The following guns were used in the film Apocalypse Now :
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M16A1
M16A1s are used by various characters throughout the film. Since this film takes place in the early '70s, the introduction of the 30-round magazine is historically accurate.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing M16A1 with 30-round magazine - 5.56x45mm.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Cap. Ben Willard (Martin Sheen ) and Tyrone 'Clean' Miller (Laurence Fishburne ) with their M16A1's as a camera crew films.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Lance Johnson (Sam Bottoms ) with his M16A1.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Clean with his M16A1.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A soldier sets the bullets in his magazine by tapping it against his helmet.
File:ApnowM16-5.jpg Soldier (left) with an M16A1, soldier (right) with an M16 on a Huey.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Kilgore: Smell that? You smell that? Lance: What? Kilgore: Napalm, son. Nothing else in the world smells like that. I love the smell of napalm in the morning. You know, one time we had a hill bombed, for 12 hours. When it was all over, I walked up. We didn't find one of 'em, not one stinkin' dink body. The smell, you know that gasoline smell, the whole hill. Smelled like...victory. Someday this war's gonna end...
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Chief Phillips (Albert Hall ) fires an M16A1.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Jay 'Chef' Hicks (Fredric Forrest ) armed with his M16A1, while speaking French to the colonist.
File:ApnowM16-10.jpg Cap. Willard surrenders his M16A1 to the colonists, while showing bad trigger discipline.
M16 (SP1)
Col. Kilgore (Robert Duvall ) is seen briefly holding an M16 (SP1) rifle noted by its "slab-side" reciever after the battle at Vihn Din Drop. The gun notably has an A1-style lower reciever, as evident by the fencing around the magazine, meaning this is a "franken-gun". The Use of the M16 is an error as the original M16 was never used by the US Army or any other branch of the US Military other than the Air Force. By the time the movie takes place (1970) the all M16s that were being used by the entire US Military were already replaced by the M16A1 as seen above.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing M16 (SP1) fitted with A1-style birdcage flashhider (to imitate M16A1) and 30-round magazine - 5.56x45mm.
File:ApnowM16-5.jpg Soldier on the right with an M16.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Kilgore talking to Lance about surfing while holding his M16 (SP1)
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Kilgore looks over the battlefield while holding his M16 (SP1).
MGC M16
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M60 machine gun
M60 machine guns are used by Col. Kilgore's (Robert Duvall ) gunners during the battle at Vinh Din Drop. Clean (Laurence Fishburne ) is the M60 gunner on the Navy PBR. Chef (Fredric Forrest ) is seen with it briefly while taking incoming arrows from natives, but switches to the single mounted M2.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing M60 machine gun - 7.62x51mm NATO.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A soldier with an M60 before the battle at Vinh Din Drop.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A gunner aims his M60 at an NVA women who chucked a grenade in a Huey.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing "I'm gonna get that dink bitch."
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A clearer shot of the M60.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Clean fires the M60 at the fisherman.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing "I'm good." Clean looks in horror at what he just did.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Clean fires the M60 while taking incoming tracer rounds.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Note the blank rounds and the customized 'anti-snag' made from a food can.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Chef with the M60 before switching to the M2.
M60D
M60D machine guns are mounted on Col. Kilgore's (Robert Duvall ) choppers during the battle at Vinh Din Drop.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing M60D machine gun - 7.62x51mm NATO.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Kilgore: How you feeling Jimmy? Jimmy: Like a mean motherfucker sir!
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Jimmy (James Keane ) with an M60D.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A gunner fires an M60D.
Browning M2HB
Browning M2HBs are single and double hand mounted on the Navy PBR. Chef (Fredric Forrest ) is the rear gunner with the single mounted M2HB (nicknamed "Canned Heat"). Lance Johnson (Sam Bottoms ) is the front gunner with double hand mounted M2's. While traveling on the river through the Do Lung Bridge two soldiers are seen firing an M2 trying to kill a single VC under all the dead VC bodies.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Browning M2HB on pintle mount - .50 BMG.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Chef fires "Canned Heat" while taking incoming tracer rounds. Note Kilgore's surfboard.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Closer shot of Chef firing "Canned Heat".
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Lance with the double mounted M2HB's.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Lance shows us his war face.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing "Where the dog go?"
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Trench soldiers firing an M2HB.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Trench soldiers fire an M2HB in an attempt to kill a single VC hiding under dead bodies. Unable to do so, they get the "Roach".
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Chef fires "Canned Heat" while taking arrows from the natives.
