ID Clark Gable's Rifle In This Pic

Texas Star · Mar 31, 2016

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1va73mgfu1r8zf24o1_1280.jpg Grace Kelly, with .275 Rigby

http://www.gentlemansgazette.com/wp...6/Safari-Jacket-of-Clark-Gable-in-Mogambo.jpg

(Gable and actresses)

Also see Grace Kelly at that time, holding a Rigby rifle, in my thread about, King Solomon's Mines. (Hmpf. This also posted here.)

This is not that rifle. (Gable pic) I think the bolt handle suggests a P-14 or US 1917 Enfield bolt. But that may be a false impression caused by the camera angle and the lighting.

On Gable's left in the pic is actress Ava Gardner and Grace Kelly is on his right. Gable and Kelly were in love then, and after filming this movie, "Mogambo", went on a private safari, which raised eyebrows then, about 1953, as they were not married. Grace was about 24 and Gable was in his 50's, raising some of the same eyebrows even higher, no doubt. Grace seemed to like older men.

The rifle is a typical English sort, probably by a top London maker. It was probably furnished by MGM, but may have been one of his own. Gable owned some very nice guns.

Texas Star · Mar 31, 2016

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MJuKGNwdj80/ULz0ZJ0mHWI/AAAAAAAAHLY/5u0WzJmOmhc/s1600/mogambo+set+13.jpg

Different rifle, I think.

BearBio · Mar 31, 2016

There was a commercial version of the P-14/1917 that had the dog-leg bolt handle. Don't remember the model number.

DWalt · Mar 31, 2016

"Gable and Kelly were in love then."

Gable was noted for falling in love with his leading ladies, or for that matter, anything that wore a skirt. The same was true for Grace Kelly regarding her leading men, or anything that wore pants. She had an amazing number of A-list high-profile conquests before Prince Rainier. Both operated at the highest levels of libido. They should have been the ideal couple.

Gable always liked to travel by rail in a Pullman sleeper car. Mainly so he could get lucky with any unattached ladies on the train during the journey. The sleeping car porters and attendants were well paid to assist him in playing the game.

"There was a commercial version of the P-14/1917 that had the dog-leg bolt handle. Don't remember the model number. "

The Remington Model 30 was essentially the civilian sporting version of the Enfield 1914/1917 made during the inter-war period. I don't think Remington chambered it as standard in any of the Magnum calibers, except possibly by special order. Many military Enfield actions were made up into rifles by custom gunsmiths in various magnum calibers such as the .300 and .375 H&H Magnum, as it was a very strong action. I recently passed up a fairly nice Remington Model 30 in .30-'06 at a decent price - I just have way too many rifles I never use already.

"Grace Kelly, with .275 Rigby"

The .275 Rigby was the UK's proprietary version of the 7x57mm Mauser cartridge, very popular in Africa for lighter plains game.

Texas Star · Mar 31, 2016

BearBio said:
There was a commercial version of the P-14/1917 that had the dog-leg bolt handle. Don't remember the model number.

The Remington Model 30 and 30S? The actions were basically a refined M-1917, which Rem. had made during WWI. But I can't offhand recall the shape of the bolt handles.

Also, BSA and probably others in the UK used P-14 actions for sporting rifles.

The rifles shown appear to be based on '98 Mausers, though. The P-14 and M-1917 not only had dogleg bolt handles; they had pretty deep profiles around the magazine. I think the rifle held by Gable looks too trim for one of these actions.

Jack O'Connor had a .416 built on the M-17 action, and for that long, fat cartridge, the big Enfield action seems ideal.

Remington's final rifle based on the Enfield was the Model 720, which was trimmer than prior arms from them. But WWII intervened and only a relative few were made. After the war , Remington cheaped out and made the Models 721 and 722, leading eventually to their present M-700.

Oops: I see that Dwalt was posting some of this info as I was. I had a HS pal whose dad had a very nice Remington M-30S in .30-06.

chief38 · Mar 31, 2016

What Rifles???

BearBio · Mar 31, 2016

I looked up some pictures and the Remington Model 30 isn't as "stepped down" at the floorplate as were the military models. Of course, a custom based on a p-14/1917 isn't far out of line!

BLACKHAWKNJ · Mar 31, 2016

Looks like Ava Gardner on Gable's left. I note no sling on the rifle Grace Kelly is holding and she isn't wearing hunting clothes.

Ray · Mar 31, 2016

I understand that Mr. Gable owned also a SW registered .357 Magnum revolver.Regards, Ray

JcMack · Mar 31, 2016

Gable was a pig. He raped Loretta Young when she was 23 and they were filming "Call of the Wild". He left her pregnant and she raised the child on her own. He was a lousy guy, and bad actor to boot.

DWalt · Mar 31, 2016

JcMack said:
Gable was a pig. He raped Loretta Young when she was 23 and they were filming "Call of the Wild". He left her pregnant and she raised the child on her own. He was a lousy guy, and bad actor to boot.

I had never seen that there was any allegation of rape. In 1935 Loretta went to England to have the child (who she named Judy) in secrecy, and had it placed in an orphanage for 18 months. Then she adopted the baby. Loretta kept Judy from knowing who her father was until she was 23 years old. Reportedly, there was never any doubt as to who the father was, as Judy bore a remarkable resemblance to Clark Gable, especially his prominent ears.

Texas Star · Mar 31, 2016

BLACKHAWKNJ said:
Looks like Ava Gardner on Gable's left. I note no sling on the rifle Grace Kelly is holding and she isn't wearing hunting clothes.

Yes, that's Ava Gardner. Frank Sinatra was among her close friends and visited her on the movie set.

This seemingly didn't bother Gable, as he and Grace were an item.

