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We Were Soldiers

From Internet Movie Firearms Database - Guns in Movies, TV and Video Games
Revision as of 14:46, 17 October 2009 by Oliveira (talk | contribs)
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Nice, but where's the trigger?

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The following guns were used in the movie We Were Soldiers

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XM16E1

The XM16E1 assault rifle are used by the soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment including Lieutenant Colonel Hal Moore (Mel Gibson), First Lieutenant Charlie Hastings (Robert Bagnell), Second Lieutenant Jack Geoghegan (Chris Klein), Sergeant Ernie Savage (Ryan Hurst) and most United States Army soldiers. Later on the film during the Battle of Landing Zone X-Ray, Joe Galloway (Barry Pepper) uses one as well. These were actual XM16E1s.

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XM16E1 with 20 round magazine - 5.56x45mm
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The Actual XM16E1 used by Mel Gibson in the movie. Picture taken from Long Mountain Outfitters website.
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Hal Moore (Mel Gibson) lands on LZ X-Ray. "I will be the first to set foot on the field..."
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A soldier holds his XM16E1; note the forward assist. He has a pretty crappy stance too.
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A specialist holds a XM16E1.
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Hal Moore and another soldier can be seen carrying XM16E1s during the Battle of LZ X-Ray.
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Sgt. Savage (Ryan Hurst) and his men engage the enemy.
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Specialist Robert Ouellette (Josh Daugherty) holds an XM16E1.
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Soldiers run from enemy fire while holding their XM16E1s.
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Specialist Bungum (Blake Heron) fires back at NVA soldiers with his XM16E1.
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A wounded private with his XM16E1.
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Moore asks for sitrep from Capt. Metsker (Clark Gregg).
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A United States Army Private fires his XM16E1 from a UH-1 Iroquois.
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Moore continues to fire his XM16E1.
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Hal fires at the treeline to goad enemy forces into revealing themselves.
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Moore retrieves more magazines as he tells Major Plumley that they will be last in reserve.
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A stack of XM16s from the battle.
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Moore is asked to return from the battlefield to give a situation report to his superiors.
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Joe Galloway(Barry Pepper) with his XM16E1 at the ready. He has a pretty good grip for someone that is not a soldier.
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Hal Moore Mel Gibson fires his XM16E1.
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Moore Mel Gibson fires his XM16E1 and the impressive triangular muzzle flash is seen.
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Hal Moore(Mel Gibson) fires the XM16E1. Note the flash suppressor.
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Capt. Edwards (Dylan Walsh) gets on the radio to report his situation as the soldier to left has his XM16E1 at the ready.
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A soldier with his XM16E1.
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Lieutenent Colonel Hal Moore(Mel Gibson) fires back with his XM16E1 after a enemy bullet hits his flashlight.
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Two wounded US Army specialists with their XM16E1s at the ready.

M1 Carbine

A Korean war era M1 Carbine is carried by the ARVN interpreter dressed in tiger stripe fatigues. He appears in the scene in which the NVA scout is captured and interrogated. Viet Minh soldiers also use them against the French during the intro.

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M1 Carbine with Bayonet Lug and Adjustable rear sight - .30 Carbine
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A Viet Minh soldier holds a M1 Carbine to a French soldier.
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The South Vietnamese interpreter lands on the Ia Drang Valley with his M1 Carbine.
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The South Vietnamese interpreter wielding a M1 Carbine interrogates the NVA soldier.
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The South Vietnamese interpreter points his M1 Carbine at the captured NVA soldier. Note the Bayonet Lug.

M60 machine gun

The M60 machine gun is used by several US soldiers. Various door gunners use them as well.

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M60 in 7.62x51mm NATO
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An M60 team lays down fire.
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US soldiers train with their M60's.
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A door gunner fires a M60 during the Battle of LZ X-Ray.
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A close-up of the M60 during the training
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A FPS view of a M60 firing in training.
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A soldier can be seen holding a M60 on the left.
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An M60 is seen with the bipod down during one of the training exercises.
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A door gunner gets plastered against his helicopter while holding a M60 machine gun.
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A door gunner fires his M60.
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A machine gun team firing their M60.
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A US machine gunner provides supressing fire with his M60 while the rest of the 1/7CAV troopers prepare to conduct a bayonet charge against the NVA position.

