@@randolphstead2988 I liked the part where he answered the proprietor asking if he minded the proprietor asking what they were for. Do that now and you'd probably have the BATF checking up on you. Those were more innocent times and they are long gone.
@@icewaterslim7260 I live in Canada; we have no firearms rights like 2A, no CCW (in reality; in theory they are available but they are as rare as unicorns) and you must not answer "for self defense" on your firearms permit application. There are only three permissable answers: sport shooting, hunting, collecting.
I had a Marijuana bust in 1970 that was a felony. I'm not supposed to have any firearms for hunting or anything else. But I've heard about the gun laws in Canada from Canadians. I don't know how the more rural Canadians deal with Grizzley or even Polar bears up there with the laws as restrictive as they are.
@@FilmArmorerJoeyDillon I am curious. Are there recorder instances of criminals in the prohibition era using foreign made guns?? More specifically Chauchat LMG, and Luger and C9 Mauser pistols???
@@Kharmazov Great question! That would be interesting to know, nothing coming to my mind offhand... However on a side note, a Red 9 is a bucket list item I have yet to attain...
The Texas Rangers liked the Remington model 8 rifle. They had a gunsmith weld two magazines together so it would hold more ammo. The 35 Remington was and still is quite a good and powerful cartridge I was pleased to see that the movie actually armed Frank Hamer with correct rifle.
@@dustyak79 Yes, eventually they had the style shown in the rifle in the Texas Ranger Museum but as they say, that rifles serial number wasn't made until seven years after the Bonnie and Clyde were killed. The first extended magazines were not as pretty being just two standard magazines welded together. The idea caught on though and some company started making them. They must be quite rare and valuable today.
One mistake I noticed is when Kevin Costner picks up a yellow 20 gauge shell left behind by Bonnie and Clyde. Before 1960 20 gauge shells were not yellow. They were red or green . After 1960 they had to be yellow as a safety precaution to help insure they didn't end up in a 12 gauge
I've seen a variety of colors of paper early shells of shotguns in general, including orange, purple, and yellow. It was a paper cartridge (yellow paper) he picks up. True yellow didn't come around to specifically designate 20g until later, (and Ill admit I didn't know that until later) But having seen some yellow antique paper shells in general, let's just believe there was a maker that used yellow, for their brand, not because it was 20g haha! But that it was at it happened, a 20! Yea, that's it .... Surrrrrre
@@FilmArmorerJoeyDillon My grandfather worked for Dominion Ammunition/CIL (Canada) in the 1930s into early WWII. He'd given me a box of an assortment of rounds, many of which are arcane calibres (e.g. .57 Snider). Of .57 Snider, he said that it had a good bit of recoil. As a fan of .45-70 Gov't, it was interesting seeing .45-60. The shotgun shells were all colour-coded. Red was buckshot, purple was slugs and yellow was tracer/incendiary. I have some very cool demo rounds that have a cellophane cutout showing a cross section of each round. Some very interesting calibres that are terribly outdated. I'll have to get the rounds to be made inert as gunpowder that old isn't going to be stable, nor is the yellow phosphorous in the incendiary rounds! Still very, very cool seeing so many unique calibres. I have an Alcan 10 gauge 4" magnum round that you couldn't pay me to fire. I shot a 10 gauge short-barreled stagecoach gun once. My shoulder was pretty uncomfortable for a while! I never shot that gun again for good reason! An M14 automatic burst was more comfortable. One of my father's coworkers had a collector's permit that doesn't exist anymore where you could have fully automatic firearms. He'd have the entire Ontario Provincial Police detachment over for M1928 mag dumps. His collection was literally in a bank vault he'd had installed in his house on his compound. He never fired his MG34 or MG42 due to ammo costs, but his Bren gun was a staple of get-togethers. I'd first learned to shoot there as a kid using single-action .22 LR revolvers and a Lee-Enfield Mk. 4 rechambered in .22 LR used for training. I graduated calibres every time I went. First time I fired an MP40 was amazing. Sadly, those permits are ancient history. As for the guns, they're buried in a safe...somewhere. Him and fellow collectors did this as gun laws were tightening up and they didn't want to lose some very interesting historical arms.
Good catch - but also if that's the level we're down to with errors- we'll, were well ahead of 99.9% of all films. But interesting none the less - and knowing the colours ( 😂 uk) of cartridges from that long ago is very impressive. Interesting point - cheers. 😅
This is a really cool look behind the scenes of what guys like you do for a living, and kind of a neat look into different actor's thoughts about handling firearms. I'm kind of unsurprised that Costner wanted to have the real thing on him as much as possible, he always struck me as a bit of a method guy, he wants to feel that weight. Really cool video, love stumbling across stuff like this on TH-cam.
The model 8 high capacity magazines were made in Saint Joseph Missouri by the Police Supply company. They made them in 10, 15 and 20 rounds Magazines. The person that formed that company later went on to form the Hillyard chemical company of Saint Joseph MO Which is still in operation today
Thanks for showing the model 12 Winchester shotguns used by the prison guards. I have a couple of Model 12's in my safe I inherited from my Dad. They are not the short barreled ones law enforcement used but have full length barrels with fixed chokes and chambered only for 2.3/4" shells. My father and grandfather were big bird hunters back in the day, and I heard many stories about the turkey, quail, doves, ducks, geese, etc they had harvested. I like guns but not much of a hunter. I considered selling them but after seeing this I think I will hold on to them for a while.
I really did love the selection of firearms featured in this film. Getting to see a Colt Monitor appear was quite amazing to see. And the way you made "Old Lucky" Colt SAA Revolver and found one for Woody to use was caught clever!
Man, "The Highwaymen" is another Prohibition era movie that reminds you of the despicable National Firearms Act of 1934. Those blank-firing machine guns used in Hollywood movies... It's just sad.
