Weapons of the War in Afghanistan: Crew Served

Weapons of the War in Afghanistan

Infantrymen from 3rd Platoon, Viper Company 1-26 INF, 3rd BCT - 1st ID, overlooking the Korengal Road from the Sawtalo Sar Spur on the East side of the Korengal valley. PHOTO CREDIT: Shawn G

In the world of war, weapons and technology are ever changing, each war is characterized by the weapons and tactics used to fight it. As new environments and enemies are encountered, the parties to those wars develop new - more effective tactics, technologies, and weapons to counter and defeat their adversaries. The ingenuity seen in war has existed since (and most certainly before) the first wars of recorded history and continue to this very day.

Keeping with that theory, let’s take a look at the weapons that have characterized the wars and conflicts that the United States has been a party to over the course of it’s history. During the course of this series, I aim to breakdown the weapons used in each conflict by their classification, and to which party they were employed by. Having served in combat operations in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley, I would like to start our series with the War in Afghanistan.

For our first installment, let’s take a look at the most commonly encountered crew served weapons from the War in Afghanistan. Crew served weapons are those weapon systems that require two or more individuals to function at an optimum level. These may include medium to heavy machine guns, automatic grenade launchers, etc…

First up - The United States

The M2HB

M2HB at OP Rock overlooking Firebase Vegas and the Eastern Side of the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan.
PHOTO CREDIT: Shawn G

Whether mounted on a tripod or on a vehicle, this bad-boy has been the Infantryman’s hammer since 1933. Whether up against a wave of enemy infantry, unarmored or lightly armored vehicles and boats, light fortifications or low-flying aircraft, or maybe you just need to reach out and touch somebody, the “Ma Deuce” has you covered.

M2HB at OP Rock overlooking Firebase Vegas in the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan. August 2008.

PHOTO CREDIT: Shawn G

The Browning machine gun caliber .50 HB, M2 is a belt-fed, recoil-operated, air-cooled, crew-served machine gun. The gun is capable of single shot, as well as automatic fire, and operates on the short recoil principle. The machine gun is capable of being fed from either the right or left by re-positioning certain parts. The weapon has nonfixed headspace that must be set. Timing must also be adjusted to cause the gun to fire slightly out of battery to prevent damage to moving parts. The force for recoil operation is furnished by expanding powder gases, which are controlled by various springs, cams, and levers. Maximum surface of the barrel and receiver are exposed to permit air cooling. Perforations in the barrel support allow air to circulate around the breach end of the barrel and help in cooling the parts. A heavy barrel is used to retard early overheating.

• Cartridge: .50 BMG (12.7x99mm NATO)
• Effective Range: Point target 1,500 m; Area target 1,830 m; 6,764 m Maximum range.
• Weight: 83.8 lbs / 38 kg (empty, no accessories); M3 Tripod 44 lbs / 20 kg.
• Rate of Fire: 450-600 Rounds per minute
• Capacity: 100 Round linked belt (can link together as many belts as desired).

 The Mk19

Mk 19 at OP Rock overlooking Firebase Vegas and the surrounding area; Korengal Valley, Afghanistan.

PHOTO CREDIT: Shawn G

The Mk 19 is used extensively in the remote mountainous regions of Eastern Afghanistan for base security and convoy operations, allowing heavy volumes of explosive fire to stave off enemy attacks on small platoon sized outposts, and to engage enemies in dead space that cannot be reached by direct fire.

Mk 19 at OP Rock overlooking the southeastern side of the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan, towards the Village of Chichal. PHOTO CREDIT: Shawn G

 The Mk 19 is a belt-fed, blowback-operated, air-cooled, crew-served, fully automatic weapon that is designed not to cook off. The weapon operates on the blowback principle, which uses the chamber pressure from each fired round to load and re-cock the weapon. The MK 19 supports the soldier in both the offense and defense. It gives the unit the capability of laying down a heavy volume of close, accurate, and continuous fire.

The MK 19 can also:

• Protect motor movements, assembly areas, and supply trains in a bivouac.
• Defend against hovering rotary aircraft.
• Destroy lightly-armored vehicles.
• Fire on suspected enemy positions.
• Provide high volumes of fire into an engagement area (EA).
• Cover obstacles.
• Provide indirect fires from defilade positions.