Colt M1911 pistol

A Colt M1911 is used by Command Sergeant Major Basil Plumley (Sam Elliott) as his main weapon since he prefers the .45 to the XM16E1, which he calls a "Piece of Plastic". It is anachronistic to see the first model of the M1911 being used by Plumley since the M1911 was replaced in 1924 by the improved M1911A1 which was the sidearm of the US Military in the Vietnam War, World War 2 and the Korean War. It could be that the M1911 was used to make Plumley more "Badass". As if a Sergeant Major that fought against a entire regiment of heavily armed NVA and a NFL Battalion armed only with an M1911A1 was not badass enough.

No, he really did that-S&Wshooter 21:38, 16 August 2009 (UTC)
Wait, Plumley actually carried a M1911 not an M1911A1 in the battle?--Oliveira 14:32, 15 September 2009 (UTC)
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Colt Model 1911 .45 ACP
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"Gentleman. Prepare to Defend Yourselves!" Plumley Cocks his M1911.
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Plumley reloads his M1911.
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Plumley fires his M1911.

Colt M1911A1 pistol

A Colt M1911A1 is seen in the holster of Lt. Col. Hal Moore and most of the soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division that appear in the movie. Some soldiers use the M1911A1s.

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Colt Model 1911A1 .45 ACP
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An soldier with his M1911A1.

M26 Hand Grenades

In several scenes, U.S. soldiers can be seen with M26 hand grenades strapped to their pouches.

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M26 High-Explosive Fragmentation hand grenade
An production photo of Captain Nadal and his RTO patrol the battlefield with M16s in hand and M26 hand grenades strapped to their pouches. Note the trigger discipline, fingers resting alongside the trigger guard.
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US soldiers drag an dead or wounded soldier off the battle. Three M26s can be seen in his pouche.

PPSh-41

The NVA and the Vietcong use PPSh-41s submachine guns during the intro sequence and the rest of the movie.

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A PPSh-41 submachine gun.
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A Viet Minh soldier gets shot while holding a PPSh-41.
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A Viet Minh soldier holds a PPSh-41 with a 35 round stick magazine.

Genuine AK-47s

During the movie the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) use genuine AK-47s with milled receivers.

The AK-47s used in the movie were built by the Movie's Armourer Mike Papac.

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AK-47 with a milled receiver.
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NVA soldiers fire their AK-47s.
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A NVA soldier moves in the dark with a AK-47.
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A charlie gets shot and drops his AK-47. Note bayonet attached.
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A PAVN (People's Army of Vietnam) soldier reloads his AK-47.
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The same scared PAVN soldier rushes through the jungle and trys to bayonet Mel Gibson.
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The same PAVN soldier gets hit in the head by a single round from Moore Mel Gibson's XM16E1. Note the milled receiver.
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NVA soldiers armed with AK-47s.
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A pile of AK-47s.
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A close-up of the receiver of the AK-47 carried by a NVA soldier who gets waxed by the chargin' americans.
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A NVA soldier aims his AK-47 at the US Army soldiers when they charge the NVA position.
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A NVA soldier gets wasted by the Huey helicopters and their M134 miniguns. All while still firing his AK.
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The same NVA soldier from the above screencap gets thrown across a wagon. Notice how he has his Pith helmet back on.

M79 grenade launcher

Various US soldiers can be seen carrying M79 grenade launchers in a few scenes. Specialist Galen Bungum (Blake Heron) uses one since he is the grenadier of Sergeant Savage's squad.

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M79 grenade launcher - 40mm
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A soldier jumps from a chopper during training while carryng a M79 grenade launcher.
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An American soldier fires his M79 grenade launcher.
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An American grenadier gets shot while holding his M79.
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Bungum's M79 slung over his back.

MAS-36 Rifle

In the opening scene where the French soldiers are ambushed during the French-Indochinese War, various french soldiers use MAS-36 rifles.

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French MAS-36 Rifle.
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The French convoy gets ambushed.
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Two French soldiers armed with MAS-36 rifles.
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Two French soldiers fire their MAS-36 rifles.
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A French soldier gets shot while holding a MAS-36 rifle.

