Matewan
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Matewan is a 1987 American historical drama film that dramatizes the 1920 Battle of Matewan, the culmination of hostilities between striking miners and hired guns in the coal mining town of Matewan, West Virginia. The film was written and directed by John Sayles and the cast included Chris Cooper , Kevin Tighe , James Earl Jones , and David Strathairn .
The following weapons were used in the film Matewan :
Handguns
Colt Official Police
Colt Official Police Revolvers in .38 Special are used by Sheriff Sid Hatfield (David Strathairn ). Although the Colt Official Police is technically anachronistic, it is most likely standing in for its predecessor, the Colt Army Special . The coal mine company detective Bill Hickey (Kevin Tighe ) also uses the Colt Official Police as his main sidearm.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Colt Official Police - .38 Special
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Sheriff Sid Hatfield (David Strathairn ) dry fires after cleaning his revolvers. The rounds he uses are shown.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Sheriff Sid Hatfield (David Strathairn ) uses two Colt Official Police revolvers during the final shootout.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Sheriff Sid Hatfield (David Strathairn ) draws his dual revolvers.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Sheriff Sid Hatfield's (David Strathairn )'s left hand gun is shown in more detail.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Bill Hickey (Kevin Tighe ) uses a Colt Official Police during the final shootout.
Smith & Wesson Military & Police
Numerous people involved in the shootout use the Smith & Wesson Military & Police , including Griggs (Gordon Clapp ).
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Smith & Wesson Model M&P Revolver - .38 Special
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Tom Griggs (Gordon Clapp ) holds a Smith & Wesson Military & Police on Joe Kenehan (Chris Cooper ) at the miners' camp.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Tom Griggs (Gordon Clapp ) uses a Smith & Wesson Military & Police during the final shootout.
Single Action Army
Single Action Army revolvers are seen in the hands of both C.E. Lively (Bob Gunton ) and Few Clothes (James Earl Jones ).
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Colt Single Action Army - .45 Long Colt
Error creating thumbnail: File missing C.E. Lively (Bob Gunton ) holds a Single Action Army while he talks with Joe Kenehan during an establishing scene.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Joe Kenehan (Chris Cooper ) talks with Few Clothes (James Earl Jones ), who brandishes a Single Action Army during a politically tenuous scene.
Shotguns
Double Barrel Shotgun
Elma Radnor (Mary McDonnell ) uses 12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun during the final shootout.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing 1960s Era Commercial Stevens hammerless side by side shotgun - 12 gauge
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Elma Radnor (Mary McDonnell ) discharges a 12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun during the final shootout. Note the hammerless boxlock design.
Double Barrel Percussion Shotgun
One of the mountain people is armed with a Percussion Shotgun .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Double Barreled Percussion Shotgun - 10 gauge
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A hired gun armed with a Winchester and one of the mountain people armed with a Percussion Shotgun during a confrontation at the miners' camp. Note the ramrod visible under the barrels of the shotgun indicating that it is a muzzle loader.
Rifles
Mauser Karabiner 98K
Anachronistic Karabiner 98ks appear throughout the film. They are likely standing in for various period-correct Mauser rifles .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Mauser Karabiner 98k - 7.92x57mm Mauser
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Danny Radnor (Will Oldham ) uses a Mauser Karabiner 98k during the final shootout. This image has been reversed, possibly to preserve the scene's line of action. For dramatic purposes, the shop appears to have been positioned over rail tracks that show signs of recent use.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A striker fires on the hired guns with a Mauser Karabiner 98K during the final shootout. The left hand side of the Mauser is shown in true form.
1916 Spanish Mauser
The 1916 Spanish Mauser appears throughout the film.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing 1916 Spanish Mauser - 7x57mm Mauser
Error creating thumbnail: File missing At the river's edge, Danny Radnor (Will Oldham ) aims an 1916 Spanish Mauser at an escaping hired gun during the final shootout.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Danny Radnor (Will Oldham ) with a 1916 Spanish Mauser and Elma Radnor (Mary McDonnell ) with a 12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun after the final shootout.
Winchester Model 1892
The Winchester Model 1892 appears throughout the film.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Winchester 1892 - .38-40
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A shooter uses a Winchester Rifle Model 1892 during the final shootout.
A few Winchester Model 1892 Saddle Ring Carbines also appear throughout the film.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Winchester 1892 Saddle Ring Carbine - .38-40
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A hired gun armed with a Winchester Model 1892 Saddle Ring Carbine fires on the miners during the final shootout.
Garate El Tigre
One of the miners fires a Garate El Tigre , a Spanish copy of the Winchester Model 1892.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Garate El Tigre - .44-40
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A striker uses a Garate El Tigre during the final shootout.
Machine Guns
Browning M1917 Machine Gun
A Browning M1917 is manned by hired guns.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Browning M1917 .30-06 Machine Gun.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Hired guns wait with a Winchester Model 1892 and a Browning M1917 machine gun during a strikers' meeting.