| Peter Sherayko displays Wyatt's 3-triggered Stevens Shotgun and Doc Holiday's Meteor Street Howitzer |
by John Fasano
"We're gonna make a western!"
In Hollywood that usually means a call to the gun rental houses for a crate full of Single Action Armies and Winchesters. How many
times have you seen a movie set at the Battle of the Alamo where the actors are carrying 1873 Colts and Winchester Lever actions?
Too often.
times have you seen a movie set at the Battle of the Alamo where the actors are carrying 1873 Colts and Winchester Lever actions?
Too often.
Making a major motion picture is an undertaking involving hundreds of people working for months at a cost of millions of dollars.With
the logistics of scheduling, locations, insurance, weather and super star egos, you can understand that firearms usually don't rank
high on the list of priorities.
the logistics of scheduling, locations, insurance, weather and super star egos, you can understand that firearms usually don't rank
high on the list of priorities.
But when the producers of the movie Tombstone set out to bring this incarnation of the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral to life,
we decided we were going to put the most accurate depiction of the period on the screen. A big part of that was going to be the
most ignored by Hollywood: The guns had to be right.
we decided we were going to put the most accurate depiction of the period on the screen. A big part of that was going to be the
most ignored by Hollywood: The guns had to be right.
On Tombstone the job fell into the capable hands of Peter Sherayko and the company he started, Caravan West Productions.
Caravan West Productions is a full service organization supplying costumes, livestock, wagons, firearms and, most importantly,
Buckaroos for movie and television Westerns.
Caravan West Productions is a full service organization supplying costumes, livestock, wagons, firearms and, most importantly,
Buckaroos for movie and television Westerns.
These Buckaroos are not movie extras or stunt men, but living, breathing Western historians who show up fully armed, outfitted and
ready to re-enact the halcyon days of the Old West.
ready to re-enact the halcyon days of the Old West.
Sherayko's first move was to bring in Jeff Morey. Morey, one of the Buckaroos, is probable the country's top authority on Wyatt
Earp, having written several articles and a scholarly analysis of the gun fight at the O.K. Corral, became the technical advisor on the
film.
Earp, having written several articles and a scholarly analysis of the gun fight at the O.K. Corral, became the technical advisor on the
film.
Sherayko has a personal library with over 3,000 volumes of books and periodicals on the Old West, many dating back to the late
1800's. Peter and Jeff waded into this mountain of research, using this incredible data base to verify the guns that had actually
been carried by each of the major and minor characters in the script.
1800's. Peter and Jeff waded into this mountain of research, using this incredible data base to verify the guns that had actually
been carried by each of the major and minor characters in the script.
Once it had been determined what firearm was used by which character, then the real fun began - finding the guns.
Sherayko had a private antique firearm collection numbering in the hundreds, but even that wasn't enough to equip the town of
Tombstone. So as the research continued he scoured all the guns shows and collectors in the country. His Buckaroos looked into
their own collections. We ended up with what must have been the most accurately armed Western ever filmed.
Tombstone. So as the research continued he scoured all the guns shows and collectors in the country. His Buckaroos looked into
their own collections. We ended up with what must have been the most accurately armed Western ever filmed.
Wyatt's Buntline
Along with dozens of Colts and Spencers and Sharps, there were five 1876 Winchesters in .45-60, three in the hands of lead
characters Johnny Ringo (Michael Biehn), Breckenridge (Jason Priestly) and Sherm McMasters (Michael Rooker). Cowboy gang member
Pony Deal carried a 28 shot Evans rifle made by Evans of Maine in the early 1870's. Then there were Meteor shotguns to locate and
Colt Lightning's. And of course the star gun of the film: Wyatt Earp's Buntline Colt.
Along with dozens of Colts and Spencers and Sharps, there were five 1876 Winchesters in .45-60, three in the hands of lead
characters Johnny Ringo (Michael Biehn), Breckenridge (Jason Priestly) and Sherm McMasters (Michael Rooker). Cowboy gang member
Pony Deal carried a 28 shot Evans rifle made by Evans of Maine in the early 1870's. Then there were Meteor shotguns to locate and
Colt Lightning's. And of course the star gun of the film: Wyatt Earp's Buntline Colt.
Wyatt's famous Buntline has been a bone of contention among western historians for years. Many insist the gun carried a 12" barrel,
but in Tombstone we decided to portray Earp with a 10" barreled Colt.
but in Tombstone we decided to portray Earp with a 10" barreled Colt.
Sherayko's research uncovered Colt factory letters and Stuart Lake's (author of Frontier Marshal) personal notes indicating that
Wyatt carried a 10" barreled gun. "We also found an 1881 letter written to Colt by 'Buckskin' Frank Leslie, a friend and admirer of
Earp's, specifically asking for a 10" Colt," Sherayko explains. "I mean, Buckskin was a huge admirer of Earp's and so we figured he
would want to order the exact same barrel length as Wyatt's."
Wyatt carried a 10" barreled gun. "We also found an 1881 letter written to Colt by 'Buckskin' Frank Leslie, a friend and admirer of
Earp's, specifically asking for a 10" Colt," Sherayko explains. "I mean, Buckskin was a huge admirer of Earp's and so we figured he
would want to order the exact same barrel length as Wyatt's."