• Cartridge: 40x53mm Grenade
• Effective Range: 1,500 m, 2,212 m Maximum range
• Weight: 77.6 lbs / 35.2 kg (empty, no accessories); M3 Tripod 44 lbs / 20 kg.
• Rate of Fire: 325-375 Rounds per minute
• Capacity: 32 or 48 round grenade belts weighing 42 and 60 pounds respectively.

M240B

M240B in a fighting position at Firebase Vegas in the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan.PHOTO CREDIT: Shawn G

The M240B is part of the supporting fire for infantry platoons. While out on patrol or conducting combat operations, the gun teams from an infantry platoon's weapons squad will generally set up in an overwatch position while the main element continues their movement. When SHTF the M240B has your back, providing high volumes of accurate, lethal suppressive fire on an enemy position, allowing fire teams of the main element to flank and overrun the enemy position.

M240B in a fighting position at Firebase Vegas facing the northeastern side of the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan.

PHOTO CREDIT: Shawn G

The M240B is a general-purpose machine gun. It mounts on a bipod, tripod, aircraft, or vehicle. It is belt fed, air cooled, gas operated, and fully automatic. It fires from an open bolt. Ammunition feeds from a 100-round bandoleer with disintegrating links. The gas from firing one round provides the energy to fire the next one. Thus, the gun fires automatically as long as it has ammunition and the gunner holds the trigger to the rear. As the gun fires, the links separate and eject from the side. Empty cases eject from the bottom. Each M240B is issued with a spare barrel. The gunner can change barrels quickly, because the weapon has a fixed head space. The bore of the barrel is chromium plated, reducing barrel wear to a minimum.

• Cartridge: 7.62x51mm NATO
• Effective Range: Bipod 800 m; Tripod 1,100 m; 3,725 Maximum range.
• Weight: 27.6 lbs / 12.5 hg, M192 Lightweight ground mount 11.5 lbs / 5 kg.
• Rate of Fire: 650-750 Rounds per minute
• Capacity: 100-200 round belts (w/ disintegrating links can link together as many belts as desired), 50-100 round pouches.

Gun Cleaning Supplies

Mk 48 MOD 0

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AMk_48_PEO_Soldier.jpg

The Mk 48 MOD 0 fills the same role as the M240B, but in a much lighter package more suited to movement in the treacherous terrain of Afghanistan's eastern mountains.

The Mk 48 Mod 0 is a gas-operated, air-cooled, fully automatic belt-fed machine gun. The design is based on an early 7.62×51mm NATO prototype of the M249 SAW, modified to be a scaled-up version of the 5.56 mm Mk 46 Mod 0. As with the Mk 46, the Mk 48 Mod 0 does not have an M249-type magazine feed port, in order to save weight. The weapon can be fed from a loose belt, separate belt boxes, or clip-on ammunition pouches for 100 rounds. There is a high degree of parts commonality between the Mk48, M249 and Mk46 machine guns, which simplifies maintenance and repair. The use of M1913 "Picatinny" rails allows the fitting of various accessories from the SOPMOD kit, such as the ECOS-N (Enhanced Combat Optical Sight) red dot sight and other sighting or target-designating devices. While heavier than the 5.56×45mm NATO M249 due to its larger chambering and heavier barrel, the Mk 48 Mod 0 is still 17% lighter and 8.4% shorter than the M240.

• Cartridge: 7.62x51mm NATO
• Effective Range: 800 m, 3,600 m Maximum range
• Weight: 18.1 lbs / 8.2 kg unloaded, 24.7 lbs / 11.2 kg w/ 100 rounds.
• Rate of Fire: 710 (± 50) Rounds per minute
• Capacity: 100-200 round belts (w/ disintegrating links can link together as many belts as desired), 50-100 round pouches.

Tactical Gear

Taliban, Mujahideen, al-Qaeda, affiliates & local insurgencies

DShK(M)

http://s9.postimg.org/4f270nt73/1236605_169390573253627_836662201_n.jpg

The DShK is the Russian "Ma Duece," often called "Dushka" meaning "Sweetie" or "Dear." Many DShKs were used by the Russians and Mujahideen during the Soviet-Afghan War, and many are still left there today in the hands of anti-coalition/anti-afghan forces. When high volumes of rock exploding, cover destroying fire rains down on your position from a spur across the valley chances are someone is firing a DshK at you.