Grace Kelly wore a number of outfits, and probably was asked to pose in that one. I think she was out in the bush then, and probably just stepped away from the tents and was handed the rifle.

She may have dressed for dinner or just been to Nairobi.

Read Robt. C. Ruark's, "Something of Value" and see how fashionable young ladies dressed to shop in Nairobi or Arusha, etc. and note how one lady had a holster made to match her outfit. This was during the Mau-Mau Emergency, which was in full bloom when, "Mogambo" was filmed. Ruark based that novel on what he saw there during several safaris. He was also advised by quite a few settlers and friends and family of his famous hunter, Harry Selby . And by the colonial police... Much of what is in that book really happened. Some was taken from news stories of attacks. Also see his, "Uhuru!"

I think Bob Ruark was the only major American newsman and columnist who understood and was candid about African issues. He was also a hunter.

model70hunter · Mar 31, 2016

once in a small LGS they had a Rem 30S in '06 for sale priced like a bubba'd Enfield. I did not know what it was till later, too late.

The one he is holding between the ladies has a small diameter bbl and it does look like an '06 class setup.

The other picture in front of the hut shows a heavy bbl gun, probably a 375 and up.

Clark was quite the shooter. Somewhere in my Parker stuff there is a picture of him and Carol Lombard walking up from a Duck hunt holding doubles.

Roy Rogers ended up with Clark's custom M-12 Winchester trap gun.

He was probably a CAD, but he was definitely a card. He also had hounds. After he was a star but still on contract he bought some chickens, Hens, and started selling eggs, he had a sign in front of his Valley place. Word got back to the studios Clark was selling eggs to make ends meet. He wouldn't quit the egg business until they redid his contract.

And someday I'm gonna find a nice cheap Mauser commercial action and make me one of dem der .275 Rigbys. Slip through the woods in my safety orange Cabellas Safari jacket cropping Does.

ColbyBruce · Mar 31, 2016

Could it be a Newton rifle?

les.b · Mar 31, 2016

Darn it, Texas Star, I've got to stay away from your threads. A week or so ago I ended up buying "Bridges of Toko-Ri", and now I've been over on Amazon.com buying "Mogambo", and "King Soloman's Mines". Well, the great thing about movies on Amazon, I can watch them wherever I am. I purchased the Stewart Granger version. I was unaware that KSM had been made so many times... I saw a version from 1937, and later there were several with Patrick Swazy and I don't know who else. Must have been made at least 5 or 6 times over the years. As I said over on your other thread about H Rider Haggard, I have been a fan of the story since I was a kid. I'll let you know how I liked them after I watch them. Been pretty busy around here for a change, and I haven't been watching tv much.

Texas Star · Mar 31, 2016

les.b said:
Darn it, Texas Star, I've got to stay away from your threads. A week or so ago I ended up buying "Bridges of Toko-Ri", and now I've been over on Amazon.com buying "Mogambo", and "King Soloman's Mines". Well, the great thing about movies on Amazon, I can watch them wherever I am. I purchased the Stewart Granger version. I was unaware that KSM had been made so many times... I saw a version from 1937, and later there were several with Patrick Swazy and I don't know who else. Must have been made at least 5 or 6 times over the years. As I said over on your other thread about H Rider Haggard, I have been a fan of the story since I was a kid. I'll let you know how I liked them after I watch them. Been pretty busy around here for a change, and I haven't been watching tv much.

Les-

Don't stop now. Buy, "Safari", with Victor Mature and Janet Leigh. Search for info; I'm in a rush. But watch for how the hero's Sten gun changes from a MK II to a MK III and back in various scenes. And Janet Leigh had a Winchester 94, although other rifles were the predictable British bolt actions.

Has some nice scenes, including some with a man-eating lion. Look for director and musical credits. Some of those guys later made the James Bond films.

As for my threads, use caution: you may be in danger of buying Fallkniven, Puma, Victorinox, and Randall knives, too.

les.b · Mar 31, 2016

Texas Star:

I usually watch streaming video on my tv with a roku box. I just started watching Mogambo on my iPad, and discovered that when you are watching, if you touch the screen, it shows whoever is in the scene in the upper left hand corner, their picture, their name on the movie, and their real name. If you touch their picture, it brings up a menu where you can read their biography, and see hundreds of photos. Also, of course can stop the frame to look at guns, etc. I have been missing a lot watching on the tv... Pretty cool stuff. Plus, with my earbuds, I can sit through faculty meetings and watch these movies at the same time. Also watch on the iPhone, but a little hard on the eyes.

Thanks for the tip... I'll check out "Safari", also.

Thanks, Les

2152hq · Mar 31, 2016

1st & 3rd pic look like M70s w/ standard grade checkering

That 2nd picture,,I don't know.,, Short English style forend, front bbl swivel &slim bbl profile. I think the bolt handle kink is just a shadow and/or lighting. Probably a Mauser bbl'd and stocked up in BritainLand.

model70hunter · Mar 31, 2016

It may not be the rifle in the photo but in the movie Clark shot the panther that was stalking Grace with; a 1949 Winchester Model 70 in 270 WCF. The rifle and clothes sold at auction. See link.

Dear Mr. Gable

Texas Star · Apr 1, 2016

model70hunter said:
It may not be the rifle in the photo but in the movie Clark shot the panther that was stalking Grace with; a 1949 Winchester Model 70 in 270 WCF. The rifle and clothes sold at auction. See link.

Dear Mr. Gable

I hit that link and saw the .270 and outfit that Grace wore where she holds the rifle. Many thanks.

I think that M-70 is the rifle he's holding by the hut. Look at the American style checkering, in a very Winchester pattern. The forearm and the sling provision also look Winchester.

ID Clark Gable's Rifle In This Pic

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