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Star Wars; The Empire Strikes Back - A Production-Made Rebel Trooper DH-17 Blaster Pistol

An iconic DH-17 rebel-trooper blaster from the production of The Empire Strikes Back available from Kudos Memorabilia
An iconic DH-17 rebel-trooper blaster from the production of The Empire Strikes Back available from Kudos Memorabilia
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An iconic DH-17 rebel-trooper blaster from the production of The Empire Strikes Back available from Kudos Memorabilia

Star Wars; The Empire Strikes Back - A Production-Made Rebel Trooper DH-17 Blaster Pistol

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An iconic DH-17 rebel-trooper blaster from the production of The Empire Strikes Back – the movie regarded by most fans as the cinematic apex of the entire Star Wars franchise.

Rebel soldiers brandished their iconic silver-tipped blasters in two of the most memorable Star Wars films: A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back.

These weapons, instantly recognizable to fans of the saga, made their first dramatic appearance in the opening moments of Star Wars: A New Hope, as Rebel troopers defended Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) from an onslaught of Stormtroopers aboard the Tantive IV. They returned in The Empire Strikes Back, most notably during the intense Battle of Hoth and in widely circulated promotional images featuring Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams).

While the blasters used in both films shared a similar silhouette, the props themselves featured subtle design differences and detailing unique to each production. For The Empire Strikes Back, the prop department created a new batch of blasters using fiberglass castings based on a master constructed from a Sterling L2A3 SMG (submachine gun). These were enhanced with a Single Point sight and intricate model kit greebles, giving them a layered and high-tech appearance. The result is a rare and well-preserved example of a Rebel trooper blaster from the production of The Empire Strikes Back, offering insight into the practical prop construction methods employed by the Star Wars art department during the early 1980s.

This particular example is a production-made prop created for Empire but left unfinished. The base silver coat was applied during production, along with reflective lenses mounted in the front and rear of the scope. The black topcoat and weathering were added later for display, giving it a screen-accurate patina. The clean casting preserves fine details, including the original Sterling SMG serial number still clearly visible atop the magazine housing—a striking relic from the Rebel arsenal.

 This piece was sourced directly from a crew member on The Empire Strikes Back. It exhibits some wear from production use and aging, including scuffing, paint loss, and chipping but still retains its form and original features.

Dimensions: 17" x 9" x 4" (43.25 cm x 23 cm x 10.25 cm)

This item comes with a Certificate of Authenticity

SKU: KM0884

Availability: In Stock

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An iconic DH-17 rebel-trooper blaster from the production of The Empire Strikes Back available from Kudos Memorabilia

Star Wars; The Empire Strikes Back - A Production-Made Rebel Trooper DH-17 Blaster Pistol

Link: https://www.kudosmemorabilia.com/star-wars-the-empire-strikes-back---a-production-made-rebel-trooper-dh-17-blaster-pistol


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  • Product Data

    Dimensions:

     17" x 9" x 4" (43.25 cm x 23 cm x 10.25 cm)

    Cat.No: KM0884

  • Additional Information

    During the filming of The Empire Strikes Back, the prop department faced a familiar challenge: recreate the Rebel blasters that had become iconic in A New Hope—but make them tougher, lighter, and ready for the demands of Hoth.

    The original blasters, built on real Sterling submachine guns, had been heavy and cumbersome, particularly for background actors who had to run, crouch, and fall on cue. For Empire, the production team opted to cast new versions in fiberglass, using a meticulously detailed master made from a deactivated Sterling, complete with a Singlepoint sight and kitbashed greeblies to give it that lived-in Star Wars aesthetic. This not only lightened the load but allowed for multiple identical units to be produced quickly.

    According to crew accounts, several of the newly cast fiberglass blasters were rushed to the snowy set in Finse, Norway, where the Hoth battle was shot under brutally cold conditions. The props held up well—until one unfortunate extra tripped and landed directly on his blaster. The resulting snap echoed across the icy set, and the prop team had to scramble to replace it before the next shot. From that point forward, the crew carried a small case of spare barrels and scopes, knowing full well that battle scenes—even staged ones—could be rough on Rebel gear.

    Though many of the screen-used blasters from Empire are now in private collections or long lost to time, a few unfinished or backup units, like the one featured here, survived in remarkable condition—offering fans and collectors a rare glimpse into the practical ingenuity behind one of sci-fi cinema’s most enduring arsenals.

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