DShK 12.7x108mm round that punched straight through cover, just missing my head.

The DShK is a gas operated, belt fed, air cooled machine gun that fires from an open bolt and in automatic mode only.The gas piston and chamber are located below the barrel; the gas piston is of the long stroke type, and is attached to the bolt carrier. The heavy barrel is finned for better cooling, and is fitted with a large muzzle brake. The barrel can be detached from the weapon, but it hardly can be called “quick detachable”; it is screwed into the front of the receiver, and then fixed there by the cross-bolt,which is also screwed in place. The ammunition feed is via non-disintegrating steel belts, from the left side only. The belt feed unit was designed as an afterthought for the originally magazine-fed DK machine gun, so it is clamped to the top of the receiver. On DShKM guns, belt feed uses simplified slider-type belt traction unit, also powered through the swinging arm, and somewhat similar in design to the feed of the RP-46 gun. Standard sighting equipment is an open sight adjustable for range (up to 3500 m in 100 m increments) and windage. Additional anti-aircraft sights can be installed for AA use. The standard mount is an universal setup, which can be used for both ground and AA roles.

• Cartridge: 12.7x108mm
• Effective Range: 2,000 m, 2,500 maximum range
• Weight: 75 lbs / 34 kg gun, 346.1 lbs 157 kg on universal wheeled mount with shield.
• Rate of Fire: 600 Rounds per minute
• Capacity: 50 round belt

AGS-17

By Almi92 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Like the DShK the AGS-17 rains down long range explosive (literally), cover destroying firepower. Being fired upon by the AGS-17 is like being hit with a barrage of mini mortars. Another left over weapon of the Soviet-Afghan War, the AGS-17 is the Russian equivalent of the Mk 19, but in a smaller, lighter, more transportable package.

The AGS-17 is aircooled, belt fed, blowback operated grenade machine gun / launcher that fires from the open bolt. The AGS-17 is fed from special belt drums that hold 29 linked rounds. Loaded belt drum weights about 14kg (31 lbs). To reduce rate of fire and decrease dispersion, the bolt of the AGS-17 is fitted with a hydraulic recoil buffer. The standard sight is 2.7X magnification PAG-17 optical; it has a range-finding reticle, and top cover of each gun has a ballistic table for both direct and indirect fire. Standard mount is SAG-17 (official designation 6T8); it is a tripod with adjustable height and traverse and elevation mechanisms, including fine adjustment elements. For transportation and carry tripod can be folded and carried as a backpack using supplied slings. The AGS-17 gun also can be carried in a special backpack; this allows the complete weapon to be transported "on foot" by the crew of two men.

• Cartridge: 30x29mm Grenade
• Effective Range: 800m point target, 1700 m maximum range
• Weight: 39.7 lbs / 18 kg, plus 26.5 lbs / 12 kg tripod
• Rate of Fire: 350-400 rounds per minute
• Capacity: 29 round belt with round box magazine.

Gunsmithing Tools

PKM

By Habiermalik (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The PKM is by far the most commonly encountered machine gun in Afghanistan. If you are out on a patrol in the Korengal Valley and you suddenly come under intense enemy machine gun fire, you can be confident one or more of these are trained on your element.

The PKM is a gas operated, Belt-fed, air-cooled, automatic only, machine gun. It fires from an open bolt and has a quick detach barrel. The gas system consists of a gas chamber with a manual gas regulator, and a long stroke gas piston located below the barrel. Locking is achieved through a rotating bolt with dual locking lugs. The PKM is a development of Kalashnikov's AKM assault rifle and the accompanying RPK light machine gun design that featured stamped receivers. The PKM uses the 7.62×54mmR Eastern Bloc standard cartridge.

• Cartridge: 7.62x54mmR
• Effective Range: 1,000 m, 3,800 m maximum range
• Weight: 16.5 lbs / 7.5 kg
• Rate of Fire: 650 rounds per minute
• Capacity: 100, 200, and 250 round belts (100 round detachable box)

CactusTactical.com

Shotgun-Gear.com

For more info on these and other weapons
Technical specs compiled from:
http://armypubs.army.mil/doctrine/Active_FM.html
http://world.guns.ru/index-e.html
https://en.wikipedia.org
http://www.militaryfactory.com/smallarms/

www.CactusTactical.com

www.USGunWorks.com

Shawn in the Korengal Valley, Kunar Province, Afghanistan.

