[Bulldog44]

In one of the Dirty Harry movies, Harry explains that he fires a light special load from his S&W Model 29. However, from the way the feigned recoil affects him, it looks more like he's supposed to be shooting .44 Magnum ammo. Did he mean that he prefers a "light (.44) Special load" or a "light special load (in .44 Magnum)". Personally, I've only seen .44 Special ammo cause that kind of recoil in lightweight Charter Arms .44 Specials (and only then with hot loads).

This also brings to mind these movies wherein the hero(ine) or villain fires 10,000 rounds without pausing to reload, he/she can fire .50 handguns without having to endure recoil, or he/she can use firearms inside an enclosed area and not suffer from hearing loss.

[Cliff C]

Bulldog44 - Yeah. The movie you're referring to is Magnum Force.

I have NO idea what he meant by a "light special." Light special to me would seem to imply a .44 Special that was either using a lighter bullet (200 gr. ?), or a reduced powder load. As someone who likes to shoot the .44 mag myself (Ruger Redhawk), the recoil sure looked like full house loads to me.

Another funny thing in that movie... one of the traffic cops appeared to carry a Colt Python. In several scenes, rather than the cylinder revolving clockwise when firing, it revolved counter-clockwise. Other times, it revolved properly for a Colt (clockwise).

Ah, Hollywood. ;)

Cliff

[Gunslinger]

I recall the scene you're referring to and I got the impression from the line (I don't recall it verbatim off hand right now) that he did mean .44 Special loads as in the caliber and not special magnum loads. I wondered at the line at the time thinking it sort of defeated the purpose of movie theme of his carrying the model 29.

I had never noticed the Python rotating in the wrong direction in some scenes. (You must have a good eye Cliff.) But I will watch for that the next I see the movie.

[Richard J.]

Ah yes, but don't you just love The Enforcer? That's the last (IIRC) of the Dirty Harry series, in which Harry is told to turn in his mighty .44. He does, and then goes home, and pulls out.....his Automag .44! I laughed my arse off.....I could just imagine his line of thought.

"OK, can't carry the M-29 anymore...that's OK, I've got the Automag. It holds two more rounds than the 29, quicker to reload, power level up; gee thanks, boss, you've just forced me to upgrade! Watch out scum, here I come!"

Then in the end, he nails (literally) the badguy with a HARPOON GUN! Talk about major stopping power.....

[HiPower]

I dearly love all the scenes of people being ripped right off their feet by a hit from a BB gun, usually leaving their shoes behind in the process.

On of my favorites was a scene from a John Wayne (reverent music, choir etc.) in which he stroked a BG in the teeth with a shotgun held in both hands and thrust forward rapidly. The BG flew back about 3 feet into a wall, and then slid to the floor.

A few years later, they told about that scene in a behind the scenes hollywood production. The guy that got hit was wearing a harness with a rope attached. The rope went through a hole in the wall behind him. On the other end of the rope were 3 really big guys pulling like hell. The stunt man got knocked cold from the collision with the wall.

Hell of a way to make a living!!!

:D

[ 03-13-2002: Message edited by: HiPower ]