The Internet Movie Firearms Database
August 7, 2008 7:13 AM   Subscribe

If you've ever wondered which guns were used in a movie, which movies a gun has appeared in, or even which guns an actor has ever used, then the Internet Movie Firearms Database (probably) has you covered.

I found the site while trying to find which airsoft guns to buy for a potential Halloween costume. After a few fruitless Google searches it occurred to me: somewhere a bunch of gun nerds must have done this already. Ahh, the internet.

One tip: when browsing by movie title, titles that start with "The" are under T rather than the first letter of the second word.

Sadly, the coverage for most Bond movies is sorely and unexpectedly lacking.
posted by jedicus (28 comments total) 17 users marked this as a favorite
 
This is awesome. The entry on The Way of the Gun is appropriately thorough.
posted by slimepuppy at 7:27 AM on August 7, 2008


The Way of the Gun is great for firearms realism up until they start emptying 40+ rounds from 1911 frames in the final shootout. Chris McQuarrie mentions this in the director's commentary and points out that they do have .38/9mm 1911 frames with higher capacities although they were using standard 7 & 8 rounds mags during filming.

Also, best* use of firing a handgun ballistically to reach out to ranges normally reserved for rifles.


*the only one I can think of.
posted by longbaugh at 7:38 AM on August 7, 2008


This is the slowest web page in history, but still fascinating.
posted by teabag at 7:39 AM on August 7, 2008


What's hilarious is that they have movies in which guns don't even play a really significant role. Like Back to the Future. Or Star Trek: First Contact. Or, uhm ... Borat.
posted by Comrade_robot at 7:42 AM on August 7, 2008


Ah, the Steyr AUG, vaguely-futuristic-weapon-of-choice for props masters for going on twenty years. This used to be in Doctor Who episodes all the time.
posted by Happy Dave at 7:57 AM on August 7, 2008


Site's been ground down for me (won't load). I just wanted to see if they had a plasma rifle in the 40 watt range, but guess I'll never know.
posted by cjorgensen at 8:14 AM on August 7, 2008


longbaugh, I believe it was on IMDb's trivia page for the movie that I read this last scene was done that way on purpose (and, surely, it had to be) to pay homage to other action movies.
posted by wastelands at 8:15 AM on August 7, 2008


Funny, I always thought of the G-36 as the rifle of the future(!). That entry might not be complete, though. I swear I've seen that thing in Firefly.
posted by adamdschneider at 8:17 AM on August 7, 2008


I just wanted to see if they had a plasma rifle in the 40 watt range, but guess I'll never know.

Hey, what you see is what you get.
posted by adamdschneider at 8:18 AM on August 7, 2008


This used to be in Doctor Who episodes all the time.

Oh yeah, they stuck the AUG in everything. It seems like the H&K G36c is the new replacement though, because it seems like when I'm watching sci-fi now, they are either using that or the P90 almost universally.
posted by quin at 8:19 AM on August 7, 2008


I swear I've seen that thing in Firefly.

Yeah, it was used a couple of times. Mainly in the episode The Message where they are flashing back to the battle of Serenity Valley. Zoe is using the G36 and Mal is using a H&K UMP
posted by quin at 8:26 AM on August 7, 2008


They don't have a Phased-plasma rifle in the forty watt range. How am I supposed to take this site seriously with this kind of oversight?
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 8:27 AM on August 7, 2008 [2 favorites]


Just what you see, Mr. Encyclopedia!

For some reason I always thought it was an MG34 that the terminator had in the future war sequence - for some reason, seems it's a vickers?
posted by Artw at 8:42 AM on August 7, 2008


Somebody please please cross reference this with the Celebrity Nudity Database.
posted by cog_nate at 8:42 AM on August 7, 2008 [1 favorite]


The MG 42 page is rubbish.

Well, I suppose it's a wiki, I could just...

GRRRAH! MUST RESIST POINTLESS TIMESINK!
posted by Artw at 8:48 AM on August 7, 2008 [1 favorite]


for some reason, seems it's a vickers?

Weird. I always figured it was a Browning 1919. I know it was something with the vertical grips, and I didn't think it had a water jacket around the barrel like you would find on a Vickers.
posted by quin at 8:54 AM on August 7, 2008


You'll superimpose walkie-talkies over my cold, dead hands!
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 9:05 AM on August 7, 2008


The Vickers "K" gun looks a bit like an M1919 browning but used a Lewis gun platter style magazine on top of the weapon. LRDG jeeps used to dual-mount them as they couldn't get hold of more modern armaments. Since I can't remember the Terminator Future War sequence I'll take them at their word. If you can link me a pic I can certainly chuck my tuppence in. The bullpup rifles used in the Future War sequences in Terminator 2 were based on Calico pistols, both .22 and 9mm variants.
posted by longbaugh at 9:16 AM on August 7, 2008


I was looking for a site like this a week ago. Good post. Thanks!
posted by Mr_Zero at 9:19 AM on August 7, 2008


Oohh, I sense lots of time wasted on this guilty pleasure in my future (or as soon as it's up again...)
posted by Harald74 at 10:13 AM on August 7, 2008


You can kind of see the terminator's gun in this clip at about the 9:00 mark. I still can't tell if it's a Vickers, Browning or something else though.
posted by quin at 10:23 AM on August 7, 2008


Looks like it's down.
posted by Pope Guilty at 12:24 PM on August 7, 2008


Sadly missing is an entry for Manhunter, a movie in which William L. Petersen's Agent Graham is issued a Charter Arms Bulldog .44 loaded with Glaser Safety Slugs. The climactic scene sees Graham employ the weapon to useful effect in killing his adversary, a maniacal serial killer. The climactic scene is also notable for depicting Graham discharging six shots from a five shot revolver...
posted by Tube at 3:57 PM on August 7, 2008


Somebody please please cross reference this with the Celebrity Nudity Database.

That'll be Inglorious Bastards which, apparently has a naked woman firing a machine gun... I'll forgive Tarantino's all previous sins if he recreates that in his upcoming WWII epic (NOT BOYZONEISH!)
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 2:42 AM on August 8, 2008


Finally got it to load (must be because of the early hour for most of us); pretty cool.

From the entry for Munich:

Beretta M1951:

Used by Avner (Eric Bana) and most Mossad team members during their operations to kill terrorists (although Avner is seen brandishing a Beretta 92F on the DVD cover, which would not have existed in 1972).


My father-in-law, who has progressed from gun nut to gun nerd evidently, made the exact same observation when he saw that movie.
posted by TedW at 5:21 AM on August 8, 2008


Am I mad or was the Joker using an MP 40 in Dark Knight?
posted by Artw at 11:57 PM on August 9, 2008


Anyone else find it funny that the well-informed dissertaion on "The Way of the Gun" came from longbaugh?
posted by Navelgazer at 7:09 PM on August 18, 2008


That's nothing - my sockpuppet is parker... :D
posted by longbaugh at 3:47 AM on August 19, 2008


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