While watching it the other night on Grit Tv,
I saw something really weird .

While walking away from the camera, I saw two different types of ammo on his gun belt.

One may have been either a .44-40 cartridge ( for the rifle) or it could have been a .45 colt cartridge ( for his revolver ).

the other one looked a lot like a .308 Winchester cartridge .

which would not make any sense at all ,

if you have absolutely nothing what so ever on your agenda , maybe check to see if I am actually delusional or not.

He turned around and was walking away

.44-40


.45 colt


.308 winchester

The John Wayne "Hondo" movie, or the TV series? If the movie, I do...and it's pretty common for Wayne to have a rifle cartridge about the middle of his belt. It was something he picked up in his early film days; when you plucked the rifle cartridge up, you were about out of cartridges. I think we have a similar thread here on the matter, perhaps two-three years back.

ETA: I'm searching for the thread Bendable, but no luck. As IIRC (could be in the "Stagecoach" thread or earlier), many old time cowboys and wranglers worked in Hollywood in the '20s and '30s in bit parts or as wranglers. Wyatt Earp was still kicking back then also; the rifle cartridge in the middle of the belt told you to switch to the other side of belt for ammo, or you were about out. Something he picked up from the men back then. The cartridge (in the movies) would most likely have been either a dummy cartridge or a caliber for something not on the set.

Hondo the movie,

I thought I could find a youtube of the scene , but no luck.
and I tried IMDBG ,

but they just say what he carried in the movie.

I tried two other Faux Pas movie web sights, but no one caught it on those either.

He might have been walking in too the cabin

JW frequently put a 45-70 in the middle of his cartridge belt in numerous films.
I heard it was something old timers did when they carried two different types of ammo to keep them separate (like 45 colt for revolver and 44-40 for rifle). I also heard it was a signal to the wearer of how many rounds he had left when his hand got to that big cartridge. Don't know if any of the above is true or not...
Frankly, I think it was just something JW did cause it was neat and different looking than other western actor's belts.

http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Hondo

Shows the rifles used...

0-0

Yeah, I read that also, that's why the cartridge that I saw , almost in the middle of his belt, stuck out so much.

That's cool to know...

Speaking of the movie Hondo... there is a promotional picture of John Wayne for that movie that is probably one of the most iconic and best photographs of him I've ever seen:

"Plot summary:
In 1870, at a remote ranch in New Mexico, homesteader Angie Lowe (Geraldine Page) and her six-year-old son Johnny (Lee Aaker) are performing chores at their ranch when a stranger (John Wayne) arrives on foot, carrying only his saddle bags and a rifle."

No wonder his ammo was odd, none of his guns had been invented yet.

found that out also while trying to figure this out.
ain't that a kick.

quote:

Originally posted by Sacramento Johnson:
JW frequently put a 45-70 in the middle of his cartridge belt in numerous films.
I heard it was something old timers did when they carried two different types of ammo to keep them separate (like 45 colt for revolver and 44-40 for rifle). I also heard it was a signal to the wearer of how many rounds he had left when his hand got to that big cartridge. Don't know if any of the above is true or not...
Frankly, I think it was just something JW did cause it was neat and different looking than other western actor's belts.

I watched the movie on Amazon Prime and paused at a couple of scenes. I agree, the long rifle cartridges are straight walled and blunt tipped. 45-70 is probably the most common cartridge to stick in the loop designed for 44 or 45 caliber pistol cartridges.

Edited to add: Also noticed that the 45-70s were put in couple of different places. 5 in the middle of the back (6 o'clock), some pistol cartridges, then 3 more toward the left side (about 9 o'clock). Not sure why.

You did not see anything resembling a rimless bottle necked rifle cartridge ?

Well heck, I guess I need to watch it with my glasses on then.

Thanks,
But still, why would he be carrying a .45-70 round ?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bendable,

The same reason Josh Randall did? Because they looked cool on camera!


You will read that they did that in the old days, one rifle round to divided different calibers, or to mark a spot to count rounds. I get the feeling those "old days" were mostly "old movies" more than real life.

I used to have a copy of Hondo in 3D on VHS. I haven’t seen it since my wife found out I recorded it over our wedding video.