Quigley Down Under is a 1990 Western starring Tom Selleck as Matthew Quigley, an American frontiersmen and sharpshooter who travels down to Australia of the mid 19th Century to accept a job from a wealthy rancher (Alan Rickman) to use his skills in the outback. When he's told the truth about the nature of his job, Quigley clashes with the rancher and finds himself stranded in the desert with a crazed woman who believes he is her dead husband. The film was directed by Simon Wincer (Lonesome Dove). Note: While some promotional materials for the film state that the film takes place in the year 1860 (which would make numerous firearms in the film anachronistic), there are no direct references to when the film takes place.
The following firearms were used in the film Quigley Down Under:
Matthew Quigley (Tom Selleck) uses a Shiloh Sharps 1874 Long Range rifle with a 34" barrel (4"s longer than a standard 30" barrel) converted to fire a .45-110 metallic cartridge with a 540 grain paper-patch bullet. It has double set triggers, and is fitted with a ladder-elevated Vernier peep sight and a Globe front sight. He is an incredible sharpshooter with this rifle and often makes use of the double set triggers for more accurate shots. Sometimes he shoots from so far away, the report of the rifle is heard 2-3 seconds after the impact of the bullet (Even though sound catches up with supersonic rounds after 300-400 yards). Several times in the film the gun is shown capable of sending people airborne (some even completely flipped in mid-air!), as movie rules states a big gun must send bad guys flying.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingUberti Sharps 1874 Long Range with 34" barrel, fitted with Vernier sight. The film credits the actual rifle used as being manufactured by Shiloh Rifle Mfg., Big Timber, MT. Differences between that and the Uberti (pictured) can be seen in the photo - The tang sight windage adjustment is at the base on the Uberti while it is on the slider of the Shiloh's sight. The Shiloh has a patch box in the stock which the Uberti does not, and the Shiloh has the curved military butt plate compared to the Uberti's straighter shotgun butt.Error creating thumbnail: File missingQuigley's rifle features his initials engraved on the side "M.Q".Error creating thumbnail: File missingQuigley aims down his Sharps 1874. Note Globe front sight.Error creating thumbnail: File missingQuigley fires his Sharps 1874 at Marston's men.Error creating thumbnail: File missingQuigley uses his double set triggers. For those who don't know how double set triggers work, this shot shows how he pulls the rear trigger to make the trigger pull on the first trigger lighter, making the rifle more accurate.Error creating thumbnail: File missingQuigley's Sharps laying among his gear.Error creating thumbnail: File missingQuigley firing his Sharps.Error creating thumbnail: File missingQuigley aiming his Sharps.Error creating thumbnail: File missingQuigley shoots a rope out on one of his traps with a well-aimed shot from his Sharps. Hitting a rope while properly rested is hard enough, but only Quigley can shoot one while laying on his back!
At one point in the film, we have some excellent gun dialogue seldom seen in most movies, in which Quigley describes his rifle to Marston.
Elliot Marston (Alan Rickman) uses a Colt 1860 Army .44 caliber as his personal sidearm. He refers to it as the Army revolver and has much respect for its maker, Colonel Samuel Colt. At one point, he is seen placing his second one in Quigley's belt.
Marston's men are mainly armed with reproduction Griswold & Gunnison 1860 Revolvers in .36 caliber throughout the film. They are not Colt 1851s as previously noted due to their round barrels and brass frames.
Dobkin (Tony Bonner) carries a pocket version of the 1851, known as the Colt 1851 Navy "U.S. Marshal" with ivory grips and cylinder grooves which Quigley also pockets for himself after the final duel.
Marston's men arm themselves mainly with Thompson Center Arms Hawken Plains rifles throughout the film. Quigley kills one of these men and takes the rifle off his horse for Crazy Cora to use.
The gunsmith of the town offers Quigley a Italian .45 caliber dueling pistol, called simply the "Bounty Hunter". Quigley refuses to take it, claiming he never had much use for a shooter (pistol).
Quigley also takes off the dead man's horse a Colt Dragoon 1848 .44 caliber pistol. Crazy Cora (Laura San Giacomo) uses the Colt Dragoon to fend off dingos from her camp and an Aborigine baby while Quigley is away getting .45-110 shells from a town. Presumably the same man who owned the horse is seen cocking the gun on the wagon as the Red-coats approach.
A full-sized original Colt Walker 1847 is seen in the hands of one of Marston's men during the shootout in in the town with Quigley. The Colt Walker used is most likely a reproduction. Only about 1100 where originally made and they now sell for US$150,000 or more.
At the end of the film when Quigley is preparing to leave Australia, the travel clerk cocks a Hoppes Model 300 Ethan Allan boot pistol (source, 3rd Ed. Black Powder Gun Digest, page 16) under his counter when asking his name, aware there is a bounty on Quigley.
