Do movies encourage gun sales?

I won't lie, my initial interest in guns were probably from video games and movies when I was younger (oh how they've corrupted me). I got into real guns slowly, from airsoft to real guns as an adult.

I don't think so. Politics sure do tho.

I should have mentioned the Bren Ten. I THINK, Miami Vice sold pretty much ALL of the original ones.

The book Glock: Americas Gun. Gives a lot of credit to its success with its appearance in movies and videos.

The Bren Ten was a flop and I don't think Miami Vice did much for the company as it went bankrupt early. IIRC there were only about 1500 made and most of those delivered came without magazines. The company took a lot more deposits from people who wound up receiving nothing for there money. Far from anything you can call a success.

Bond films popularized the PPK 50 years ago. Model 29s were not languishing on the shelves before Dirty Harry. They were recognized as a big game handgun. Dirty Harry convinced many that a 44 was the ideal police weapon. S&W kept production down in order to keep the price up.

Lethal Weapon was a Browning High Power.

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Well that's certainly a wrong answer.

And who hasn't at least thought about Mad Maxing a Coach Gun?

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the resurgence of the Sharps Rifle because of Quigley Down Under.

And they claim movies/videos/games don't influence behavior. BS

Plan2Live said:

Lethal Weapon was a Browning High Power.

Back to my original thought, do you think Skyfall will give Walther a bump?

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You're joking, right?

Probably for sure but what probably did it for me was accidentally seeing of Nazi genocide in an Encyclopedia Brittanica when I was three years old. It kinda bothered me that defenseless people were slaughtered like that.

Of course they have. As well as shown me other firearms that I had not seen previously to add to the want list.

I gotta say watching "Gunsmoke"," Have Gun Will Travel" "The Rifleman" and a host of other Westerns I fell in love with Lever Guns, I wound up owning Marlins instead of Winchesters but the Lever Gun fascination came from my childhood and watching those shows so Yes, Movies and Television do influence what people buy in the stores. How many of your Kids are dressing up as "Avengers" this Halloween and or one of the Skylander Characters? How many of you went as He Man or Luke Sky Walker or another Star Wars Character?
Of course the Media affects our purchasing habits, I still want a Model 29, so I can quote the second or third movie
Perpetrator "What do you mean We're not gonna let that happen?"

Dirty Harry "Smith and Wesson and Me.........."

I'm sure there is some influence. Lots of people no doubt want the gun carried by [insert favorite action hero here]. But they don't influence my buying decisions.

The Lone Haranguer said:

I'm sure there is some influence. Lots of people no doubt want the gun carried by [insert favorite action hero here]. But they don't influence my buying decisions.

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What about The Lone Haranguer.. I mean Ranger?

MrDig said:

I gotta say watching "Gunsmoke"," Have Gun Will Travel" "The Rifleman" and a host of other Westerns I fell in love with Lever Guns, I wound up owning Marlins instead of Winchesters but the Lever Gun fascination came from my childhood and watching those shows so Yes, Movies and Television do influence what people buy in the stores.

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Interesting, as Paladin in "Have Gun Will Travel" carried a Marlin leveraction in the serioes. Had a "Knightshead" like his pistol holster on the rifle's stock.

Certaindeaf said:

What about The Lone Haranguer.. I mean Ranger?

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Well, if you go searching, there's a lot of info out there from people wanting to cast silver bullets. I don't know it that's more driven by The Lone Ranger, or all the werewolf and vampire movies over the past few years.

About 6 times a year I get an email or phone call which simply says "I want the fun that X carried in Y movie." I'm sure that to at least a small extent movies influence gun sales.

The shooting sport of CAS is based off movies. All my guns, leather and clothes are modeled after John Wayne movies.

I think the references to leverguns and sixguns and westerns pretty much answers the question. My entire generation grew up with westerns, and after WWII, Bill Ruger realized that the "westerns" could influence buying patterns and darned near single handedly saved the single action revolver from extinction.

I've not been "big" on modern guns, but I loved the Calico since "Spaceballs", and the Full-auto pistol in "Hard Boiled".

Didn't *really* want one till I found out they were now made in Oregon. (Support local Businesses!)

http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Calico_Series_of_Rifles_and_Pistols

I don't now about "encourage", but who didn't want a Ruger P90 after watching Desperado?

Magnum, P.I. makes me want a Colt Series 70.