Let's Have a Great Western Arms Thread!...I'll Start

[Checkman]

"357 Atomic (!)

Anybody have load data for it? Anybody ever heard of it?"

Depending on one's source the 357 Atomic was simply a very hotloaded .357 Magnum cartridge and sold by Great Western. Other sources say the Atomic cartridge was 1/8 inch longer than the standard .357 Magnum cartridge, but nobody seems to have one of those cartridges in their possession. Whatever the case the Atomic was marketed for about a year and then the 44 Magnum was released and it was pushed to the side.  

 

[kennethg]

I got this one in a trade pre 1958 when I was in Jr High school. It had the plastic grips on it when I got it but they were already cracked. The grips on it now had been on a GW 22. As shown in one of the photos, it is chambered in 44 MAG. I did shoot some magnum rounds back then but would not do that now.

 

[Dave686]

"357 Atomic (!)

Anybody have load data for it? Anybody ever heard of it?"

Depending on one's source the 357 Atomic was simply a very hotloaded .357 Magnum cartridge and sold by Great Western. Other sources say the Atomic cartridge was 1/8 inch longer than the standard .357 Magnum cartridge, but nobody seems to have one of those cartridges in their possession. Whatever the case the Atomic was marketed for about a year and then the 44 Magnum was released and it was pushed to the side.  

MYSTICAL, MYTHICAL, MYSTERIOUS MAGNUM: 357 ATOMIC
Mystical, Mythical, Mysterious Magnum: 357 Atomic - American Handgunner

 

[Model19man]

All through Gunsmoke, Marshall Matt Dillon carried a Great Western.

Actually that is a popular myth. More here:


"GUNSMOKE" The Guns of Matt Dillon! - YouTube

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Great Western Arms occupies a pretty narrow collecting niche. John Wayne in “The Shootist” used a Great Western. James Arness, as Matt Dillon, carried a 7 1/2” model. The man Dillon guns down in the intro to Gunsmoke was the famous gun leather designer and quick draw artist Arvo Ojala (pronounced o-YA-la). He was originally from Finland, by the way. Not only were movie and TV Westerns the rage back in the ‘50s, ‘60s, & ‘70s, so was quick draw shooting and six gun tricks.
Have you ever seen footage of Sammy Davis Jr. handling a six gun? Amazing! Of course, Sammy carried a Colt.
It was in this environment that William Willis (Bill) Wilson saw an opportunity and started Great Western Arms -before Colt got back into the game, with only 8 Colt Gen IIs produced in 1955.

For me, it’s about the hunt. About a quarter produced were .22s, yet I’ve never seen one. All three that I have seen, I have bought, and all three are Frontiers. The one pictured in the center below, is a DIY Kit Gun, and may be exceptional in that it is a well-made example, as are my other two Frontiers.

-Bill

IF.........You listen closely to opening scene.........Arvo shoots first...........

 

[Gamecock]

Thx for link, Dave686. Interesting info.

I found this notable:

"These revolvers have been tested with ammunition generating internal pressures of 52,000 lbs. per square inch without the slightest indication of failure.”

Back then, if the gun didn't blow up, the load was okay.

Now, we realize over pressure loads will stretch the frame. The gun won't blow up, but it will be rendered useless. I.e., over pressure loads aren't just about safety.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

$84.50 in 1954 is about $974.09 today.
Charlie Askins wrote he fired a GW .357 Atomic. Said when the cylinder pin went over his shoulder he stopped shooting it.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Some thoughts:

James Arness, as Matt Dillon, carried a 7 1/2” model. The man Dillon guns down in the intro to Gunsmoke was the famous gun leather designer and quick draw artist Arvo Ojala (pronounced o-YA-la). He was originally from Finland, by the way.

As evidenced above, James Arness/Matt Dillon carried guns other than a Great Western. I do believe, however, that the gun that Marshal Dillon uses in the opening scene of "Gunsmoke" is a Great Western. I never heard any rumors about him carrying only Great Westerns but quite some years ago in "American Handgunner", I think, none other than John Taffin IIRC wrote that the opening scene gun was a Great Western. I recall looking it up way back when.

Have you ever seen footage of Sammy Davis Jr. handling a six gun? Amazing! Of course, Sammy carried a Colt.

As noted in the video above, Sammy Davis was well known for his quick draw skills, as was Jerry Lewis. It was crooner Mel Torme, another fast draw artist, who, in a discussion about quick-draw, described Sammy Davis, and maybe Jerry Lewis, too, as "kind of sudden", meaning amazingly fast.

IF.........You listen closely to opening scene.........Arvo shoots first..........

Actually, you don't have to listen too closely, it's pretty obvious. Understanding that it's Hollywood and instead of being critical of it I decided years ago that it was deliberate, that the bad guy had to shoot first but the good guy had to win. That was always my fantasy in that respect.

