Daniel Craig as James Bond wears suede Vega gun holsters in Casino Royale (2006) and SkyFall (2012).

 In Casino Royale he wears a Vega IB339 holster on his belt, during the Madagaskar chase scene. The holster contains his Walther P99.

In the movie SkyFall, Bond again wears a Vega holster, this time the IB333, which fits his Walther PPK. The holster was spotted by Bond fan sruzgar in the sequence when Bond jumps on the tube train in the London Underground.

This suede cognac holster is attached to the belt and located on the inside of the belt.

Material/color: Suede cognac.

The Walther LP53 is a classic James Bond gun although it never featured in a Bond movie. The gun, with its distinctive long barrel was the weapon of choice for James Bond in many movie posters and promotional photographs. The story is that during a photoshoot with Sean Connery for From Russia With Love, the photographer volunteered his own Walther LP53, after the PPK wasn't available on the set.

The LP53 is an airgun and can only shoot little lead pellets (although with considerable force). The weapon is 'loaded' by opening it all the way (almost like breaking it in half), load a pellet and close it, building up the airpressure.

In the photos and posters, Bond holds a LP53 with a black grip, although a brown version was also available for this gun.

The LP53 gun can be seen in the following movie posters:

- From Russia With Love
- Goldfinger
- Thunderball 
- You Only Live Twice
note that each movie had different posters for different countries, so not in all posters can this gun be seen

The Walther LP53 held by Sean Connery as James Bond in a poster to promote From Russia With Love was sold at the Popular Culture: Film and Entertainment auction in 2010 for a staggering £277,250 (read more). On July 28th 2013, the gun is once again on auction, now at the Profiles in History Hollywood auction (read more).

At a Christies auction on 25 November 2010, the Walther LP53 air pistol held by Sean Connery as James Bond in the photo-shoot used for the main image in the poster and advertising campaign for the 1963 United Artists/Eon film From Russia With Love has sold for a staggering £277,250 (around $430,000), more than 10 times the estimate.

Walther LP53, photo by Bond Lifestyle

Christies describes the lot as "the air pistol, a .177 (4.5mm) Walther 'LP MOD.53' Air Pistol, Serial No. 054159, with 24cm barrel, blackened finish throughout, in original close-fitted Walther case with sight elements is accompanied by a letter concerning the provenance from the original vendor. It states that the image he shot of Connery holding this Walther air pistol was ...used in some way or other to promote every Bond film till You Only Live Twice; Also included was a corresponding reproduction still of Connery holding this gun."

Lot Notes from Christies: "The original vendor, who was commissioned to shoot the images required for the publicity campaign for the second Bond film From Russia With Love, explains in his accompanying letter that "it was decided that for the main image in the poster and advertising campaign what was required was a strong portrait of Sean Connery as Bond 007, with his Walther pistol" He explains further that when Connery arrived at his studio for the shoot, it was discovered by publicist Tom Carlile that no one had brought the gun needed for the shoot, the synonymous small Walther automatic [Walther PPK]. By chance the photographer practised air pistol target shooting as a hobby and had the gun he used for this purpose, also a Walther, at the studio "it was decided that - without telling Sean or the other representatives of United Artists - we would use my pistol for the pictures and presumed that should anyone have doubts on their seeing the name Walther on the gun, they would be reassured. This was, in fact, the case. In theory...the long barrel of the air-pistol... should have been removed by airbrushing during the designing of the actual poster - in practice... this was never done..."

The Walther gun on Christies.com

Read more about the Walther LP53.

More than just a simple novelty in James Bond's arsenal is the ASP, which replaced his famous Walther PPK as his favorite sidearm during the later 1980s novels written by John Gardner and up through the mid 1990s novels GoldenEye and Cold. 

The ASP 9mm pistol was a custom made handgun designed and built by legendary gunsmith Paris Theodore, owner of Seventrees, Ltd., a custom gun leather shop in New York from 1975 to 1987. Theodore was also a designer of numerous other gadget like fire arms. The ASP was a customized Smith & Wesson Model 39 pistol that was cut down and heavily modified with over 250 changes. It featured clear Lexan grips and skeletonized magazines, allowing the shooter to quickly see how much ammunition remained during the heat of battle. It had a rounded off hammer, no front sight, a thorough smoothing of all edges and a Dupont Teflon coated finish for snag free draws from concealment which is perfect for the tuxedo wearing spy. The sight system on the ASP is called a "guttersnipe" sight, which resembles a half pipe in its geometry that the shooter looks though, funneling their aim directly down towards the target. Built to very tight custom tolerances, it also was designed to feed any type of 9mm ammo without jamming, so that any 9mm ammo procured in the field could be used.

The company Armament Systems Procedures (ASP) ended up adopting Theodore's design and building the pistols for commercial consumption, though only approximately two thousand examples were ever produced. The ASP was the inspiration for later innovations made in the development of concealable handguns. A notable example was Smith and Wesson's own model 3913.