For more info on these and other weapons
Technical specs compiled from:
http://armypubs.army.mil/doctrine/Active_FM.html
http://world.guns.ru/index-e.html
https://en.wikipedia.org
http://www.militaryfactory.com/
http://www.olive-drab.com/
http://www.army.mil/
http://dok-ing.hr/products/demining/mv_4?productPage=general
http://www.peosoldier.army.mil/

"The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement."

Gunfights & Films: 80's Cult Classics Edition

Gunfights & Films: 80's Cult Classics Edition

I grew up in the 80's and it's probably one of my favorite eras in film. The plot lines were sometimes silly and outrageous but that's what made them fun. Two of my favorites were Big Trouble in Little China and Beverly Hills Cop. These characters had such colorful lives that I watched these films over and over again. They were two I frequently rented at my local video store. Let's take a look at these two movies and the weapons they featured.

Big trouble in Little China  

Directed by John Carpenter and released in 1986 Big Trouble In Little China was a favorite of mine growing up. I loved the action sequences and the cheesy characters. Carpenter has always delivered the ultimate in cult and horror films and was especially successful in the 80's.




Truck driver Jack Burton and his friend Wang Chi  go to the San Francisco International Airport to pick up Wang's fiancee Miao Yin. While at the airport, a Chinese street gang, The Lords Of Death,  kidnap Miao Yin and take her into Chinatown intent on selling her as a sex slave.



Jack and Wang follow and in the back alleys of Chinatown they get caught in a gang battle when the Wing Kong interrupt a funeral procession the Chang Sing are having for their recently assassinated leader. During the street battle, powerful magicians in league with the Wing Kong, called "The Three Storms" use their supernatural powers to slaughter the Chang Sing. Trying to escape, Jack runs over the Wing Kong's leader, the sorcerer Lo Pan. However, Lo Pan is in his sorcerer form and is not harmed by this and Wang has to help Jack after he is temporarily blinded by Lo Pan's glowing eyes.

Jack's truck is then stolen by the Lords of Death. Wang takes Jack to his restaurant 'The Dragon of the Black Pool', where they meet up with lawyer Gracie Law, Wang's friend Eddie Lee and Egg Shen, a magician and local authority on Lo Pan who moonlights as a tour bus driver in Chinatown. They come up with a plan to infiltrate the brothel where they think Miao Yin is being held. Jack dons a disguise and infiltrates the brothel. Once inside he starts to question one of the girls, but is interrupted when the Storms crash in and make off with Miao Yin.



Back in Gracie's apartment, they find that Miao Yin was taken to a place called The Wing Kong Exchange, a front for Lo Pan's domain. With Wang's assistance, Jack infiltrates the place and the two get caught in a lift that fills with water. After making their way out, Wang claims they're in "The hell of the upside-down sinners," and they are taken to a cell by Rain, who grabs Wang by the neck, and sends rubber balls to Jack's stomach with force.



Afterwards, they are taken in wheelchairs to see Lo Pan, who has taken his form as a crippled old man, where he claims that Miao Yin is safer with him than anyone else. Lo Pan informs them of his intentions with Miao Lin. Lo Pan proceeds to catch Gracie, Eddie, and Gracie's journalist friend Margo entering the building on his security monitor, and sends Thunder to deal with them. Wang and Jack are taken back to their cell, still in the wheelchairs, when Wang tells Jack about the 2,000 year old legend of Lo Pan; that he was cursed to roam the Earth in a ghost-like form until he can marry a special girl with green eyes. They break free from the wheelchairs, but hearing Thunder return, they get back into the wheelchairs and put their blindfolds back on. Thunder hangs Eddie up by the collar of his jacket, and Jack jumps Thunder, who manages to push Jack off of him and into his wheelchair, sending him back down the ramp, and nearly into a deep well. Wang and Eddie make a diversion so Jack can rescue the imprisoned girls and get out safely.



