Movie Guns - Blank Cartridges (& IMFDB.org):

Dirty Harry:- Now I confidently started-out by claiming that the "Most powerful handgun in the world" was in fact not a real S&W Model 29 but a lesser calibre as it had to fire movie blanks - Wrong (apparently). - Further research indicates that in the first Dirty Harry Movie the revolver used may well have been a genuine M29 - albeit specially built - and that the .44"Magnum blanks were again especially made for use during the production. - Various web-site sources credit Clint Eastwood with practicing / training thoroughly before filming commenced.

S&W Model 29.

In may be that in the later 'Dirty Harry' movies the usual 5 in 1 Blanks were used in specially adapted Model 29s - but my reading on this has mixed reports - including that in some of the movies the gun was a "prop" fiction with its muzzle opened-out to a much greater bore so that it would appear even more impressive.

5 in 1 blanks can be used in revolvers chambered for 38-40, 44-40, and .45" Colt, plus rifles in 38-40 and 44-40 Winchester. - They are also known as 3 in 1 blanks.

These blanks were made by using a primed case loaded with a shallow layer of fast pistol powder then a layer of slow rifle powder - all held in place by a light wad. they are made as smokeless, black-powder - to give a nice cloud of white smoke, and half-and-half to give a lesser amount of smoke.

Currently the standard blanks have moved forward and are now built using plastic cases and are available in 44 Special, 44 Magnum, and .410 gauge.  - they are made both crimped and open-ended 'Balloon' blank variant.

'Balloon' blanks are used by fast-draw shooters to pop balloons - the slow burning powder is driven forward far enough to burst the balloons on impact with the burning particles.

Now I'm not going to comment about this performance - real bullets or blanks? - he's still legend and faster than you or I will ever be eh.

- If you should be interested in what-ever gun it was in that movie you saw - try online at IMFDB.org - that's 'Internet Movie Firearms DataBase' - very useful and interesting.

Marty K
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