44 Magnum and the "Southwest Bunch"

[Doc44]

Last November, Jim Supica, Director of the NRA's National Firearms Museum, brought several guns to "Show & Tell" held during the Southwest Bunch meeting in Tulsa. One of the guns was the 44 Magnum used by Clint Eastwood in Magnum Force. Several of us had our photo taken with this famous handgun.

Jim and others always bring great guns to Show & Tell. Plan now to attend the Southwest Bunch meeting in Tulsa on Saturday evening, November 10, 2012.

Bill Cross

 

[steveno]

how many guns were actually used in the series of movies? some of them seem to get thrown around a lot and i would think they would have a lot of nicks and bruises on them.

 

[Art Doc]

I read John Milius (a writer) say that two were used. He got one and I don't recall where the other went. Maybe to Eastwood. When they throw guns they use rubber dummies.

 

[nipster]

I heard that when he actually shot the gun, they used a 41 magnum model 57 due to lack of ammo (blanks)?? Thought that was odd, dont know if that's just a rumor or not.

 

[Jack Flash]

In close ups, it looks like Eastwood is holding a pristine revolver. When he throws it, no doubt they use a beater, or do as SP said, throw a rubber gun and add sound effects.

 

[lowhog]

Bill,Was it a pre 29 5 or 4 screw? Or was it a 29 no dash,1 or 2 dash?

 

[snowman]

I heard Eastwood interviewed on Leno one night and he said he had one of them at home in a drawer.

Andy

 

[Texas Star]

What does the badge on the handle say? That isn't a San Francisco badge, is it? Harry was a San Fran detective.
I think their badge is a star.

Was this a plaque noting that the gun was used in the movie?

 

[dacoontz]

Bill,Was it a pre 29 5 or 4 screw? Or was it a 29 no dash,1 or 2 dash?

29-2 from what I can recall when I asked Bill that same question a few months back.

 

[Doc44]

The revolvers used in Dirty Harry are 29-2s, but the revolvers used in Magnum Force are Model 29s (4-screw frame). The one I am holding has a serial number in the S206000 or S207000 range if I remember correctly.

The badge/plaque on the grip indicates the revolver was presented to John Milius from Warner Bros. and Clint Eastwood for his role in making Dirty Harry and Magnum Force.

Bill

 

[dacoontz]

Bill, thanks for clarifying. Funny that they used a 29-2 in Dirty Harry (1971) and a 29 in Magnum Force (1973).

 

[Arisin Wind]

Didn't the gun sport checked grips in the movie?

 

[Arisin Wind]

Bill, thanks for clarifying. Funny that they used a 29-2 in Dirty Harry (1971) and a 29 in Magnum Force (1973).

That is odd. Seems like it should be the other way around.

In the later films they used a 29-3 since that is what was available.

I wonder how many Dirty Harry guns there are?

 

[Doc44]

I believe the 44s when used in the movies each had checked stocks. The stocks on the 44 in the picture were added later and actually are about nine years or more newer than the revolver. Plain stocks were needed because of the addition of the plaque.

The revolvers for Dirty Harry were made in S&W's tool room in 70/71 as when they were needed for the movie the Model 29 was not in production and they were assembled from available parts. Why the same revolvers were not used in subsequent movies is anyone's guess.

Bill

 

[nipster]

Wonder if anyone has the original 44 Automag used in one of them, dont remember which one.

And RE: why didnt they just use the same gun in the movies? I doubt the studio likes to keep real firearms around. I am sure they had lots of replica guns for just shooting blanks, especially back when westerns were the thing, but I believe these are actually not designated legal firearms and easier to store from a legal / insurance standpoint.

 

[calmex]

One might also assume, I suppose, that just because you make a movie doesn't mean it won't bomb. If it does bomb, you won't be making another one. Probably after Dirty Harry everyone packed up their wardrobe and sets and...oh, hey, what should we do with these revolvers?

I am sure that the guns went to a good home, but after a year or so when it becomes apparent that a second movie would probably go over pretty good, then it's time to select the wardrobe, buy the sets, hire a new Lieutenant that we can kill off and NOBODY will suspect of being a "bad guy" and...oh, hey, wait...what did we do with those darned revolvers? You, go buy us two.

That movie gets in the can, they have the wrap-up party, everyone shakes hands and packs up the wardrobe, laughs about how they won't have to try to sell any of the production cars because they wrecked them all, and, oh, by the way, go do something with those revolvers. And I'm sure they found a good home.

And so it goes, and so it goes. My point is, I doubt that when the series started anyone foresaw a 5 movie run. PROBABLY everyone was just looking at getting the current project finished and in the can. I doubt there was a long-term plan that would have allowed the foresight to keep the original Model 29's around for some possible future effort.

That's my opinion, unqualified as it is.

 

[Clean Break]

Wonder if anyone has the original 44 Automag used in one of them, dont remember which one.

It was Sudden Impact, my favorite Dirty Harry Movie.

Dirty Harry (Sudden Impact) Target Practice - YouTube

But my favorite Harry Calahan scene of ALL TIME is from the same movie and features the classic S & W 29:

Clint Eastwood Sudden Impact Coffee - YouTube

Clean Break

 

[merlindrb]

Here's my pic of the same gun - sorry about the long face!!

I also had a close-up taken of the plaque on the butt, so see the 2nd pic below.

Enjoy

Dave

 

[Doc44]

Dave...thanks for the post and the close-up of the plaque.

Bill

 

[dnater]

Wonder if anyone has the original 44 Automag used in one of them, dont remember which one.

I'm pretty sure that those Automags went directly to Clint Eastwood for use in the movie from Harry Sanford at TDE or AMT, whatever the corporate entity was at the time. I know Cheshire & Perez in Monrovia, CA did the transfer paperwork. I didn't participate in that transaction, but had the honor of doing the paperwork (4473 & DROS) for a couple of AMT .380's he got later. BTW he drove up in a '70's vintage Plymouth Fury 4 door.

 

[gripper]

Chase Gripp and the Magnum Force Model 29

Here is a pic of my 12 year old son Chase holding the model 29. I think this was Chase's 2nd Southwest bunch meeting and he always has a good time. I'm sure he will appreciate this picture many years from now.

Chad Gripp

 

[Jack Flash]

I may be wrong, but I always thought that Movie and TV Studios had a "vault" for keeping their guns safely stored and available. When they need a .44 Magnum, the guy with the keys just goes and gets one, without a whole lot of worry about what they used last time.

An extreme example of this is Barney Fife's revolver. As others have pointed out, sometimes it is a S&W, sometimes it's a Colt. It's whatever the prop guy grabbed that day.

If someone really needed to explain the different guns used from one Dirty Harry movie to another, they could just say that Callahan always wanted a 4 screw .44 Magnum, and scoured the gun shows and pawn shops til he found one.

 

[kennyb]

thanks for sharing the pics...veryyyyy nice!

 

[C Broad Arrow]

Great pictures and the memories will last a liftetime, especially for Chase. Magnum Force was on the tube just last night. Thanks for sharing.

 

[JimSupica]

I thought ya'll might enjoy also seeing the pictures of the gun on our National Firearms Museum website. Note the zoom in bar .... you can get in real close on the presentation plaque to read it.
The National Firearms Museum: Dirty Harry (1971) Smith & Wesson 29
The photos were taken by fellow SWCA member Terry Popkin about 3 years ago when we hired him to photograph our entire museum collection. You can find his 10,000 zoomable photos of 2,500 guns on our website The National Firearms Museum: Home

Jim