Favorite Movie Weapons - new series

Decided to start yet another new series on this blog called Favorite Movie Weapons. And they will range from the real to the ones that are made up. And all kinds of weapons: handguns, bow and arrow, swords, lasers, etc.

Going to start off with the .44 Magnum used by Clint Eastwood in the Dirty Harry films. As Harry was prone to say "This being the most powerful handgun in the world and would blow you head clean off". Here are some interesting facts about the story of what gun was actually used while making Dirty Harry.

Dirty Harry's gun is supposedly a Smith & Wesson Model 29 revolver, chambered for a .44 Magnum cartridge. In the film, the gun is shown as being capable of sending assailants flying through the air, even when shot from a distance, however, in reality the gun does not produce such dramatic results. Additionally, the .44 Magnum round is not considered to be a practical caliber for urban police force use due to recoil (which makes target re-acquisition difficult) and over-penetration issues, which greatly increases the likelihood of the bullet going through its target and injuring bystanders. The actual gun used on set by Clint Eastwood was reportedly not a Smith & Wesson Model 29. According to a story circulated by a member of the studio's prop department, Smith & Wesson did not have a Model 29 in stock at the time, and so a Smith & Wesson Model 57 chambered for a .41 Magnum cartridge was used. The Model 29 and Model 57 are identical except for minute differences in bore size, chamber dimensions, and exterior markings, none of which are visible in the film. Fans however, have claimed that in a close up at the end of the film, the gun carried by Eastwood is in fact a genuine Model 29 chambered for a .44 Magnum. The close-up clearly shows the markings "44 MAGNU," with the final "M" blocked from view.

Be that as it may, whatever gun that was used made for an exciting film. And the .44 Magnum is synonymous with Harry Callahan.