5 Things Clint Eastwood Fans Never Knew About Dirty Harry's Gun

Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) and his trusty .44 Magnum go together like spaghetti and meatballs. Over the course of five films, beginning with 1971's "Dirty Harry," the titular lawman uses the revolver to take down serial killers, terrorists, corrupt cops, and gang members. He occasionally picks up other firearms, such as harpoon guns and rocket launchers, but this bad boy is easily his favorite, and it's become a memorable part of movie history.

For evidence that Dirty Harry loves the .44 magnum, look no further than the renegade detective's speech about the handgun's capabilities in the first film, written by John Milius and directed by Don Siegel. In this one, he refers to it as the most powerful handgun of its kind and asks some poor punk if he's feeling lucky. The monologue is as informative as it is intimidating, though viewers should take some of the copper's facts with a pinch of salt.

However, there are some proven facts about Dirty Harry's gun that have been proven, and we have a list of them right here. So, without further ado, here are some things Clint Eastwood fans might not know about their favorite fictional detective's beloved weapon of choice.

Dirty Harry's handgun is iconic thanks to his popular film series, but it was around long before the no-nonsense cop immortalized it on the screen. Officially known as the Smith & Wesson Model 29, the company introduced the shooter in 1955, though a cowboy called Elmer Keith deserves credit for initially developing the idea. The handgun marked a significant breakthrough for revolvers, as it was the first to be safely equipped with a .44 cartridge. 

Despite its powerful capabilities, the Model 29 gained newfound popularity after "Dirty Harry" made it famous. Prior to the film, it was mainly used by law enforcement officers and hunters, and Smith & Wesson even thought about discontinuing the firearm due to low sales. However, sales went through the roof after gun owners saw Clint Eastwood's loose cannon detective use it to serve up hard justice, and the rest is history. 

Smith & Wesson eventually retired the gun, albeit only in its original iteration. The weapon is still available today through the company's "Classics" line, and it's been upgraded with modern advancements. So, theoretically, Harry Callahan could still do damage with the weapon if Eastwood decides to reprise the character for one last hurrah in a modern-day setting.

"Dirty Harry" writer John Milius will be the first person to tell you that the weapon used in the film isn't the most powerful handgun in the world. As he explained in an interview with the NRA National FIrearms Museum, "That's probably not true. It probably wasn't even true at the time, but it seemed like a good idea to me."

While the handgun used in "Dirty Harry" was one of the most powerful of its kind in the 1970s, its cartridge had already been surpassed by the .454 Casull by then. However, while the latter cartridge was initially developed in the 1950s, it wasn't available to purchase when the Clint Eastwood-starring crime-thriller romanticized the .44 Magnum. So, there's an argument to be made that Dirty Harry's revolver was the most powerful that was commercially available in 1971.

These days, several other handguns, such as the .500 S&W Magnum, have eclipsed the Smith & Wesson Model 29 in terms of power. That said, there's no denying that Harry Callahan's speech about his favorite weapon made a lasting impact on the public's everlasting view of the weapon.

There are some things Clint Eastwood fans might not know about his legendary career, including the time he upset "Dirty Harry" fans for misremembering one of his lines in the sequel "Magnum Force." It occurs in the scene where Harry Callahan is in the shooting range with some uniformed officers, shooting the breeze about guns. After being asked what kind of loads he uses for his .44, he says, "These are light specials. This sized gun, it gives me better control and less recoil than a .357 Magnum with wad-cutters."

To most people, this is just a regular gun conversation among cops, but it bothered some fans who felt Callahan was saying he was using lower-powered ammunition. However, writer John Milius cleared up the matter in the DVD commentary track, revealing that Eastwood was supposed to talk about using a special load that was both light and powerful. With that in mind, angry fans can rest assured knowing that the detective's weapon in "Magnum Force" is still capable of doing serious damage, as evidenced by the many scenes where he uses it to shoot down bad guys.

Screenwriter John Milius is a self-professed gun lover, which might explain why Clint Eastwood is often asked about the political critiques of "Dirty Harry." Many argue that the movie is pro-gun and right-leaning in its worldview, but at least the film's writer understands firearms, and he had specific reasons for going with the .44 Magnum in the '70s classic.

In the aforementioned interview with the NRA National Firearms Museum, the "Red Dawn" director explained that he owned the same gun, and it inspired him while he was writing the script. However, he also felt that it was an effective choice for the Dirty Harry character being efficient at his job. "The .44 Magnum, and the idea of using the .44 Magnum, was to have somebody actually be very careful about the shooting that he did. Instead of shooting a lot of shots, he shot one very powerful shot."

Considering that Harry Callahan is a borderline vigilante, it might surprise some people to learn that Milius wanted to present him as a careful shooter. At the same time, this detective rarely misses his target, and his casualties are always bad guys.

Harry Callahan's gun is pretty large, and it doesn't look out of place due to Clint Eastwood's large size and mighty screen presence. However, as previously mentioned, the Smith & Wesson Model 29 wasn't the most popular firearm in the United States prior to the release of "Dirty Harry," and the filmmakers struggled to find the one they initially envisioned for the character.

The original plan was to equip Dirty Harry with a four-inch .44 Magnum, but they were impossible to find back then. As such, the filmmakers were forced to settle for a six-inch model, and it worked out well in the end, as the weapon became iconic thanks to the movie. In fact, it's arguably the most notable version of the handgun that springs to mind whenever anyone thinks of of the Smith & Wesson product. Nowadays, the gun that was used in the movie can be found in the NRA National Firearms Museum, handed over by John Milius himself, to be admired by Clint Eastwood fans.

If you enjoyed this article, check out the untold truth of "Dirty Harry."