Your comments match a lot of what I've read over the years. Identifying the firearms used and retrieved that day can be a bit challenging, but your choices managed to capture the spirit and essence of the shootout better than any previous film attempt. As for the Remington Model 8, there is one movie that has this rifle being used by Warren Oates. That film is Sam Peckinpah's "Ride the High Country", starring Randolph Scott and Joel MacCrea as two aging former lawmen trying to adapt to the rapidly changing west of the early 20th century. It is a very fitting swan song for two of Hollywood's legendary western actors. I highly recommend it.
A trick a lot of old pistoleros who carried a "Peacemaker" would use, was to stick it in the waistband with the loading gate open, so the gun was hanging on the gate in the waist band.....
That's a great idea. I will remember that for certain waistband positions. I suppose it would not work for a right handed person to have in the back though. Gate faces the back in that position.
One of my favorite movies I have seen in my lifetime...thanks so much for sharing your involvement and details regarding all the firearms in the movie and historically. p.s. Having fired a BAR for familiarity in The Corps I could tell Woody is firing blanks in his monitor as it isn't trying to jump out of his hands
You'd think a Remington Model 8 would be insanely expensive nowadays. They're actually not all that bad, as opposed to some other obsolete guns. I wish they still made them. A semi auto .35 Remington sounds like a real thumper!
One reason they are not terribly expensive is because almost none of their original ammunition is made today. They also kick really hard (no recoil mitigation at all, unlike gas-operated guns) and some of the chamberings were pretty hot themselves (.250 and .300 Savage, for example). The Winchester Self-Loaders of the same time also have this issue, WSL .32, .351, and .401 have not been commercially made for many years. Except for the Winchester Model 63, which was made later and is basically the same as the Model 1903 but in .22 LR instead of the 22 Winchester Auto.
I was lucky enough to get my hands on one. Took me a while to find ammo for it! But let me confirm your suspicions, it indeed thumps hard, haha. Great and interesting rifle.
Nice, thanks for re-uploading this one! I appreciate all the work you did on this one - both with this video and trying to keep the movie relatively accurate for the time period. It makes a movie that involves guns so much more enjoyable when details like this are not overlooked.
Yep the Gun Store scene is one I'll start the movie and fast forward to...I love the comment about the Winchester .30-30 lever action model 1894; I need one gun that won't jam!
Don’t cycle a model 94 slowly. It can jam if you do that. Happened to my son on a deer stand while trying to load it quietly. Had to remove the lever with my leatherman to clear the jam. I remembered the jamming incident when I saw the movie for the first of many times. Great flick and I appreciate the historical accuracy of the firearms.
Clide had managed to shoot his way out of so many traps that Captain Hamer was determined he wasn't taking anything for granted. He may have cut some corners legally, but he knew that's what it was going to take.
@fg3901 Little John was the real bad ass of the group though....probably stemmed from his inferiority complex. In reality, Robbin couldn't hold Little John's jockstrap..lol
Fantastic episode about one of my favorite movies. Beyond the firearms, the director wanted to emphasize Hamer and Gault’s relationship. Woody Harrelson and Kevin Costner’s dialogue is what makes this movie so special (along with the firearms and the cars). A little more about Frank Hamer’s Model 8-it was chambered in .35 Remington. This was Remington’s answer to Winchester’s .30/30. Although never as popular or widespread as the .30/30, it was and still is, an excellent cartridge. Having a heavier bullet than the .30/30, it has excellent ballistics and power. While not a 400-500 yard cartridge, it was designed for short to medium range shots on whitetail deer and similar sized game animals. I had read an article about Captain Hamer’s rifle a few years ago. He had purchased several extended magazines from the Hillyard Police Supply Company from St. Joseph, Missouri. At the time, Hillyard was one of the biggest suppliers of specialized police equipment. They are still in business today but as a chemical supply company. Thank you for the information about your work in the movie industry. I can appreciate your historical accuracy in the movies. Please make sure that any future WWII movies set in Europe do not have bayonet lugs on M-1 carbines! Thanks.
I saw Bonnie and Clyde in the theater. The ambush shocked us, and we all quietly got up and walked outside people we whispering quietly, almost reverently. 56 years ago and I can still remember the feeling.
This was such a great video you made. I've watched this movie over and over again and every time the gun store scene gets me. You did a great job as an armorer and the pics you have from the set are awesome. Thanks for putting out such great content!!!
One of my favorite historical movies. I love it when the research is done and the best effort is made to be accurate. I hate when movies and actors do not put forth the effort to learn about firearms and how to use them.
Thanks for sharing all of this inside information. The Highwaymen is a stand out production, superb and one I've watched countless times and will do again.
I'm at the age where movies no longer appeal much. However, I've watch the Highwaymen at least half dozen times, and will watch it again! Also have watch Midway (the recent version) almost as much, but now you have to buy it.
As a collector of many of these firearms, it was really fun watching this video and getting a tin of behind the scenes info. Thanks so much. Amazing work!
I enjoyed the movie, but one thing that irked me was that the movie made Manny Gault look like a washed up old cop sitting around his daughter's house in his underwear, In reality, he was a very distinguished captain in the Texas Highway Patrol picked personally by Frank Hamer to be his partner in the investigation. They had been friends and coworkers for many years.
The store was fantasy--nobody back then would stock that many mags or ammo for what were extremely expensive, low demand guns (BAR, Colt Monitor, Thomson). They would have had to order that stuff and get it weeks later. The store might have one of those full autos in stock, but not that awesome selection unless it some really busy shop that sold to a big police agency, like maybe in Chicago--everyond was poor, everyone. Barrow robbed an armory.
I was really happy to see the authenticity of the period firearms in the movie. I have a near pristine Model 8 Remington in .35 caliber. Excellent rifle - it has never hung up or jammed once. Thank you for making a great story with firearm accuracy.
Well done sir. One of my favourite films particularly the first time Frank shoots the Monitor, asking Manny if he knows what they’re up against. Shyte got very real after that. Thank you for the video.
