.475 Wildey Magnum

The .475 Wildey Magnum is a semi-automatic pistol that became world famous when it was used in the 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.

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.
 * 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 carbine.

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.

In popular culture
The firearm was integral to a large number of memorable scenes from the film Death Wish 3. Founder Wildey J. Moore says that every time Death Wish 3 is aired on cable TV, sales spike. 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.

Additionally, the Widley Magnum also made an appearance in the anime series Gungrave though the name was never mentioned. It was used by the story's protagonist Brandon Heat, then an elite sweeper for the Millenion syndicate, when he faces off against Blood War.

Categories
Cartridge:handguns