Recently a group of people received the original patents for the ASP 9mm and are attempting to bring it back in the form of a customized Smith and Wesson model 39-13.

The ASP is virtually an ideal pistol for James Bond since it was specifically tailored for the purpose of conceal carry as well as tactical combat. The ASP's real life history affirms it's portrayal in the Bond novels as well since it was originally created under special request of the FBI for use by their undercover agents during the 1970s. Even today the ASP is still considered by some firearm experts and connoisseurs to be the pinnacle of deep cover hand guns.

Q would be proud. In fact, legend has it that Paris Theodore himself once remarked "I was Q!"

© 2011 E. ODonnell

In the new 007 novel Carte Blanche, James Bond uses a Walther PPS gun.

The Walther PPS (Polizeipistole Schmal or Police Pistol Short) is a semi-automatic pistol, first shown in 2007. A successor to the legendary Walther PPK, Bond's choice of weapon in most of the films. It's a slim polymer framed weapon of similar size to the Walther PPK. The PPS comes in 9mm and S&W 40. The 9mm version features magazines of 6, 7 and 8 round lengths so the shooter can customize the grip to his or her hand size and concealment needs. The .40 S&W comes with 5 & 6 round magazines (7 round available).

Features of the PPS include: Ambidextrous Magazine Release, Two Magazine Sizes (Third Optional), Loaded Chamber & Cocking Indicators, Small & Large Backstrap, Trigger Safety, Internal Striker Safety, Walther QuickSafe Safety.

James Bond (Daniel Craig) uses an Anderson Wheeler 500 Nitro Express Double Rifle with box lock in SkyFall. The movie's armourer acquired the rifle from London based gun and rifle maker Anderson Wheeler. The request was for a gentleman’s big game hunting rifle, also known as a 'double rifle'. Anderson Wheeler provided a 500 Nitro Box Lock Express Rifle, which loads a .50 calibre round that fires a 570 grain bullet at around 2,200 feet per second. This rifle is ideally used as a stopping rifle and is usually carried by professional hunters or hunters in search of African Dangerous game. Bond will probably use it to hunt some villains and henchmen during the scenes filmed in Scotland. The rifle can also clearly be spotted on the cover of Bond on Set: Filming SkyFall, where Bond holds the rifle, standing next to his Aston Martin DB5 and wearing a Barbour jacket.

The Anderson Wheeler Express Double Rifle is building a reputation as the professional hunters' choice for its reliability, accuracy and overall good looks. The box lock ejector is hand engraved with a traditional Anderson Wheeler house scroll with a coin finish. The open sights are fitted with an integral quarter rib consisting of three folding leaves on the rear sight. The front sight comes with a 4mm ivory bead that can be flipped over the 2mm silver bead under poor light conditions or close quarters. The hand rubbed, oil finished stock and fore end are made from carefully selected exhibition Turkish walnut, crafted to fit the clients’ personal specifications to ensure balance and a perfect fit.

The exact same rifle as used by Bond in SkyFall can be custom ordered at Anderson Wheeler for approximately £15,500 ($24,500). 

In the movie SkyFall (2012), James Bond (Daniel Craig) uses a pair of green 3M Peltor H61FA British Army earmuffs at the indoor shooting range.

The Peltor H61FA is a passive hearing protector designed for different military conditions: military noise from handheld weapons and vehicles during combat and shooting exercises. The H61 is a lightweight, slimline range that has been developed for portability, storage and optimum fit. The earmuffs have a low profile to fit under ballistic helmets and feature wide comfortable sealing rings filled with fluid and foam to provide optimum sealing and low contact pressure. The stainless steel wire band provides constant pressure over time.

The earmuffs in the film have the yellow writing below the logo on the side.

These Peltors can still be found in many UK based military shops, for example Cadet Direct, but then they are usually used and might have been marked with names and numbers.

SkyFall Workout outfit
James Bond wears blue Adidas Gazelle 2 shoes, blue jogging pants, a blue shirt and blue army training jacket with his 3M Peltor earmuffs.

James Bond is famous for using a Walther PPK gun. But in 1983, 007 seems to prefer another model, the Walther P5, in the two rival James Bond movies Octopussy and Never Say Never Again.

Octopussy
Even though the poster for Octopussy shows Roger Moore as Bond holding a Walther PPK with silencer, he flashes a P5 in the tuk-tuk taxi chase in India, but we don't see him shoot it. Even though he clearly uses the P5, he later tells Q "I appear to have misplaced my PPK.". This mistake is probably a script issue. It would appear that Walther asked the producers to have Bond use the then new P5, which Walther was trying to market to German police agencies at the time.