Upon reaching the front entrance, Gracie is caught by a monster, and taken to Lo Pan. Both Gracie and Miao Yin tame "The Burning Blade" and Lo Pan decides to marry both and sacrifice Gracie, and live out his 'Earthly Pleasures' with Miao Yin. Wang and Jack go to see Egg Shen, and, with the help of the Chang Sings, go into an underground cavern, and eventually into Lo Pan's offices.



Egg gives the group a potion that Jack says makes him feel 'kind of invincible', and when the group get to the ceremony, a huge fight ensues. During this battle Jack inadvertently manages to miss, due to being knocked out with rubble when he fires his gun above his head. Wang kills Rain in an elegant sword fight. Jack and Gracie head back to the offices to try and catch Lo Pan, the spell having been broken. Wang joins them, and takes on Thunder, while Jack takes on Lo Pan, throwing his knife at him, which embeds into his skull. Thunder sees this and, enraged and dishonored at his failure to protect his Master, starts to inflate to an enormous size without stopping, exploding and killing himself. Jack, Wang, Gracie and Miao Yin are cornered by Lightning in a corridor, which he makes collapse. Egg manages to rescue them by sending down a rope from a hole above them, which Lightning tries climb in order to follow, with Egg throwing down a statue which crushes him.

They find Jack's truck and make their escape back to The Dragon of the Black Pearl restaurant. With Lo Pan defeated, Egg decides to go on vacation saying China is in the heart, and Jack hits the open road. However, Jack has an unknown stowaway, one of Lo Pan's monsters is seen as the film ends.

This movie is fun to watch and has some great dialogue. Award winning actors in their younger days is always a treat as well. Let's take a look at some of the weapons featured in this cult classic. 

Jack Burton's (Kurt Russell) main weapon during the movie is a Intratec TEC-9 (aside from his Gerber TAC boot knife). Recovered from one of the Wing Kong in Lo Pan's underground dungeon when Jack knocks two of them out when flying back in the wheelchair he's in. Burton acquires the weapon after trading Wang Chi (Dennis Dunn) the Smith & Wesson Model 36 given to him by Wang. Wang then trades the S&W Model 36 to Eddie for the Double Barreled shotgun.

Intratec TEC-9 - 9x19mm

‎

A Wing Kong with a TEC-9 before being taken out by Jack flying back in a wheelchair.

Jack Burton now with the TEC-9, after swapping the S&W Model 36 back to Wang Chi for it.

Jack fires the TEC-9. Note the look Kurt Russell pulls, while he has handled firearms before. Jack Burton the character is probably shooting this for the first time.

    Jack now more comfortable fires the TEC-9.

One of the other weapons acquired from the Wing Kong during the escape from Lo Pan's prison is an 12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun.

   12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun.

   Wang Chi with shotgun has they try to find where the women are being held.

Wang Chi holds the shotgun on Eddie creating a distraction, while Jack gets the women released.

      Eddie with Double Barrel Shotgun.

Two members of the Chang Sings use the Beretta 92SB pistol in the Chinese standoff with the Wing Kong. It is noted as an SB model by the rounded trigger guard and ambidextrous safety.

Beretta 92SB - 9x19 mm

A Chang Sing aims his Beretta 92SB.

Another Chang Sing fires a Beretta 92SB at the three storms.

Wing Kong Hatchet Man (Gerald Okamura) is seen with two custom Smith & Wesson Model 19 revolvers in cowboy style holsters. The weapons have been gold plated and have ivory grips.

 Smith & Wesson Model 19 Combat Magnum - .357 Magnum


To find accessories for various handgun magazines, take a look A and G grip extensions

Wing Kong Hatchet Man (Gerald Okamura) with his two gold plated Smith & Wesson Model 19's.

To find out more abou the weapons used in this film you can go
here: http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Big_Trouble_in_Little_China

Beverly Hills Cop

is a 1984 action comedy directed by Martin Brest (Midnight Run) and starring Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley, a Detroit Police detective who travels to Beverly Hills to investigate the murder of one of his old friends. Sylvester Stallone was originally cast as Foley, but script problems caused him to leave the production (Stallone would later use some of the elements he developed for this film for his 1986 action movie Cobra). Murphy then was quickly cast in the role, and the film, which turned out to be a huge blockbuster, helped him become one of the biggest movie stars of the 1980's. Murphy would return as Foley in two sequels: Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) and Beverly Hills Cop III (1994).

