Gangster Squad is a gangster film inspired by the true story of the 'unauthorized' efforts of a special task force formed by the Los Angeles Police Department in 1949 to deal with an influx of organized crime occurring in the city. The so-called "Gangster Squad" had an unusually wide latitude in their authority when dealing with mobsters, many times conducting themselves in manners outside of the law. Originally scheduled for release in 2012, the film underwent reshoots due to some scenes bearing an uncomfortable resemblance to the Colorado movie theater shooting that occurred in July of that year. The film was eventually released in January of 2013.
The following weapons were used in the film Gangster Squad:
Sgt. Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling) favors a Colt Model 1903 (or 1908 but we cannot determine the caliber from the film). His gun is a blued finish with ivory grips.
Old-timer Detective Max Kennard (Robert Patrick) keeps his handy Single Action Army as his preferred sidearm, which he often fires by fanning the hammer.
John O'Mara (Josh Brolin) carries a riot barrel length Ithaca 37 shotgun in several scenes. Sgt. Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling) also uses the shotgun to shoot a gangster.
Most of the mobsters are seen firing a mix of Thompsons. Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) fires what appears to be an M1928A1 with a drum magazine several times in the film. At one point Karl Lennox (Holt McCallany) dual wields two during a shootout in Chinatown.
Several times, in mass shooting scenes, we see what appears to be ribbed barrel Thompsons with no Cutts Compensators. These could be the M1921AC Thompsons chronicled here before.
Due to the film's post-World War II setting (the events take place in 1949), former military M1A1 Thompsons are seen mixed in with the M1928-style submachine guns. Some of the M1A1 Thompsons have the straight foregrip (as they appeared in the Army) and some of them have the older style forward pistol grip reminiscent of the M1928.
