Thief

The following guns were used in the movie Thief

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Thief (1981) was director Michael Mann's debut theatrical release. It starred James Caan as Frank, a jewel thief. Mann, director of other famous films such as Heat and Collateral is known for his attention to detail, especially in firearms. He is supposedly a certified range instructor himself, but for this film, he and actor Caan attended classes at Gunsite, a renowned firearms training facility. The story goes that they trained in the "Modern Combat Technique," until Jeff Cooper (founder of Gunsite, and the technique) learned who Mann's film protagonist was (a criminal). Cooper insisted that a thief would never be allowed to learn the Modern Technique and refused to continue instruction. Allegedly, Chuck Taylor, Cooper's operations manager at the time (and a well-known instructor himself), then decided to take them off-site and teach them the methods you see on film.

Caan's training is obvious, as he uses an exaggerated Weaver Stance, high thumbhold grip, speed reloading, and room clearing techniques directly attributable to the Modern Combat Technique.

Customized Longslide M1911A1

One of the guns used by the main character, Frank (James Caan), is reportedly a 6" longslide M1911A1 pistol customized by California gunsmith Jim Hoag. There is a long vertical cutout on the skeletonized trigger, which means the pistol is most likely a Colt Gold Cup National Match. Hoag Gun Works modified the pistol by lengthening the slide, squaring the trigger guard, adding a Bo-Mar adjustable rear sight, a rowel-type hammer and beavertail grip safety. If this pistol is indeed a Gold Cup, then it is presumably chambered in .45 ACP.

Colt Gold Cup National Match - probably the base pistol for the custom Hoag longslide used in the film.

Frank (James Caan) does a brass check of his Hoag M1911A1. Note that in the film, this is supposed to be the longslide pistol, but it is actually a normal Colt Gold Cup NM in this brief scene.

Best view of Frank's (James Caan) longslide M1911A1

Frank (James Caan) does a speed reload with his longslide M1911A1

Another view of Frank (James Caan) speed reloading his longslide M1911A1

Colt Combat Commander

In one brief scene, Frank flashes a Colt Combat Commander at a nightclub bouncer. It looks like the stainless model, but I don't think stainless CC's were available in 1980, so it's probably a chromed finish. It has a Bo-Mar adjustable rear sight, and custom rowel-type hammer. Even though the entire pistol cannot be seen, due to the crease in Frank's waistband and the shadow it casts, it appears to be the shorter slide of a Combat Commander. Frank does not use this pistol in any other scene of the film.

Frank (James Caan) flashes his chromed Colt Combat Commander