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.

The Beretta 950 Jetfire pistol is used in James Bond films by several Bond women and once by 007 himself.

In the 1989 movie Licence to Kill, James Bond (Timothy Dalton) receives a stainless steel Beretta 950 Jetfire pistol from Pam Bouvier (Carey Lowell) to check the hotel room, after having been informed about the arrival of his mysterious 'uncle', who turns out to be Q (Desmond Llewelyn). Pam herself carries a second 950 Jetfire as well. She uses it at the drug factory when threatening Prof. Joe Butcher (Wayne Newton) with it.

The small pistol - designed for self-defence duties - is carried by some other women in the Bond movies, pointing it quite regularly at Bond, who is usually not too impressed.

Fiona Volpe (Luciana Paluzzi) carries a black Beretta 950 in Thunderball (1965) when she and her henchmen capture James Bond.

Andrea Anders (Maud Adams) has a black Beretta in The Man With The Golden Gun (1974) where it is visible during the shower scene at The Peninsula in Hong Kong. The weapon in the film and promotional photos does seem slightly different from the original Beretta 950, perhaps it's a prop weapon. Especially the front of the barrel and the location of the front sight seem different from the 950 Jetfire.

Another (prop?) Beretta 950 Jetfire is also carried by Anya Amasova (Barbara Bach) in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), most notably during the confrontation with Jaws (Richard Kiel) at the Egyptian temple. Her gun also has the different barrel and front sight as in The Man With The Golden Gun. And Amasova's pistol is also different from the others in that it's a steel version with a mother of pearl or white grip.

The Beretta 950 Jetfire pistol was built by the Italian Beretta company from 1952 - 2003, first in Italy, and since the 1970s also in the United States. In the 1960s and 1970s they were also produced in Brazil.

Technical Details:
Type: Single Action
Caliber: .25 ACP
Overall length: 120 mm
Barrel length: 60 mm
Weight: 280 g
Capacity: 9 rounds

Beretta weapons have been part of Bond since the beginning. Ian Fleming has James Bond carry a small Beretta 418 ("a very flat .25 Beretta automatic with a skeleton grip") in the very first novel Casino Royale and the four following novels. Eventually in the novel Dr. No, he switches to the Walther PPK. This switch from Beretta to Walther is also shown in the movie Dr. No.

With thanks to Robert Scheidemann; some 950 Jetfire photos courtesy of Shopusa

James Bond uses a Riffe E-55 speargun in No Time To Die (2021).

The speargun was spotted in early spy shots from the set and on more recent promotional photos for the film.

The Riffe speargun appears in many promotional photos for the film, but we still have to see how much it appears in the final film.

The exact model seems to be the Riffe E-55 speargun from Riffe's Euro Series, where 55 refers to the length of the weapon, but the same model is available in several bigger/longer sizes (E-75, E-90, E-100, E-110, E-120).

The speargun used by Bond has a black butt end (end of the gun), but note that the same speargun is also offered with a red butt (see for example Riffe spearguns on eBay).

The Riffe Euro 55 is available at the official Riffe website speargun.com for $563.

Ian Fleming and speargun / harpoon gun

Spearguns were used by Ian Fleming himself when he was diving in Jamaica. And like many things, he integrated his personal experiences in his novels.

Harpoons and spearguns are mentioned in the Ian Fleming stories Thunderball, Risico, Live And Let Die and The Hildebrand Rarity.

In Live And Let Die, harpoon guns are mentioned several times in the book, and harpoon guns are used by Bond and Quarrel to shoot a large barracuda and the harpoon gun is used by Bond to save his life.

"There was a new and powerful Champion harpoon gun and a commando dagger of the type devised by Wilkinsons during the war."
Ian Fleming - Live And Let Die

In The Hildebrand Rarity short story, Bond is fishing for a stingray in "Belle Anse near the southernmost tip of Mahe, the largest island in the Seychelles group, was glassy calm."

"Bond had a Champion harpoon-gun with double rubbers. The harpoon was tipped with a needle-sharp trident – a short-range weapon, but the best for reef work."
Ian Fleming - The Hildebrand Rarity

Spearguns appear in many other Bond films, including the famous underwater battle scenes in Thunderball (also with trident tips, as mentioned in The Hildebrand Rarity), in The Spy Who Loved Me, For Your Eyes Only, Never Say Never Again and Licence to Kill.

