The most commonly seen gun in the film, the Colt Detective Special snubnose revolver is carried by both Officer Bud White (Russell Crowe) and Lt. Ed Exley (Guy Pearce). Det. Sgt. Richard Stensland (Graham Beckel) also carries one of these, seen only when he hands it over to his superiors.
Sgt. Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) carries an M1911A1 as his duty sidearm, carrying it during the "Movie Premiere Pot Bust" and while arresting the Nite Owl suspects. Roland Navarette (Steven Lambert) shoots Officer Carlisle (Michael McCleery) with a 1911 when Exley and Carlisle bust in their hideout to arrest the Nite Owl suspects after they escaped. White gets one from his car, giving it and an extra magazine to Exley to use during the final gunfight at the Victory Motel.
Officer White plants his backup revolver, a Smith & Wesson Model 10 in the hand of rapist Sylvester Fitch (Jeff Sanders) to make his murder look like self-defense.
Almost as commonly seen as the Colt Detective Special, any LAPD officer carrying a shotgun is carrying a 12-gauge Ithaca 37. The Nite Owl shooters were said to have used 12-gauge pump shotguns with a five-shell capacity. Breuning (Tomas Arana), Carlisle, Exley, and White are among the officers seen using this shotgun during the film. Carlisle and Exley carry these during the Bunker Hill apartment raid, leading to Exley's "Shotgun Ed" moniker. At the Victory Motel shootout finale, White starts off with the shotgun before Exley grabs it and uses it to ultimately kill Dudley Smith.