I’ll tell you one better boys and girls I’ve had glaucoma since birth so I was born right handed, but only left and now that I am totally blind pistol and rifle both right handed two years ago. I got to go hunting for the first time in a long time because of technology and low, and behold, a deer walked up and the way me and my spot was position in the blind. I only had the choice to shoot with my left hand, what the hell do you think? Dropped them at 70 yards! Hello from Texas
Same here. I watch it maybe, too much. The scenery take me, right back to that very era. Especially, the building that Hamer is standing at during the rain storm. It looks exactly as buildings/stores looked like back in that time. Fantastic Movie. My Favorite of all time. My Fellow Fans HA !
Hey Joey have you ever heard of Benjamin E. Sherrill? He also served as a firearms specialist and consultant in the motion picture industry. He passed away on January 11th, 2006. He was my friend.
I understood that ivory grips were often used in those days as they were the heaviest grip material available at the time and the extra weight would help tame recoil.
Great Job Joey. I really enjoyed your video. Many of the old school Texas Rangers carried the Single Action Army well into the 20th century so I agree he most likely had 'Old Lucky' on the day of the Ambush. My understanding is Hinton's BAR was procured from the Texas National Guard. Hamer originally requested two but was only granted one. According to John Boessenecker's book, Frank liked the Model 8 in 25 Remington and used it frequently on the Border. Although not historically accurate, great call on the Winchester 1907 with the ten-round mag in the Ambush scene.
Mr. Joey it's behind the scenes folks like you, that perhaps bring out the best in actors! They no doubt recognize your professionalism and passion in what you do, and perhaps that inspires them to act their best. Hopefully you will continue to stay with your craft, and may God bless you, and yours!
Super interesting about the history of the real choices of weapons they used. My favorite part is your grandpa's shotgun and that your uncle was about to tell you some of the family history with it. I bet its way cool to think when you are holding it that your grandpa, dad, and uncles held it and also that your sons will to! Thanks for the outstanding video!!
Very cool, thanks for sharing. Definitely an arms room to envy. Getting the recoil operated guns to work with blanks is an impressive feat, hopefully no permanent mods that render the guns inoperable with standard ammunition. And just what was the story about the tin man armored suit? Seeing that was one of the few oddities in the film for me.
Man, those were the days when you could just stroll into your local gun shop and purchase an assortment of handguns, rifles, shotguns, and most impressively fully automatic machineguns ALL WITHOUT the need for a permit to purchase/own or a license to carry or having to register them with the police department and the ATF. Hell, the ATF didn't even exist back then.
@@bb5242 Depends on the shop. Some shops of era, had inventory for law enforcement, bank and factory guards, ranchers in addition to sporting guns. A shop like that would possible had the Thompson , Monitors, BARS, etc. The Texas gunshop thar made Dillinger's .38 Super, full auto modification of an M1911, had a large law enforcement clientele.
They had fully auto machineguns hanging on the wall in gun shops in the early 80's when I was just starting to buy guns, but I didn't know they would pass the Hugh's amendment in 1986 banning the production of any new machineguns for the general public. If I had known, I would have bought as many as I could, or at least just the sears, which is what is considered the machinegun, and I would have made a lot of money now.
This was awesome! Thanks for sharing this. I loved the movie and the weaponry was as a big draw for me. The realism you were able to provide was wonderful!
That’s a great backstory about your dad’s old Stevens SxS being used; that had to one of the coolest things about being involved with this project! I really enjoyed this explanation of which guns were used and why! Thanks for sharing!
Darryl Bolke, retired lawman turned police gunfight historian, has put forth in a podcast the case that Hamer didn't carry a .38 super 1911. He points out that there is nothing in the record by way of provenance and that the only reference to it was from Hamer's son. He believes the son misspoke and posited a S&W Heavy Duty in .38/44(the precursor to the .357 magnum) which was also known as the "Super Police" because of its popularity with cops back then for its vehicle penetration. Hamer was known to carry a Triple Lock(along with Old Lucky) and it would be more likely that he would carry a more familiar gun in a mission specific caliber than switch to a completely unfamiliar system.
@@FilmArmorerJoeyDillon Great video! It seemed to me that the Remington Model 8 rifle was more popular than the Winchester 1907 back in the day. Was that true, and if so why was that?
@@HaNsWiDjAjA. Probably one of the reasons was that Browning/Remington held the patent for a charging handle on the bolt…. Which left Winchester with some odd choices for their auto shotguns and rifles…. I believe the 07 has the weird plunger at the front of the foregrip that is used to cycle the bolt. Kind of wonky, but better than manually cycling the barrel as was done on the “widowmaker” Winchester shotgun of the era!!
I have to give you big props! Pun intended. I've watched this movie several times and have to day its one of the best and most accurate representation of period arms in a movie.
Man, glad you're doing well. I've been watching you since you were a gun-spinner for Cimmaron. Keep living the good life, fella. Edit: you got a cameo?! NICE!!! Way to go!
What a wonderful video - for a wonderful movie: In which you played no small part! Might you tell us a bit more about the actress who played Bonnie. I thought she was terrific, authentic, and compelling: All be it in the context of historical myth, but also, in the ironclad terms of actual reality. As much as the 1968 film was seductive, it was also like cotton candy. This movie was a great corrective, and you had no small part to play in its magnificent authenticity!
I’ve read a lot about Hamers early life as Texas Ranger and I feel your assessment that he would take old lucky to the Ambush is fair even if it can’t be determined for certain, Hamer had a lot of luck in some very tight situations in his career and going up against stone cold cop killers it would seem appropriate to take the gun he saw as a lucky charm.
Yes, agreed. Love that blueing. If we had had the time and budget, I would have insisted the receivers and barrels of the Monitor get blued, as well as the custom replacement barrel shroud on the blank firing Hamer Remington rifle. As it was, they had time and budget to coat them with that semi gloss grey. At some points of the film, Hamer is carrying a non blanked Remington, and the bluing is factory. The blank firing one had to have a different barrel shroud, and so you can see the sheen is different.
