Does anyone have plans of the "Hondo" or "Shepard of the Hills" loop levers? I have the "True Grit", Stagecoach" and "Rio Bravo" levers so far. Yes, spin cocking a Winchester 1892 is good therapy!

Doc

I'd be very interested in hearing what you got.

Rick

Doc Brady,
I'm interested also. I was under the impression that the lever found on the John Wayne Commemorative was the same style and shape found on all John Wayne rifles used in his movies. I know that the Winchester 94 and the 92 are different but the shape of the lever is the same. If there are any differences please enlighten me.

As I have a few guns myself, I would agree that spin cocking a "winchester" would be great fun, except ofcourse if it were loaded, then it could actually ruin your day> :P :blink: :dead:

Hi,

As a townee and a person who thinks that the only use for countryside is to seperate the towns you will appreciate that I know nothing about rifles except that the one used by John Wayne in Stagecoach enabled him to make one of the greatest film entrances.

But....

In The Big Trail vol XI#3 dated October 1994 Tim Lilley includes an article entitled 'THE JOHN WAYNE MOVIE CARBINES
by Richard Rattenbury who is Curator of history at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame.

The article was first printed in The Winchester Repeater Spring 1991.


''...............probably is no Winchester firearm more familiar to movie audiences than the trademark, large loop Model 1892 carbine employed by Duke in more than a half a dozen of his westerns roles.

In fact as was apparently common practice with movie costumes and equipment, two such weapons actually were modified and used by Wayne over the years. Serially numbered 987XXX (1927) and 991XXX (1928), the lever loops on this pair of saddle ring carbines were altered to the enlarged, ovate pattern so that Wayne could cock the pieces in a swinging rotary motion. The later piece serial number 991XXX, also had its barrel and magazine shortened to 18 1/2 inches, so as to rotate freely* beneath the actors shoulder with his arm relatively extended.

While intended to be virtually identical in appearance, the lever loops vary slightly in proportion and dimension; that on the earlier carbine is 4 1/2 inches long, while the later version measures 4 7/8 inches. Both are chambered for the .44 WCF cartridge and bear standard and barrel and tang markins for the period.

......Over ensuing years, these guns featured prominently in such films as Hondo, Rio Bravo and el Dorado. In these and other westerns, Wayne usually fired the carbines from the shoulder or the hip with both hands. But, after 30 years, the Duke returned to the theatrical cocking motion introduced in Stagecoach for the final showdown in True Grit. ......

These intriguing Model 1892 carbines are now exhibited as part of the John Wayne collection at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Centre in Oklahoma City........'



I hope this is of some interest to you.


Regards


Arthur