 

[CH4]

Western arms…

 

[bill-in-texas]

$84.50 in 1954 is about $974.09 today.
Charlie Askins wrote he fired a GW .357 Atomic. Said when the cylinder pin went over his shoulder he stopped shooting it.

In the excellent article shared above, I noticed Mr. Taffin's 7 1/2" .357 Atomic has a Belt Mountain base pin.
Now, I understand why. Heh heh heh.

-Bill

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

At one time Mel Torme had the largest collection of Colts and single actions in the USA.

 

[Capt. F.]

That’s a great score! I can imagine that .44 Special may have been one of the very few, or only one, in Maine!

-Bill

First off Bill, thank you for your service.
There is a gentleman that occasionally runs an ad in the same swap rag looking for GW’s in any caliber.
I’ve never contacted him since I have no plans to sell mine, but it might be worth a call to see what he has.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Some thoughts:



As evidenced above, James Arness/Matt Dillon carried guns other than a Great Western. I do believe, however, that the gun that Marshal Dillon uses in the opening scene of "Gunsmoke" is a Great Western. I never heard any rumors about him carrying only Great Westerns but quite some years ago in "American Handgunner", I think, none other than John Taffin IIRC wrote that the opening scene gun was a Great Western. I recall looking it up way back when.



As noted in the video above, Sammy Davis was well known for his quick draw skills, as was Jerry Lewis. It was crooner Mel Torme, another fast draw artist, who, in a discussion about quick-draw, described Sammy Davis, and maybe Jerry Lewis, too, as "kind of sudden", meaning amazingly fast.



Actually, you don't have to listen too closely, it's pretty obvious. Understanding that it's Hollywood and instead of being critical of it I decided years ago that it was deliberate, that the bad guy had to shoot first but the good guy had to win. That was always my fantasy in that respect.

I know it's hollywieird......But if real, Dillon would have been dead. Nobody back then could beat Arvo.......Thell Reed was close. Also Bob Munden.

 

[DWalt]

.357 Atomic (!)

Anybody have load data for it? Anybody ever heard of it?

This is about as complete a discussion of the .357 Atomic you will ever find. Some of the responses in it are mine. It is basically a .357 +P+. Maybe using a lighter weight bullet. Likely never factory loaded.
357 Atomic Ctg - General Ammunition Discussion - International Ammunition Association Web Forum

 

[Goony]

Appearing in the May 1955 issue of Guns magazine was a highly detailed article on the Great Western operation. Assessment of the quality of the earliest production was not laudatory, but improvement in this regard was noted. The .357 Atomic cartridge was also discussed. The article begins on page 18: https://gunsmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/G0555.pdf

 

[antiques24]

Great Western Colt Movie

Great Western with a Colt barrel & cylinder. Universal Pictures Studios.

 

[PALADIN85020]

This Great Western I'm holding was used by John Wayne in many of his movies.

John

 

[Goony]

Great Western with a Colt barrel & cylinder. Universal Pictures Studios.

Am I correctly reading "Audie Murphy" also inscribed on that backstrap?

 

[DWalt]

Appearing in the May 1955 issue of Guns magazine was a highly detailed article on the Great Western operation. Assessment of the quality of the earliest production was not laudatory, but improvement in this regard was noted. The .357 Atomic cartridge was also discussed. The article begins on page 18: https://gunsmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/G0555.pdf

Except it seems no one has so far claimed to have seen a .357 Atomic cartridge, at least a cartridge headstamped as such, or a factory labeled ammunition box. There may have been some overcharged experimental loads made up by Hy Hunter using standard .357 Magnum cases, but none of the commercial ammunition makers of that period loaded and sold it. Assuming that the .357 Atomic cases were longer than standard .357 Magnum cases, as was suggested, who would have made them? Certainly none of the large ammunition loaders. They wouldn't have bothered without an order for a million or so cases paid for in advance.

 

[Wyatt Burp]

Sammy Davis Jr 60th Anniversary 1990 - YouTube

Curator's Corner: Sammy Davis, Jr.'s Colt Single Action Army Revolver - YouTube

For other Hollywood stars adept at gun handling, see: https://truewestmagazine.com/article/who-was-the-fastest-gun-in-hollywood/

If you look close you can see his 7 1/2” Colt in his spinning routine is a 1961 125th Anniversary Commemorative .45. If brand new that would be the year this was filmed. I own my dad’s .44 Special GW and also a chromed .22, both 5 1/2”. I was told by the boss at GW forum that the “O” at the start of the serial number meant it was originally a kit gun someone bought then put together. Including the horrible finish which is strangely considered original, I guess.