left hand krag carbines

[free1954]

watching the movie ROUGH RIDERS and noticed a few left handed krag carbines. were they Hollywood make ups or did they really have left handed models? thanks for looking.

[Kragrifle]

No. Apparently in making films photos can mistakenly appear as mirror images.

[Kragrifle]

I love that movie, but note that all the carbines have the longer 1899 style stocks. One even has a turned down muzzle of the school guns or "Constabulary carbines. Years ago I had a chance to buy one of the carbines alleged to have been used in the movie. It was an interesting mixture of parts.

[dave]

I also noticed that school rifle muzzle. I did see at least one 96 carbine, before they went to Cuba but you have to look quick! I think the Carlyle Indian had it, but not sure.

[Sunray]

Armies think everybody should be right handed. No way they'd make a left and right rifle. However, nothing you see in movies is remotely real.

[JimF]

Many scenes in that flick are reversed . . . .

I saw a few left-handed Mausers as well.

Also, TR wore his handgun and Sam Brown holster/harness on BOTH hips from time-to-time!!

[mhb]

Left handed Maxim gun(s), too. Other historical programs of recent vintage have featured left-handed Brown Besses, and similar items. I can't help but wonder exactly how the filmmakers and editors do this, and why...

mhb - MIke

[Parashooter]

The why is easy, after a scene is set up with one side firing/moving to frame left and the other to the right, it's considered bad form to introduce a shot where a side switches direction - confuses the viewer, you know. So, when splicing individual shots to extend the scene, those that were usable except for being filmed pointing in the wrong direction get reversed (basically by flipping the film) and nobody notices except a few irrelevant detail-geeks - like us.

Exactly how the flipping is done depends on the medium. Actual film can be reversed during manual editing; digital media can be flipped easily with software.

[psteinmayer]

In the days of film... many times the images were reversed because the film was mistakenly printed emulsion to emulsion. I've even see pictures that make Jimi Hendrix right handed, LOL! I used to operate a dark room, and this was also done purposefully for various reasons... but usually boiled down to bad editing or printing by someone who truly didn't know the difference.

[blackhawknj]

I'd like one of those left handed M1893 Mausers. And how about those Maxim machine guns that fed from either side ?

[free1954]

thank you gentlemen for the replies. thanks PARASHOOTER for that video trickery.

[coastie]

Hey, I want one of those left handed Krags.
Next birthday present for my left handed architect brother.
coastie