Bond can also be seen holding another P5 when he first meets Octopussy (Maud Adams) in her palace. The gun is finally put to good use when Bond kills several enemy soldiers in East-Germany in and around Octopussy's circus train.

The Walther P5 handgun (UK Deactivation, serial number 024156) used in the film was auctioned at a Christie’s South Kensington “Film and Entertainment” auction on December 5, 2006. The gun, lot 220 / Sale 4912 was sold for $14,227

Never Say Never Again
The other Bond movie (not produced by EON, but by Warner Bros) in that same year, Never Say Never Again, also starred a Walther P5, held by Sean Connery as Bond. The gun can briefly be spotted in the film and can also be seen on the filmposters and a promotional photos.

The actual Walther P5 handgun (UK Deactivation, serial number 001482), used by Sean Connery in the film Never Say Never Again, was sold at The Prop Store of London for approximately $20,000.

Other trivia and facts
A Walther P5 is used by a young Benicio Del Toro in Licence To Kill (1989).

According to the IMFDB, Dutch actor Jeroen Krabbe (who plays the Russian defector in The Living Daylights (1987) can be seen using a Walther P5 in the film Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo (2005).

Until this day, the Walther P5 is the standard issue gun for the police force in The Netherlands.

James Bond’s Walther LP53 gun, used by Sean Connery in publicity shots for From Russia With Love and the N70CF Acrostar BD-5J Micro Jet used in the opening sequence of Octopussy will go up for auction at the Profiles in History Hollywood auction on July 29th, 2013.

The Walther air pistol, model LP53, serial number 054159, was first used by Sean Connery for the promotion of his second “James Bond” film, From Russia with Love.

Publicist Tom Carlile arranged a series of poses with photographer David Hurn to shoot an iconic portrait of Connery as “James Bond 007” with this Walther pistol which was to be used as the primary image for the film’s poster art and advertising/marketing campaign.

What became of this shoot was one of the most iconic photographic images of the 20th century. The picture of Sean Connery holding the long-barreled gun across his chest or alongside his face became the most famous of all Bond images.

The gun comes with its original close-fitted Walther presentation case as well as a signed letter of provenance from photographer David Hurn. auction estimate $ 200,000-$300,000.

This gun had previously sold at Christie’s London in 2010 for a world record $437,000 (£277,250), read more here.

Also on auction the original N70CF Acrostar BD-5J Micro Jet used in all of the flying sequences from Octopussy. In the opening sequence, Roger Moore backs a small jet out of a horse trailer, takes of from the road, flies over military troops, under a bridge, rolls in canyons and flies through an airplane hangar. This is the jet that was used in all the aerial sequences of the film.

The BD-5J has a 17 ft. wingspan and a small, streamlined fuselage holding its semi-reclined pilot under a large canopy. It holds the record for the world’s lightest jet aircraft, weighing only 358.8 lbs. (162.7 kg) and was capable of reaching 300 mph (480 km/h). The jet is so compact that it can fit in a rental truck with a 12 ft. cargo area with the wings detached.

The Octopussy flying sequences were performed by stunt pilot John W. “Corkey” Fornof. In addition to its most famous use in Octopussy, Fornof flew this jet in scores of television programs and commercials, such as “The Spectacular World of Guinness Records” (world’s smallest jet), “Good Morning America”, “25 Years of James Bond 007”, “That’s Incredible”, “ABCs Wide World of Sports” and countless airshows. In addition, this jet has appeared in virtually every aviation publication in the free world.

BD-5J’s were popular at air shows throughout the 1980s and many were involved in crashes due to the demanding high performance nature of the plane. The engine has been removed for exhibition purposes and the aircraft’s current air-worthiness is untested. Comes with signed letter of provenance by Corkey Fornof who has owned the jet since it was built. The estimated price is $200,000 - $300,000.

More information on the Profiles in History website and ArtFact.com.

Update:
The Walther LP53 was sold for $250,000. There is no mention of the Acrostar sale price.

Thanks to Michael Delaney for the alert

On my way to the Goldfinger Reloaded event in Andermatt, I first make a two day stop in Zürich for an underground mission. Upon arrival in this largest city of Switzerland I meet with a friend who is best described as the Swiss 'Tiger Tanaka', since he is the head of the local ninja organisation of the Bujinkan Zürich Dojo (www.ninja.ch). The Dojo works hard in the traditional japanese martial arts, a Combat Judo similar to the Bond-era Judo and they live the Bond Lifestyle.

A stylish reception in the hotel room, with compliments of the Swiss 'Tiger Tanaka'

After being received in Bond style at a local hotel, I meet Tanaka and we make our way to an underground shooting range in the center of the town Winterthur (www.naturaktiv.ch).

Tanaka explains that he wants to introduce me to the Bond firearms according to the famous video by Major Boothroyd, so the next time I watch it, I can really feel it to what Major Boothroyd tries to explain to the Bond fans.

