The Western film genre has its ups and downs. Hollywood might not be in a swell of cowboy movies at the moment, but they always come back. They always do. That said, there are some massive hit movies in the genre, successful at the box office and in fans' hearts all across the world. Here’s a short list of fantastic Westerns in no particular order.
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Unforgiven
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Tombstone
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Wyatt Earp
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The Outlaw Josie Wales
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Lonesome Dove
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Pale Rider
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True Grit
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Open Range
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The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
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Jeremiah Johnson
These stories have become cult classics in some cases. At any rate, this short list only scratches the surface of the genre. In addition to rugged characters in rugged conditions, the Western is a story of conflict, and the tools of conflict. In cinema, those tools get fair consideration and could almost be considered supporting actors.
One of those crucial supporting actors was the Colt Single Action Army “Peacemaker” pistol. The original six-gun as it were. While the Western era starts way in advance of the SAA’s existence and ends far beyond the evolution of the metallic cartridge (Semi-Automatics like the Colt 1911 and the Remington Model 8 were quickly adopted by cowboys and Western lawmen alike towards the end of the cowboy era), the Colt SAA garnered an unfair percentage of representation in film, especially the 1950s era serial Westerns made for TV.
For a span of about 30 years, the SAA was the repeating handgun of choice for cowboys, both real and of the silver screen. Umarex, in conjunction with a licensing agreement with Colt, started making Single Action Army replica BB and Pellet pistols about 8 years ago. These pistols aren’t a 100% replica as the BB/Pellet cartridge we used was roughly the same dimensions as a .38 caliber cartridge rather than the .45 Long Colt round most firearm SAAs were made to fire. And due to the CO2 cartridge and mechanism, the grip is a touch longer. That said, a glance will hardly tell all, even to seasoned professionals. At the end of the day, for about 1/20th the cost of an original Colt, you can have this licensed replica and have fun in the backyard, or practicing your quick draw.
When it comes to long guns, the truth is the humble shotgun was the “gun that won the West”, but when it comes to the movies and classic Western TV, the lever action rifle was the center stage. There’s no use to argue otherwise, lever action rifles are amazing pieces of engineering, and, closer to the truth or not, are certainly fitting for the role of supporting the actors on the screen. From my memories of the old Western and even more recent films, the 1873 and 1894 pattern Winchesters seem to be the most common.
Cowboys and lawmen commonly carried a lever action rifle chambered in the same caliber as their pistol so there was only one caliber to buy when it came time to restock the bandolier or cartridge belt. Another advantage of this is the increased power and accuracy from the round as a longer barrel will allow the projectile to gain velocity (typically around 25 feet per second per inch of barrel) and, also due to the stabilization provided by the stock and the additional sight radius (distance between the sights).
With this in mind, Umarex made an addition to the Legends series of airguns just a short time after the Colt SAA was released, the Cowboy Rifle. These two airguns are a match made in heaven! Like the Colt, the Cowboy Rifle uses the same BB cartridges. The Colt holds the traditional six shots, and the Cowboy Rifle holds 10 shots in its under barrel tube magazine. The Cowboy Rifle is an 1894 pattern rifle, so it has the old west feel and you want as well as good looks and function that you demand.
If you are a fan of the Western genre of film or even gaming culture, a la Red Dead Redemption, our Colt SAA “Peacemaker” and Legends Cowboy Rifle are made for you!