Freaking awesome stuff,this was a great movie and an absolutely amazing gun movie.love that 20’s era of guns.such a cool mix of old guns moving into newer semiautomatic shotguns and military style guns.
One of my favorite movies! One detail I caught, in the gun shop Costner references a booklet with line drawings of firearms. I had that booklet, it was from a surplus and gun parts company from 1960's and shows a German WW2 semi-auto I think a Gewehr 43. I acquired a large quantity of old gun magazines, mostly from late 1940's to early 1970s including some old catalogues. In addition, I have a small numbers of 1930's era American Riflemans that could have made some interesting set dressing for gun store. On another note, you seem to be serious with period accuracy. There was a book published within last 20 years entitled "Union Station Massacre-FBI's Original Sin" The author of that book used FBI archives as source, and quite detailed weapon descriptions, including thinks like lawmen substituted ball bearing for lead buckshot to better penetrate car bodies.
Story I've heard is when the ambush went down, Frank stood up, fired two rounds from the Model 8, then sat down and lit a smoke...HE knew the job was done!
I can see where he'd want a 1911 in 38 super for the possibilities in encountering Clyde Barrow who was said to be well practiced with a 1911. That's going to be an advantage over the single action "Peacemaker". Australians were said ro have liked the Thomson 45 ACP in the close combat in New Guinea when they could acquire them. 38 Super might be better than 45 ACP after having gone through the laminated glass that Ford used in his cars . . . Maybe not any better than a long 45 revolver round though. It might be an interesting test.
That scene where Costner says, "All of them" is me if I ever win a lottery.
Until then, it's only, "That one."
I totally understand that statement. 🙂
@@DesertHusker Don't we all, brother!
@@randolphstead2988 I liked the part where he answered the proprietor asking if he minded the proprietor asking what they were for. Do that now and you'd probably have the BATF checking up on you. Those were more innocent times and they are long gone.
@@icewaterslim7260 I live in Canada; we have no firearms rights like 2A, no CCW (in reality; in theory they are available but they are as rare as unicorns) and you must not answer "for self defense" on your firearms permit application. There are only three permissable answers: sport shooting, hunting, collecting.
I had a Marijuana bust in 1970 that was a felony. I'm not supposed to have any firearms for hunting or anything else. But I've heard about the gun laws in Canada from Canadians. I don't know how the more rural Canadians deal with Grizzley or even Polar bears up there with the laws as restrictive as they are.
One thing I always loved looking at the Bonnie and Clyde ambush, it's almost shorter to list the firearms NOT designed by John Browning.
That's funny, and true
Browning had almost a monopoly on guns for a few decades in America...the world before globalization.
John Moses Browning *crosses myself*
@@Legitpenguins99 only truly trusted name in auto-loaders until J.Garand, and most importantly, E.Stoner.
You did such a great job with the guns in this movie
Thanks! I had a blast.
@@FilmArmorerJoeyDillon I am curious. Are there recorder instances of criminals in the prohibition era using foreign made guns?? More specifically Chauchat LMG, and Luger and C9 Mauser pistols???
@@Kharmazov Great question! That would be interesting to know, nothing coming to my mind offhand... However on a side note, a Red 9 is a bucket list item I have yet to attain...
The Texas Rangers liked the Remington model 8 rifle.
They had a gunsmith weld two magazines together so it would hold more ammo.
The 35 Remington was and still is quite a good and powerful cartridge
I was pleased to see that the movie actually armed Frank Hamer with correct rifle.
There was a company in St Joe Missouri that made them back in the day.
@@dustyak79 Yes, eventually they had the style shown in the rifle in the Texas Ranger Museum but as they say, that rifles serial number wasn't made until seven years after the Bonnie and Clyde were killed.
The first extended magazines were not as pretty being just two standard magazines welded together. The idea caught on though and some company started making them.
They must be quite rare and valuable today.
I’ve seen a photograph with a ranger carrying a C96 Mauser pistol.
The gun store scene.. 8,000,000/10.
One mistake I noticed is when Kevin Costner picks up a yellow 20 gauge shell left behind by Bonnie and Clyde. Before 1960 20 gauge shells were not yellow. They were red or green . After 1960 they had to be yellow as a safety precaution to help insure they didn't end up in a 12 gauge
Nice catch
I've seen a variety of colors of paper early shells of shotguns in general, including orange, purple, and yellow. It was a paper cartridge (yellow paper) he picks up. True yellow didn't come around to specifically designate 20g until later, (and Ill admit I didn't know that until later) But having seen some yellow antique paper shells in general, let's just believe there was a maker that used yellow, for their brand, not because it was 20g haha! But that it was at it happened, a 20! Yea, that's it .... Surrrrrre
@@FilmArmorerJoeyDillon My grandfather worked for Dominion Ammunition/CIL (Canada) in the 1930s into early WWII. He'd given me a box of an assortment of rounds, many of which are arcane calibres (e.g. .57 Snider). Of .57 Snider, he said that it had a good bit of recoil. As a fan of .45-70 Gov't, it was interesting seeing .45-60. The shotgun shells were all colour-coded. Red was buckshot, purple was slugs and yellow was tracer/incendiary. I have some very cool demo rounds that have a cellophane cutout showing a cross section of each round. Some very interesting calibres that are terribly outdated. I'll have to get the rounds to be made inert as gunpowder that old isn't going to be stable, nor is the yellow phosphorous in the incendiary rounds! Still very, very cool seeing so many unique calibres. I have an Alcan 10 gauge 4" magnum round that you couldn't pay me to fire. I shot a 10 gauge short-barreled stagecoach gun once. My shoulder was pretty uncomfortable for a while! I never shot that gun again for good reason! An M14 automatic burst was more comfortable. One of my father's coworkers had a collector's permit that doesn't exist anymore where you could have fully automatic firearms. He'd have the entire Ontario Provincial Police detachment over for M1928 mag dumps. His collection was literally in a bank vault he'd had installed in his house on his compound. He never fired his MG34 or MG42 due to ammo costs, but his Bren gun was a staple of get-togethers. I'd first learned to shoot there as a kid using single-action .22 LR revolvers and a Lee-Enfield Mk. 4 rechambered in .22 LR used for training. I graduated calibres every time I went. First time I fired an MP40 was amazing. Sadly, those permits are ancient history. As for the guns, they're buried in a safe...somewhere. Him and fellow collectors did this as gun laws were tightening up and they didn't want to lose some very interesting historical arms.
