Even “Indiana Jones” buys guns from A&M!

Lexington Herald-Leader (May 23, 2008) by Andy Mead

            There’s plenty of action in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, but Lexington’s Charles Layson will pay particular attention when Indy shoots someone.

            That’s because the guns Harrison Ford uses in the fourth film of the famous franchise were supplied by Antique & Modern Firearms, which Layson co-owns with Rees Day.

            They are, specifically, a British-made Webley-Green .455-caliber revolver, and a Colt 1911 .45-caliber semi-automatic.

            They are the same models Ford used in the title role in the earlier episodes.  The Lexington store supplied three identical Webley-Greens and two identical Colts so the action could continue if one of the guns broke down during filming, Layson said.

            The guns were purchased for an average of $1000 each, Layson said.

            “I wanted to get them back because they would sell well after the movie, but the property manager was too savvy,” Layson said.  Also turned down: A discount on the price in exchange for a mention in the credits.

            The Webley-Greens, which were made about 1890, were the hardest to find.  Layson tracked them down from a collector in Tennessee.  One of those guns did break during production of the movie.  Layson had to find a replacement part and send it to the studio.

            The Hollywood people found out about Antique & Modern Firearms through Frank House of Bourbon County, who made guns that Mel Gibson used in The Patriot, and the ones Russell Crowe used in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.

            Layson planned to see the movie Thursday night at the Kentucky Theatre.

            “It’s sort of exciting to think that you contributed,” he said.  “I knew Indiana Jones was going to be a big deal, but the way….everybody in the press has promoted it, it’s going to be a really big deal.