Complete the look

The other pieces of Bond's No Time To Die casual fishing outfit in Jamaica are the new Omega Seamaster 300M No Time To Die model, a grey Orlebar Brown shirt and blue shorts (unidentified).

During the Daniel Craig era, from Quantum of Solace and SPECTRE to No Time to Die, James Bond is armed with the Sig Sauer P226 in conjunction with his preferred carry handgun, the Walther PPK. The handgun is carried in both the standard and railed models throughout these films.

The Sig Sauer P226 was originally designed for entry into the XM9 Service Pistol Trials held in 1984 by the United States Army as they sought out a replacement handgun for military service. It is a hammer fired, double/single action alloy framed handgun, famously used by elite units such as the US Navy SEALS, as well as the SBS and SAS.

In Quantum of Solace (2008), Bond is seen recovering this handgun off of a MI6 agent while escaping his arrest in Bolivia. The firearm is clearly visible and is used as Bond and Camille attack the Perla de las Dunas hotel in the climax’s action sequences. The P226 is also seen in behind-the-scenes photos of Daniel Craig test firing the handgun while on location and in costume.

In 2015’s SPECTRE (2015), James Bond gives Madeleine Swann a P226R to protect herself, offering to teach her how to shoot it. Swann then efficiently unloads the handgun, and articulates her understanding and experience with small arms due to a Beretta left under the sink in her childhood home. This story is of course fleshed out and seen on screen during the pre-title sequence of No Time to Die.

Most recently, in No Time to Die (2021), Bond carries the P226R while in the commando outfit in a drop leg nylon holster. It should be stated that this handgun is also used frequently in the earlier sequences, such as the Cuba fight scene while Bond is in his black Tom Ford Atticus dinner suit. It is also the preferred firearm of both Spectre and Safin’s henchmen, as we see Bond recover the same handgun or magazines off of them during the action sequences.

The P226R is also prominently featured in the updated No Time to Die character posters. The P226R was added in over the PPK in these posters after the original version was mocked online due to the large and empty drop leg holster (which many wrongly assumed was for the PPK, rather than the larger P226).

Walther PPK (left) and SIG Sauer P226 on the No Time To Die character posters

The P226R is now offered on the SIG Sauer website as the P226 Nitron Full Size, sku 226R-9-BSS-CA. Currently, this new production P226R has Sig’s E2 grip (see it on the SIG Sauer website), which is a single piece textured grip. This model grip is not screen-accurate, but the screen-accurate two piece grips which bear the model number P226 in their center are available separately here.

Technical Data
• Type: Hammer fired, Single Action or Double Action
• Caliber: 9mm
• Length Overall: 196mm (7.7 in)
• Mass: 964g (34 oz)
• Capacity: 15+1

Airsoft Models and toys
There are some airsoft P226’s available, typically secondhand, as Sig Sauer is not currently producing a licensed P226 airsoft pistol. These can be found online, and are either spring or gas operated. Warning: Air Pistols are a detailed replica for adult collectors only, and are NOT A TOY. Before use, please read the instructions carefully. It is recommended to wear safety goggles when using BB guns or Air pistols.
Find Sig Sauer P226 models on eBay

With many thanks to CommandoBond (@commandobond and commandobond.com) for this in-depth article

007 The Armoury is the most comprehensive compilation of firearms and other weapons used in the James Bond movies over the last 60 years, containing over 300 images, including many never before seen photographs.

This unofficial guide gives a high level of detail and information on each of the firearms seen in the Bond films.

Each weapon is isolated on a clean blue background for viewing ease. Additionally, the photos are not stock photos of guns. They are photos of the actual props used in the films, many now housed in private collections.

007 The Armoury is a must-have for any Bond library as well as a fabulous reference guide.

This is a 156-page, high-quality square-bound book printed on museum quality, glossy paper stock with a soft-touch laminate cover.

The book was available on Amazon USA for $59.99, but sold out fast. It will be back in stock within a few weeks (November 2022). 

