Talk:Hell on Wheels

Sorry I'm not as savvy at identifying firearms as the other members or I would do this myself. But this page at onetime had images of the various rifles used in Hell On Wheels and I was hoping some kindhearted fan would add them back.

Bohannon covers his Griswold & Gunnison with his coat after it's recognized by Daniel Johnson.

Bohannon does not use an accurate copy of the Griswold revolver in the series. Instead he uses a brass-framed copy of the 1860 Colt Army revolver, a weapon which did not exist until the Italians started making them during the 1960s. The rebated cylinder and 1860-type loading lever can be seen in several episodes, especially the one where he lends it to the ex-slave and teaches him to shoot.

episode 2 weapons

mercs (thats what we would call them today) when guarding the massacare site look to be armed with hendry rifles http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Henry_1860 Christopher Heyerdahl (Thor Gundersen, also known as "the Swede")seems to have a sawnoff double barrel shot gun and colm meany (Thomas "Doc" Durant,) semms to have a pepperbox type musket http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Allen_%26_Thurber_Pepperbox could be it but if anyone can help thanks--Seekerdude (talk) 12:56, 19 September 2012 (EDT)

I upped a screencap of Mr. Durant's pistol. Is this pepper-box/pepper-pot?

Someone confirm and add it to the page... Ristipiste (talk) 06:25, 7 January 2013 (EST)

The Railroad crews and virtualy everyone in the first few episodes that carries a rifle is carrying an 1866 Winchester "Yellowboy." They actually should be carrying Henry's as these were far more prevalent and if the show starts in 1865, would have been the only choice of the two. The Spencer would have been available as well. The railroad crews were known to have asked for Henry's for protecton against Indian attacks (in real life), the Yellowboy would not start getting to the Frontier in any numbers likely for at least another year or more. What actually happened was the elite/folks with money carried the best weapons available: people like Durant, private contractors, or individuals who had come out with any money in their pockets. The Pepperbox was an antique by that time, Durant likely would own somehting like a Smith and Wesson cartridge revolver. Cavalry officers too could carry what they wanted to. Also, the Frontier folks at the time used whatever they had and far and away in 1865-67 the most prevalent firearms would have been percussion weapons (Sharps 1863 Cavalry carbines, surplus Enfield rifles, etc.) so a dearth of these in rifle and shotgun form is disappointing. In the second season we are seeing more "conversion" revolvers but theos edid not start appearing in earnest until a tad later. Bohannon carries a cap and ball, why not everyone else? The transcontinental Railroad was completed at Promontory Point, Utah in 1869 (started in 1862/1864 by the Railroad acts). The first few episodes were disappointing as far as firearms goes, highly unrealistic and thoughtless--it was a less than half-assed attempt amd detracted from a well written and original show that is enjoyable inspite of its ahistorical use of weapons. In this day and age, it would have taken a lazy firearms consultant no more than a week to make a far more accurate and diverse collection for the show. I could have done so in a matter of a few days with a couple of phone calls.

Someone really needs to update this page because it hasn't been updated past the first season

Well, you can contribute yourself, ever thought about that? And please, sign your posts. --Warejaws (talk) 04:41, 15 October 2014 (EDT)

I contribute where I can. I'm not the best at indentifing this stuff and I don't own a copy of the show. --Jamesmac1801 (talk) 01:29, 3 December 2014 (EST)