The French Connection

The following firearms were used in the film The French Connection:

The French Connection (1971)

Colt Gold Cup National Match

Charnier's hitman Pierre Nicoli (Marcel Bozzuffi) carries a Colt Gold Cup National Match as his sidearm throughout the film, notably using it to hijack the BMT West End Line elevated train.

Colt Gold Cup National Match (Mark IV, Series 70) - .45 ACP.

Nicoli shoots a French policeman in Marseilles.

Nicoli shoots a New York transit policeman.

Nicoli threatens the subway motorman.

Nicoli's Colt Gold Cup National Match.

Colt Detective Special

Many of the NYPD detectives, including Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle (Gene Hackman), Walt Simonson (Eddie Egan, the real life basis for Doyle), and FBI agent Bill Mulderig (Bill Hickman), carry Colt Detective Specials. Doyle keeps his in an ankle holster, although it switches in several scenes to a Smith & Wesson Model 36. Several of Boca's mobsters, including his brother Lou (Benny Marino), also use Detective Specials.

Colt Detective Special - .38 Special

Doyle's Colt DS in his ankle holster.

Simonson's Detective Special rests in a waist holster as he talks to Russo.

Doyle draws his Detective Special when Nicoli shoots at him.

Doyle aims his Detective Special at Nicoli before the elevated train car chase.

Mulderig holds his Colt DS on a car stripper.

Lou and another mobster fire Detective Specials.

Doyle spins around with his Detective Special drawn, not realizing Russo was behind him.

Winchester Model 70

Pierre Nicoli (Marcel Bozzuffi) uses a Winchester Model 70 to snipe at Doyle, accidentally hitting a woman who was standing near him.

Pre-1964 Winchester Model 70 - .30-06

Doyle finds Nicoli's abandoned Winchester Model 70 on the rooftop.

Smith & Wesson Model 36

Due to continuity errors, some shots of Det. "Popeye" Doyle (Gene Hackman) pursuing Nicoli after the car chase and searching for Charnier after the bust, his Colt Detective Special is now a Smith & Wesson Model 36. Salvatore "Sal" Boca (Tony Lo Bianco) and some of his mobsters also fire Model 36s at the NYPD.

Smith and Wesson Model 36 - .38 Special

Doyle aims at Nicoli with a Model 36 (even though he had a Colt DS earlier in the scene).

Sal Boca fires at the police.

At the top of the screen, Boca fires his Model 36 as another henchman fires a Detective Special and a Beretta Model 70.

Doyle searches for Charnier, his Colt DS now a Model 36.

Winchester Model 1897

Det. Buddy "Cloudy" Russo (Roy Scheider) and several other NYPD officers fire Winchester Model 1897 shotguns at the mobsters and drug dealers during the final shootout.

Winchester Model 1897 - 12 gauge. This is an imported copy of the non-take down version of the Winchester 1897 Shotgun (a Norinco 97W shotgun, imported by IAC).

Russo aims his Model '97.

Two NYPD officers fire a Colt Detective Special and a Winchester Model 1897.

Russo fires his Winchester '97.

Beretta Model 70

One of Boca's mobsters fires at the NYPD with a Beretta Model 70.

Beretta Model 70 - .32 ACP

At the bottom of the screen, under the two Detective Special-firing mobsters, a mobster fires a Beretta Model 70.

Winchester Model 1912

A uniformed NYPD officer fires at the mobsters with a Winchester Model 1912.

Winchester M1912 Riot Gun - 12 gauge

The officer aims at the mobsters' drug deal house.

Federal 201-Z Grenade Launcher

A uniformed NYPD officer fires a Federal M201-Z at the mobsters.

Federal M201-Z - 37mm. Upgrade from the L-5, the M201Z has a secondary ladder sight behind the latch and the barrel is ringed for a sling swivel. The L-5 has a plain smooth barrel.

The officer fires the 201-Z.

Ithaca 37

During the final shootout several of the other NYPD officers appear to be using the Ithaca 37 shotgun. The Ithaca 37 was used by the NYPD for several decades, including the 1970s.

Ithaca Model 37 riot version - 12 gauge

Smith & Wesson Model 10 Snub Nose

Det. Buddy "Cloudy" Russo (Roy Scheider) uses a Smith & Wesson Model 10 Snub Nose with a square butt.

Smith & Wesson Model 10 Revolver Snub Nose - .38 Special

Russo searches for Charnier with his Model 10 Snub.

Russo aims his Model 10 Snub.