DH-17 blaster pistol

"Why isn't it firing!?"

―Silam Dunerz, attempting to shoot Leia Organa with a DH-17 blaster pistol^[5]

The DH-17 blaster pistol was a ranged weapon produced by BlasTech Industries and used primarily for shipboard combat.

Description[]

The DH-17 was a long-nosed blaster pistol, weighing approximately one kilogram.^[2] The gas chamber on the DH-17 held enough blaster gas for five hundred shots before needing to be refilled, while the power pack only held enough power for one hundred shots. Due to the weapon's design, experienced soldiers could reload a weapon in around five seconds. Power packs that had been fired until they were empty could be recharged in fifteen minutes.^[1]

Designed for short range combat, the DH-17 had a optimal range of thirty meters, although its maximum range was one hundred and twenty meters. The blaster was designed for semiautomatic fire, discharging a bolt once for every trigger pull. The DH-17 could be converted to fire in a fully automatic mode, although the modification had the downside of draining the power pack in twenty seconds. In addition, the excessive heat generated by the fire rate could melt the blaster's internal components and even cause the weapon to overload and explode.^[1]

DH17blaster-NEGWT — DH-17 blaster pistol

The weapon's energy bolts could punch through stormtrooper armor and low-level force fields, although it stopped short of being able to puncture the hull of a starship. As a result, the DH-17 was favored by troops stationed aboard ships. The blaster's stun setting was capable of rendering a Human unconscious for around ten minutes.^[1]

The targeting scope on the DH-17 had a 2x zoom with 50 centimeters of eye relief. It had 90% light transmission and could display range and power settings on a built-in display.^[4]

DH-17 blaster pistols were sold for between five hundred and fifty^[2] and eight hundred credits,^[3] although prices on the black market varied considerably.^[2] During the Galactic Civil War, BlasTech produced variants of the DH-17, including the DH-17 blaster carbine and DH-17 short carbine.^[6]

History[]

The DH-17 blaster pistol was considered to be a workhorse of a pistol, with unmatched popularity and staying power. When released by BlasTech Industries, the weapon was hailed as a considerable improvement over previous weapon designs by both the Galactic Republic and local law enforcement agencies.^[2] During the Galactic Civil War, the DH-17 was the standard sidearm used by both the Imperial Navy and Alliance soldiers. It remained popular with New Republic personnel.^[1]

Rebel troopers were commonly armed with DH-17 pistols. The crew of the Tantive IV were armed with DH-17s, and used them in the failed attempt to prevent Imperial forces led by Darth Vader from capturing the vessel.^[7] Rebel forces assigned to Echo Base on the ice planet Hoth were also armed with the weapon.^[8]

Lando Calrissian was also commonly seen with the DH-17,^[2] and a weapon of this type was also carried as a sidearm by Chak Fel on the mission to Outbound Flight in 22 ABY as a representative of the Empire of the Hand.^[9]

The weapon was illegal for civilian ownership, restricted to possession by military personnel of both the Galactic Empire and New Republic.^[1] Owners were required to license their weapons;^[2] however, the weapons were widely available on the black market^[1] and used extensively by mercenaries and pirate gangs.^[2]

Newer blasters, such as the DL-18 Blaster Pistol and the DH-23 'Outback' were released by BlasTech, hoping to capitalize on the success of the DH-17. Despite design improvements, neither of the weapons came close to overcoming the marketing dominance of the DH-17. Soldiers and outlaws continued to use the DH-17 which served as a testament to the superb performance and craftsmanship of the weapon.^[2]

Behind the scenes[]

The DH-17 prop was made using the same Sterling L2A3 sub-machine gun used for the E-11, with a different barrel housing. The prop in A New Hope was not usable for actual firing and was primarily only a cast. In some scenes on the Death Star, such as the Detention Block scene, the officers carry DH-17 props until they begin to fire, where the weapons turn into E-11s. For The Empire Strikes Back the DH-17s were made off of real Sterlings and were usable props that could actually fire. Despite the prop upgrade, the weapon had very little overall screen time during the film.