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SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (1998) - Captain Miller's (Tom Hanks) Live Fire Thompson Sub-machine Gun

Currency:GBP Category:Collectibles Start Price:10,000.00 GBP Estimated At:20,000.00 - 30,000.00 GBP
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (1998) - Captain Miller's (Tom Hanks) Live Fire Thompson Sub-machine Gun
Captain Miller's (Tom Hanks) live-fire Thompson sub-machine gun from Steven Spielberg's World War II drama Saving Private Ryan. Captain Miller used his weapon throughout the film, from the landing on Omaha Beach on D-Day, through their hunt for the missing Private Ryan (Matt Damon), to the final, climactic battle in the streets of Ramelle, in which Miller and his platoon defended the bridge from the advancing German infantry and tanks.

The firearm is a Thompson M1 sub-machine gun (also known as the "Tommy Gun"), chambered in .45 ACP, with a magazine capacity of 30 rounds. It features a blank proof mark and has a restrictor fitted into the barrel to facilitate blank firing while rendering it incapable of firing live ammunition.

Actor Tom Hanks picked the gun out personally from a rack at the start of production, intentionally choosing the 13th gun along, and "A13", its amoury code, is handwritten in black marker pen on the wooden grip underneath the barrel, just next to the front sling swivel. When work began on "Band of Brothers", the Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg-produced war series, Colin Hanks chose the exact same weapon as his father for his role as Lieutenant Henry Jones.

The action is made of steel, while the stock, pistol grip and front grip are made of walnut wood. The gun features a brown canvas strap so it can be slung over the shoulder. It is likely that the current magazine is not the same one used during the production. The Thompson comes directly from the production armourer who handled it on-set, and includes a letter from the armourer detailing its history. The piece has some wear from extensive production use and age, as well as intentional distress applied to make it look well-used and worn. There is scratching and scuffing all over the weapon, most noticeable on the wooden sections of the gun. The item remains a Section 5 firearm stored in the U.K. and ownership is restricted; see U.K. live firearm notice for details. Dimensions: 86 cm x 5.6 cm x 26.5 cm (34" x 2 1/4" x 10")

£20000-30000 M

*Live firearm stored in U.K.; see U.K. live firearm notice in the Buyer's Guide