Indiana Jones Guns
Indiana Jones carried a handgun, and with good reason... trouble seemed to find him almost everywhere he went. Here we will break down the guns Indy used in each of the movies, and provide information about the closest current models. Click on any thumbnail for a larger image.
"Raiders Of The Lost Ark"
In Raiders Indy carries a Smith & Wesson Hand Ejector, 2nd Model chambered for .455 Eley. S&W’s Hand Ejector was first introduced in 1899 in the form of the K-frame (medium frame) .38 Military and Police. In 1908 the first of the N-Frame (large frame) Hand Ejectors rolled out of the factory. These were known as “Triple Locks” (due to the three locks that locked the cylinder in place) or Hand Ejectors, 1st Model. In 1915 S&W deemed the “Triple Lock” too expensive and changed the design to remove one of the locks and the partial lug under the barrel. This new model was named the Hand Ejector, 2nd Model. With the out break of World War I in 1914, S&W found itself called upon to produce their large frame revolver for the British due to shortages of their standard issue Webley revolver. This revolver was chambered for .455 Eley (a.k.a. .455 Webely Mk. II) and produced with a 6.5” barrel and a lanyard lug on the bottom of the frame. In 1917, the US Government contracted S&W to produce its Hand Ejector for the military.
The result was the M1917. It was simply a Hand Ejector 2nd Model chabered for .45ACP with a 5” barrel and lanyard lug. Indy chose the British military’s version of the Hand Ejector as his personal sidearm. Indy’s Hand Ejector however had a bit of custom gunsmithing done. The standard 6.5” barrel was shortened to 4” and the gun could have possibly been converted to .45 Colt or .45 ACP as this conversion was common in the US due to the .455 Eley being a somewhat uncommon cartridge on this side of “the pond”. However, any possible caliber conversion is nothing more than conjecture on the author’s part, based on common practices of the day.
The observant will note that in the Raven Bar and Bantu Wind scenes, Indy also had a semi-automatic handgun. This gun was a Browning Hi Power. The Hi Power, was John Browning’s last design and is still regarded as one of the finest handguns ever produced. Although designed in 1925, it was not until ten years later, in 1935 that the design went into production as the P-35 at the Fabrique Nationale factory in Liege, Belgium. The gun was quickly adopted by many militaries in Europe and is in fact still in use today in a somewhat modernized format.
"Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom"
Indy used the same Smith & Wesson Hand Ejector revolver during the opening shootout in ToD as he did in Raiders. However, as we all know, Willie managed to drop it out the window as she burned her fingers and cracked a nail. On an interesting note, the rubber prop gun dropped out the window of the car was not a S&W, but actually a Colt New Service.
"Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade"
In LC Indy totes a Webely Mk VI The Mk VI was chambered for .455 Eley and produced with a 6” barrel. The Webley was produced in several different versions and calibers and was the standard issue sidearm of the British military from 1887 to 1963. The revolver was originally designed by the well know British company Webely and Scott. The Mk. VI version was officially adopted in 1915 and served until its retirement in 1963. Why Indy traded his S&W to a Webley is a question best chalked up to Hollywood or left for us fans to debate. Although the revolver was produced in .455 Eley, many that ended up in the US were converted to .45ACP. It’s possible that Indy’s was as well, but again, this is just conjecture on the author’s part.
Modern Day Decendants
Although there are still many of the original pieces floating around on the collectors market, they can be quite expensive depending on their condition. However, good deals can be found if one is willing to search. In addition to the originals, there are some very similar and even a few “re-issue” models available.
The S&W Hand Ejector - As of the writing of this article (March 2007) S&W is doing a limited run of the M1917/ Hand Ejector, 2nd Model. The only requirement to make this gun Indy accurate is to have the barrel cut to 4”.
Another option is the S&W Model 22. Although this gun sports an Indy accurate 4” barrel it also has a partial lug and lacks the lanyard ring. In reality, this model more closely resembles the Triple Lock than the Hand Ejector, 2nd Model. Although neither of the above revolvers are a dead ringer for Indy’s, both are close and excellent representations of the S&W revolvers of the era. I’m sure Indy or any other adventurer of the 1930’s wouldn’t turn their nose up at one.
Another possible option is the S&W Mountain Gun. This gun is the modern day decendant of the Hand Ejectors and available in several different calibers ranging from .45 Colt to .44 Magnum. This is the gun that the author prefer to carry on his adventures into the backcountry.
Browning Hi Power - Many used Hi Powers that are identical to Indy’s are available used. The Hi Power is still in production, albeit in a slightly modernized version and can be had at gun shops around the country.
The Webley and Colt New Service - You’ll just have to do some hunting if you want one of these as they both have been out of production for many years without anyone making even a similar model.
Of course, the sky is the limit in regards to just how close you want your Indy gun to be. Some people want an actual gun with the spirit of Indy, while others simply want something to use for photos, fan films, conventions, or even just to complete the look. Several Airsoft and blank firing models are close enough to pass for most people. For filming, these also add the benefit of revolving or chamber action and in some cases, realistic gunshot sounds as well. Try Western Stage Props for the blank fire guns pictured here.
Models like the FBI issue HFC.38 caliber gas powered airsoft gun, look very much like the classic S&W .455 Raiders gun for less than $50 online. Another example would be the Model Python Revolver, which fires six replica .38 caliber blanks for less than $85 online. There are many great choices available, so just use your imagination and budget to determine what is right for you. Below are a few of the close-enough blank fire and Airsoft guns mentioned here, and a few more just to give you some idea of how nice these look.
Where To Buy
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