After putting on 3M Peltor earmuffs and earplugs, and a brief introduction to gun handling and safety, I am handed a large frame Smith & Wesson Target Revolver in .357 Magnum, but with lighter .38 rounds.

S&W Target Revolver in .357 Magnum, long distance shots

He explained that Bond originally in the books carried a large revolver in his car for precise long range shots, as he also carried a small pistol for self defense on him, and that he carried it in a shammy leather holster so it would not wrinkle his suit. The exact model revolver he would have carried we would see later, but for now we would shoot a modern revolver.

Why the James Bond of that era would carry a large revolver was made quite clear to me. The first shots I shot in my life, I fired through a large frame target revolver at 20 meters distance onto a FBI target and hit the target center mass with a grouping of 6 bulletholes in the area of about a hand. That was impressive and probably also due to the fine weapon! Probably exactly the tool for a british professional with a license to kill back in the 1950’s.

A nice selection of Bond firearms, including the Beretta and Walther PPK and P99

The swiss Tiger Tanaka then handed me a Beretta .25 and made me fire two magazines downrange at the target 20 meters away. To my surprise only two bullets had hit the target. As we approached the target at a 5 meters distance and engaged it again, I managed to hit it quite well, but the holes were significantly smaller than with the revolver.

Close distance Beretta shots

Yes it was easier to conceal the Beretta, however the Beretta .25 would only serve well at a very close distance.

Then the swiss Tiger Tanaka handed me the Walther PPK in 7.65 mm and made me shoot many single shots and double taps from 5 meters, 10 meters and while walking, constantly working on my skills. This truly was the Bond experience and I improved on my shooting scores. He told me about the difference in hitting the target, shooting in combat and making it look good on film. For James Bond movies are maybe the best action movies ever made, but not training guides for actual firearms combat.

Shooting the Walther PPK (wearing a navy PTI jacket)

He finally introduced me to the Walther P99 in 9mm and we entered the modern age of pistol shooting. A strong caliber for various distances in a elegant pistol package that was easy to use and fits well in a shoulder holster. Shooting this pistol was so much fun!

We spent one hour at the shooting range and used up hundreds of rounds of ammunition. So far it was a good start getting to know the Bond handguns. If I ever wanted to learn about really using one of the guns, then of course the approach and teaching would be a little different.

In the showroom of naturaktiv.ch we had a look at an original Colt New Service revolver that the book Bond kept in his car. This model was chambered for the British .445 Eley Ammunition. It would have been the service weapon of choice for a Commander in the british Navy and Military Intelligence of that era.

Colt New Service British .445 Eley Ammunition

Many thanks to the Swiss Tiger Tanaka for this exciting afternoon in the shooting range. It is now quite clear for me, why the original Bond would carry a large revolver in his car and a small pistol under his jacket.

The Golden Gun used by Scaramanga in the movie The Man With The Golden Gun (1974) consisted of customised everyday objects, so it could be smuggled and put together. The single-shot, 4.2mm weapon consisted of a golden cufflink (the trigger), a Colibri Molectric 88 gas lighter (bullet chamber), a golden Waterman fountain pen (the barrel) and a cigarette case (the handle).

The gun is owned by assassin Francisco Scaramanga (played by Christopher Lee), who charges one million dollar per shot. Scaramanga uses golden bullets, strengthened with nickel, which were stored in Scaramanga's golden bullet belt.

Scaramanga uses the gun in the film to kill agent 002 Bill Fairbanks in Beirut, hitman Rodney during a deadly game on his island, scientist Gibson (the creator of the Solex Agitator) in Hong Kong, and business partner Hai Fat in Fat's office. Scaramanga fails to kill James Bond (Roger Moore) with the gun.

The movie prop is credited at the end of the movies as "Golden Gun made by Colibri Lighters, London, U.K." but there are different stories about who actually created the gun. According to one story, the props were fabricated by special effects expert John Stears (who made Scaramanga's "flying car" for the movie) from parts manufactured by Colibri and Waterman (the pen).

Another story, put forth by the film's art director Peter Lamont, states that "Lamont himself designed the weapon and built a prototype from balsa wood with a real gold Waterman pen as the barrel, then approached Colibri to make a final version. This was apparently constructed in a very rushed manner, and was made from cigarette lighter parts which were held together by magnets; this prototype was rejected due to its tendency to fall apart while being handled. Lamont says he then approached a London silversmith firm by the name of "Rose" to make the three screen-used props from silver, plated with 18-carat gold. Colibri were later contracted to manufacture a number of additional, high-quality Golden Guns for PR use; according to Lamont, no Colibri-built Golden Gun was ever used in the movie itself." (source: IMFDB, Original Prop)

Three Golden Gun props were made for the movie: a solid piece, one that could be fired with a cap and one that could be assembled and disassembled, although Christopher Lee said that the process "was extremely difficult." On 10 October 2008, it was discovered that one of the golden guns used in the film, which is estimated to be worth around £80,000, was missing (suspected stolen) from Elstree Props, a company based at Hertfordshire studios.

