Unlike other officer and soldiers, First Lieutenant John McKay's (Dan Gauthier) sidearm is a blued Colt MK IV Series 80 with pearl grips. This is anachronistic for the time period of the series, as the MK IV Series 80 was first produced in 1983.
The M16 rifle was the main rifle of the U.S. Army soldiers in Vietnam and is seen carried by most of the platoon. In the series, various models of the M16 are seen.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingM16SP1Error creating thumbnail: File missingXM16E1 rifle with 20 round magazine - 5.56x45mm. What distinguishes it from the original M16 was the addition of the forward assist button and a chrome bolt carrier (which was later dropped with the M16A1).Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe MGC M16 Assault rifle: a non firing metal replica built by the Model Gun Corp of Japan and one of the most used non firing replicas of the M16 in movies and television.
Colt XM177 (Colt Sporter Carbine)
A Colt Sporter Carbine modified to resemble the XM177 rifle is mainly seen being used by SFC Clayton "Zeke" Anderson (Terence Knox). In Season 1, Anderson's Colt Carbine is seen loaded with a 30-round magazine (unusual for the time period of the series). For the remainder of the series, the Colt is loaded with the more accurate 20 round magazine.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe original XM177E1 - 5.56x45mm. The variant used in the show was a mockup made from a Colt Sporter Carbine with the barrel cut down to 10.25" and an aftermarket "CAR-15 style" flash hider installed.
In later episodes, Goldman carries an AKMS. In Season 3's "War is a Contact Sport", an NVA tank gunner atop a T-55 is seen using one that's fitted with a drum magazine.
The Ithaca 37 shotgun is seen in the hands of SFC Clayton "Zeke" Anderson (Terence Knox). Sgt. Block (Michael Madsen) also is seen with a full size shotgun.
The Soviet Goryunov SGM Machine Gun or Chinese Type 57 machine gun is also seen used by NVA forces in the series. Actually it's not a real Goryunov machine gun. It's visually modified Browning M1919
