At the beginning of the film, Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio) carries a sub-compact Glock variant, which is most likely a Glock 26 and hands it over when stopped by Commander Rambo (Ato Essandoh). The Glock is loaded with what appears to be an extended magazine. Archer later has the pistol confiscated when he is arrested for smuggling diamonds into Liberia.
A Heckler & Koch USP Compact is used by Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio) throughout the film. He purchases this weapon from his friend, M'Ed (Ntare Mwine), at a bar for a couple hundred dollars after having his Glock 26 confiscated while smuggling diamonds. Archer claims that he wants "the best [he] can get ahold of" and M'Ed says he will find him "something special". Once he gets the USP Compact, Archer uses it to kill several R.U.F. rebels and a few of Col. Coetzee's men. Near the end of the film, Archer gives the pistol to Solomon when he tells Solomon that he will stay and hold off Col. Coetzee's men so Solomon can make his escape.
The film takes place in 1999, and the USP Compact had just been introduced in late 1996, so at the time the pistol would have been relatively new and maybe even rare. The USP series is also globally renown for its reliability, so it was definitely what Archer was looking for. Several close-ups of Archer's USP Compact reveal that it has an exposed hammer (the Compact, unlike the full-size USP, does not have a spurred hammer as standard), which suggests the gun might be the P10 variant, or otherwise a specially modified weapon. The USP Compact is also seen on the cover of the film's home video release.
Commander Rambo (Ato Essandoh) of the R.U.F. wields a variant of the Smith & Wesson Model 629 revolver when he confronts Archer and demands his weapon. There is a slight possibility the revolver could be a Smith & Wesson Model 686, however the barrel looks about 5" which would likely make it the 629 model.
A Kamajor guerrilla points a French Chamelot-Delvigne Model 1873 11mm revolver at Solomon and Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly) while thinking they are R.U.F.. Note the revolver may be a Model 1874 which is the same gun with a fluted cylinder.
R.U.F. Captain Poison (David Harewood) carries a Browning Hi-Power which he frequently uses to kill slaves at the mine whom he sees trying to steal diamonds.
Several Sierra Leone Army soldiers can be seen carrying Sterling L2A1 submachine guns during the scene where Archer is arrested for smuggling diamonds. Some guards at the prison in Freetown also hold Sterling L2A1s.
South African mercenaries carry an unusual Colt CAR-15 variation that does not appear to be a factory-standard gun. These rifles have the receivers of M16A2s (which would normally suggest Colt Model 725s), but they also have 10-inch barrels with GAU-5/XM177-style flash-hiders. They were most likely custom-assembled for the film from the parts of various AR-model rifles. It should be noted that similar rifles can be seen in Black Hawk Down, and Bapty & Co. supplied the weapons for both this film and that one.
Besides their unusual combination of features, the mercenaries' CAR-15s also feature camouflage paint and accessories such as Surefire 660 weaponlights and Aimpoint CompM2 red dot sights. Near the end of the film, Archer uses one after killing its owner, buying time for Solomon and Dia to escape before succumbing to his wound.
The vast majority of the Revolutionary United Front (R.U.F.) rebels and Sierra Leone Army soldiers are seen using Norinco Type 56-1 assault rifles (Chinese AKS-47/AKMS clones), which can be recognized by their folding stocks and hooded front sights. Archer briefly uses one to execute an R.U.F. rebel who tries to flee him on the bridge. Dia can be seen using one while participating in his first massacre as an R.U.F. member (he is also forced to use one to kill a prisoner while undergoing indoctrination).
Error creating thumbnail: File missingNorinco Type 56-1 - 7.62x39mmAn R.U.F. rebel stands guard over slaves at the mine with his Chinese Type 56-1 assault rifle.A crate full of Chinese Type 56-1 assault rifles about to be issued to newly recruited R.U.F. members.Dia taking part in a massacre with other R.U.F. child soldiers, all are armed with Chinese Type 56-1 rifles.Sierra Leone Army soldiers preparing to confront the R.U.F.. The muzzle of one soldier's Type 56-1 is clearly visible, showing the hooded front sight (a defining characteristic of Chinese AKs) in detail.R.U.F. rebels firing their Type 56-1 rifles at the mercenaries' "Superhind" helicopter when their stronghold is attacked.
AK-47
There are also some original Russian-made AK-47s (as opposed to AKM copies or Chinese Type 56s, which are far more common in most Hollywood films) seen in the hands of R.U.F. rebels throughout the film. Most of them are the Type III milled receiver variation, but a close-up of one of the AKs reveals that it has the stock mounting bracket of the slightly older Type II variant. The child soldier who tries to kill Benjamin Kapanay (Basil Wallace) uses one, and Archer also wields a Type III AK-47, which he uses to kill a few of the rebels during the mercenaries' assault on the mine.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingAK-47 Type II - 7.62x39mmError creating thumbnail: File missingAK-47 Type III - 7.62x39mmAt the R.U.F.'s camp, a rebel stands guard with an AK-47. Note the mounting bracket for the stock, which suggests that this is the Type II variation (manufactured in the early 1950s) - the others seen in the film are Type IIIs, which have a different design.Error creating thumbnail: File missingAn R.U.F. child soldier shoots at Benjamin Kapanay with a Type III AK-47. The other child soldier has a Type 56.Error creating thumbnail: File missingArcher running with an AK-47 taken from one of the rebels during the attack on the mine.
Heckler & Koch G3
Many of the R.U.F. rebels and Sierra Leone Army soldiers are seen carrying older-specification Heckler & Koch G3s with wooden handguards and stocks though without seeing the rear sight. This is quite true to real life, the G3 was standard-issue to the Sierra Leone Army for many years (though they later began purchasing Type 56 rifles from the People's Republic of China), and many fell into the hands of the R.U.F. during the civil war.
Several Sierra Leone Army soldiers can be seen with M16A2 assault rifles, and many of the South African mercenaries use them as well.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingM16A2 - 5.56x45mmSierra Leone Army soldiers rounding up suspected militants, the barrel of an M16A2 is visible in the foreground.Archer, Solomon, Maddy, and other reporters ducking gunfire as the press convoy comes under attack. An SLA soldier in the foreground has an M16A2.South African mercenaries ambush the R.U.F., one of them clearly has an M16A2 with a 20-round magazine.
Lee-Enfield No.1 Mk III
One of the Kamajor guerrillas that surprises Archer's group carries a Lee-Enfield No.1 Mk III with a rag wrapped around the rifle.
One of the Kamajor guerrillas carries a Browning M1919A6. Although the full stock is never seen (only the grip), the muzzle booster on the weapon proves that it is an M1919A6. The bipod fitted on the M1919A6 was also (fittingly) fitted on the M1918A2 Browning Automatic Rifle.
During the scene where Archer and Solomon are crossing the bridge, an RPK light machine gun can be seen leaning against a wall at the R.U.F. guard post.
R.U.F. rebels regularly wield RPG-7s, particularly during the battle of Freetown. One rebel also fires one at Archer and Maddy's vehicle during the press convoy ambush, but misses.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingRPG-7 - 40mmAn R.U.F. rebel prepares to fire his RPG-7 at a military roadblock in Freetown.Another view of the same scene.
GIAT F2 20mm Cannon
The helicopter used in the assault appears to be the Mil Mi-24 "Superhind". The "Superhind" is a modified model of the original Mi-24 made by the South African company "Advanced Technologies and Engineering" (ATE). All the "Superhinds" carry the French GIAT F2 chin-mounted 20mm cannon.