Two official prop replicas of the golden gun were released: the first by SD Studios and the more recent Factory Entertainment version.

SD Studios Ltd Golden Gun
SD Studios Ltd created a golden gun replica in the 1990s. Two versions were made, the first generation and an improved 'second generation' version. The gun was made from gold plated brass, could be taken apart and came in a wooden box with a 007-engraved bullet. The limited edition SD Studios guns were sold for $675, and numbered between 1 - 7500, although only about 700 were made, making them currently very sought after and expensive.

Factory Entertainment Golden Gun
In 2011, Factory Entertainment created an officially licensed replica of the Golden Gun and 007-engraved bullet. A 1000 pieces were made of the 'standard' Golden Gun Limited Edition model ($479), and 400 pieces of The Golden Gun Dual Signature Edition, which came with signatures of Roger Moore and Christopher Lee (sold for $649). All guns are currently sold out and can fetch high prices, if you can even find them, on eBay.

An unofficial, but quite realistic and working prop replica was created by Bond fan Quartermaster Mick who made a bullet belt and golden gun with a real Waterman pen, Colibri lighter and custom made parts, see the video here.

Scaramanga is not the only Bond villain to use a golden gun. Auric Goldfinger, known for his love of gold, uses a golden revolver when plundering Fort Knox in the movie Goldfinger (1964).

In the original novel The Man With The Golden Gun, Scaramanga uses a golden revolver, but the weapon can't be taken apart as in the film.

Mr Hinx, played by Dave Bautista, uses an Arsenal Firearms AF2011 Dueller Prismatic gun in SPECTRE.

This impressive gun has a double barrel. The weapon can be seen when Hinx kidnaps Madeleine Swann in Austria and the following chase, sequences already shown in the trailer and in the Mr. Hinx image released by Empire magazine on February 26th 2015, and also in the Behind The Scenes video released on the same day.

Arsenal Firearms AF2011 Dueller Prismatic specs
Type: geometric lock, semiatutomatic double barrel hammer pistol
Action: short recoil, 1911 system
Calibers: .45 ACP, .38 Super Auto, 10mm Auto
Trigger: double hammer with single spur, double spur-one piece trigger
Safeties: left lever safety (1911) with half cock ham- mer safety and beavertailed grip safety
Magazine: 2 single magazines, paired with single floor plate, 8+8 rounds (.45 ACP)
Sights: interchangeable back, adjustable
Total length: 260 mm
Barrel length: 165 mm
Height: 145 mm
Width: 50 mm

007 Magazine will release a special edition of the magazine, The Most Famous Gun In The World, a definite guide to the weapons used by James Bond in the movies, from Dr. No to SPECTRE.

The 120-page magazine with in-depth articles can be pre-ordered at 007magazine.co.uk for £24.95 / $34.99 / €29.99 plus p&p, and will ship in November 2016.

The magazine is available with two different covers (but the exact same content): Sean Connery in Goldfinger and Daniel Craig in SPECTRE.

Preview some of the pages from the Limited Edition magazine The Most Famous Gun In The World:

Pre-order at 007magazine.co.uk

The Walther PPK that was handed to James Bond (Sean Connery) by 'M' (Bernard Lee) in the first Bond film Dr No (1962) is set to be auctioned on Thursday 6 December 2018 at Humbert & Ellis in the UK.

Update 28 November 2018: the provenance and claims about the appearance of the gun in Dr No is questioned, more on the AJB forum.

Update 29 November 2018: the auction has now been canceled by the auction house, after doubts about the provenance of the item.

Lot 441 at the Jewellery, Antiques, Registration Plates & Furniture Auction is a presentation case (52cm x 72cm), containing the actual (EU deactivated) Walther PPK pistol, a montage of facsimile James Bond advertising photographs and an engraved brass plate Walther PPK. Complete with current EU Deactivation Certificate No 3644 dated 23/1/2018 and bearing serial number 149894.

The item also comes with a signed letter from Bernard Lee, dated 1974, which explains how the gun ended up in the film.

"Dear Jane, I know you will not accept anything in return for all your help and the kindness that you and John have shown to me throughout these trying times but my conscience will not let it go unrewarded. Enclosed is a small token of my gratitude that I would like your boy to have as and when you see fit. This Walther pistol numbered 149894 is a small piece of 007 history. As you are aware I have played the part of M in several of the James Bond films. The first of these, Doctor No contained a scene in which Sean was scolded by myself about his choice of firearm. His Beretta pistol was replaced by a Walther pistol. On the day of the take the pistol that was to be used was not going to be available, so I took into the studio and used for the scene this pistol which I have had for many years. (It was fully functional at the time, I have since removed the firing pin). This pistol is there for the first one ever to appear in a James Bond film. Yours very sincerely, John Bernard Lee"

Bernard Lee played the role of M in 11 Bond films, from Dr. No. (1962) to Moonraker (1979).

