Platoon: Difference between revisions
Platoon: Difference between revisions - Internet Movie Firearms Database - Guns in Movies, TV and Video Games
Platoon: Difference between revisions
'''Please note, if you're a veteran this fictional movie might hurt your feelings for some reason, why, I don't know, but it might happen, who can say. The members of IMFDB do not support the feelings of current or former military members or republicans to be hurt by fictional films. It's the policy of IMFDB that rather than act like professionals who are creating a database of guns in film, we thought we'd resort to turning into cliche cartoon stereotypes at the first given opportunity. To reflect this police we are also changing the title of the wiki into "Right-wing Movie Firearm Database", to better reflect our bias. Thank you. P.S. John Wayne Rules.'''
Soldiers of the 1st Platoon, Bravo Company, 25th Infantry Division "Tropic Lightning" use M16A1s, most commonly seen in the hands of Pvt. Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen).
Crawford (Chris Pedersen) is briefly seen using what appears to be an original M16 as it lacks a forward assist. It could also be an AR-15/SP1 rifle, but since he is not seen firing it, it is unknown.
Sgt. Elias Grodin (Willem Dafoe), SSgt. Robert Barnes (Tom Berenger), and Lt. Wolfe (Mark Moses) are armed with Colt Model 653P carbine assault rifles, noted by their rounded forward assists an 14.5" barrels, as the 653Ps were 653 export models sent to the Philippines. They were probably meant to stand in (albeit poorly) for the XM177E1 or E2. It is thus anachronistic to see these in the movie, as they were not used during the Vietnam war.
The M1911A1 is the standard sidearm for all of the NCOs and Officers in the film. It is most prominently seen used by SGT Elias (Willem Dafoe) when he does tunnel rat duty and SSG Barnes (Tom Berenger) when he uses it to threaten a little girl in the Village to get her father to talk.
The M60 machine gun, affectionately known in Vietnam as "The Pig", is fired primarily by King (Keith David) in the film. As was typical in Vietnam, the M60 is typically manned by two men, a gunner and an assistant gunner who "feeds" the ammo.
The Norinco Type 56 is the weapon of choice of the Vietnamese troops, many of which feature "pig-sticker" under folder bayonets. They are noted as Chinese Type 56 rifles based on their hooded front sights. Only the milled receiver variant of this rifle was actually used during the war. Towards the end of the film, both Sgt. Robert Barnes (Tom Berenger) and Pvt. Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) are seen using these rifles, picked up from dead Vietnamese soldiers.
Huffmeister (Robert 'Rock' Galotti) is seen throwing an M34 White Phosphorous grenade (also called "Willy Pete" - slang for White Phosphorous) in one of the rice wells during the raid of the village. Barnes also uses an M34 Grenade to destroy one of the underground tunnels, this time yelling "Willie Pete!" when he throws the grenade.
