Griff

[Buffalo Creek Law Dog]

In some episodes, he pulls a Marlin out of the scabbard, with a silver chess Knight on the stock .

[Coal Creek Griff]

In some episodes, he pulls a Marlin out of the scabbard, with a silver chess Knight on the stock .

I haven't gotten to those episodes yet.  I've seen random episodes over the years, but I've enjoyed working my way through these sets.  He also used a different derringer in the first episodes (I can't remember the model off the top of my head), but pretty quickly switched to a Remington.

CC Griff

[Advertising]

[St. George]

He used whatever the prop man handed him.

'Back In The Day', the viewer couldn't capture random screen shots, and whatever the actor had in his hand on, on any given day was just fine, insofar as the scene went.

The only time it ever mattered, was when the piece was integrally tied to 'that' actor - then, they made cap guns using it as the model.

Scouts Out!

[Coal Creek Griff]

He used whatever the prop man handed him.

Well, yes, when I appreciated Paladin's "choice" of guns, it was only the character's "choice".  I know that they liked to sometimes tie unusual guns to specific characters, even when the guns would be of little actual value (Josh Randall's cut-down '92 with 45-70 rounds in his belt comes to mind).

I still think that the choice of the '76 carbine was an interesting one.

CC Griff

[Coal Creek Griff]

As a point of interest, the derringer that Paladin "used" in the early episodes appears to be a Merrimac Arms "Southerner".  Here are some photos I found online of a similar gun.

CC Griff

[Will Ketchum]

It may have been a Colt.

[Coal Creek Griff]

Of course we're getting a little bit off topic here, but do Colt barrels swing to the side like that?  I'm afraid that I'm pretty ignorant regarding the  early small pistols.

[Reverend P. Babcock Chase]

Yes Coal Creek,
the Colt models worked the same way. The onliest ones I've ever seen were of moder vintage and they were all .22. Early ones may have been a larger caliber. Someone here will know.

Reverend Chase

[dusty texian]

My old Uncle carried one in his pocket up until he went to rest . I think it was a .41 cal short cartridge  side twist Colt's  . ,,DT

[Coal Creek Griff]

At least I properly identified the '76... I think

CC Griff

[Coal Creek Griff]

Just for interest, here are some still images showing the '76 carbine and the derringer/pistol that were used in the early episodes.

CC Griff

[Niederlander]

The cool thing is that, at that time, pretty much everything they used were originals.  Would love to have to gotten to look through the prop room.......

[Coal Creek Griff]

I often shudder to think of the treasures abused to the point of destruction during the production of movies and TV shows over the years.

CC Griff

[Buffalo Creek Law Dog]

I often shudder to think of the treasures abused to the point of destruction during the production of movies and TV shows over the years.

CC Griff

Clayton Moore stated in his book "I Was That Masked Man" that he had two sets of guns, the ones he wore and used, and another set for throwing on the ground when captured or at the risk of being damaged or marred.

[Abilene]

Paul Newman shot Richared Boone with a button-mag '76 in Hombre.  So Boone's characters have been on both ends of a '76 

And yeah, hate to think of the abuse of all those originals over the years.