The auction websites states that the Walther PPK was the personal property of Bernard Lee (who played M) and was gifted to the vendor (referred to as 'your boy' in above letter). The auction website claims that according to EON Productions - the 'call list' for this scene (list of props required for filming) included 'a gun' however, said gun was not available at the time of filming, so Bernard Lee brought in his own. Later in the film, a Walther PP, not a PPK, was in fact used - and likely Bernard Lee's 'live and unregistered' PPK was inappropriate for filming on location and EON's PP was the only substitute available. According to Humbert & Ellis this is therefore the first of the famous James Bond Walther PPKs to appear in a Bond film.

Bids for this item starts at £30,000.

For bidding and information visit the-saleroom.com.Update 28 November 2018: the auction has now been canceled by the auction house, after doubts about the provenance of the item.

Sources: Humbert & Ellis, BBC, IMFDB
Photos © Humbert & Ellis
Thanks to Frank for the alert

The auction of a Walther PPK claimed to be the first PPK in a Bond film has been cancelled by the auction house Humbert & Ellis.

News about auction of the PPK was reported by BBC and picked up by other websites including Bond Lifestyle, but quickly garnered scepticism from Bond fans about the provenance of the gun.

A statement by Humbert & Ellis on their website reads:

“Lot 441 the ‘Bond Gun’ has regretfully been withdrawn from sale. Accordingly it will not feature in our forthcoming auction of December 6th”

The PPK on offer came with a signed letter from Bernard Lee, dated 1974, which supposedly explained how the gun ended up in the film.

"Dear Jane, I know you will not accept anything in return for all your help and the kindness that you and John have shown to me throughout these trying times but my conscience will not let it go unrewarded. Enclosed is a small token of my gratitude that I would like your boy to have as and when you see fit. This Walther pistol numbered 149894 is a small piece of 007 history. As you are aware I have played the part of M in several of the James Bond films. The first of these, Doctor No contained a scene in which Sean was scolded by myself about his choice of firearm. His Beretta pistol was replaced by a Walther pistol. On the day of the take the pistol that was to be used was not going to be available, so I took into the studio and used for the scene this pistol which I have had for many years. (It was fully functional at the time, I have since removed the firing pin). This pistol is there for the first one ever to appear in a James Bond film. Yours very sincerely, John Bernard Lee"

Bernard Lee played the role of M in 11 Bond films, from Dr. No. (1962) to Moonraker (1979).

The auction websites stated that the Walther PPK was the personal property of Bernard Lee (who played M) and was gifted to the vendor (referred to as 'your boy' in above letter). The auction website claimed that according to EON Productions - the 'call list' for this scene (list of props required for filming) included 'a gun' however, said gun was not available at the time of filming, so Bernard Lee brought in his own. Later in the film, a Walther PP, not a PPK, was used. The Auction stated that it was likely that Bernard Lee's 'live and unregistered' PPK was inappropriate for filming on location and EON's PP was the only substitute available. According to Humbert & Ellis this was therefore the first of the famous James Bond Walther PPKs to appear in a Bond film.

Bond fans on AJB were quick to point out that the gun in the particular scene was actually a PP as well, not a PPK, casting doubts over the story of Lee and the claims of the auction house.

Bids for this item were about to start at £30,000, but now the auction is taken off altogether.

It is not yet known if the item will still be auctioned with a different, more nuanced story.

James Bond (Daniel Craig) uses an Anderson Wheeler 500 Nitro Express Double Rifle with box lock in SkyFall. The movie's armourer acquired the rifle from London based gun and rifle maker Anderson Wheeler. The request was for a gentleman’s big game hunting rifle, also known as a 'double rifle'. Anderson Wheeler provided a 500 Nitro Box Lock Express Rifle, which loads a .50 calibre round that fires a 570 grain bullet at around 2,200 feet per second. This rifle is ideally used as a stopping rifle and is usually carried by professional hunters or hunters in search of African Dangerous game. Bond will probably use it to hunt some villains and henchmen during the scenes filmed in Scotland. The rifle can also clearly be spotted on the cover of Bond on Set: Filming SkyFall, where Bond holds the rifle, standing next to his Aston Martin DB5 and wearing a Barbour jacket.

The Anderson Wheeler Express Double Rifle is building a reputation as the professional hunters' choice for its reliability, accuracy and overall good looks. The box lock ejector is hand engraved with a traditional Anderson Wheeler house scroll with a coin finish. The open sights are fitted with an integral quarter rib consisting of three folding leaves on the rear sight. The front sight comes with a 4mm ivory bead that can be flipped over the 2mm silver bead under poor light conditions or close quarters. The hand rubbed, oil finished stock and fore end are made from carefully selected exhibition Turkish walnut, crafted to fit the clients’ personal specifications to ensure balance and a perfect fit.