Good catch - but also if that's the level we're down to with errors- we'll, were well ahead of 99.9% of all films. But interesting none the less - and knowing the colours ( 😂 uk) of cartridges from that long ago is very impressive. Interesting point - cheers. 😅
And even today, 16 ga is nearly any color
This is a really cool look behind the scenes of what guys like you do for a living, and kind of a neat look into different actor's thoughts about handling firearms. I'm kind of unsurprised that Costner wanted to have the real thing on him as much as possible, he always struck me as a bit of a method guy, he wants to feel that weight. Really cool video, love stumbling across stuff like this on TH-cam.
thanks for the comments!
The model 8 high capacity magazines were made in Saint Joseph Missouri by the Police Supply company. They made them in 10, 15 and 20 rounds Magazines. The person that formed that company later went on to form the Hillyard chemical company of Saint Joseph MO Which is still in operation today
I'm really surprised and impressed by the apparent recoil at 22:08 from the rifles shooting blanks.
If it was the Remington model 8 rifle, that action comping back to eject the shell does give it some recoil.
Love this video.
I love firearms ..hell i love everything!! And everyone!!. How am i just learning about this channel???
Thanks for this. The gun store scene is my favorite scene in the movie! So cool you got to do a cameo for the move and looking slick on the bike.
Thanks for showing the model 12 Winchester shotguns used by the prison guards. I have a couple of Model 12's in my safe I inherited from my Dad. They are not the short barreled ones law enforcement used but have full length barrels with fixed chokes and chambered only for 2.3/4" shells. My father and grandfather were big bird hunters back in the day, and I heard many stories about the turkey, quail, doves, ducks, geese, etc they had harvested. I like guns but not much of a hunter. I considered selling them but after seeing this I think I will hold on to them for a while.
You might need them later, for self preservation
You have a couple of vintage shotguns from your dad... why the hell would you ever even consider selling those?
I really did love the selection of firearms featured in this film. Getting to see a Colt Monitor appear was quite amazing to see. And the way you made "Old Lucky" Colt SAA Revolver and found one for Woody to use was caught clever!
Thanks!
Man, "The Highwaymen" is another Prohibition era movie that reminds you of the despicable National Firearms Act of 1934. Those blank-firing machine guns used in Hollywood movies... It's just sad.
Despicable because you want more machine guns on the street?
Facts dude. I'd do just about anything to get my hands on a Colt Monitor.
@@skibo63seems to be plenty anyways dude
@@skibo63buddy machine guns are already on the streets.
@skiboi63. Absolutely!!!!!
Your comments match a lot of what I've read over the years. Identifying the firearms used and retrieved that day can be a bit challenging, but your choices managed to capture the spirit and essence of the shootout better than any previous film attempt. As for the Remington Model 8, there is one movie that has this rifle being used by Warren Oates. That film is Sam Peckinpah's "Ride the High Country", starring Randolph Scott and Joel MacCrea as two aging former lawmen trying to adapt to the rapidly changing west of the early 20th century. It is a very fitting swan song for two of Hollywood's legendary western actors. I highly recommend it.
Not sure I have seen that one! I will check it out. Thanks for the comments too!
@@FilmArmorerJoeyDillon No problem. Your video link just went up on a modeling site, so you should get some more hits very soon.
@@Paladin1873 I appreciate that very much
Great video! Thank you for all the details. Clyde said he wasn't going back to prison. Hamer and the boys obliged. The gun store scene is brilliant.
Everybody wins!
Man you’re living the dream, keep it up Joey. Hopefully I’ll see you around soon.
Tyler! What's up man! Hope you are well, yea would love to see ya. Reach out anytime to catch up.
A trick a lot of old pistoleros who carried a "Peacemaker" would use, was to stick it in the waistband with the loading gate open, so the gun was hanging on the gate in the waist band.....
That's a great idea. I will remember that for certain waistband positions. I suppose it would not work for a right handed person to have in the back though. Gate faces the back in that position.
No one did this.
@@johnforealdoe8999 I beg to differ, sir. Read Elmer Keith's "Hell, I was THERE!"
@@JohnTBlock everyone knows Keith was a no-good, yellow-bellied liar
@@johnforealdoe8999they did, I tried it myself and it worked.
One of my favorite movies I have seen in my lifetime...thanks so much for sharing your involvement and details regarding all the firearms in the movie and historically. p.s. Having fired a BAR for familiarity in The Corps I could tell Woody is firing blanks in his monitor as it isn't trying to jump out of his hands
You'd think a Remington Model 8 would be insanely expensive nowadays. They're actually not all that bad, as opposed to some other obsolete guns. I wish they still made them. A semi auto .35 Remington sounds like a real thumper!
I got a 06 model 8 for 1k and it’s in beautiful shape. It’s .30 Remington
One reason they are not terribly expensive is because almost none of their original ammunition is made today. They also kick really hard (no recoil mitigation at all, unlike gas-operated guns) and some of the chamberings were pretty hot themselves (.250 and .300 Savage, for example). The Winchester Self-Loaders of the same time also have this issue, WSL .32, .351, and .401 have not been commercially made for many years. Except for the Winchester Model 63, which was made later and is basically the same as the Model 1903 but in .22 LR instead of the 22 Winchester Auto.