Reckless but talented Detroit policeman Axel Foley conducts an unauthorized sting operation, using a truck full of cigarettes to attempt to bust two hustlers. The 'deal' is interrupted by two patrolmen, resulting in one criminal fleeing on foot and the other escaping in the truck, with Axel trapped in the back. After an extensive chase, causing widespread damage, the truck crashes and the other man runs off, leaving Axel empty-handed. At the police station, he is severely reprimanded by his boss, Inspector Todd, who informs Axel that if he conducts any further unapproved operations, he will be fired and brought up on charges.

Axel goes home to find his ex-con best friend Mikey Tandino in his apartment, fresh from a job he got in Beverly Hills working for their mutual childhood friend, Jenny Summers. Mikey shows off some German bearer bonds he "borrowed" from his employers, which momentarily concerns Axel, but he is more interested in catching up with his old friend. After a night of drinking, Axel and Mikey return home and are accosted outside Axel's apartment by a burly man Mikey recognizes as Zack. Zack knocks Axel unconscious before he sees anything. He then confronts Mikey about the bearer bonds, then shoots him twice in the head. After the police respond, Axel asks Inspector Todd to be let in on the case, but Todd flatly refuses. Deciding to secretly root around from a different angle, Axel asks for and is granted two weeks' vacation time.

Axel then drives all the way to Beverly Hills, and, masquerading as a reporter for magazine, manages to check into a suite at the high-end Beverly Palm Hotel. He then meets up with his old friend Jenny, who tells Axel that she and Mikey had and are working for art dealer Victor Maitland . Axel finagles his way into Maitland's office, where Zack is shown to be the art dealer's right-hand man. Axel presses Maitland for answers about Mikey, but Maitland has his bodyguards throw Axel out - literally through a glass window on the main floor.

Outside, Axel is confronted by the Beverly Hills police over a report of disturbing the peace. Finding his gun, they arrest him for possessing a concealed weapon, as he cannot afford to identify himself as a police officer. At the station, he is questioned by Sergeant John Taggart and Detective Billy Rosewood. Taggart takes issue with Axel's irreverence and punches him in the stomach. Lieutenant Andrew Bogomil steps in to reprimand Taggart and presses Axel further, adding that he has spoken to Inspector Todd back in Detroit, who hints that Axel will be fired if he finds out that Axel is investigating Mikey's death.

Jenny posts bail to get Axel out, and takes him back to the hotel, tailed all the while by Taggart and Rosewood, who have been assigned to watch him. As the detectives watch and wait across the street from the hotel in an unmarked car, Axel places a late supper order with room service to be delivered to them. He then coaxes a waiter, to give him some bananas from a party tray, which he stuffs into the unmarked car's tailpipe while Rosewood and Taggart are distracted by the room service waiter. When Jenny and Axel leave the hotel, Taggart and Rosewood try to pursue, but their vehicle stalls, thanks to the bananas in the tailpipe.

Axel and Jenny sneak into one of Maitland's warehouses, where they observe two of his men removing bearer bonds from a crate. Axel also discovers some coffee grounds around some of the crates. Axel then has Jenny follow the two men to a loading dock, where he sneaks in alone, noticing that the crate that formerly contained bearer bonds is placed among other crates waiting to be processed. When he crosses paths with a security guard, Axel passes himself off as a Customs inspector, demanding to see the records for all the crates in the warehouse.

When Axel returns to the hotel, he spots Taggart and Rosewood still sitting in the unmarked car, waiting for him. Axel sneaks into the car, startling both men, who are irritable because they lost two days pay over his antics. Axel offers a truce of sorts, by letting them escort him to a gentlemen's club. While there, Axel notices two men entering the club wearing trench coats. Immediately suspicious because it is June he deduces that the men intend to rob the place. Axel's suspicions prove true, and the men produce shotguns from under their coats. Axel and Taggart successfully disarm the would-be robbers, leading to a new sense of respect between them. Later, Axel lies to Bogomil that Taggart and Rosewood had tailed him to the strip club and that they deserve all the credit for the collar, but Taggart and Rosewood admit to Bogomil that they had accepted Axel's invitation to the establishment and that Axel had initiated the takedown. Though thankful that Axel had prevented the robbery, Bogomil is fed up with Rosewood and Taggart's seeming incompetence and assigns two other detectives, Foster and McCabe to tail Axel. Axel gently reprimands Taggart and Rosewood before he leaves, pointing out the lie he told about their actions was working.

