What's going on here?

[Redinight]

Why doesn't the Bapty in the book match the in private hands Bapty ? They don't match, the grips are different, and I thought the stembridge had the broken grip? Also, the sight is different, it is...the private owned on looks longer and more boxy.

[Trebor]

I don't know the source of the two photos.

I will say, they could very well be the same gun, and the apparent differences are due to different lighting and different quality of photos.

In fact, the closer I look, the more I think that is the case. Look closely at the wear on the bottom of the grip and on the barrel. The same wear patterns are there, they just look a little different due to different lighting.

[Redinight]

The first photo is from the Complete Making of Indiana Jones, the other from imfdb.com

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

I don't know, by the pictures I can't say that's the same gun, or if it wasn't modified. Based on those photos I wouldn't have bid on the gun as THE screen used gun.....

[backstagejack]

I personally think it's the lighting and quality of pic, plus even a slight slight change in camera angle.

They look the same to me but that's jmo

[Cajunkraut]

My guess is that the perceived differences are mostly due to the photography.

That said, prop house weapons get maintained and modified according to the needs of armorers and movie producers.

Grips are easily changed. There's also no telling how much wear and tear or "touch up" the gun's finish saw between the dates of the two photos.

The only reliable indicator of authenticity is the Bapty's serial number, which doesn't apply to non-serialized parts (basically everything but the frame) that could've been changed or replaced since 1981.