Forrest Gump is a 1994 drama/comedy about a man with an exceptionally low I.Q. (75) making his way in the world throughout the mid 20th century. While the movie garnered some controversy over it's flimsy political stance not accurately representing America in the '60s, it is also considered one of the greatest of all time, is the 13th highest rated film on IMDb, and received the 1994 Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Actor (best male in a leading role), Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Visual Effects.
The film includes a very short act in which Forrest is a soldier in the U.S. army during the Vietnam war, filmed on Hunting Island State Park and Fripp Island, South Carolina. Of note is that no enemy is shown (hence this page only featuring American made firearms), which would be odd in a war film, but thematically matches Forrest's oblivious perspective.
The following weapons were used in the film Forrest Gump:
One of the first guns seen in the film is the M1 Garand, seen carried by National Guard soldiers protecting African-American students during the integration of the University of Alabama. National Guardsmen are also seen with M1 rifles slung when guarding the rioters protesting the war in Vietnam.
During the scenes when Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) is training at Boot Camp, he and other recruits are seen assembling and disassembling M14 rifles. Forrest finishes his gun in record time.
TRIVIA: While the character was written too early to be intentionally designed with it, Forrest Gump is widely considered to have what has since been officially classified as Autism Spectrum Disorder. Individuals with this disorder (including those who also suffer with very low IQs like Forrest) will often show unexpectedly mechanical precision, especially when operating in repeatable patterns. Over time, Forrest's exceptional speed and precision reassembling the rifle in this scene (and later playing ping-pong) has become one of the primary factors in some now assuming he was subconsciously autistic-coded.
U.S. soldiers, including Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks), in Vietnam are seen armed with M16 rifles, which due to continuity error change from slab-side M16s to XM16E1 rifles, which feature forward assists. Both rifles feature three-prong flash-hiders, so it is difficult to tell them apart from the left side of the rifle.
When the ancestors of Lt. Dan (Gary Sinise) are seen dying in battle, the one who died during the American Revolutionary War is seen with a Charleville 1766 flintlock musket.
During the flashbacks of Lt. Dan's (Gary Sinise) ancestors who died in battle, the one who died during World War I is seen holding an M1903 Springfield.
While in Vietnam, Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) is handed a Colt M1911A1 for "Tunnel Rat" duty, and later his commanding officer, Lt. Dan Taylor (Gary Sinise) is seen using one after he is wounded during the battle.
A Charter Arms Undercover is seen being used in the news footage of Arthur Bremer's May 15, 1972 assassination attempt on Democratic candidate George Wallace, which left the candidate paralyzed from the waist down until his death in 1998.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingCharter Arms Undercover - .38 Special. This is the actual Charter Arms used by Bremer in the assassination attempt, having been put up for auction by Rock Island Auction Company. This is technically a "screen-used" weapon, as footage from the actual assassination attempt is used in the film.Error creating thumbnail: File missingArthur Bremer (his arm can be seen) firing a Charter Arms Undercover before being subdued by the crowd.
Smith & Wesson Model 19 Snub Nose
A Smith & Wesson Model 19 Snub Nose is seen in the hands of then-Secret Service Agent Danny Spriggs during actual news footage of an attempted assassination on Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981. In 1981, the standard issue sidearms for the USSS Presidential Protection detail was either the Smith & Wesson Model 19, usually a snub-nosed model, or the stainless variant, the Smith & Wesson Model 66-2. Agents on the President's detail carried these weapons with six hollow-point .357 Magnum rounds in the cylinders. Both weapons can be seen in news footage of the Reagan assassination attempt, as can an Uzi submachine gun.
Another one of Lt. Dan's ancestors, who died during World War II, is seen holding an M1928A1 Thompson submachine gun with a 30-round magazine and lacking the Cutts compensator.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingM1928A1 Thompson with 30-round magazine - .45 ACPError creating thumbnail: File missingThe World War II ancestor of Lt. Dan falls dead while holding an M1928A1 Thompson. Note the gun's 1928 rear sight, as well as the actuator on the top, indicating it is an M1928A1 and not a wartime-produced M1/M1A1. Note also the lack of a Cutts compensator, uncommonly seen on older Thompsons. Also notice how the environment appears to be a beach and the ancestor wears a 1st Infantry patch. This might be trying to show that he died in the battle of Omaha Beach.
Shotguns
Remington 870
A "Black Panther" is seen holding a Remington 870 in a photograph pinned to the wall during the "Black Panther Party".