The next day, Foster and McCabe catch up to Axel, who is loitering outside Maitland's gated mansion. When Maitland's car emerges from the compound, Axel jumps into his Nova and follows, with the detectives on his tail. Axel artfully loses Foster and McCabe and follows Maitland to a high class country club. He cons the maitre d' into letting him into the banquet hall, where he directly accuses Maitland of killing Mikey. Zack grabs Axel, who counter-throws him into the buffet, which brings the police to the venue. Axel is arrested again.

At the police station, Bogomil demands answers, which Axel finally gives; Maitland is smuggling bearer bonds into the country and he had Mikey killed because he stole some of the bonds. Axel also accuses Maitland of trafficking drugs, thanks to the coffee grounds that Axel found in the warehouse; Bogomil acknowledges that drug traffickers sometimes pack cocaine in piles of coffee grounds to throw off drug-sniffing dogs. Bogomil finally sympathizes with Axel, and is intrigued by the theories he presents, but admits that he cannot arrest Maitland on pure speculation. To make matters worse, Police Chief Hubbard has ordered Axel to leave Beverly Hills, having heard of his numerous indiscretions throughout the city. Bogomil, under orders from Hubbard, tells Rosewood to escort Axel to the city limits.

Axel mentions to Rosewood that Maitland has another shipment due, which he decided not to tell Bogomil once he realized Bogomil couldn't or wouldn't help. Rosewood takes him to see Jenny at the art gallery, where Axel asks for her warehouse key, but she insists on coming along. Rosewood waits in the unmarked car, not being able to go in until Axel and Jenny establish the presence of evidence, otherwise it would be an illegal search. Sneaking into the warehouse, Axel opens a crate that turns out to contain large bags of cocaine hidden inside coffee grounds. Suddenly, Zack and his men appear and take Axel and Jenny at gunpoint. Outside, Rosewood watches helplessly as Maitland and more of his men enter the warehouse. Axel and Maitland exchange words, and Zack admits to Axel that he killed Mikey. Maitland and Zack then leave with Jenny as their hostage, leaving Axel to the mercy of their men. Rosewood finally decides to enter the warehouse and helps Axel to escape. On their way to Maitland's mansion, Rosewood contacts Taggart, telling him about the drugs in the warehouse and to not tell Bogomil about anything. Taggart tells Foster and McCabe to check out the warehouse, then rushes to meet up with Axel and Rosewood.

Axel, Rosewood and a reluctant Taggart sneak in to the mansion's grounds, but are soon pinned down by gunfire from Maitland's men. Back at the station, Bogomil is puzzled by the absence of the four detectives, then hears about a call of shots fired. When he discovers that the address is Maitland's, Bogomil calls for all cars to descend on the mansion.

At the mansion, the police temporarily gain the upper hand, shooting down several gunmen. Axel tells Rosewood and Taggart to cover him as he enters the mansion. Inside, Zack has his weapon drawn and is hunting Axel. The cat-and-mouse game ends with Axel shooting Zack dead. Savoring his victory for a moment, Axel takes a large caliber bullet in his arm, courtesy of Maitland. Bogomil and a fleet of police officers arrive at the compound and arrest Maitland's surveillance and security teams. Inside the mansion, Axel confronts Maitland, who is holding his gun to Jenny's head. Neither man moves, until Bogomil appears behind Axel with his gun pointed at Maitland. Jenny takes advantage of this distraction to escape from Maitland, and Axel and Bogomil empty their guns into Maitland, killing him.

When the smoke clears, Hubbard shows up, demanding answers. Bogomil makes up a story, insisting that he himself had led the investigation into Maitland's activities, thanks to Jenny and Axel's tips, and that Axel was merely an observer at the scene. Skeptical, Hubbard asks Taggart to confirm the story, which he does, having learned his lesson from the strip club incident. Finally, Hubbard decides to accept Bogomil's version of the events. Axel begs Bogomil to talk to Todd in Detroit, saying that if he lost his job in Detroit, he would move to Beverly Hills permanently and work as a private detective. Bogomil promises to clear everything up.

