New Project - Hell on Wheels Griswold

[Bottom Dealin Mike]

I like the series "Hell on Wheels". I think it has improved a lot over the three seasons it's been on the air. Somethings they do with guns still drive me nuts, but they have gotten better since the first season.

One of the issues in the first season was the "Griswold" revolver that Anson Mount's character Cullen Bohannon carried. It was supposed to be a confederate Griswold and Gunnison revolver, but really it was a brass-framed 1860 Army revolver, which looks nothing like a real G&G.

From what I've read, they couldn't get a G&G replica for the pilot episode, so hey went with the 1860, and then they were stuck with it.

Anyway, I decided to put together a revolver that could be transformed from the Hell on Wheels Griswold to something that looks more like a real Griswold & Gunnison.

I had to compromise on caliber. Real G&Gs were all .36 caliber, and the Hell on Wheels Griswold is .44 caliber...an obvious problem. I decided to stick with .44 Caliber.

To do the project I picked up a .44 caliber brass-framed Navy:



I had some junk 1860 Army parts in the parts box, and I had a .44 caliber G&G barrel, so here are the results:

Hell on Wheels Giswold:




More correct looking Griswold & Gunnison:

[Major 2]

"...From what I've read, they couldn't get a G&G replica for the pilot episode, so hey went with the 1860, and then they were stuck with it "

the last part of your comment is correct "...they were stuck with it "

However, for the first part, no, The armorer, did not know and did not do his research... He states in his on camera interview...
Holding up the Gun that never was ... "This is a Grizwold"   truth is he did not know better and assumed; he was embarrassed, and later tried to make it right but as you say  "stuck with it"
The Pietta G&G is and was available, even Uberti's and High Standards.

In the same interview, he stated the 66 Yellow boy, he was holding was the only "repeater" available after the CW...
He failed there too .... the Henry & Spencer were in greater numbers with the Spencer in the 10's of thousands.

Course, he might have meant only replica repeater available when he was prop buying  

[Fingers McGee]

Major,  don't forget the 1880's flint blunderbuss.

[Cliff Fendley]

Couldn't get a real G&G replica is totally WRONG.

Cabelas ALWAYS has them in stock. Our local Cabelas had two in the bargain cave last time I was there for 159.00 each.

More accurately they hired an armorer for the film that seams to know no more about civil war guns than I do about rocket ships.

Since the first season I guess the armorer and director watched some old Clint Eastwood films because in the last season Bohannon had a steel frame Remington and in one episode did the cylinder switch, an act that probably never really happened in the old west either but hey at least the gun was correct.

I have enjoyed watching the series though, it's just those silly little things that you see on the screen that you have to ask..WHY? When it's such common knowledge among folks with an interest in history, why don't they have prop personnel that know better. Especially on things such as this that cost is not a factor at all, it's just a matter of picking up the right gun.

Of course if Pietta would quit making these guns that never were and Cabelas would quit false advertizing it would help to not mislead folks.

[Rangerider]

 , G'Day fella's.
You guys over there are so lucky ( I had some junk 1860 Army parts in the parts box, and I had a .44 caliber G&G barrel, so here are the results:)  If thats what is in some parts boxes there ? Could you please send me whats left  . It's impossible over here in Oz to find much in reasonable condition, let alone parts ?

Mike as always,  GREAT STUFF, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK 

Kind Regards to all
John

[Major 2]

"...More accurately they hired an armorer for the film that seams to know no more about civil war guns than I do about rocket ship"


My point... personified 

[Palatine Tom]

Interessting subject
I agree correctness in movies is often an issue...


BTW How do you like the show Copper? and its correctness of New York 1865?


Have a great 2014



tom

[Bottom Dealin Mike]

I sort of liked "Copper" but I lost interest in it half way through the second season.

I just find it too unrelentingly dark and depressing. I'm not a city guy anyway, but living in 5 Points in 19th century New York City would have driven me crazy.

[Noz]

Does anyone else have difficulty with the current fad of filming everything at night?

Dark shadows, difficult seeing interspersed with bright flashes.

Doesn't seem to make any difference whether it is 1800s or 2014 in time frame, same appearance.

I react in two ways. One: Turn it off. Two: Go to sleep.

[Fingers McGee]

Dark & depressing.............. yep, sounds about right for 1860-1870 New York - glad to see not much has changed  

Agree with assessment of everything seemingly shot at night.  Crime happens during the daylight too, just look at Miami Vice..

[Cliff Fendley]

I know we are getting off topic but I agree with the way new action films are with the quick cutting from frame to frame and very dark. I guess it's supposed to try and bring you in closer as part of the action but I just can't follow it. The younger kids probably like it though.

[The Trinity Kid]

Not this kid, Cliff.  Then again, I'm partial to Roy Rogers anywho.    I didn't know they made .44 G&G barrels.  I'm thinking my next c&b revolver will be a G&G.

--TK