Factual error: The film implies that Ned Kelly and his friends only became criminals after being harassed by the police. In fact, they had a long history of criminality, bushranging and animal rustling before being declared outlaws.
Factual error: In a scene set in 1871, several newspaper articles get printed on Moe's face as he falls onto a printing press. Curly Joe reads that "AT&T is splitting two for one." American Telephone and Telegraph Company was founded in 1885.
Factual error: The events in the film take place in mid-1929, as evidenced by the first Academy Awards being presented in May. However, Wyatt Earp went to the happy hunting grounds in January of that year.
Factual error: Engine 463's firebox is seen in a close-up, revealing a cast in date mark of 1914. The caption near the start says it's set in 1892. (02:02:00)
Factual error: The highly unstable explosive nitroglycerin plays a crucial role in the film, as it is painstakingly stolen and then used to obliterate a wooden bridge that separates the War Wagon from its armed escort. However, at the end of the film, a single bottle of this incredibly volatile stuff somehow survives to be stolen by an Indian brave who haphazardly snatches it (thinking it is a bottle of whiskey) and scampers away with it. Any one of the Indian's actions, from roughly snatching it to leaping off the wagon with it and impacting the ground, should have detonated the nitroglycerin. The leader of the Indian war party even chugs a mouthful of the Nitro and violently spits it out, the action of which should have exploded his head. But the nitroglycerin doesn't explode until the Indian leader finally throws the bottle to the ground.
Factual error: Purdy is always wearing a bra with hook and eye in the back. These bras were not patented until 1911, much later than when the movie is depicted. (01:12:20)
Factual error: The events depicted in the movie occur around the time of the California gold rush in 1848, yet every man and his dog wields an 1873 Colt Peacemaker.
Factual error: All the couples on the train are modern and not correct for the period. Trackwork back then wasn't very good, considering the speed that the back end of the train is going it probably would have derailed long before it did. The caboose and the rest of the train seen to be just shunted off the track for the dramatic crash, realistically it would have flipped over and gone over the trestle.
Factual error: When Tom is singing "If You're Ever Down In Texas" to the cowgirl, Jerry winds the crank on the Victrola counter clockwise.
Factual error: The Welsh Guards parading at the start of the film weren't formed until 1915. The film is set in 1872.
Factual error: Raquel Welch is shown to have modern tooth fillings during the rape scene.
Factual error: There appears to be a pickup truck parked by a barn in the background when Steve McQueen is standing by his horse, talking to Linda Evans. (00:19:00 - 00:20:00)
Factual error: This movie takes place post-civil war, and Fisher, in his first discussion with General Cortinas refers to the "Republic of Texas" being ripe for the taking. Texas ceased to be a republic in 1845, when it joined the United States.
Factual error: When Buster joins the card game in the saloon, he looks at the hand of the player that had just left. Given the circumstances in the saloon, the cards cannot be spot clean and white as fresh snow. Also, they seem to be plastic cards, which did not exist yet back then.
Factual error: On their journey, Rooster is bragging about his navy colts, when actually his sidearm is a Colt .45 Peacemaker, also known as an Army Colt M1873.
Factual error: All the troops in the Fetterman massacre are cavalry. In fact, the majority of the detachment, including Fetterman himself, were infantry.
Factual error: When Pauline is burying her husband in the cemetery there is a shot of a mountain with vultures swarming around it and an antenna mast is visible on top of the mountain. (00:24:18)
Factual error: Waco Johnny Dean played by Dan Duryea grabs a pistol from a bystander and then gets shot multiple times by Jimmy Stewart. As Waco goes down he fires several rapid fire shots from a double action revolver. Not likely given the time period some time after the civil war.
Factual error: The train's locomotive has a steel cab, an electric headlight, and other modern applications. Overall, it more closely resembles an early 20th century steam engine than that of the 1880's, when the movie supposedly takes place.
Factual error: When Brennan rides into town, behind the stage coach in the back street there is a pick up truck parked.