Who made the rifle?

[docone31]

Robert Redford, in Jeremiah Johnson, who made the .50cal rifle.
In looking at the screen shots, it looks like a CVA Hawken. It looks like an aluminum fore end cap.
Just curious.

[405]

It's been so long since I watched the movie I can't perfectly picture it but IIRC there was something a little hoaky about its appearance. Again IIRC and seem to remember thinking at the time it looked like one of the 'Eyetalian' "whoknowswhatisit" guns? :) Fairly sure it didn't look like any original Hawken I'd I ever seen in hand or in a photo. Shoot, the T/C Hawken doesn't like any known Hawken either and T/C if not the first, was one of the first to market the name!

[KCSO]

The gun hae had was a Thompson Center Hawken modified by Green River If I remember right. Somewhere I still have the Buckskin Report where JB was pitching a fit about the HAWKEN. They did try and modify it somewhat to make it a little more Hawken like.

[docone31]

There are several points on the rifle.
First, back then accuracy was not an issue. They kinda came close on some of the films.
Looking at stills, it has an half stock, aluminum nose piece, on the left side is a brass inlay, not period for Hawken. The stock profile, lends itself to the CVA Mountain rifle, rather than the TC rifle. The guard looks like CVA also.
How I loved that movie back then. It definately got me started on muzzleloaders. I still do them to this day. I even met Samuel Hawken III from Colorado a decade ago.
I just wonder if anyone knows the specific rifle. I always wondered that. Well, not at first, but as time went on.
Who knows.
It was a great movie.
Too bad they left out the fact of his moccasins.
Double layered on top, so he could kick hard.

[Dean D.]

I wonder if the nose piece isn't pewter rather than aluminum? I believe poured nose caps were not uncommon. Either way it would be neat to hear more about the rifle.

It boggles my mind watching the movie when he initially bought a .30something cal. to take to the mountains. Lucky for him he found ole Jack and could upgrade to his gun. ;)

It sure would be neat if they would do a new fur trade era movie of a quality on par with "The Patriot". Sadly the PC crowd would probably scream their heads off if it was done accurately.

[SamTexas49]

THey did do one later "The Mountain Men" 1980 with Chuck Heston and Brian Keith.

"Many of the extras in the rendezvous scenes are reenactors known as "Buckskinners". These folks had a grand old time making this film. Most of the costumes seen in the rendezvous scenes,including weapons, and many of the horses, were the personal property of the actors wearing them." So chances are things at least appeared more authentic in this one.

[waksupi]

THey did do one later "The Mountain Men" 1980 with Chuck Heston and Brian Keith.

"Many of the extras in the rendezvous scenes are reenactors known as "Buckskinners". These folks had a grand old time making this film. Most of the costumes seen in the rendezvous scenes,including weapons, and many of the horses, were the personal property of the actors wearing them." So chances are things at least appeared more authentic in this one.


Back then, the buckskinners were just coming out of the dark ages of Disney movie reference for their outfits, so there was a lot of stuff that wasn't really period correct. I know a lot of the people who were in the movie and they look back at their outfits, and laugh about them now. Re-enacting has reached a point now that some participants have really done their research, and have it absolutely correct.
Then there are those who still don't have a clue, don't care to get a clue, and wouldn't know what a clue was, if they had one. They just want to dress passably to be able to attend a shoot simply to shoot, and really care nothing about the historical accuracy, or the camp life. They can usually be easily distinguished, by their inclination to camp in a Class A RV.

[405]

THey did do one later "The Mountain Men" 1980 with Chuck Heston and Brian Keith.

"Many of the extras in the rendezvous scenes are reenactors known as "Buckskinners". These folks had a grand old time making this film. Most of the costumes seen in the rendezvous scenes,including weapons, and many of the horses, were the personal property of the actors wearing them." So chances are things at least appeared more authentic in this one.

Agreed! I enjoyed that movie, not badly done at all... still laugh, thinking back on some of the sayings and 19th century humor put in it. Seems like the actors had a good time doing it also.