The exact same rifle as used by Bond in SkyFall can be custom ordered at Anderson Wheeler for approximately £15,500 ($24,500). 

In the movie SkyFall (2012), James Bond (Daniel Craig) uses a pair of green 3M Peltor H61FA British Army earmuffs at the indoor shooting range.

The Peltor H61FA is a passive hearing protector designed for different military conditions: military noise from handheld weapons and vehicles during combat and shooting exercises. The H61 is a lightweight, slimline range that has been developed for portability, storage and optimum fit. The earmuffs have a low profile to fit under ballistic helmets and feature wide comfortable sealing rings filled with fluid and foam to provide optimum sealing and low contact pressure. The stainless steel wire band provides constant pressure over time.

The earmuffs in the film have the yellow writing below the logo on the side.

These Peltors can still be found in many UK based military shops, for example Cadet Direct, but then they are usually used and might have been marked with names and numbers.

SkyFall Workout outfit
James Bond wears blue Adidas Gazelle 2 shoes, blue jogging pants, a blue shirt and blue army training jacket with his 3M Peltor earmuffs.

James Bond is famous for using a Walther PPK gun. But in 1983, 007 seems to prefer another model, the Walther P5, in the two rival James Bond movies Octopussy and Never Say Never Again.

Octopussy
Even though the poster for Octopussy shows Roger Moore as Bond holding a Walther PPK with silencer, he flashes a P5 in the tuk-tuk taxi chase in India, but we don't see him shoot it. Even though he clearly uses the P5, he later tells Q "I appear to have misplaced my PPK.". This mistake is probably a script issue. It would appear that Walther asked the producers to have Bond use the then new P5, which Walther was trying to market to German police agencies at the time.

Bond can also be seen holding another P5 when he first meets Octopussy (Maud Adams) in her palace. The gun is finally put to good use when Bond kills several enemy soldiers in East-Germany in and around Octopussy's circus train.

The Walther P5 handgun (UK Deactivation, serial number 024156) used in the film was auctioned at a Christie’s South Kensington “Film and Entertainment” auction on December 5, 2006. The gun, lot 220 / Sale 4912 was sold for $14,227

Never Say Never Again
The other Bond movie (not produced by EON, but by Warner Bros) in that same year, Never Say Never Again, also starred a Walther P5, held by Sean Connery as Bond. The gun can briefly be spotted in the film and can also be seen on the filmposters and a promotional photos.

The actual Walther P5 handgun (UK Deactivation, serial number 001482), used by Sean Connery in the film Never Say Never Again, was sold at The Prop Store of London for approximately $20,000.

Other trivia and facts
A Walther P5 is used by a young Benicio Del Toro in Licence To Kill (1989).

According to the IMFDB, Dutch actor Jeroen Krabbe (who plays the Russian defector in The Living Daylights (1987) can be seen using a Walther P5 in the film Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo (2005).

Until this day, the Walther P5 is the standard issue gun for the police force in The Netherlands.

James Bond’s Walther LP53 gun, used by Sean Connery in publicity shots for From Russia With Love and the N70CF Acrostar BD-5J Micro Jet used in the opening sequence of Octopussy will go up for auction at the Profiles in History Hollywood auction on July 29th, 2013.

The Walther air pistol, model LP53, serial number 054159, was first used by Sean Connery for the promotion of his second “James Bond” film, From Russia with Love.

Publicist Tom Carlile arranged a series of poses with photographer David Hurn to shoot an iconic portrait of Connery as “James Bond 007” with this Walther pistol which was to be used as the primary image for the film’s poster art and advertising/marketing campaign.

What became of this shoot was one of the most iconic photographic images of the 20th century. The picture of Sean Connery holding the long-barreled gun across his chest or alongside his face became the most famous of all Bond images.

The gun comes with its original close-fitted Walther presentation case as well as a signed letter of provenance from photographer David Hurn. auction estimate $ 200,000-$300,000.

This gun had previously sold at Christie’s London in 2010 for a world record $437,000 (£277,250), read more here.

Also on auction the original N70CF Acrostar BD-5J Micro Jet used in all of the flying sequences from Octopussy. In the opening sequence, Roger Moore backs a small jet out of a horse trailer, takes of from the road, flies over military troops, under a bridge, rolls in canyons and flies through an airplane hangar. This is the jet that was used in all the aerial sequences of the film.

The BD-5J has a 17 ft. wingspan and a small, streamlined fuselage holding its semi-reclined pilot under a large canopy. It holds the record for the world’s lightest jet aircraft, weighing only 358.8 lbs. (162.7 kg) and was capable of reaching 300 mph (480 km/h). The jet is so compact that it can fit in a rental truck with a 12 ft. cargo area with the wings detached.

