Movie, King Solomon's Mines, 1950

[Kiwi505]

Just watched this video. Can anyone tell me what rifles were used?

In the begining the double that Stewart Grainger used on the elephant looked like a 577 of some kind. Later it looks kike he was using a mannlicher while the other man was using a straight pull of some kind.

Anyone know?

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

King Solomon's Mines - Trailer (1950)

 

[ibie]

what gun was used?????

 

[Kiwi505]

what gun was used?????

There are several different guns used in the movie, I was wondering what makes, models and cartridges were used.

 

[monish]

Kiwi 505,

The rifles used were .423 Mauser (10.75 x 68), .375 Mannlicher Schoenauer (9.5x57) & .577 NE Manton & co.

Monish

 

[Kiwi505]

Thanks, interesting choices there!

 

[kerymac]

I have it on good authority that the bolt action seen in the movie (1950) is a Rigby Mauser 400/350 (rimmed version) which was later autioned by MGM and is pictured in a Peterson pulblication many years later being fired by its then owner. Beautiful old gun, but is technically incorrect (1898 action) and I believe movie dates tale as 1893. Large bore underlever hammer gun used on elephant at beginning is I believe a 12 or 10 bore black powder gun. Stewart Granger used a Westley Richards double (.577 I believe) to take his own elephant during filming.

 

[kerymac]

Reference for the Rigby 400/350 used in King Soloman's Mines (1950) is Guns & Ammo 1984, pg. 126, "The First Magnum Mausers," by Jack Lott. Pictured is the movie gun (although mis-captioned as a Whitworth) being fired by its owner, one John A. Feyk, who purchased it at an M.G.M studio auction where it was sold as the movie gun used by Stewart Granger. In the article Lott lists some loads used by Feyk and chronographed in its 26-inch barrel. I don't know what was paid, but it was surely a bargain!

 

[Kiwi505]

Wow, great info there!

Thanks a lot!

 

[kerymac]

I checked my copy of this great old film (I first saw it at the tender age of 12 when it came out) and noticed that I was wrong about the supposed date of the tale. It was 1897, not 1893. But I am fairly certain now that Stewart Granger's large double is a black powder rifle, probably 12-bore. Using stop frame re-play, it is pretty clear that the bores are very large, and when fired it emits a huge muzzle flash and great clouds of smoke, strongly suggesting it is not likely a later "nitro" or smokeless chambering. Great fun, what? My aspirations for an African hunt began at that moment, and it only took me 42 years to get there.

 

[One eye]

I love that movie and just got done watching it again. I also stumbled across another Stewart Granger movie called The Last Safari. I love those old movies.

Thanks for the infomative posts.
Dan

 

[Korolyov]

Great movie indeed! The comments show deep knowledge of hunting. As I watched the initial very realistic hunting scene I realized that THAT was not from a movie. Does anybody know how MGM organized the shooting of the scene with the shooting of the elephant, i.e., who was the real hunter and other details?

 

[WFet]

The story of the opening scene is covered in White Hunter by Brian Herne. If memory serves be correctly, the charging elephant actually did charge the camera, and was brought down by Peter Selby (will have to check that again). The interesting part is that after the shot, the cast took pictures with the apparently dead elephant, only to find out later it was merely stunned and vacated the area after the film crew moved on.

 

[Velo Dog]

Another fun old Stewart Granger movie is called something like:
"Harry Black Versus The Tiger"
In that one he carries a SXS in .375 caliber (Granger mentions caliber during one scene).
However, I don't recall hearing him make any distinction on whether it was magnum flanged, magnum belted or, 2.5" express.
It is a fictional story, set in colonial India.
Fun old time movie though.

 

[jeanes]

Robert Ruark states in "Darkroom Africa" (Esquire, Sept. 1954) that Stan Lawrence-Brown was the white hunter who shot the elephant on camera in the opening sequence of the movie. He also says that the elephant was only stunned and that another hunter, Frank Bowman, was sent to follow and finish the bull.

 

[John A Flaws]

I love this site. Even when obscure questions are asked there is someone with the answer.. Usually the information provided goes far beyond what I would have ever expected.

On a second note I would love to have an original Rigby 400/350. The rimmed 400/350 bolt guns are not often seen. What a classic rifle in a classic cartridge.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I know that it’s been three years since anybody commented on this thread , but I have the answers ( being an avid Stewart Granger fan ) .

For his personal hunting purposes during the filming of “ King Solomon’s Mines “ , Stewart Granger took a three rifle battery :

Small Bore - A Holland & Holland Mauser in .240 Apex
Medium Bore - A Holland & Holland Mauser in .375 Magnum
Large Bore - A Westley Richards Single Trigger Droplock Ejector in .577 Nitro Express 3 “ ( which was originally built in 1921 for Count Alfred Potocki )

The firearms Stewart Granger used in the film ( while playing Alan Quatermain) , were :
1) A Colt Single Action army revolver in .45 Long Colt
2 ) An 8 Bore Holland & Holland Black Powder Under Lever Hammer Double Rifle
3 ) A John Rigby & Co. Slant Box Mauser in .400/350 Nitro Express ( this last one is anachronistic , because this caliber was designed in 1899 and the film is set in 1897 )

Stewart Granger recounts some of his hunting adventures in his autobiography “ Sparks Fly Upwards “ . He had a very close shave with a charging bull elephant which took multiple head shots from the .577 Nitro Express , without going down . He finally downed him with a .577 Nitro Express 750 grain FMJ bullet through the eye . He would later have Holland & Holland build him a second Mauser in .375 Magnum in 1972 .

 

[mark-hunter]

Do we know what Steward granger, actually hunted then?

We know about elephant he shot with 577, there was a famous picture with it.
Is there any other records of his safari, and animals he hunted?

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Do we know what Steward granger, actually hunted then?

We know about elephant he shot with 577, there was a famous picture with it.
Is there any other records of his safari, and animals he hunted?

He mentions his hunting adventures ( some of them ) in his autobiography " Sparks Fly Upwards " . He was definitely an extremely passionate hunter . He used that .577 Nitro Express to down two Elephant , two Rhinoceroses and four Cape Buffalo .

He was also an avid wing shooter . He owned a pair of Westley Richards 12 bore single trigger Droplock Ejector side by side shotguns .