The Dirty Harry movie gun(s)

GUNS Magazine in September 1972 did a short article on Dirty Harry. In the article it is stated two Model 29s were assembled from parts because the Model 29 was not in production at the time the guns were needed. This is consistent with what I believe to be true. Fred Miller, Sales Manager at S&W, arranged for the guns to be made and shipped. These guns were most likely Model 29-2s, but there is no way to know for sure.

Clint Eastwood practiced with one (or both) of these Model 29s with factory loads in order to become familiar with the gun and its recoil. This was important, as blanks have little recoil and he needed to mimic the recoil in the movie. Special blanks in .44 caliber had to be made for the movie(s).

I am not sure what John Milius's connection to Dirty Harry was, but he was the writer of the story in Magnum Force that came out in the fall of 1973. The gun or guns used in Magnum Force by Mr. Eastwood have a 4-screw frame as is shown clearly in one of the lobby cards. We know for certain the NRA National Firearms Museum has one of these.

The movie poster for the "Dead Pool" featured a Model 29-2 with an 8 3/8-inch barrel and stocks with the speed loader cut out on the left panel.

GUNS Magazine in November 1973 did a short article on Magnum Force.

Bill
 
Given these two guns came from Smith & Wesson, have they ever given an 'official' statement on what they supplied for the film?

It has already been noted in this thread that one of the guns in the Dirty Harry film was slung to the ground and would (still?) bear the scars of this gravitational event!

Surely somebody over the years has asked Clint for his understanding of events given his gun liking????
 
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For blowing someone's head "clean off" with the [then] most powerful handgun in the world I don't think the character would use any light load. Even though we all know a hot load won't blow anyone's head "clean off", certainly a light load could not.

I recently saw a law enforcement publication with a short feature about the 2011 Shot Show. Did anybody go? There was a photo in the magazine about movie guns and someone was holding a model 29. The caption said it was from the DH movie. Could it have been the NRA gun on a road tour?

I consider Doc44 the ultimate 44 magnum authority, as do we all. If he said the guns came from the moon, I'd believe it. (Of course, we know they did not come from the moon because they do not have moon clips!)

It is amazing that 40 years after the first movie came out that there is still such an intense interest in the details of the gun choice. Would we still be talking about this if, everything else being the same, Callahan carried a 1911? A great gun, but I don't think so. The model 29 is the co-star that keeps us talking about that movie to this day.

I heard Eastwood used a model 19 6" that looked large in proportion to his 5' 6" frame, is that true?

I love the Dirty Harry threads...
 
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DiGiorgio carried a M-28 in 'The Enforcer', which can be seen in the liquor store scene, and when he gets knifed by Bobby Maxwell in the warehouse. I like this because I have a 28-2 and "too much linguini" slowing ME down...




:D:D;)
 
viceunit said:
I consider Doc44 the ultimate 44 magnum authority, as do we all. If he said the guns came from the moon, I'd believe it.
Click to expand...

Ain't that the truth. If Doc44 said that Dirty Harry's model 29 came from a moon rock that crashed to earth a thousand years ago, I'd say wow! how cool is that?!? lol

-Jim
 
Fully Engraved Dirty Harry Model 29

Here is a picture of a fully engraved Model 29 in a Dirty Harry motif.
Image36.jpg
 
Model39..the engraved 29-2 and its ivory accessories were listed on Gunsmerica or Gunbroker for $125,000. It ran for many months and no one bought to my knowledge. I haven't seen a reference to it for years.

It is a nicely engraved and inlaid revolver, but obviously the price was too high.

Bill
 
Thanks guys.
My original question has been answered. The guy is a dip sh**. Thats what I thought, but ya never know.
Back to the 29's in question. I believe the one that the NRA museum has is real. Would it be a safe bet that Clint has the other one?
Interesting thread. Movie props do get bad treatment. The yellow model A coupe from American Graffitti sat behind a barn for years and the guy that owned it didn't know much about it. I wonder what else is out there?

Wingmaster
 
Now, I'm not 100 percent positive about this one so don't hold me to it (but it did come from a knowledgable source). I was told that due to S&W's production numbers at the time, a .41 Mag was actually used during filming.
 
I can contribute only one piece of information here, which may already have been mentioned; but in order to reinforce it, here it is:

I saw Mr. Eastwood on Jay Leno some time ago(I'm an awful judge of how much time has elapsed since then -it was when his most recent film came out). The subject of this thread came up, and Leno asked him what happened to the gun, or if they gave him the gun, or if he still had the gun. Eastwood replied that it was at home in a drawer. Leno then asked him if he ever used it, or if he still used it, or something like that. Eastwood's reply(not verbatim, but close): 'Every now and then; not much. "It's really overkill." '

I wonder what he would think of a 500.

Andy
 
Amazing that Eastwood's "co-star" in those movies continues to breed controversy. I agree that they only used 6 1/2" barrels in the films, but also used the longer ones in publicity shots. However, no one has mentioned that in the last movie, Harry carried a 6" M29, which would have been the only 'new' replacement for the one lost near the end of "Sudden Impact." Personally, I give them credit for making this slight change. Sure, he could have bought a used 6 1/2", but went for new instead. Also, I have seen on this site some pics of the M29 he used in "The Enforcer" which was dinged up a bit, as it sure woulda been from its abuse over the years. (It almost makes me cringe when I hear that gun clank on the cement, or as it's getting kicked across a grated floor--OUCH! That's "S&W Bright Blue" taking that beating!) Too bad the way some movie items are casually stored, or even misplaced. But, I remember reading an interview with Eastwood from the late '70s where he said "I have a .44 magnum, and a couple of antique guns used in westerns." Could that be a DH gun? Odds are...Anyway, great reading!
 
I forgot to add that I once read that during the filming of "Dirty Harry" Eastwood was 6-4 and weighed 198 lbs. Long and lean.
 
NRA_0213-1.jpg


Picture taken at the NRA museum on Nov. 9, 2002. The caption on the wall for this gun read-" 1 of 3 Smith and Wesson Model 29 44 Magnums used in Dirty Harry and Magnum Force. Serial # S206921. You can see the shield on the left grip panel with the inscription to John Milius.
 
jj2am44 said:
Picture taken at the NRA museum on Nov. 9, 2002. The caption on the wall for this gun read-" 1 of 3 Smith and Wesson Model 29 44 Magnums used in Dirty Harry and Magnum Force. Serial # S206921. You can see the shield on the left grip panel with the inscription to John Milius.
Click to expand...

So clearly somebody must be in the know, if they placed a caption stating 3 guns were used?

1. NRA Museum (John Milius' gun) - confirmed
2. Clint Eastwood (apparently in his draw?) - yet to be confirmed, but sounds plausible :)
3. Who has this one? - unconfirmed

The mystery continues...! :)
 
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