STOCK ALERT

Click here to get notified when the book is back in stock

Publisher: Spy Guy Productions (January 1, 2022)
Author: Mark Hazard
Language: English
Perfect Paperback: 156 pages
ISBN-13: 979-8986234113
Weight: 1.56 pounds

Three years after the theft of five James Bond guns, the owner offers a £10,000 / $12,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of the stolen weapons. To commemorate three years since the theft, the book 007 The Armoury, which features Wanted posters for the weapons, is available with a 20% discount for a limited time.

007 The Armoury - An Unofficial Concise Guide Celebrating 60 Years Of James Bond's Weapons On The Silver Screen
photo © Bond Lifestyle

007 The Armoury has been a phenomenal success and received with tremendous enthusiasm. Unfortunately, the book also has a sad side; March 23rd 2023 is the 3rd anniversary of the theft of several original James Bond screen-used guns from the collection of John Reynolds, aka Donk.

Inside the book is the wanted poster you see below.

Spy Guy Productions would like to offer a $12,000 Reward for information leading to the recovery of the stolen James Bond Guns or hand them into your local Law Enforcement establishment to claim the bounty!

So far only a single piece of one gun has been recovered, and the culprits have not yet been identified.

So that this event not be forgotten, Bond Lifestyle and Spy Guy Productions have partnered to offer a 20% discount on 007 The Armoury (softcover) for one week in hopes that more books in the hands of fans will mean more exposure of the crime and more significant the chance of recovering the guns. 

Order the 007 The Armoury on Amazon 20% OFF

20% discount starts March 22rd 2023 and ends March 30th 2023

About the burglary

In the evening of March 23rd 2020, a gang broke into a North London property in an attempt to steal the keys to an Aston Martin as used by Daniel Craig in Casino Royale which was parked in the front drive. While turning the property over looking for the car’s keys, they came upon five cased decommissioned firearms belonging to collector and author Mark Hazard, destined for permanent exhibition at The Royal Armouries in Leeds. They stole all five weapons.

The guns include a unique 44 Magnum handgun wielded by Roger Moore as James Bond in Live and Let Die, a Walther PPK used in A View to Kill, a Beretta Cheetah and a Beretta Tomcat pistol used by Halle Berry as Jinx in Die Another Day and a small Llama XVIII Especial pistol also featured in Die Another Day.

Despite coverage of the theft in the international media only the frame of the Llama XVIII Especial has been recovered.

Mark Hazard and Spy Guy Productions Ltd would like to take the opportunity on this the third anniversary of the theft, to offer a £10,000 / $12,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of the stolen weapons. If you have any information regarding the weapons, contact your local Law Enforcement establishment to claim the bounty or send a message via Spy Guy Productions website.

More resources

Order the 007 The Armoury on Amazon (20% OFF)

Two-part video exploring the collection from which the guns were stolen: 
Watch on YouTube

International news articles about the burglary:

James Bond guns 'worth £100k' stolen in Enfield burglary (BBC)

Guns in 007 movies stolen in burglary (Sky News)

Man with the stolen guns (Daily Mail)

007 The Armoury, a compilation of weapons used in the James Bond movies, is now available as a hardcover limited edition with slipcase. Get 25% OFF (for one week only), read more below.

This unofficial guide contains over 300 images, including many never before seen photographs, and gives a high level of detail and information on each of the firearms seen in the

The new limited edition version book cover is printed using Spot UV on a matte finish and a custom-made hard book slipcase accompanies the book.

The 007 The Armoury Collector's Edition is limited to 500 copies worldwide, each copy individually numbered by hand.

Beyond the limited nature of the book and its beauty, it also contains Bonus Material not found in the soft cover version.

Get 25% OFF!

The book is now available at Amazon for $169.99 and Bond Lifestyle offers you an exclusive discount code "BONDLIFE25" that gives you 25% OFF the hardcover. This code is valid on Amazon for one week only until August 30th 2023 - or earlier (only 80 copies will be sold with this discount)!

Enter the code during checkout Amazon in the Payment Method box. Code only valid for 007 The Armoury Hardcover Limited Edition.

The paperback version is still available on Amazon USA for $59.99 (note that the discount coupon code is NOT valid for the paperback).

You can also the latest Bond Lifestyle contest for a chance to win the book, enter here!