.475 Wildey Magnum
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Wildey .475 Magnum | |
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| Type | Semi-automatic pistol |
| Place of origin | United States of America |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Wildey F.A Incorporated |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 1,8 kg (4 lb) (with 5 in barrel) |
| Length | 127 mm (5 in) |
| Barrel length |
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| Cartridge |
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| Caliber | 10 mm, 11 mm |
| Action | Gas-operated |
| Feed system | 7 or 8-round detachable box magazine |
| Sights | Iron sights |
The .475 Wildey Magnum is a semi-automatic pistol that became world famous when it was used in the now classic 1985 Hollywood movie Death Wish 3 starring Charles Bronson and directed by Michael Winner. The pistol has a unique patented gas system that makes it possible to regulate the gas pressure so that it can accommodate different cartridge loadings.
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[edit] Brief history
The .475 Wildey Magnum was designed and developed by Wildey J. Moore in Cheshire, Connecticut, USA in the early 1970s (since then the factory has been moved and is now located in Warren, Connecticut). Moore began his career working for the gun parts company Stoeger Corporation. He quickly learned to analyze the parts and learn the flaws of their design. Moore went on to work extensively with Winchester, the renowned rifle manufacturer, and he later helped the Swedish company Husqvarna adapt their weapons for the American market. Soon after learning about gun parts at Stoeger Corporation, he began to design his own pistol. Moore eventually received the patent for his creation on November 2, 1976.
The development of the pistol, as in many cases of new and experimental gunmaking ventures, was extremely expensive and he began to run out of money. Moore assumed that if he issued some stock he had in the company he would be able to obtain funding. As it turned out he was trusting the wrong people and soon found himself with only 25 percent of the stock. Other stockholders merged and soon forced Moore from the company. What the stockholders did not realise was that with Moore gone there would be no more Wildeys produced. Within a year (1983) the company declared bankruptcy. It would take some years for Moore to regain control over his own company and during those years Moore began development on a new cartridge for his Wildey, the .475 Wildey Magnum. It turned out that his new cartridge would be one of the most powerful available for handguns of a higher caliber. By coincidence, he would finish development at the right time when shooters started to look for a powerful big-bore type of cartridge. Further, it was also around this time when the company landed a contract with the film makers, including actor Charles Bronson (see second picture), for the Hollywood movie Death Wish 3. This enabled them to feature the Wildey in the film.
After its release in 1985, sales increased significantly, bringing the company back to economic stability. Today, Wildey F.A Incorporated is healthy. The company also manufactures a new autoloading pistol called the JAWS (Jordanian Armament & Weapons System) Viper. It is manufactured in Jordan and is designated for commercial, law enforcement and military use. The founder of Wildey F.A Incorporated, Wildey J. Moore, is still making wildcat cartridges and watching over the development and important decisions regarding his brainchild the .475 Wildey Magnum.
[edit] Action
The .475 Wildey Magnum was purposefully designed to be a hunting firearm, and is built heavier than most handguns which enables it to handle breech pressures over 48,000 psi, making it one of the most powerful handguns in the world. The body is made out of stainless steel that comes in two models; the Wildey Survivor or the Wildey Hunter. The only difference between these models are the finish, where the Hunter has a matte finish and the Survivor has a satin finish.
The gun has an adjustable gas-operated system that is not to be found in other pistols. The adjustable nature of the weapon makes it possible to fire different sized loads by adjusting the gas pressure. Calibers available are .44 Auto Mag, .45 Winchester Magnum, .45 Wildey Magnum and .475 Wildey Magnum.
The Wildey has a wide range of barrel options, as it is interchangeable via a chuck. Wildeys factory barrels run from 5", 6", 7", 8", 10", 12", 14" up to a unique 18" barrel (see picture in specification box) with prices ranging from $1,500 (standard 5" barrel) to $3,000 (carbine). According to Wildey F.A Inc., the most popular barrel length is the 10" that appeared in Death Wish 3 (see the last picture). Wildey's marketing describes it as four guns rolled into one. This is made possible by modifying the gun for different purposes. All modifications or configurations are reversible.
- First out is the basic Wildey pistol, which has the 5" barrel as factory standard (see first picture).
- The second is the Pin Gun, which is used for bowling pin shooting or similar sports by adding a 2" muzzle brake to a 5" or 6" barrel.
- The third is the Wildey Silhouette. The 18" Silhouette barrel has a wooden foregrip, is made from American walnut and has provisions for a telescopic sight that can be mounted on the ventilated ribbed barrel by the factory or a gunsmith.
- By adding a buttstock, also of American walnut, to the Wildey Silhouette you will have the fourth combination called the Wildey Carbine, transforming the pistol into a rifle.
All the Wildeys have adjustable rear sight and removable front side blade inserts (high and low). The front side blades are interchangeable and available in three colors; red, orange and black. Special tools are not required to dissasemble or reassemble any of the Wildey's four configurations. In hunting situations, the Wildey has been used for shooting black bear, elk, deer, boar, moose and brown bear.
[edit] In popular culture
The firearm was integral to a large number of memorable scenes from the film. Founder Wildey J. Moore says that every time Death Wish III is aired on cable TV, sales spike[1]. The only gun that has had an equal impact on the big screen, regarding fame and increasing sales for the manufacturer, is the Smith & Wesson Model 29 that was used by Clint Eastwood in the 1971 movie Dirty Harry. Today Wildey F.A Inc., still uses Death Wish 3 as a major reference in their marketing strategy.
A pistol similar to the Wildey Magnum was used by the character Brandon Heat in the anime Gungrave. It was a D-point pistol which first appeared in Episode 10 - Conflict. It is the weapon Brandon Heat uses to take down Blood War's undead assassins. It was said that the kick from this gun (the D-point in the anime) is nearly enough to dislocate someone's arm, but the bullets tear a whole through most of the strongest metal alloys.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- wildeyguns.com homepage of the manufacturer
- world.guns.ru Wildey Magnum
- Death Wish 3 at the Internet Movie Database
- The Hard Way at the Internet Movie Database
- Natural Born Killers at the Internet Movie Database