I was lucky enough to get my hands on one. Took me a while to find ammo for it! But let me confirm your suspicions, it indeed thumps hard, haha. Great and interesting rifle.
350 legend’s probably not too far off
Nice, thanks for re-uploading this one! I appreciate all the work you did on this one - both with this video and trying to keep the movie relatively accurate for the time period. It makes a movie that involves guns so much more enjoyable when details like this are not overlooked.
You're welcome and thanks!!
Great movie and great information. Well done.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Yep the Gun Store scene is one I'll start the movie and fast forward to...I love the comment about the Winchester .30-30 lever action model 1894; I need one gun that won't jam!
Don’t cycle a model 94 slowly. It can jam if you do that. Happened to my son on a deer stand while trying to load it quietly. Had to remove the lever with my leatherman to clear the jam. I remembered the jamming incident when I saw the movie for the first of many times. Great flick and I appreciate the historical accuracy of the firearms.
Didn't know that about the Monitor( pistol grip). I thought it was a basic BAR with a compensator on it.
Clide had managed to shoot his way out of so many traps that Captain Hamer was determined he wasn't taking anything for granted. He may have cut some corners legally, but he knew that's what it was going to take.
Clyde had made it known he wouldn't be taken alive, Hamer's posse obliged him.
"Did Robin Hood shoot a gas station attendant at point blank range for 4 dollars and a tank of gas?"
No it was Little John and he stole some Doritos and bottles of RC too.
Kevin Costner played Robin Hood!
@@JoJoJoker
Yeah. And sometimes I feel like the only person who doesn’t hate that movie.
LOL!
@fg3901 Little John was the real bad ass of the group though....probably stemmed from his inferiority complex. In reality, Robbin couldn't hold Little John's jockstrap..lol
Fantastic episode about one of my favorite movies. Beyond the firearms, the director wanted to emphasize Hamer and Gault’s relationship. Woody Harrelson and Kevin Costner’s dialogue is what makes this movie so special (along with the firearms and the cars).
A little more about Frank Hamer’s Model 8-it was chambered in .35 Remington. This was Remington’s answer to Winchester’s .30/30. Although never as popular or widespread as the .30/30, it was and still is, an excellent cartridge. Having a heavier bullet than the .30/30, it has excellent ballistics and power. While not a 400-500 yard cartridge, it was designed for short to medium range shots on whitetail deer and similar sized game animals.
I had read an article about Captain Hamer’s rifle a few years ago. He had purchased several extended magazines from the Hillyard Police Supply Company from St. Joseph, Missouri. At the time, Hillyard was one of the biggest suppliers of specialized police equipment. They are still in business today but as a chemical supply company.
Thank you for the information about your work in the movie industry. I can appreciate your historical accuracy in the movies. Please make sure that any future WWII movies set in Europe do not have bayonet lugs on M-1 carbines!
Thanks.
The .30 Remington was their answer to the .30-30.
Seeing several Savage 99 lever actions….well done.
I saw Bonnie and Clyde in the theater. The ambush shocked us, and we all quietly got up and walked outside people we whispering quietly, almost reverently. 56 years ago and I can still remember the feeling.
I wondered about that old side by side. The guy that took me deer hunting the first time had a Stevens.
The Ithacas and Model 12s add a nice touch
Good stuff! The Marines wouldn’t let me bring my M-60 Echo 3 home with me after my 4 year hitch. I was saddened. 😢
👎👎👎 D.H. ! :
the corps sucks like that. i thought my SMAW would make a great souvenir but they disagreed. some nonsense about 10 years in federal prison.
This was such a great video you made. I've watched this movie over and over again and every time the gun store scene gets me. You did a great job as an armorer and the pics you have from the set are awesome. Thanks for putting out such great content!!!
Thanks!
One of my favorite historical movies. I love it when the research is done and the best effort is made to be accurate. I hate when movies and actors do not put forth the effort to learn about firearms and how to use them.
Thanks for sharing all of this inside information. The Highwaymen is a stand out production, superb and one I've watched countless times and will do again.
I'm at the age where movies no longer appeal much. However, I've watch the Highwaymen at least half dozen times, and will watch it again! Also have watch Midway (the recent version) almost as much, but now you have to buy it.
As a collector of many of these firearms, it was really fun watching this video and getting a tin of behind the scenes info. Thanks so much. Amazing work!
I enjoyed the movie, but one thing that irked me was that the movie made Manny Gault look like a washed up old cop sitting around his daughter's house in his underwear, In reality, he was a very distinguished captain in the Texas Highway Patrol picked personally by Frank Hamer to be his partner in the investigation. They had been friends and coworkers for many years.
Buried close together too if I remember right.
15:24 Yes I am, yes I do, and I watch that scene sometimes to dream that I'm the one doing the ordering.
The store was fantasy--nobody back then would stock that many mags or ammo for what were extremely expensive, low demand guns (BAR, Colt Monitor, Thomson). They would have had to order that stuff and get it weeks later. The store might have one of those full autos in stock, but not that awesome selection unless it some really busy shop that sold to a big police agency, like maybe in Chicago--everyond was poor, everyone.
Barrow robbed an armory.
I was really happy to see the authenticity of the period firearms in the movie. I have a near pristine Model 8 Remington in .35 caliber. Excellent rifle - it has never hung up or jammed once.
Thank you for making a great story with firearm accuracy.
Awesome, I was an LAPD armorer for 1993- 2005 ish. We had some cool confiscated guns that the dept got to own.
Well done sir. One of my favourite films particularly the first time Frank shoots the Monitor, asking Manny if he knows what they’re up against. Shyte got very real after that. Thank you for the video.
Love this movie!
My Dad shot like Woody Harrelson. Rifle left-handed, pistol right-handed.
