Lugers in Film

JonnyP · 05-24-2026, 09:15 AM

So I was watching All the Light You Cannot See on Netflix the other day. Surprised to see a few closeups of what appeared to be a very nice Luger - then the scene called for the actor to drop it and it was subsequently kicked across a rough concrete surface. Total cringe moment!

gunnertwo · 05-24-2026, 05:01 PM

Yes! Hope it was just a prop gun.

Reminds me of the first Dirty Harry movie when his M29 gets kicked across the concrete at the Mt Davidson memorial.

G2

Kiwi · 05-24-2026, 05:12 PM

Oh yes, every movie where bad person tells good person to put their gun down or else hostage gets shot. Good person complies and bad person for some unknown reason does not immediately shoot good person. Where do they get these script writers. Where do these script writers get such stupid heroes.

JonnyP · 05-24-2026, 06:44 PM

HOPEFULLY they use a nice gun for the closeups, then a beater for the abusive parts of the scene.

JonnyP · Yesterday, 04:30 PM

I should have added that that's the way the filmed The Rifleman. They used beaters for scenes that were rough on the rifle, then switched to a nice one for closeups. Love that show.

Edward Tinker · Today, 01:58 AM

https://forum.lugerforum.com/forum/s...highlight=film

Dwight started a list once

Patrick Sweeney · Today, 02:14 PM

I've had the opportunity to talk to movie armorers and production people, while working on various movie and TV projects.

The prop guns that aren't actual blank-firing firearms are these days plastic or rubber copies cast from molded real ones. The molds are so good you can actually read the serial number of the sample they used. So, plastic/rubber gets dropped.

in fact, if you look over a a scene where everyone is "armed" (police ready room/detective office, SWAT cops on deployment, military unit) you are seeing piles and piles of plastic and rubber. Only the actually, there has to be noise and flying brass scenes, does anyone ever get handed a live firearm.

The "firearm" kicked across the floor? Rubber. the Foley artist adds in the nerve-wrenching scraping noise later.

ithacaartist · Today, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick Sweeney

... The molds are so good you can actually read the serial number of the sample they used. So, plastic/rubber gets dropped.

I have a couple plastic Kruger "Luger" cap guns that, although they are scaled down a bit in size, are quite faithful to an original's lines and proportions (If you neglect the cocking knob on the back

). They're so faithful, in fact, that they all sport the "million-dollar chip"!

05-24-2026, 09:15 AM	#1
JonnyP User Join Date: Mar 2026 Location: United States Posts: 18 Thanks: 15 Thanked 24 Times in 10 Posts	Lugers in Film So I was watching All the Light You Cannot See on Netflix the other day. Surprised to see a few closeups of what appeared to be a very nice Luger - then the scene called for the actor to drop it and it was subsequently kicked across a rough concrete surface. Total cringe moment!

Today, 01:58 AM	#6
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,981 Thanks: 2,080 Thanked 4,615 Times in 2,128 Posts	https://forum.lugerforum.com/forum/s...highlight=film Dwight started a list once __________________ Edward Tinker ************ Co-Author of Police Lugers - Co-Author of Simson Lugers Author of Veteran Bring Backs Vol I, Vol II, Vol III and Vol IV

05-24-2026, 05:01 PM	#2
gunnertwo User Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Nampa, Idaho Posts: 647 Thanks: 856 Thanked 964 Times in 377 Posts	Yes! Hope it was just a prop gun. Reminds me of the first Dirty Harry movie when his M29 gets kicked across the concrete at the Mt Davidson memorial. G2

05-24-2026, 05:12 PM	#3
Kiwi User Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: Wrong side of the Delaware river Posts: 341 Thanks: 244 Thanked 491 Times in 193 Posts	Oh yes, every movie where bad person tells good person to put their gun down or else hostage gets shot. Good person complies and bad person for some unknown reason does not immediately shoot good person. Where do they get these script writers. Where do these script writers get such stupid heroes.

05-24-2026, 06:44 PM	#4
JonnyP User Join Date: Mar 2026 Location: United States Posts: 18 Thanks: 15 Thanked 24 Times in 10 Posts	HOPEFULLY they use a nice gun for the closeups, then a beater for the abusive parts of the scene.

Yesterday, 04:30 PM	#5
JonnyP User Join Date: Mar 2026 Location: United States Posts: 18 Thanks: 15 Thanked 24 Times in 10 Posts	I should have added that that's the way the filmed The Rifleman. They used beaters for scenes that were rough on the rifle, then switched to a nice one for closeups. Love that show.

Today, 02:14 PM	#7
Patrick Sweeney User Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 83 Thanks: 0 Thanked 69 Times in 33 Posts	I've had the opportunity to talk to movie armorers and production people, while working on various movie and TV projects. The prop guns that aren't actual blank-firing firearms are these days plastic or rubber copies cast from molded real ones. The molds are so good you can actually read the serial number of the sample they used. So, plastic/rubber gets dropped. in fact, if you look over a a scene where everyone is "armed" (police ready room/detective office, SWAT cops on deployment, military unit) you are seeing piles and piles of plastic and rubber. Only the actually, there has to be noise and flying brass scenes, does anyone ever get handed a live firearm. The "firearm" kicked across the floor? Rubber. the Foley artist adds in the nerve-wrenching scraping noise later.