MovieChat Forums > Magnum Force (1973) Discussion > Shooting range segment very disappointin...

Shooting range segment very disappointing!

posted 15 years ago by Mike1951
9 replies | jump to latest

After the series being crafted around the .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world (at that time anyway), it was disheartening when Harry admitted using 'light Specials' for better control. This refers to the .44 Special, a much less powerful round that predates the .44 Magnum by almost 50 years. A 'light Special' might only have 1/3 of the power of the Magnum.

It makes sense and I do the same, but then I didn't have five movies made about me.

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Mike1951 15 years ago

I must be overlooking it. I just re-read the trivia and goofs sections for Magnum Force without seeing any mention.

[–] Mike1951 15 years ago

I must be overlooking it. I just re-read the trivia and goofs sections for Magnum Force without seeing any mention.

[–] westal_sage 12 years ago

Well for longer range / target practice he uses the lights. Nothing says he always uses those.

[–] NotAnUndercoverCop 12 years ago

Well, he doesn't specify whether he uses them exclusively while training or while on the street. The rookie asks him, "What load do you use?" Then when he answers he's non-specific. If I had to guess. I'd assume he only uses them on the shooting range. Very much the same way the Military uses half-loaded rounds while doing training exercises. No need to have a sore wrist after practicing your aim all day long. There's no way he blows holes through bad guys with a 1/3 loaded "shell" (bullet).

[–] pawtrax67 12 years ago

Actually the writer, John Milius says he regrets putting that line in the movie. But I like NotAnUndercoverCop's take on it being a light load only for the range.

I have a 5" 629 .44 Magnum. And man, it hurts the hand after 1/2 a box. So I split by doing half a box of .44 Special and .44 Magnum when I go to the range.

[–] movies789 10 years ago

He never said or implied that he uses light loads for range-use only; he said he uses lighter loads, period. And I've never heard of any army using half-loads for training; it would be counterproductive, to say the least, once the trainees went on to experience combat shooting.

[–] Spoiled_Pitbull 9 years ago

I took the words "light special" to mean 180 grain (weight) projectile as opposed to the more common heavier 240 grain load. The 180 wouldn't overpenetrate quite as bad, have less recoil, and be at least a better choice for that purpose. The characteristics of Harry's model 29 as it is being fired and the effect on target certainly do not resemble that of a .44 special. Sometimes it doesnt resemble the effect of a .44 magnum on target, either, but that's Hollywood for you.
You can shoot .44 specials in a .44 magnum, though.

[–] movies789 9 years ago

"Light special" referred primarily to the lesser amount of powder, although it follows that a lighter bullet would be used, too. (He likely would have had his ammunition hand-loaded to his specifications.) And, as you ultimately pointed out, a .44 Mag revolver fires .44 Special ammo with the identical ballistics as a .44 Special revolver firing .44 Special ammo, as long as the barrel length is the same (and the cylinder gap and rifling quality, too, of course). A typical .44 Mag revolver would seem to have milder recoil than a typical .44 Special revolver, but only because .44 Mag revolvers are generally heavier than .44 Special revolvers; the heavier the gun (other factors being equal), the lighter the recoil felt by the shooter.