Smith & Wesson M-13 Aircrewman

The .38 caliber revolver pulled out by Maj. Bruce "Snake Shit" Crandall (Greg Kinnear) is most likely a Smith & Wesson M-13 Aircrewman, an unsuccessful lightweight aluminum-cylindered revolver designed for US military flyers. This was part of a generally badly thought-out push to make things from aluminum in the 1960s, also resulting in the M551 Sheridan's lightweight aluminum armour which could be penetrated by machine gun fire and a number of disastrous fires on warships with aluminum superstructures. In 2007, the real Crandall was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Ia Drang Valley.

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A S&W M-13, demonstrating WHY the aluminum cylinder was unsuccessful.
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The M-13 in Snake Shit's holster when he gets out of his Huey at Regiment Headquarters.
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"You have the balls to face me and not the enemy?" Crandall pulls his M-13 after he gets reprimanded by a medavac pilot.

GE M134 Minigun

A pair of GE M134 Miniguns are seen mounted on the gunship Hueys that rip apart PAVN soldiers in the climax of the film, and one is also on display on a table near the beginning of the film.

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General Electric M134 - 7.62x51mm
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The Aircav officers admire the M134 minigun before Moore briefs them on their mission.

M1928A1 Thompson

As the American soldiers are heading off for battle you can see a South Vietnamese soldier holding up an M1928A1 Thompson with a 30-round magazine.

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M1928A1 Thompson .45 ACP with 30-round box magazine.
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Gary Owen! ARVN soldier with a M1928A1 Thompson as well as other US soldiers cheer the rest of the 1st Cavalry as they prepare to enter the Ia Drang.

Browning M1919A4

Two Browning M1919A4s can be seen mounted on French jeeps on the intro sequence.

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A variant of the Browning M1919 developed during World War 2, this model is designated the M37, with the ability to feed from either the left or the right of the weapon - 30-06. This example is shown without a tripod, only the pintle mount. This the MOST likely .30 cal machine gun to be seen firing from armored vehicles.
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A French soldier fires the Browning M1919A4 at Viet Minh forces.
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The Browning M1919A4 can be seen mounted on the jeep on the left.

MAT-49

Various French Soldiers use MAT-49 submachine guns during the opening Scene. Various NVA and VC soldiers use them during the rest of the movie, probably scavenged from French and South Vietnamese troops during the Indochina war.

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A MAT-49 submachine gun.
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A French soldier can be seen with a MAT-49 in the center of the screencap.
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A MAT-49 sits on the top of the pile of guns while US soldiers pile up dead NVA soldiers in the background.
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A Vietcong fighter gets shot while holding his MAT-49.

RPG-2

An NVA soldier wearing a gas mask uses an RPG-2 (Vietnamese made version was known as the B-40) to kill American soldiers.

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RPG-2 40mm with PG-2 rocket
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An NVA soldier carrying the RPG-2 prepares to engage the American forces.

SKS rifle

Several Viet Minh soldiers and NVA soldiers use SKS rifles during intro sequence and during the Battle of Ia Drang.

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A Russian SKS rifle.
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The Viet Minh soldiers rush the French in the intro of the movie. Note how you can see a Kar98k in the backround.
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A Viet Minh soldier holds his SKS to a French soldier
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POV of a Viet Minh soldier with his SKS.
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A Viet Minh soldier rushes the French with his SKS rifle.
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A Viet Minh soldier with his SKS.
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A Viet Minh soldier before being blown up by a French grenade.
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The Viet Minh to the left-centre is armed with a SKS rifle.
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A NVA soldier comes out of a underground base armed with a SKS rifle.
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A Viet Minh soldier rushes the french during the intro.
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A NVA or Vietcong soldier runs around with his SKS while the Ia Drang valley burns in the background by the napalm bombs dropped by United States Air Force planes.
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A NVA soldier armed with a SKS creeps throught the dark.

Mosin Nagant M44 Carbine

During the intro sequence a Viet Minh soldier can be seen with a Mosin Nagant M44 carbine.

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A M44 Carbine Chambered to the 7.62x54R caliber round.
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The Viet minh soldier in the center of the screencap has a M44 carbine while the other Viet Minh soldier has a Kar98k.

Karabiner 98k

A Viet Minh soldier during the intro sequence and a Vietcong soldier later on can be seen using Karabiner 98k rifles.

