Heat is the 1995 crime drama directed by Michael Mann and stars Al Pacino as a relentless LAPD detective who is determined to take down a high end robbery crew led by a master criminal (Robert De Niro). Notable for its detailed depiction of the techniques used by both law enforcement and criminal elements, the film was first made as the 1989 television movie L.A. Takedown. Heat also was reported to have been viewed repeatedly by the robbery duo involved in the infamous North Hollywood shootout (depicted in the film 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shootout).
The LAPD patrol officers responding to the bank robbery return fire on Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) and his crew with their standard issue Beretta 92FSs. Sgt. Drucker (Mykelti Williamson) uses one while pursuing Cheritto after he runs out of ammunition for his Mossberg 500 shotgun.
Colt M1991A1 Series 80 Officers ACP
Lt. Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino)'s sidearm during the movie is an ivory gripped Colt M1991A1 Series 80 Colt Officers ACP model that he carries on his waist in a cross draw holster. His choice of sidearm might also be a nod to Hanna's service with the Marine Corps.
Glock 19
After McCauley executes Waingro, he leaves the room, and a detective working surveillance at the hotel draws a Glock 19 on him. McCauley backs the detective against the wall and then expertly subdues and disarms the man.
Heckler & Koch USP45
Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) can be seen carrying a Heckler & Koch USP chambered in .45 ACP (noted by longer grip and barrel) in the early scenes of the film. Note the checkered back of the grip and the shape of the external thumb safety and slide release, all uncommon to a SIG P220. It is usually not seen clearly during the film, but the shape of the slide can easily be discerned during the shootout at the drive-in (when McCauley fires the gun through the window of his sedan at the shooter with the Steyr TMP). Neil then dumps his H&K USP45 for the SIG-Sauer P220, most likely to get rid of the evidence, since it was used during the drive-in theater shootout.
M1911A1
One of the SWAT officers checking Shiherlis' car has an unknown M1911A1 pistol in his holster. Since Kimbers weren't issued yet to LAPD officers, it is doubtful it is a Kimber Custom II, the current sidearm of LAPD special weapons and tactical units.
Ruger KP90
Michael Cheritto (Tom Sizemore) has a Ruger KP90 in a crossdraw holster on his tac vest during the armored car robbery. This is NOT the P90, as sometimes claimed, but the stainless KP90.
SIG-Sauer P220
After dumping his H&K USP after the drive-in theater shootout, Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) replaces his USP with a SIG-Sauer P220 in .45 ACP in several scenes. In the script it is also mentioned that he holds a .45 caliber pistol.
Smith & Wesson 6904
Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer) is seen with a compact pistol in a holster next to him when McCauley walks in and sees him sleeping on the floor. He wakes up and then sticks the holstered gun in his pants. The closest gun it seems to resemble is a Smith & Wesson 6904 blued compact pistol.
Smith & Wesson Model 38 "Bodyguard"
The second armored car guard (Thomas Rosales Jr.) pulls out a Smith & Wesson Model 38 "Bodyguard" from his ankle holster after Waingro shoots the first guard, only for McCauley to empty his machine gun into the guard.
Smith & Wesson Model 36
When Hanna and his men visit Alan Marciano (Hank Azaria) in Las Vegas to question him about his relationship with Charlene Shiherlis (Ashley Judd), Det. Casals (Wes Studi) is seen in the background holding a nickel Smith & Wesson Model 36 snub nose revolver.
Star Megastar
Waingro (Kevin Gage), the unstable newcomer to Neil McCauley's (Robert De Niro) crew, carries a blued Star Megastar during the armored car robbery. He uses this one to first pistol-whip and then execute the first guard with a shot to the face. He also carries a nickel one when he answers the door at his hotel suite.
Taurus PT92
A stainless Taurus PT92 can be seen in the holster of the bank guard that McCauley kicks to the floor during the start of the bank robbery.
Submachine Guns & Machine Pistols
Heckler & Koch MP5A3
Heckler & Koch MP5A3s are seen held by an LAPD SWAT officer in a hiding position during the stakeout scene at the precious metals repository. It is also used by a surveillance team watching for Shiherlis and is used by the SWAT team that is sent to the hotel in the climax.
Steyr TMP
The assassin sent to the drive-in theater (Max Daniels) to kill McCauley brings a Steyr TMP.
Shotguns
Benelli M3 Super 90
After the assassin is gunned down at the drive-in-theater, the truck driver starts to drive towards the exit, but just as he reaches the gate, Cheritto steps out from behind and guns him down by firing at close range with a Benelli M3 Super 90 12 gauge shotgun.
Ithaca 37 "Stakeout"
An Ithaca 37 "Stakeout" short-barreled shotgun can be seen resting behind a security desk when McCauley goes to kill Waingro in the hotel.
Mossberg 500
Some of the LAPD officers are seen armed with Mossberg 500s during the bank robbery shootout.
Mossberg 590
Detective Casals (Wes Studi) brings a Mossberg 590 to breach the door of Hugh Benny's (Henry Rollins) apartment. Sergeant Drucker (Mykelti Williamson) appears to carry the exact same Mossberg 590 in the firefight outside the bank heist. Lt. Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) takes one from an officer towards the end of the film as he chases down McCauley on the tarmac.
