What were the weapons in the Ghost and the Darkness?
- Thread starter CJS-6.5
- Start date
From Shootersforum.com
| ||
Firearms used in Ghost and the Darkness movie... Hi Everyone... I know this is a VERY old thread, but there is so much confusion and misguided guessing in the post I thought I'd try to straighten it out. Have been a collector of British military arms for over 20 years, so let me have a go at it. The Birmingham Small Arms (BSA) Lee-Speed Spotter rifle in .303 British caliber , was used by Patterson in The Ghost and the Darkness. In real life, Patterson used a standard issue MLE, Lee-Enfield Mark I rifle with a 30" barrel, the precursor to the well-known SMLE Lee-Enfield Number 1 Mark III (Short Magazine Lee-Enfield) with the 25" barrel. The Holland & Holland Double Rifle in .500/.450 Nitro Express was used by Remington. The Martini-Henry Mark III rifle in .577/.450 was used by Angus Stahling. The Howdah Over/Under 12 gauge shotshell pistol, was used by Remington, with external hammers. The L.C. Smith Side x Side in 12 gauge was used by Samuel, the Foreman. And a Jeffery Farquharson single shot .400 Nitro Express rifle used by the doctor and that misfired when used by Patterson. I have photos of all of these fine weapons, but I can't figure out how to post them. |
Great movie... if only for the guns!
No... It's a great movie. Period.
Worth reading Peter Hathaway Capstick and Ruarke... Death in the Tall Grass and all the other great Africa tales before the UN and Unicef came along and screwed it all up.
I'd never looked up the details, but QH's list looks about right... and fantastic!
Cheers,
Sirhr
No... It's a great movie. Period.
Worth reading Peter Hathaway Capstick and Ruarke... Death in the Tall Grass and all the other great Africa tales before the UN and Unicef came along and screwed it all up.
I'd never looked up the details, but QH's list looks about right... and fantastic!
Cheers,
Sirhr
You guys are awesome...I knew you would come through. Snipershide is the best because it is full of mature adults that don't have anything to prove. Seriously. A 30 year old guy like me can ask a question and get an awesome detailed response because there is hardly any wannabees...I love the shooters community in general. It makes us more disiplined.
The misfire rifle was a Westley Richards. It was in Patterson's book as well as the movie.
I really loved the movie. And, because there is no way you can factually go back and say what exactly happened, it was made as a "fictitious" movie. In fact, though, each of the incidents that happened were true. The numbers of victims vary by different accounts. But, by most accounts, (people who consider Indians, and native Africans as humans) it was over 100.
As was common at the time unfortunately, more people died on that project from disease than from the lions. But, that made it no less terrifying in how they were able to kill so many workers... and Bhwana's, in such a short time.
The method and boldness of attacks by these lions was stunning. Patterson's book devotes a little over half of it to the lions and the hunt to kill them. He devotes the rest to the other incidents of note that he encounters, like the red cobra that came to visit him at his tent.
I really loved the movie. And, because there is no way you can factually go back and say what exactly happened, it was made as a "fictitious" movie. In fact, though, each of the incidents that happened were true. The numbers of victims vary by different accounts. But, by most accounts, (people who consider Indians, and native Africans as humans) it was over 100.
As was common at the time unfortunately, more people died on that project from disease than from the lions. But, that made it no less terrifying in how they were able to kill so many workers... and Bhwana's, in such a short time.
The method and boldness of attacks by these lions was stunning. Patterson's book devotes a little over half of it to the lions and the hunt to kill them. He devotes the rest to the other incidents of note that he encounters, like the red cobra that came to visit him at his tent.
Last edited:
