Most would agree that it’s who’s holding the gun that makes it legendary, not the gun itself. As true as that may be, here are a few that are nostalgic and possibly more iconic than anyone who shot it.
Rambo’s Rocket Launcher
Stallone. Aiming an M72 LAW rocket launcher through a hole in a windshield to destroy a helicopter. Me. Can we move the target closer?
Jack Sparrow’s Pistol
Along with a bottle of rum, Jack sidearms a .50 calibre English Flintlock Pistol. Though it makes an appearance or two, he is reluctant to use it. Why? Because Sparrow has just one more shot. And he’s not throwing away his shot. I call that a Beretta-phore.
The Golden Gun
Yes, the Bond movie franchise shows off the 7.65mm Walther PPK more than Ian Fleming ever could in the novels. However, the coolest gun from 007 is the one that made its way into the title of the film.
Guitar Case Gun
The first film in the Mexico trilogy revealed a guitar case full of guns in it’s climax. Desperado took it to the next level with cases that were literally guns themselves.
Proton Pack
We would love to use one of these bad boys at the range. And one day, who knows? It could actually happen. The medical field uses charged particles in proton therapy, which helps treat cancer. A proton stream is blasted at the diseased areas to try and destroy the bad cells.
Han Solo’s Blaster
Lucas wanted Solo’s gun to be like a Western firearm. Enter the Mauser C96 , the first semi-automatic pistol design to see commercial success. Add a Hensoldt & Wetzlar Ziel Dialyth scope dating back to World War II on it. A muzzle from a plane-mounted machine gun. Bake for 12 parsecs. The ‘DL-44’.
Ripley’s M56 Smart Gun
The design is out of this world and yet also grounded in reality. But the real star was it’s creative and highly memorable sounds of gunfire.
Ash’s Boomstick
“Alright, you primitive screwheads, listen up! You see this? This… is my boomstick! The twelve-gauge double-barreled Remington. S-Mart’s top of the line. This sweet baby was made in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It’s got a walnut stock, cobalt blue steel, and a hair-trigger.”
J’s J2
A standard issued sidearm for all MIB agents. This rechargeable firearm has two distinct firing methods for J to Get Jiggy Wit It.
Captain Kirk’s Phaser
The most standard gun in the Starfleet arsenal, the phaser beam could stun, heat, disintegrate, cut through walls and burrow through rock. Kirk broke it out if things looked even a little bit hairy. Don’t be like Kirk.
We’ve seen incredible technology inspired by movies trickle into the automotive industry. We truly aren’t too far away from a future getting behind the wheel-less Lexus 2054 from Minority Report. If the gun industry follows suit, maybe a few years from now we’ll be writing about the best places for Proton Pack target practice.
What is your favourite movie gun?
