|
|
Post by cougar on Mar 30, 2009 16:04:08 GMT -5
I didn't know whether or not to put this question in the History or Movie catagory. Doesn't anyone have any information about the multibarrled shotgun used by Richard Widmark in "The Alamo"? There was a picture of it in a book on the British Navy during the American Revolution, therefore it wasn't made up in the film. However, there was nothing else about it except to say it was used to fight off boarders in close combat. Does anyone have any more information about it?
|
|
|
|
Post by stuart on Mar 30, 2009 16:37:51 GMT -5
It was a "volley-gun" as designed by Nock in the late 18th century. It was intended to be fired from the fighting tops of warships into the packed and sweaty mob of boarders swarming on the deck below. Unfortunately it had an unhelthy tendency to break the shoulder of anybody firing it, and an equally nasty tendency for the muzzle-blast to set fire to sails. Consequently the few that survive are in splendid condition because they were lovingly preserved as curiousities rather than used.
Sailors and marines, politely thanked Mr Nock and stuck to conventional muskets
|
|
|
|
Post by Allen Wiener on Mar 30, 2009 17:07:58 GMT -5
Joe Musso and Bill Chemerka know quite a bit about that gun, which was called a Nock volley gun. Apparently, there were some (one?) in Texas around that time, but no evidence that Bowie had one. As I recall, they had a real one for the movie, but it was so heavy and cumbersome to lug around, that a light-weight copy of it was made for Widmark. He fires it a couple of times in the film, but I don't know if that was a real one or a prop. From the way you described the kick, I'm guessing it was prop gun.
AW
|
|
|
|
Post by sloanrodgers on Mar 30, 2009 18:04:22 GMT -5
Several years ago (early 90s) I saw a long quad-barreled shotgun with four triggers at an old west show
and auction and was amazed by the weapon. It was normal 12 gauge shotgun length and had some very interesting Indian and western decorations. It was supposedly used as a stage coach gun, so the owner wanted at least a couple thousand for it. I'm sure that monster could do some wicked damage and doubt anyone held up that particular coach and came out unscathed.
|
|
|
|
Post by Rich Curilla on Apr 2, 2009 1:33:10 GMT -5
As I recall, they had a real one for the movie, but it was so heavy and cumbersome to lug around, that a light-weight copy of it was made for Widmark. He fires it a couple of times in the film, but I don't know if that was a real one or a prop. From the way you described the kick, I'm guessing it was prop gun. AW I assure you it WASN'T a real one in the movie. There was a steel version for firing and a rubber or wood version for toting around. It was fired with a special effects hook-up. Widmark had a lot of trouble carrying the steel one, since it was very heavy, and he was allowed to use the double for all scenes that didn't require it to be in close-up or shoot. I always though it was called a "gollywhata gun." ;D |
|
|
|
Post by Rich Curilla on Apr 2, 2009 1:41:34 GMT -5
I got to go into the inner-sanctum of the prop truck on The Alamo (2004). This was a lock-up in the front of the truck where the principles' props were kept. Don Miloyevich's assistant handed me a pistol that was for Bowie. It either wasn't shot or cut later because it is not in the film.
The gun reminded me of the Nock Volley Gun. It had five or six barrels that rotated. Each barrel had its own frizzen and priming pan, but there was only one lock with a flint. Can't remember if you had to rotated the barrels manually or if it was activated by cocking somehow. I was told that it was original and on loan from some museum -- and not to be fired. Wish I'd have asked more questions. Anybody know anything about it? It was much bigger than a pepperbox.
|
|
|
|
Post by tman56 on Apr 3, 2009 23:00:51 GMT -5
We interrupt the response to Rich's question by adding a little information regarding Widmark/Bowie's Nock volley gun. If you get a good print of the movie on a fairly good sized screen, watch closely when he fires it from on top of the wall above the gate. As he moves it from his shoulder you can see the gas line coming off the back of the stock. So I guess it was a "gollywhata gas gun".
We now return to Rich's question...
tman56
|
|
|
|
Post by cougar on Apr 9, 2009 17:59:00 GMT -5
Thank you for the information. Also, to rlcgtt, in the late 80s, early 90s, there was an article in "American Rifleman" about a similar pistol. It was, like the Nock volley gun, used by ships crews and their landing parties. I don't remember much else about it however.
|
|
|
|
Post by cougar on Apr 10, 2009 16:33:25 GMT -5
Is there any information about the gauge or caliber of the Nock Volley Gun?
|
|
|
|
Post by cougar on Apr 14, 2009 17:09:18 GMT -5
Found it. The Nock Volley Gun is .52 caliber.
|
|
|
|
Post by billchemerka on Apr 14, 2009 21:02:35 GMT -5
The Nock Volley Guns created by Henry Nock from around the mid 1770's to the mid-1790's primarily ranged in caliber from .32 to .40. Larger calibers made the weapon too heavy to carry. Added weight came from each of the seven barrel's charges: 10-30 grains and one to three patched balls. The weapon weighed about 12 pounds unloaded, only a couple of pounds heavier than a Bess. The manifold breech system allowed all the barrels to be fired simultaneously. No wonder Frankie Avalon's Smitty in The Alamo said: "Gollee, what a gun!"
James Wilson also received permisssion from Britain's Board of Ordinance to produce a seven-barreled gun in 1779. The gun was in Lord Howe's Gibralter Campaign of 1782.
In 1959, Batjac leased an original from Stembridge Gun Rentals. Another fake one was rigged with the black electrical tape and subsequent firing mechanism.
|
|