It should be noted that acording to one of the Armorers of the film, Steve Karnes, the Kar98ks used in the movie came from Israel and were chambered to 7.62mm NATO.

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Karabiner 98k - German manufacture 1937 date - 7.92x57mm Mauser
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A Kar98K is carried by one of Viet Minh soldiers
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A Victor Charlie with a Kar98k.

M1A1 Bazooka

A Viet Minh soldier uses a varient of the M1 Bazooka, the M1A1 Bazooka with one forward grip and a modified rear sight to destroy a French jeep during the intro sequence.

While it seems that a Viet Minh soldier using a Bazooka could be a anachronism, the French army widely used the M1A1, M9A1, and M20 bazookas during the Indochina War. The Viet Minh widely used scavanged French weapons during the Indochina War, and the PAVN and Vietcong also widely used them during the Vietnam War.

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A M1A1 Bazooka.
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A Viet Minh soldier fires at French soldiers with a M1A1 Bazooka. Note the modified rear sight and how it has only one grip.

Degtyaryov DP-28 machine gun

In the scene where the men of the 1st Cavalry Division perform a bayonet charge against the NVA position (an event which actually didn't happen in real life), a small crew of PAVN soldiers man a DP-28, a varient of the Soviet Degtyarev light machine gun.

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A DP-28, the same variant seen in the movie.
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The Degtyaryov DP-28 machine gun is glimpsed as Moore's troops advance.
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A DP-28 is seen among the fallen NVA soldiers as the Huey gunship continues to fire.

Type 67 Grenade

A Chinese Type 67 hand grenade is thrown at the 1st Cavalry Division's position.

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Maybe it just wants to be friends.

RPD Light Machine Gun

During the Battle of Ia Drang, one PAVN soldier can be seen carrying an RPD Light Machine Gun.

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An RPD.
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An NVA soldier carries an RPD to the left of the screencap.

Czech ZB26

An ZB26 is used by a Viet Minh machine gunner during the opening sequence of the film set during the Indochina War. Acording to Steve Karnes, The Movie's Armourer, the ZB26 used in the movie was sold to the Chinese and converted to 7.62x39 later in its life. It also has Chinese Characters on the side of the receiver.

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An Czech ZB26.
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A Close Up of the ZB26 in the hands of a Viet Minh Soldier.
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Another shot of the same scene. Note the mosin-nagant in the background.

MG34

When the American Soldiers charge the NVA position, a two man crew of NVA soldiers man an MG34 Light Machine Gun before they get killed by the Huey Helicopters. One NVA soldier also mans another MG34 in the same scene.

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An MG34.
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Two NVA soldiers man a MG34 machine gun.
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A different NVA machine gunner aims his MG34 at the oncoming American forces.

Fake DShK

A DShK is seen manned by an NVA in the final battle before knocked out by the helicopters. The DShK seen in the film is actually an Browning M2 machine gun mocked up to look like an DShK.

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An M2 Browning.
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A Russian DShKM in 12.7x109mm on a Tripod.
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A PAVN soldier cocks the fake DShK in the final sequence of the movie. Note the M2 charging handle in the right side of the receiver, showing that the DShK is actually an Browning M2.

Browning Hi-Power Pistol

During the Intro of the Movie set during the Indochina War, a French Officer uses his Siderarm, a Browning Hi-Power pistol, to kill several Viet Minh soldiers before being killed himself.

The use of the Browning Hi-Power pistol by the French Army in the movie is a error. The Armourers couln't get French MAB pistols and since Hi-Powers were at the region the Armourers used those Hi-Powers instead.

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A Commercial Browning Hi-Power Pistol.
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A French Army officer fires his Browning Hi-Power at a Viet Minh soldier.
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The French Officer gets bayoneted by a Viet Minh Officer.

Notes

There are several errors also in the uniforms of French troops. - 1) No lieutenant from "troupes de Marine" (2 golden horizontal stripes on bleu) whould have a white kepi (Kepi blanc for Foreign Legion soldiers only, excluding NCOs and officers) - 2) The red berets are worne the wrong way (Insigna on the right in France for all the Army. Only exception French Navy Commando green berets) - 3) Insigna on the red berets are wrong (infantry instead of paratroopers) Sorry, not hardware but military exactitude as well