Rifle on "The Rifleman"

DaGOOSExyz · Jul 21, 2013

Is it possible to make a rifle work like Lucus McCaine (Chuck Connors) did on the old TV show "The Rifleman"? Has anyone
ever seen one that worked like that or owned or shot one?
Anybody have any info on what kind of rifle it was?
Just wondering. Goose

mod29 · Jul 21, 2013

1892

I believe the rifle he carried was a Winchester 1892 in 44-40.
A rifle modified to function the way that rifle did would have no practical application, and would in fact be quite dangerous. At least, that's how I see it.
The 1892 is one of the most handsome rifles ever made. I wish I had an original 1892 Trapper in 44-40. Originals in excellent condition are priced out of my league..way out.

-Jim

Texas Star · Jul 21, 2013

A Winchester M-92 in .44-40. They altered the lever to be large, like John Wayne did on one and Josh (Steve McQueen) did on, "Wanted: Dead or Alive." A stud was added to trip the trigger as the lever is worked smartly. This screw/stud can be backed out to avoid firing on closing the lever.

It's just a fancy stunt designed to inflame the imaginations of TV fans. I wouldn't alter a rifle that way.

redlevel · Jul 21, 2013

I actually took the lever from my Marlin 39A to shop class in about 1963 with the idea of drilling and tapping to add a screw that would allow me to fire it like old Lucas. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed and I never actually did any drilling.

jag312 · Jul 21, 2013

When Chuck Connors was firing that rifle, I don't recall any cartridge cases being ejected.

sheepdawg · Jul 21, 2013

John Wayne did it better.

John Wayne as The Ringo Kid. From the 1939 movie Stagecoach

BLACKHAWKNJ · Jul 21, 2013

Since the modification consists of replacing the factory lever with an oversized one with the screw, it is a simple matter to restore the rifle to its original configuration.
I recall an article by one the gun writers-he said when he handled one the guns used on the show he realized he needed to be 6"5" and have long arms like Chuck Coonors to handle it properly.

shouldazagged · Jul 21, 2013

jag312 said:
When Chuck Connors was firing that rifle, I don't recall any cartridge cases being ejected.

Early experiment in stealth technology.

feralmerril · Jul 22, 2013

Here is one I had in 44 wcf. It was made in 1902 and came off a indian reservation in the dakotas. Unfortunatly, it was stolen along with a bunch more from my house in 2003. See it, let me know! Its hot!

michaelpthompso · Jul 22, 2013

As I recall, the idea was that you could shoot it with one hand, a difficult feat at best with a standard lever-action rifle. Supposedly Lucas McCain used it for rapid fire, having been a gunman before he settled down to raise a kid. Hard to imagine how you could get any kind of accuracy with the thing. John Wayne should have saved his, it would have been handy in Rio Bravo when one of his arms was disabled and he had to go into a gunfight.

I remember having a toy version when I was a kid. There was a little flip down lever in the trigger guard that would pull the trigger when you brought the lever up. You could also push it down against the inside of the guard so it didn't contact the trigger. It didn't have the big loop like McCain's, but you could fire as fast as you could jack the lever. Kind of like fanning a pistol hammer. Looks cool on the screen but not of much practical value.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

rwsmith · Jul 22, 2013

Jogged my memory....

michaelpthompso said:
I remember having a toy version when I was a kid. There was a little flip down lever in the trigger guard that would pull the trigger when you brought the lever up. You could also push it down against the inside of the guard so it didn't contact the trigger. It didn't have the big loop like McCain's, but you could fire as fast as you could jack the lever. Kind of like fanning a pistol hammer. Looks cool on the screen but not of much practical value.

I had one of those!!!

Texas Star · Jul 22, 2013

BLACKHAWKNJ said:
Since the modification consists of replacing the factory lever with an oversized one with the screw, it is a simple matter to restore the rifle to its original configuration.
I recall an article by one the gun writers-he said when he handled one the guns used on the show he realized he needed to be 6"5" and have long arms like Chuck Coonors to handle it properly.

An excellent point. I once handled Conan's sword. Arnold S. is much larger than me. I could barely manuever it safely.

I also tried on the combat vest that he wore in, "Predator."
It was significantly too large for me.

Prof_Fate · Jul 22, 2013

michaelpthompso said:
I remember having a toy version when I was a kid. There was a little flip down lever in the trigger guard that would pull the trigger when you brought the lever up. You could also push it down against the inside of the guard so it didn't contact the trigger. It didn't have the big loop like McCain's, but you could fire as fast as you could jack the lever. Kind of like fanning a pistol hammer. Looks cool on the screen but not of much practical value.

had the same gun! I remember it have 'cases' and 'bullets' and they were springloaded so the bullets shot out the barrel and the cases ejected.

Last summer I got a Rossi 92 in 357. More fun, like beer vs root beer.

mjr · Jul 22, 2013

michaelpthompso said:
I remember having a toy version when I was a kid. There was a little flip down lever in the trigger guard that would pull the trigger when you brought the lever up. You could also push it down against the inside of the guard so it didn't contact the trigger. It didn't have the big loop like McCain's, but you could fire as fast as you could jack the lever. Kind of like fanning a pistol hammer. Looks cool on the screen but not of much practical value.

Is that the one that came with "cartridges" you could load through the gate and which would eject through the top of the "receiver," just like a genuine Winchester? I believe I still have two or three of those shells, a little corroded now, but the rifle is long gone.

BigBill · Jul 22, 2013

You could put a little hinge fold out lever on the lever part of the action this would trip the trigger every time the lever was cranked. The toy rifle mans rifle has it that way. This lever was a cam on an angle. I had one too. I should of read the whole post first.

CAPops · Jul 22, 2013

Good article on this gun and others from the old westerns in this years Gun Digest

VAdoublegunner · Jul 22, 2013

The rifle was a "Flip Special", a modified Winchester 1892.

Here is a short article about it:

The Rifleman Chuck Connors

and this:

Riflemans Rifle photos, The Riflemans Rifle

Riflemans Rifle, Authentic Rifleman replica, The Riflemans Rifle

BTW, there is a comment in one of the articles about how if you try to operate a Model 92 a little too fast at rapid fire you "could" get your finger caught between the fixed trigger and lever and get cut. Having tried that a few times at cowboy action shooting and bloodying my Miroku made Winchester 1892 in 45 Colt, I can attest to the fact that it is regrettably true.

51plymouth · Jul 22, 2013

When I was a kid (about 1961) I got to see Chuck Connors when he did a show at Old Tucson, AZ. That rifle was loud and fast.

charlie sherrill · Jul 22, 2013

A John Wayne commemorative Winchester similar to the one he is pictured with above hangs on the wall in one of the local pawn shops. I don't know when it was made but it's been there for many years.

Straightshooter2 · Jul 22, 2013

michaelpthompso said:
I remember having a toy version when I was a kid. There was a little flip down lever in the trigger guard that would pull the trigger when you brought the lever up. You could also push it down against the inside of the guard so it didn't contact the trigger. It didn't have the big loop like McCain's, but you could fire as fast as you could jack the lever.

I had one also. Looked real good with my Mattel Shootin' Shell Frontier set.

CW

Rifle on "The Rifleman"

Member

Member

US Veteran

Member

Member

Member

Member

Absent Comrade

Absent Comrade

Member

Member

US Veteran

Member

Member

Absent Comrade

Member

Member

Member

SWCA Member

US Veteran

Similar threads