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February 22, 2009
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Saw this on Proxibid:
Prop gun, Dan Wesson Arms DA revolver, .44 Magnum cal., 2-1/2” barrel bored out to .90 caliber for Arnold Schwarzenegger to stick his finger into muzzle in the hit film “Red Heat”. Barrel is completely reamed out and the front of the cylinder has an aluminum insert added; stainless, wood medallion combat grips, #SB014290; formerly part of the World-Famous Stembridge Gun Arsenal Collection located on the Paramount Studios Lot in Hollywood, CA.
Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....
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December 4, 2011
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Im currently the high bidder on that one. Probably isn't shootable but hey, it's a one of a kind. It's a movie prop from my favorite genre, action adventure, and it's a Dan! I've always wanted to own a piece of movie history and this fits right in with my addiction.....errr collection 
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If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
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December 4, 2011
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That aluminum disk must be how they are holding the shroud in place. I'm going to guess some epoxy is also being used to defy gravity since there is no barrel to thread a nut onto. Looks like they bored the shroud out fairly thin also. This will be an interesting one, hope it doesn't go too high. I have a birthday coming up about the time this auction ends and I think this would make a nice gift, we'll see.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
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March 27, 2009
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That ones need to be in your hands!
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February 22, 2009
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That would be great if you can bring that one home.
Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....
February 20, 2008
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Hope you get it - high "cool" factor.
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December 4, 2011
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Guess who now owns the movie gun!? . Only catch is they say it can take up to 6 weeks for the auction items to ship 
, I can't wait.
For certain "I'll be back" with pics when it comes in.
Hasta la vista, baby.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
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March 27, 2009
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Can you say parts kit! Wonder what all they did to it! Great Grab.
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December 4, 2011
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Gonna find out. I'll keep everyone posted as I go. I was thinking how cool it would be to get it into firing condition and take it to the range, now that would be a 'blast'.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
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March 2, 2008
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SCORPIO said
Guess who now owns the movie gun!?For certain "I'll be back" with pics when it comes in.
Hasta la vista, baby.
You a funny guy!
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April 20, 2010
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Cool! Scorpio instead of a Range Day next year we might need a whole weekend just to fondle all the neat Dans you are picking up.
"The lion and the tiger may be more powerful, but the Wolf does not perform in the circus"
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February 22, 2009
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Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....
January 22, 2008
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Only catch is they say it can take up to 6 weeks for the auction items to ship.
I feel better about my turnaround time now! Very cool that you snagged this one!
February 20, 2008
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If you're going to drink, don't drive. Don't even putt.
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December 4, 2011
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Got a nice day after Christmas present, my FFL called and said a gun showed up for me. He said it came from California and had some 'papers' with it. I just picked up the movie gun! First pic is the gun as I unpacked it. This is a VH-3 ported shroud with Monson roll marks matching the frame. The action works and the gun cycles fine and locks up tight. The firing pin is still present and seems very functional.
This pic shows the bored out barrel shroud and the custom aluminum disk they installed in front of the cylinder. I don't really know the purpose of this disk. It spins on crane easily and the notch lines up with the barrel stub.
Here we see a small hole that is tapped and has a small set screw installed. Being the tinkerer I am, I had to see what they did to this gun, so....I took it apart I mean hey, its a Dan right? 
After removing the set screw, I worked a little to get the shroud off the frame and I found this. Looks like they cut down a blue 44 mag barrel to about an inch or so and left the stub threaded into the frame. They used something like locktite or glue on the threads into the frame, and some got in between the stub and barrel. Easy clean off and the barrel came out with just a light turn with a pair of soft jawed pliers. 
Here is the barrel stump they left, still has nice rifling and was not cleaned after the last use. There is obvious fouling in the barrel stub, shroud, cylinder face and chambers and shroud ports. Those Hollywood squib loads must be dirty stuff. I was afraid that the frame threads would be stripped or bad but they are perfect. 
Here we see the gun wearing a 4VH barrel and shroud. 
Some documentation from the Stembridge collection. Apparently there were two identical guns procured for the movie of which this is one. I have no idea where the other one is now. 
I plan to build a mini pac of sorts around this gun. I'll keep all the original stuff with it and have a shootable barrel and shroud as well as some other grips, just in case I ever want to shoot it. Like why wouldn't I? The grips are a little beat up and have a small crack under behind the trigger guard, but those are character marks. The only thing I have to figure out is how to remove that aluminum disk easily so it can be reinstalled without damaging it. I don't want to take the gun apart to remove the cylinder, which is how I think they installed it. I still have no idea why they put it on. I believe you could shoot it with the disk in place but the flame would probably melt the aluminum rather quickly, so I'd like to remove it and keep it with the gun. I doubt shooting it will reduce its value since its been shot already. I need to see if Eric at EWK can make me a 3VH shroud and barrel for this. 
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
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July 2, 2011
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That's very cool! Thanks for sharing.
To the paranoid people who check behind shower curtains for murderers:
if you find one...what's your plan?
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January 24, 2009
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That is really cool! I am surprised that it is still able to shoot, being a prop gun.
Thanks for all the cool detailed pics, and write-up. I need to dig out my VHS copy of that movie & see it in action.
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December 4, 2011
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I've never seen a 3 inch 44 BA from Monson before, has anyone else ever seen one?
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
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March 27, 2009
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Cool deal! May have been a thought of Monson to make 3" heck we may never know how it came to be as you bought it! Did you check the gap before removal? the disk may have been to add to splatter factor!
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April 18, 2014
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Maybe they couldn't or didn't know to gap after the barrel procedure, so the disc was put in place to keep so much fire from the shells blowing out on Arnie's hands. ??? You don't suppose the 3" was a FB do ya?
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