The Delta operators mainly wield the M723 and M733 variants of the Colt Commando. Staff Sgt. Daniel Busch (Richard Tyson) is the first Delta member on screen, and also the first soldier we see carrying an M723. All Delta members carry M723s and M733s, fitted with various accessories such as Aimpoint scopes and tactical flashlights, some of them also have M4 style barrels. Master Sgt. Gary Gordon (Nikolaj Coster Waldau) can be seen carrying an M733 featuring a camouflage paint scheme and a sound suppressor, which is then used by Chief Warrant Officer Michael Durant (Ron Eldard) to pick off several more Somalis before running out of ammunition and being overwhelmed.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingColt Model 733 with 11.5" Barrel (The Model 723 is the export model of the same weapon - used by forces of the UAE and US Delta Force) - 5.56mm NATO
Delta Customs
The Deltas arm themselves differently from the Rangers by using customized Colt Model 723 and 733 rifles as opposed to longer, heavier M16A2 rifles. Many are fitted with such accessories as Aimpoint scopes, tactical flashlights (with the activaters duct taped to the foregrips), some of them have camouflauge paint schemes, and some of them are fitted with longer, M4 style barrels for better accuracy.
While the Rangers are armed almost entirely with M16A2 rifles, Cpt. Steele (Jason Isaacs) uses an M733 rifle noted by the 11.5" barrel, with nothing modified or changed. A field medic is also seen using an M733, presumabley because he would need a lighter, more versatile weapon to move quickly to wounded soldiers.
Master Sgt. Gary Gordon uses an M723 rifle with the camo paint, scope and lasers, but his is fitted with a sound suppressor. Shughart gives his rifle to the wounded Chief Warrant Officer Michael Durant, who uses it before it runs out of ammo.
Some of the Deltas are seen using Colt Commando CAR-15 A2 rifles with the original long type muzzle break, which are also heavily customized. There is a high possibility they are built from several Commando types so a definate I.D. isn't certain unless the armorer can verify it.
Hoot seems to use an Colt M4 carbine rifle with the same customizations and paint job as the Commando rifles when doing solo operations in Somalia, noted by its removable carry handle. He uses it to shoot a wild boar from a chopper, and is chastized by Cpt. Steele (Jason Isaacs) for keeping the weapon's safety off in the baracks. It is noted as an M4, the burst rifle varient because the M4A1, the full-auto varient had not been issued yet. The M4A1 would begin issue around 1995 or so. One of the Deltas is also seen using an M4 carbine during the operation itself.
A bit of anachronism here, both the M4 and M4A1 entered service in 1994, a year after the events of this film (in 1993), so the M4 should technically not be in Hoot's hands. The probable reason was the fact that most of the earlier M16 Carbines are hard to come by, so they needed something to fill that gap.
Specialist Shawn Nelson (Ewen Bremner) can be seen carrying an M60E1 machine gun as his standard weapon. Some of the Somalians can be seen using them as well.
Note: The original M60 machine gun was pretty much obsolete by the end of the Vietnam war. The M60E1 is an improved varient far more common in films.
Several Rangers can be seen carrying FN Minimis throughout the film, standing in for the M249 SAW (note the lack of heat shield over the top of the barrel, frame-style stock, and 90-degree carry handle). It is also the weapon used by Specialist Lance Twombly (Tom Hardy) to accidentally deafen Nelson when he fires it too close to his head. A lucky shot from a Somali also causes Twombly's extra ammo to ignite, nearly setting him on fire.
The M14 Rifle is seen being used by Sergeant First Class Randy Shughart (Johnny Strong), most notably when he and Master Sgt. Gary Gordon are covering the second crash site. His M14 sports a camouflage paint scheme and an M68 Aimpoint scope.
One of the Somalian fires on Mike Durant's Black Hawk armed with an RPK light machine gun. Its blonde furniture indicates it could be a foreign copy. The machining divots in the reciever could help indicate its origins as well.
The Russian manufactured RPG-7 features prominently in the film as it is the weapon which brings down a pair of Black Hawks. In one scene, a projectile from an RPG-7 strikes the driver of one of the deuce and a half trucks in Lt. Colonel Danny McKnight (Tom Sizemore)'s convoy and fails to detonate, impaling the luckless soldier instead.
Nearly all of the Somali gunmen are armed with the Norinco Type 56-1 assault rifle, which is a Chinese derivative of the AKS-47/AKMS. They are identified by the hooded front sights, which only Chinese Kalashnikov rifles have.
Razaaq Adoti as the Somali militia leader Mo'alim carries an AKS-74U as his weapon of choice, first seen picking it up and inspecting it before heading into battle, then firing a burst into the air to break up the mob attacking one of the surviving Blackhawk pilots before announcing that he was to be taken alive as a prisoner.
At one point in the film, Somalis begin to bombard the building the majority of the Rangers and Deltas have taken cover in with mortars and a SPG-9 recoilless rifle. A group of Deltas soon kill the gunners and then turn the weapon against the Somalis, killing several with one shot before destroying the weapon with a thermite grenade.
While the Colt Flare Launcher is fitted on most of the Ranger's M16A2 rifles, a couple of actual M203 grenade launchers attached to M16A2s are seen, the most notable of which is Specialist John Grimes (Ewan McGregor) who assists Delta in taking out a technical that has them pinned down, missing the first shot before destroying the vehicle with a High-Explosive Dual-Purpose (HEDP) grenade from his M203.
We see the M1911A1 pistol in the hands of the Delta operators as their sidearm of choice. As the two Delta snipers attempt to secure the second crash site they are forced to draw their M1911A1 pistols as the overwhelming Somali forces close in on them. Another Delta operator can be seen practicing with an M1911A1 near the beginning of the film.
The Beretta M9 pistol is seen a few times in the film in the hands of Rangers, and members of McKnight's convoy. Mainly it is seen in the hands of Maddox in the Humvee. McKnight himself carries his M9 sidearm around as a proper means to defend himself.
Chief Warrant Officer Michael Durant, a Black Hawk pilot, is armed with an H&K MP5A3 and uses it to defend himself after he's shot down.
File:MP5 EN.JPGHeckler & Koch MP5A3, 9x19mmFile:BHD-MP5A3.jpgDurant fires his H&K MP5A3 as Deltas carry him from his crashed chopper.
Browning M2
The Browning M2 heavy machine gun is fielded by both the US Army HMMWVs, the UN APCs, and the Somali militia in the film. The opening shots of the film feature Somali militiamen slaughtering a gathered crowd at a food distribution center with the powerful fifty-cal.
During the slaughter of the crowd, The U.S. forces hovering in the MH-60 aren't cleared to fire the GE M134 Miniguns mounted on their Black Hawk. Pylon-mounted miniguns are also carried by the AH-6 Little Birds and rain lead in several scenes.
An Army Ranger, Lieutenant Tom DiTomasso, can be seen taking out a "technical" with an M72A3. The M72A3 was a Post Vietnam improved model of the M72 Rocket, and the last variation used by the U.S. Army. Upgrade versions (up to M72A7) of the LAW are being fielded by the U.S. Navy and USMC as recently as 2007.
While never used on screen, Sgt. Sanderson (William Fichtner) can be seen with a customized Remington 870 Express Magnum slung over his right shoulder. A pistol grip with a folding stock is used in place of the full stock. For some reason, he didn't shorten the barrel, which would have made it more versatile.
While loading up for the assault on the Olympic Hotel Sanderson (William Fichtner) picks up M67 fragmentation hand grenades. He is also seen throwing one into a window to take out a Somali who has him and the Deltas and Rangers pinned down.
