Sudden Impact is the fourth installment in the Dirty Harry film franchise and the only one to be directed by Clint Eastwood himself. Eastwood returns as Dirty Harry, who visits a small Northern California city while on leave from the department and finds himself encountering a woman (Sondra Locke) with a vendetta against some of the town's citizens. The 1983 sequel is the film where Eastwood utters the immortal line "Make My Day" while holding his Model 29. The film also made popular the use of the .44 Magnum AMP Auto Mag Model 180.
The following weapons were used in the film Sudden Impact:
Inspector "Dirty Harry" Callahan (Clint Eastwood) carries his Smith & Wesson Model 29 .44 Magnum as his sidearm in the film. He is first seen pulling it in the coffee shop and saying what is one of the most famous movie lines in history. The S&W is used until it is kicked into a curb drain by Mick (Paul Drake). He then uses his AMC Auto Mag Pistol in .44 AMP as a replacement.
After being attacked by the group of assassins in the mob, Insp. Callahan (Clint Eastwood) is inspired to take out his old pistol, an AMP Auto Mag Model 180 chambered in .44 AMP. When his Smith & Wesson Model 29 is kicked off of a dock by Mick (Paul Drake), he replaces it with his Auto Mag for the remainder of the film. The production crew had a very difficult time aquiring this gun to the point where they had to contact the original designer, who had enough parts in his basement to build two guns for the film. The first was left in live firing mode so Clint Eastwood could shoot it and accurately depict recoil while the second was converted to fire blanks for the film. The gun's serial numbers were "Clint1" and "Clint2".
Error creating thumbnail: File missingAMP Auto Mag Model 180 - .44 AMP.Error creating thumbnail: File missingCallahan takes his AMP Auto Mag Model 180 out of its case. Note how the magazines are loaded with six rounds instead of the full eight. This may be because he doesn't want to wear out the springs on the magazines, so he doesn't store them fully loaded. It could also be a reference to the famous 'Six shots or only five' line in the first movie.Error creating thumbnail: File missingCallahan loads a magazine into his AMC Auto Mag.Error creating thumbnail: File missingNever sneak up on a man with a loaded gun, especially if he's Clint Eastwood.Error creating thumbnail: File missing"Well, this is the .44 Magnum Auto Mag and it holds a 300 grain cartridge. And if properly used, it can remove the fingerprints." It's not entirely clear what 'proper' technique could result in a suspect losing all of his fingers and both his thumbs, particularly considering the weapon only holds a maximum of 8+1 rounds, but no doubt Clint would find a way...Error creating thumbnail: File missingNot to harp on Eastwood, but he gets a pretty good group for someone not using the sights.Error creating thumbnail: File missingCallahan fires his Auto Mag.Error creating thumbnail: File missingCallahan takes his Auto Mag out of its case before heading to the fair grounds to get revenge on Mick.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe ominous silhouette of Callahan's Auto Mag as he approaches Mick and his men.Error creating thumbnail: File missingCallahan dispatches Mick's men with his Auto Mag.Error creating thumbnail: File missingCallahan kills Mick with his Auto Mag. It is rumored that for this scene a diver was hired on stand-by to retrieve the gun from the river after Eastwood lost his temper several times and threw it after it jammed, requiring several more takes.
Colt Detective Special
Jennifer Spencer (Sondra Locke) uses a nickel plated 3rd Generation Colt Detective Special .38 Special as her weapon of choice to get revenge on the people that raped her and her sister long ago. Later in the film we see Mick (Paul Drake) use her gun to kill Police Chief Jannings (Pat Hingle).
Horace King (Albert Popwell, in his fourth and final role in the Dirty Harry series) uses a Smith & Wesson 3000 Shotgun with a pistol grip and a side-folding stock when showing Insp. Callahan (Clint Eastwood) his marksmanship on paper targets. Later, Mick (Paul Drake) takes this shotgun from him after he stabs him and uses it for the rest of the film.
Two of the mob assassins attempting to kill Insp. Callahan (Clint Eastwood) use Browning Hi-Power pistols. Further on in the film, another mob assassin tries to kill Callahan in his apartment in San Paulo, also with a Browning Hi-Power (This one fitted with a suppressor), but trips on Callahan's dog Meathead, giving him time to draw his Smith & Wesson Model 29 and kill him. Later, Mick (Paul Drake) tries to grab his own Hi-Power to shoot Callahan when he walks into his house unannounced.
One of the robbers during the diner robbery is seen using an Ithaca 37 shotgun before being killed. One of the police officers that soon responds to the robbery is also seen using an Ithaca, possibly the same one.
Police Chief Jannings (Pat Hingle) uses a Smith & Wesson Model 36 when Jennifer Spencer (Sondra Locke) enters his house but is soon forced to drop it when Mick (Paul Drake) arrives and forces him to drop it, threatening to kill his son if he didn't.
An M1911A1 is used by the bank robber that Insp. Callahan (Clint Eastwood) chases when he arrives in San Paulo.
Trivia: The chase scene in the film True Lies between Harry Tasker (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Salim Abu Azziz (Art Malik) heavily resembles the chase scene in this film and may have been inspired by it.
A Remington 7600 pump action rifle is seen in the hands of Mrs. Kruger, who points it at Insp. Callahan (Clint Eastwood), though she doesn't fire it, and instructs him to leave her fish market after he starts beating her brother George (Michael Maurer).
Ray Parkins (Audrie J. Neenan) shows off her personal protection, a Beretta 92SB tucked in her waist "Mexican carry" style to Tyrone (Wendall Wellman) in his hardware store. It is assumed to be the 92SB because the earlier Beretta 92 variants had a butt-mounted magazine release and the Beretta 92F didn't exist yet, leaving only the 92SB.
San Paulo patrolman, Officer Bennett (Mark Keyloun) tries to fire his Colt Trooper at the bank robber but is injured before he can fire off a shot. Later, one of Mick's (Paul Drake) thugs is seen shot in the head by Insp. Callahan (Clint Eastwood) while holding a Colt Trooper belonging to Horace King (Albert Popwell) from his holster.