Me too,right handed left eyed!
My Dad too
I am able to shoot left and right, rifles left handed since the age of 6.
I’ll tell you one better boys and girls I’ve had glaucoma since birth so I was born right handed, but only left and now that I am totally blind pistol and rifle both right handed two years ago. I got to go hunting for the first time in a long time because of technology and low, and behold, a deer walked up and the way me and my spot was position in the blind. I only had the choice to shoot with my left hand, what the hell do you think? Dropped them at 70 yards! Hello from Texas
Opposite here
Great video, thanks. The movie was great, loved all the attention to detail.
Got this movie on my harddrive. Love it. My wife and i watch it at least once a week.
Same here. I watch it maybe, too much. The scenery take me, right back to that very era. Especially, the building that Hamer is standing at during the rain storm. It looks exactly as buildings/stores looked like back in that time.
Fantastic Movie.
My Favorite of all time.
My Fellow Fans
HA !
@@johngiles6352 and did you know the death scene was filmed in the same location where it actually happened.
Hey Joey have you ever heard of Benjamin E. Sherrill? He also served as a firearms specialist and consultant in the motion picture industry. He passed away on January 11th, 2006. He was my friend.
Hello! No unfortunately I have not heard of him, sounded like a like minded and interesting individual. Would have liked to have met.
I understood that ivory grips were often used in those days as they were the heaviest grip material available at the time and the extra weight would help tame recoil.
Interesting!
Joey, you do a fine job at your profession. This is quite informative and interesting . Thanks for posting.
Great Job Joey. I really enjoyed your video. Many of the old school Texas Rangers carried the Single Action Army well into the 20th century so I agree he most likely had 'Old Lucky' on the day of the Ambush. My understanding is Hinton's BAR was procured from the Texas National Guard. Hamer originally requested two but was only granted one. According to John Boessenecker's book, Frank liked the Model 8 in 25 Remington and used it frequently on the Border. Although not historically accurate, great call on the Winchester 1907 with the ten-round mag in the Ambush scene.
Thanks!
Mr. Joey it's behind the scenes folks like you, that perhaps bring out the best in actors! They no doubt recognize your professionalism and passion in what you do, and perhaps that inspires them to act their best. Hopefully you will continue to stay with your craft, and may God bless you, and yours!
Well THANKS! Anything good in me is from God for sure. Got bless you too.
The dual Thompson firing scene at 15:10, sounds like a Top Fuel Dragster at idle. Freaking awesome!!
haha, it does!
Super interesting about the history of the real choices of weapons they used. My favorite part is your grandpa's shotgun and that your uncle was about to tell you some of the family history with it. I bet its way cool to think when you are holding it that your grandpa, dad, and uncles held it and also that your sons will to! Thanks for the outstanding video!!
Just found your channel, awesome stuff. Gotta love the old guns!! Just picked me up a mint Winchester Model 12.
Oooh nice! And thanks for the comment!
Thank You for the Excellent work you did to keep the movie accurate. Great Video.
Great video, keep up the good work! It's good to see a man that enjoys what he does for a living!
Well done job! I hope to see more product from you. We appreciate the lengths you went to make it as realistic as possible!
Very cool, thanks for sharing. Definitely an arms room to envy. Getting the recoil operated guns to work with blanks is an impressive feat, hopefully no permanent mods that render the guns inoperable with standard ammunition.
And just what was the story about the tin man armored suit? Seeing that was one of the few oddities in the film for me.
“More guns are awesome”. I love it!! 😃
Man, those were the days when you could just stroll into your local gun shop and purchase an assortment of handguns, rifles, shotguns, and most impressively fully automatic machineguns ALL WITHOUT the need for a permit to purchase/own or a license to carry or having to register them with the police department and the ATF. Hell, the ATF didn't even exist back then.
Not really because nobody had any money and shops would not have that great of a selection
@@bb5242 Depends on the shop. Some shops of era, had inventory for law enforcement, bank and factory guards, ranchers in addition to sporting guns. A shop like that would possible had the Thompson , Monitors, BARS, etc. The Texas gunshop thar made Dillinger's .38 Super, full auto modification of an M1911, had a large law enforcement clientele.
They had fully auto machineguns hanging on the wall in gun shops in the early 80's when I was just starting to buy guns, but I didn't know they would pass the Hugh's amendment in 1986 banning the production of any new machineguns for the general public. If I had known, I would have bought as many as I could, or at least just the sears, which is what is considered the machinegun, and I would have made a lot of money now.
Thompsons were first advertised to ranchers. If folks think the border is bad now,research how it was in 1890-1940
Pancho villa etc
This was awesome! Thanks for sharing this. I loved the movie and the weaponry was as a big draw for me. The realism you were able to provide was wonderful!
Awesome video. I really enjoyed this movie and appreciate your attention to detail!
I couldn't imagine a better description of the realistic and artistic choices for these movie guns.
I'm still here and still watching. Yes I love firearms history.
Appreciated!
Nice presentation. Good job.
Just started watching this movie. Great firearm movie. Great historical lesson.
The gun shop scene is pretty awesome. Don't know exactly how many Colt monitors you would find on local gun store shelves though
Agreed. But, it was entertaining.
I consider Clyde Barrow and Frank Hamer to be the last pure gunfighters. Them facing off had to be Destiny.
Pretty epic.
@@FilmArmorerJoeyDillon I've read Hamers biography. And yeah, it is.
That’s a great backstory about your dad’s old Stevens SxS being used; that had to one of the coolest things about being involved with this project!
I really enjoyed this explanation of which guns were used and why! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks!
Darryl Bolke, retired lawman turned police gunfight historian, has put forth in a podcast the case that Hamer didn't carry a .38 super 1911. He points out that there is nothing in the record by way of provenance and that the only reference to it was from Hamer's son.
