The weapon that made the Rifleman a television legend was an 1892 .44-40 Winchester carbine.
I don’t doubt that that is true — but I believe the series was supposed to take place in the 1880’s. Television has a long history being a little casual about facts and timelines.
OK, first of all, great post. The individual rifleman and ham radio operator are uniquely American characters and worth emulating by those who love liberty.
Now... if you listen to the original “The Rifleman” intro, I counted at least fourteen shots fired during Lucas McCain’s walking fusillade. There’s a film splice if you look closely.
Of course, I loved the show as a kid, back when there were several TV westerns where a specialized weapon was part of the plot (Steve McQueen’s `mare’s laig’, for example). And MAD Magazine did a classic parody:
“How come you carries a rifle instead of a pistol, Pa?”
“’Cause there’s more room for notches, son.”
That .44-40 round is a mighty good one. Right balance of accuracy, controlability and take-down power.