Remington 870
Some of the LAPD officers are seen armed with Remington 870s during the bank robbery shootout.
Rifles & Carbines
Colt Model 654
During the armored car heist, Neil McCauley carries a Colt M654 carbine, a 14.5" barreled predecessor to the M4, with M16A1-style lightweight barrel and sights. He uses his to execute the guard who reaches for the Smith & Wesson Model 38 Bodyguard in his ankle holster. Based on configuration it may be a 654 upper on a GAU-5A receiver (or possibly even an SP1 receiver with a drop-in autosear to allow it fire fully-automatic).
Colt Model 733
During the armored car heist, Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer) uses a Colt M733 carbine as his weapon of choice. During the bank robbery, Shiherlis and McCauley both carry short barreled Colt M733 carbines. They are ultra-compact versions of the M16 rifle family with 11.5-inch barrels, being smaller and shorter than the M16A2 Rifle (20-inch) and M4 Carbine (14.5-inch).
The lighter encumbrance comes at a trade off of reduced range and accuracy, which is appropriate since the M733 can be fired from inside the vehicle, the robbers burdened by loads of cash, and because the firefight takes place at close to medium distances. The compactness also makes it easier to conceal the weapon, which comes in handy when enetering the bank. The M733s have full automatic and semi-auto fire modes, while retaining the penetration of the 5.56mm round of its bigger brothers, which are all particularly deadly as they are capable of wounding officers and bystanders even through objects normally considered safe cover. The M733s handle similarly to submachine guns, however they are more accurate and significantly more powerful. However, due to the weapon's compact and short barrel, 5.56 NATO rounds fired from this weapon lose a significant amount of velocity found in longer barreled weapons. With slower velocities, rounds from from this weapon do not "fragment", a secondary wounding mechanism, but still provide more oomph than typical submachine gun rounds. This is a very professional choice of a primary weapon for that particular job, time and environment.
Not surprisingly, during the shootout, Shiherlis uses the M733s to great effect, killing Bosko (Ted Levine), a member of Hanna's detectives, in a brief exchange of fire. After the getaway ride is disabled, Shiherlis sprays the police barricade with dozens of rounds, shooting up the LAPD police cars forming the blockade. Shiherlis's bursts also hit several other officers, but whether they survive or not is never mentioned.
Allegedly, footage of Shiherlis expertly reloading his rifle during this sequence has been shown to American Special Forces trainees, with the message from their instructor, "This is how I want you to reload." McCauley also uses an M733 to shoot a pursuing patrolman while carjacking a Ford Taurus Wagon to escape.
FN FNC-80
Lt. Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) pulls out an FN FNC-80 assault rifle during the shootout on Flower Street, and uses it to kill Cheritto when Cheritto - who is firing at Drucker and several other cops - grabs a little girl as a human shield. According to the on-set armorer, Hanna's rifle was a Select Fire FNC-80 assault rifle that was chopped down by the armorer to a Para length barrel, and an M16 style birdcage was attached. The FNC-80 was imported into the U.S. as a full automatic weapon and as a Semiautomatic Sporter rifle named the FNC 223 Sporter. Despite being a full auto weapon, Michael Mann instructed Al Pacino to fire only in semi-automatic mode, because Hanna and all of the other cops who were involved in the shootout would be concerned about the possibility of endangering bystanders.
FN FAL 50.61
Michael Cheritto (Tom Sizemore), brings a 20" barreled FN FAL 50.61 Paratrooper version with a Side-folding stock to the armored car robbery which he uses to execute the third guard with a double tap to the chest and shot to the head. This is a military tactice known as the Mozambique Drill, and is a prominent feature in Michael Mann's movies (it appears twice in Heat - this incident, and then at the end, when McCauley executes Waingro in his hotel room).
Heckler & Koch HK91A2
Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer) covers McCauley (Robert De Niro) at the drive-in theater with a Heckler & Koch HK91A2 fitted with a bipod, and manages to take out the Steyr TMP-wielding assassin with a shot to the back.
Heckler & Koch SR9(T)
A police sniper of the surveillance team watches over McCauley with a Heckler & Koch SR9(T) sniper rifle. This same sniper is seen during the stakeout for Shiherlis with the rifle.
IMI Galil ARM (5.56mm)
Michael Cheritto (Tom Sizemore), brings an IMI Galil ARM Model 372 to the bank heist. While inside the bank, the stock is removed from the mounting bracket. However, it appears when he enters the car as a continuity error. He gets separated from the rest of the crew during the gun battle but managed to wound one of Hanna's detectives by a transit bus. Oddly enough, Mann refers to the weapon as a 7.62mm in his audio commentary.
M16A1 (with M16A2 handguards)
Several M16A1 assault rifles feature prominently in the film, fitted with M16A2-style handguards. They are wielded by various L.A.P.D. officers, including Detective Casals (Wes Studi), Detective Bosko (Ted Levine) and Detective Schwartz (Jerry Trimble). Casals uses one to assist in disabling the Lincoln Town Car being used as a getaway vehicle, and also manages to shoot and wound Shiherlis during the shootout. According to the on set armorer, the director wanted the actors to fire in semi-automatic mode only. The reason given was that the police would be less interested in 'suppressing fire' and more interested in controlled shots given the proximity of so many innocent bystanders.