He believes the son misspoke and posited a S&W Heavy Duty in .38/44(the precursor to the .357 magnum) which was also known as the "Super Police" because of its popularity with cops back then for its vehicle penetration. Hamer was known to carry a Triple Lock(along with Old Lucky) and it would be more likely that he would carry a more familiar gun in a mission specific caliber than switch to a completely unfamiliar system.
Appreciate the comment! Good thoughts.
@@FilmArmorerJoeyDillon
Great video! It seemed to me that the Remington Model 8 rifle was more popular than the Winchester 1907 back in the day. Was that true, and if so why was that?
@@HaNsWiDjAjA. Probably one of the reasons was that Browning/Remington held the patent for a charging handle on the bolt…. Which left Winchester with some odd choices for their auto shotguns and rifles…. I believe the 07 has the weird plunger at the front of the foregrip that is used to cycle the bolt. Kind of wonky, but better than manually cycling the barrel as was done on the “widowmaker” Winchester shotgun of the era!!
👍 Very well done and informative video. Thank you.
At the very beginning, I noticed a Winchester model 7. I know the old .351SL was a favorite of LE's back in the day. I have a model 10 and love it!
Nice!
Ive probably watched this movie 15 times. Great flick
My jam. 👊
Great stuff, as usual.
Thanks man!
Absolutely awesome bud, great job!! 👍
I love the movie and this is a fantastic video! Also, like Woody, I shoot pistols right-handed and rifles left-handed.
I have to give you big props! Pun intended. I've watched this movie several times and have to day its one of the best and most accurate representation of period arms in a movie.
well thanks!
Man, glad you're doing well. I've been watching you since you were a gun-spinner for Cimmaron. Keep living the good life, fella.
Edit: you got a cameo?! NICE!!! Way to go!
I appreciate that! One stepping stone put in front of me after another, by the Lord, and I am just trying to do it the best I can!
Extremely interesting video. Thank you for sharing. 👍
The gun shop scene is THE best "if you know, you know" gun tech scene of any movie ever. 1917 moon clips...just wow...
What an awesome job you have. 😍
What a wonderful video - for a wonderful movie: In which you played no small part! Might you tell us a bit more about the actress who played Bonnie. I thought she was terrific, authentic, and compelling: All be it in the context of historical myth, but also, in the ironclad terms of actual reality. As much as the 1968 film was seductive, it was also like cotton candy. This movie was a great corrective, and you had no small part to play in its magnificent authenticity!
Appreciate the comments. Yea Bonnie was awesome, she was a stunt woman and actress. Emily Brobst. You can find her online. She was great to work with!
Awesome brother thank you frank and your team for your service
I’ve read a lot about Hamers early life as Texas Ranger and I feel your assessment that he would take old lucky to the Ambush is fair even if it can’t be determined for certain, Hamer had a lot of luck in some very tight situations in his career and going up against stone cold cop killers it would seem appropriate to take the gun he saw as a lucky charm.
And not just as his lucky charm. When you're loaded for bear, you bring every back-up you own.
right?! I would take my six gun too!
how awesome... I was on set for a few scenes... but did NOT have the access to all this cool content.
I've got a lot of 1911a1s, and it's so nice and refreshing to see some civilian 1911s with those beautiful blue finish
Yes, agreed. Love that blueing. If we had had the time and budget, I would have insisted the receivers and barrels of the Monitor get blued, as well as the custom replacement barrel shroud on the blank firing Hamer Remington rifle. As it was, they had time and budget to coat them with that semi gloss grey. At some points of the film, Hamer is carrying a non blanked Remington, and the bluing is factory. The blank firing one had to have a different barrel shroud, and so you can see the sheen is different.
Excellent video. The movie was great. The details of the weapons and the stories are very interesting. Great video, great movie.
Freaking awesome stuff,this was a great movie and an absolutely amazing gun movie.love that 20’s era of guns.such a cool mix of old guns moving into newer semiautomatic shotguns and military style guns.
Thanks!
One of my favorite movies! One detail I caught, in the gun shop Costner references a booklet with line drawings of firearms. I had that booklet, it was from a surplus and gun parts company from 1960's and shows a German WW2 semi-auto I think a Gewehr 43. I acquired a large quantity of old gun magazines, mostly from late 1940's to early 1970s including some old catalogues. In addition, I have a small numbers of 1930's era American Riflemans that could have made some interesting set dressing for gun store. On another note, you seem to be serious with period accuracy. There was a book published within last 20 years entitled "Union Station Massacre-FBI's Original Sin" The author of that book used FBI archives as source, and quite detailed weapon descriptions, including thinks like lawmen substituted ball bearing for lead buckshot to better penetrate car bodies.
Good info, good stuff... Ball bearings! Wow
Seems Frank had a Remington model 8 that had a custom double mag made for him by a smith down along the Red River. It was also chambered in 32 rem.
what was the process you did to age the colt ?
Story I've heard is when the ambush went down, Frank stood up, fired two rounds from the Model 8, then sat down and lit a smoke...HE knew the job was done!
Excellent insights!!!
Fantastic. Thanks for the video!
Clyde didn't like the Thompson because the round metal ammo canisters would get bent when carrying the them and moving them in the cars.
So Lucky the revolver in Fallout New Vegas is a reference to Old Lucky!
You did a great job! I love that movie!
This was an excellent movie
Great behind the scenes vid! Thnx
Excellent video, thank you! 👍👍👍
Max sent me. Great video. Cool your dad's shot gun got in the film.
Thanks!!
I can see where he'd want a 1911 in 38 super for the possibilities in encountering Clyde Barrow who was said to be well practiced with a 1911. That's going to be an advantage over the single action "Peacemaker".
Australians were said ro have liked the Thomson 45 ACP in the close combat in New Guinea when they could acquire them. 38 Super might be better than 45 ACP after having gone through the laminated glass that Ford used in his cars . . . Maybe not any better than a long 45 revolver round though. It might be an interesting test.