For a 10" Single Action gun on a black powder frame Sherayko couldn't go to Hartford, as the Colt long barrels roll off the assembly
line with 12" tubes, so Peter went to EMF, importers of the Uberti single actions of Italy. They built three 10" guns which were
then sent to John Ennis, who installed the plaques on the grips.
line with 12" tubes, so Peter went to EMF, importers of the Uberti single actions of Italy. They built three 10" guns which were
then sent to John Ennis, who installed the plaques on the grips.
Why three? Because movies take a long time to shoot - Tombstone took 17 weeks - and guns sometimes break when they're dropped
off horses or used in bar room brawls. Every gun in the movie had to have at least one double, so that filming could continue if the
"lead gun" was damaged. This posed some particular problems when rare and hard to find guns are used.
off horses or used in bar room brawls. Every gun in the movie had to have at least one double, so that filming could continue if the
"lead gun" was damaged. This posed some particular problems when rare and hard to find guns are used.
| All the rigs in Tombstone were custom made for the actors based on original period designs. |
| The Buckaroos leathermakers made this rig identical to the one shown in "Packin' Iron" book |
Rare Guns
Take the three triggered Stevens 10 gauge double that Kurt Russell used in the film. You're not going to find that gun in normal
movie prop rental houses.
Take the three triggered Stevens 10 gauge double that Kurt Russell used in the film. You're not going to find that gun in normal
movie prop rental houses.
Sherayko had almost exhausted all his resources when he happened across the gun at a local gun show. The Stevens was a beater,
and he turned to gunsmith Larry Zeug to restore the scattergun. Zeug is a specialist in antique firearms, a gunsmithing wizard
who can convert a modern replica firearm like the EMF Sharps carbine into a cosmetically accurate weapon. But this is the
movies, as I said earlier, and a back up was still necessary.
and he turned to gunsmith Larry Zeug to restore the scattergun. Zeug is a specialist in antique firearms, a gunsmithing wizard
who can convert a modern replica firearm like the EMF Sharps carbine into a cosmetically accurate weapon. But this is the
movies, as I said earlier, and a back up was still necessary.
Where do you get the backup for a one of a kind gun? "The backup for that gun came from the Davis Museum in Oklahoma. I
approached Jim Davis, the owner of the gun, and he consented to let us use the gun in the production."
approached Jim Davis, the owner of the gun, and he consented to let us use the gun in the production."
Rare guns in the rigors of a movie shoot? "We don't mind using rare guns in films - my goal is make these films historically
correct." Sherayko said, adding that his Buckaroos are not gas station attendants who dress up like cowboys on the weekend, but are
instead committed professionals - doctors, lawyers, actors, college professors - linked by their love of guns and the Old West.
correct." Sherayko said, adding that his Buckaroos are not gas station attendants who dress up like cowboys on the weekend, but are
instead committed professionals - doctors, lawyers, actors, college professors - linked by their love of guns and the Old West.
Edu-tainment
They have been brought together by Peter with a single purpose: "Edu-tainment," as Sherayko calls it, is a commitment to historical
accuracy. This commitment pays off at the box office when a film like Tombstone comes up against Geronimo, a bigger budget
production that didn't care to do the research - and didn't bring in the audience.
They have been brought together by Peter with a single purpose: "Edu-tainment," as Sherayko calls it, is a commitment to historical
accuracy. This commitment pays off at the box office when a film like Tombstone comes up against Geronimo, a bigger budget
production that didn't care to do the research - and didn't bring in the audience.
"I put in a bid to do Geronimo. In my research I had discovered that when Geronimo surrendered the rifle he turned over was a
Marlin 1881 .45-70 - but in the film the producers went with a reproduction Sharps because it was more readily available."
Marlin 1881 .45-70 - but in the film the producers went with a reproduction Sharps because it was more readily available."
Aside from the loss of the project Sherayko laments another Hollywood epic that doesn't care about the details, "All the saddles in
Geronimo were all built in the 1960's from designs used on movies in the 1930's - modern saddles. People who know can see that."
Geronimo were all built in the 1960's from designs used on movies in the 1930's - modern saddles. People who know can see that."
In addition to supplying the firearms, horses and costumes (including 400 shirts and all the holsters) for Tombstone, Sherayko, an
actor whose credits include Death Wish IV, also portrayed Texas Jack Vermilion, one of Wyatt's posse. His company is currently
hard at work supplying period guns for Young Indiana Jones, Hard Bounty with Kelly LeBrock, and the Larry McMurty miniseries
Buffalo Girls starring Angelica Huston as Calamity Jane.
actor whose credits include Death Wish IV, also portrayed Texas Jack Vermilion, one of Wyatt's posse. His company is currently
hard at work supplying period guns for Young Indiana Jones, Hard Bounty with Kelly LeBrock, and the Larry McMurty miniseries
Buffalo Girls starring Angelica Huston as Calamity Jane.
"We're busy as hell now," Sherayko recounts happily, "with all of the Western projects going."
Caravan West not only designs and supplies these products for films, but also for the consumer as well. If you want historically
accurate clothing, rigs, or saddles, or if you're interested in becoming a Buckaroo you can contact Peter Sherayko at Caravan West
Productions: (661-268-8300)
accurate clothing, rigs, or saddles, or if you're interested in becoming a Buckaroo you can contact Peter Sherayko at Caravan West
Productions: (661-268-8300)
** this article published in the American Hangunner magazine March/April 1995 issue.