M1911A1
An M1911A1 is seen on Capt. Benjamin Willard (Martin Sheen ) nightstand in hotel bedroom in Saigon at the start of the film. Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore (Robert Duvall ) uses one as his sidearm throughout the movie.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing WWII era Colt M1911A1 - .45 ACP.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The camera pans on Willards M1911A1 resting on the bed.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing An M1911A1 rests next to Willard on the nightstand.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Lietenent Colonel Kilgore of the 1st Cavalry Division carries an M1911A1 with pearl grips in his holster. Note the Cavalry symbols on the grips.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Captain Willard (Martin Sheen ) finishes off Vietnamese civilians with his M1911A1 after Chief's men accidentally open fire on them.
M79 grenade launcher
An M79 grenade launcher is used by The Roach (Herb Rice ) to kill an NVA soldier hiding in the barbed wire during the scene at the Do Lung bridge. Roach had customized his with a tiger-strip paint job.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing M79 grenade launcher - 40mm.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Roach tips open his M79 grenade launcher. Note tiger-stripe paint scheme.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Roach loads a 40mm HE round into his M79 grenade launcher.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Roach fires his M79 grenade launcher. Note how in this scene he wraps the sling around his arm, a well know technique to steady aim.
GE M134 Minigun
A GE M134 Minigun is seen door-mounted on one of the UH-1 Huey choppers during the famous raid scene. Being that the movie was filmed in the Philippines, they also supplied the helicopters which were outfitted with real guns. Since the weapons require no blank adaption to fire, all they needed was lots of blank ammunition to get the guns running.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing GE M134 Minigun - 7.62x51mm NATO.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A door-mounted GE M134 Minigun protruding from the Huey UH-1 helicopter.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The door gunner unleashes the GE M134 Minigun on the NVA.
DShK heavy machine gun (mock up)
NVA fire at the Huey helicopters with a DShK heavy machine gun , in reality a mocked up Browning M2HB machine gun.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing DShKM heavy machine gun - 12.7x109mm.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing NVA fire a mocked up DShK heavy machine gun in the AA position.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A farther shot of the mock DShK.
Smith & Wesson Model 10
Chief Phillips (Albert Hall ) draws his Smith & Wesson Model 10 with a 3" barrel while the fishermens' boat is being searched.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Smith & Wesson Model 10 with 3" barrel - .38 Special.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Chief Phillips draws his Smith & Wesson Model 10.
Norinco Type 56
NVA are seen using Norinco Type 56 assault rifles throughout the film, and they are also seen in the hands of Kurtz's men.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Norinco Type 56 with folding "Pig Sticker" bayonet - 7.62x39mm.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Norinco Type 56 lying next to a dead VC, while Kilgore hands out death cards.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing VC firing Norinco Type 56's during the battle at Vinh Din Drop.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing French Colonists armed with Norinco Type 56's.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing One of Kurtz's men armed with a Norinco Type 56. Note the jungle taped magazines.
Ithaca 37
Lt. Colby (Scott Glenn ) carries an Ithaca 37 fitted with a heat shield and bayonet lug.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Ithaca 37 Riot - 12 Gauge.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Far shot of Lt. Colby with his Ithaca 37 and Kurtz's "children."
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Close up shot of the Ithaca 37. Note the scalp.
M2 Carbine
Most of the colonists are armed with M2 Carbines .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing M2 Carbine - .30 Carbine.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing French Colonists with their M2 Carbines.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Distant shot of the Colonist with their M2 Carbines.
MAT-49
A French Colonist is seen armed with a MAT-49 submachine gun.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing MAT-49 - 9mm.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A French Colonist armed with a MAT-49.
Browning Automatic Rifle M1918A2
A Browning Automatic Rifle M1918A2 is seen resting on the shoulders of one of the French Colonists.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Browning Automatic Rifle M1918A2 - .30-06.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A French Colonist with an M1918A2 BAR rested on his shoulders.
M3 Aerial Rocket Artillery
M3 Aerial Rocket Artillery (ARA) launchers are mounted on the sides of the UH-1 Hueys in the film.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A soldier pats a trust ARA launcher.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The right side rockets fire.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Simultaneously, the left side fires.
M-6E3 Weapons System
Mounted on the UH-1 Huey helicopters are M-6E3 Weapon Systems , which are dual automated M60C machine guns controlled by the pilot.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing An M-6E3 Weapons System mounted on a UH-1 Huey.