The Octopussy flying sequences were performed by stunt pilot John W. “Corkey” Fornof. In addition to its most famous use in Octopussy, Fornof flew this jet in scores of television programs and commercials, such as “The Spectacular World of Guinness Records” (world’s smallest jet), “Good Morning America”, “25 Years of James Bond 007”, “That’s Incredible”, “ABCs Wide World of Sports” and countless airshows. In addition, this jet has appeared in virtually every aviation publication in the free world.

BD-5J’s were popular at air shows throughout the 1980s and many were involved in crashes due to the demanding high performance nature of the plane. The engine has been removed for exhibition purposes and the aircraft’s current air-worthiness is untested. Comes with signed letter of provenance by Corkey Fornof who has owned the jet since it was built. The estimated price is $200,000 - $300,000.

More information on the Profiles in History website and Invaluable.com.

Update:
The Walther LP53 was sold for $250,000. There is no mention of the Acrostar sale price, and the Acrostar is up for auction again on 5 December 2014.

Thanks to Michael Delaney for the alert

On my way to the Goldfinger Reloaded event in Andermatt, I first make a two day stop in Zürich for an underground mission. Upon arrival in this largest city of Switzerland I meet with a friend who is best described as the Swiss 'Tiger Tanaka', since he is the head of the local ninja organisation of the Bujinkan Zürich Dojo (www.ninja.ch). The Dojo works hard in the traditional japanese martial arts, a Combat Judo similar to the Bond-era Judo and they live the Bond Lifestyle.

A stylish reception in the hotel room, with compliments of the Swiss 'Tiger Tanaka'

After being received in Bond style at a local hotel, I meet Tanaka and we make our way to an underground shooting range in the center of the town Winterthur (www.naturaktiv.ch).

Tanaka explains that he wants to introduce me to the Bond firearms according to the famous video by Major Boothroyd, so the next time I watch it, I can really feel it to what Major Boothroyd tries to explain to the Bond fans.

After putting on 3M Peltor earmuffs and earplugs, and a brief introduction to gun handling and safety, I am handed a large frame Smith & Wesson Target Revolver in .357 Magnum, but with lighter .38 rounds.

S&W Target Revolver in .357 Magnum, long distance shots

He explained that Bond originally in the books carried a large revolver in his car for precise long range shots, as he also carried a small pistol for self defense on him, and that he carried it in a shammy leather holster so it would not wrinkle his suit. The exact model revolver he would have carried we would see later, but for now we would shoot a modern revolver.

Why the James Bond of that era would carry a large revolver was made quite clear to me. The first shots I shot in my life, I fired through a large frame target revolver at 20 meters distance onto a FBI target and hit the target center mass with a grouping of 6 bulletholes in the area of about a hand. That was impressive and probably also due to the fine weapon! Probably exactly the tool for a british professional with a license to kill back in the 1950’s.

A nice selection of Bond firearms, including the Beretta and Walther PPK and P99

The swiss Tiger Tanaka then handed me a Beretta .25 and made me fire two magazines downrange at the target 20 meters away. To my surprise only two bullets had hit the target. As we approached the target at a 5 meters distance and engaged it again, I managed to hit it quite well, but the holes were significantly smaller than with the revolver.

Close distance Beretta shots

Yes it was easier to conceal the Beretta, however the Beretta .25 would only serve well at a very close distance.

Then the swiss Tiger Tanaka handed me the Walther PPK in 7.65 mm and made me shoot many single shots and double taps from 5 meters, 10 meters and while walking, constantly working on my skills. This truly was the Bond experience and I improved on my shooting scores. He told me about the difference in hitting the target, shooting in combat and making it look good on film. For James Bond movies are maybe the best action movies ever made, but not training guides for actual firearms combat.

Shooting the Walther PPK (wearing a navy PTI jacket)

He finally introduced me to the Walther P99 in 9mm and we entered the modern age of pistol shooting. A strong caliber for various distances in a elegant pistol package that was easy to use and fits well in a shoulder holster. Shooting this pistol was so much fun!

We spent one hour at the shooting range and used up hundreds of rounds of ammunition. So far it was a good start getting to know the Bond handguns. If I ever wanted to learn about really using one of the guns, then of course the approach and teaching would be a little different.

In the showroom of naturaktiv.ch we had a look at an original Colt New Service revolver that the book Bond kept in his car. This model was chambered for the British .445 Eley Ammunition. It would have been the service weapon of choice for a Commander in the british Navy and Military Intelligence of that era.

Colt New Service British .445 Eley Ammunition

Many thanks to the Swiss Tiger Tanaka for this exciting afternoon in the shooting range. It is now quite clear for me, why the original Bond would carry a large revolver in his car and a small pistol under his jacket.