Axel prepares to check out of the Beverly Palm when Rosewood and Taggart arrive. They tell him that Bogomil insisted that they personally escort him to the city limits. When Axel's tab is produced, Taggart informs the desk clerk that the Beverly Hills Police Department will pick it up. Axel is moved by the gesture and hands each detective a hotel bathrobe. The film ends with everyone being amicable.

This film is a lot of fun and has some great action sequences. The dialogue was popularly quoted around water coolers when it was at it's peak in the 80's although has become a cult classic by now. Let's take a look at some of the weapons featured in this film.




Detroit PD Detective Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) carries as his sidearm a Browning Hi-Power pistol. The manufacturer, FN, switched from an internal extractor to the external extractor in the early 1960's which confirms Foley's gun as a post-WWII pistol. The Hi-Power would continue to be his weapon of choice in the subsequent sequels.

Browning Hi-Power - 9x19mm. This is the actual Hero gun - The screen-used BHP held and fired by Eddie Murphy in the film.


Take a look at Bianchi revolver items: Bianchi speed strips

Detroit PD Detective Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) pulls his Browning Hi-Power when he finds his Detroit apartment broken into.


Get all your shotgun gear at our new specialized shotgun web site: Shotgun-gear.com.

www.CactusTactical.com

www.USGunWorks.com

Shawn in the Korengal Valley, Kunar Province, Afghanistan.

For more info on these and other weapons
Technical specs compiled from:
http://armypubs.army.mil/doctrine/Active_FM.html
http://world.guns.ru/index-e.html
https://en.wikipedia.org
http://www.militaryfactory.com/
http://www.olive-drab.com/
http://www.army.mil/
http://dok-ing.hr/products/demining/mv_4?productPage=general
http://www.peosoldier.army.mil/

"The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement."

Gunfights and Films - The X-Men Franchise

Gunfights and Films - The X-Men Franchise

X-Men is a film franchise that's always been close to my heart as it was one that my daughter watched all the time and I found myself becoming a fan of these movies and I watch them frequently. The characters are vibrant and I'd have to say Wolverine is my favorite. All the actors featured in this franchise are award winning and bring their talents to the table in every film. Today we'll take a look at two films from the franchise that feature the best gunfights as well as explore their individual plot lines and dynamic story telling that is rife with special effects. So let's take a look at the modern day fictional world of mutants and humans. The first one we'll check out is a late installment in the franchise but it gives us origin stories as well as it action packed from beginning to end. The second will be the origin story of Wolverine which also explores more mutant identities and their origin stories as well. This film has a sequence involving a helicopter and a motorcycle that I can't wait to show you. Let's take a look at these fun films and the weapons they feature.

X-Men: First Class

is the fifth film in the X-Men film franchise. The 2011 film is a prequel to the original X-Men and is set primarily during the early 1960s, notably at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis. The film, which was directed by Matthew Vaughn, primarily examines the beginning of the friendship between Charles Xavier (who would become Professor X) and Erik Lehnserr (who would become Magneto). The majority of this cast will be featured along with members of the original trilogy in 2014's X-Men: Days of Future Past.

At a German concentration camp in occupied Poland during 1944, young Erik Lensherr is separated from his parents by Nazi guards. The child's desperate mind remarkably bends a metal gate until a guard knocks Lensherr unconscious. Scientist Sebastian Shaw, who has observed this incident through a window, calls Lensherr up to see him. Placing a metal coin on a desk, he orders Lensherr to use his power to move it. When Lensherr cannot, despite his best efforts, Shaw shoots and kills Lensherr's mother in front of him. In his rage, Lensherr's out-of-control magnetic power kills the two guards and destroys two rooms, to Shaw's delight. Shaw tells Lensherr that they will enjoy developing the boy's power.


Around this same time, in a Westchester County, New York, mansion, young Charles Xavier is awoken when he thinks he hears a burglar break in. He heads down to the kitchen and finds a young, shape-shifting girl named Raven Darkhölme, disguised as his mother, who is looking through the fridge for food. Using his mind to talk to Raven, Xavier accuses his "mother" of being an impostor, and asks what it has done with his real mother, as she would not make him a sandwich or hot chocolate. Raven shifts back to her normal, blue-skinned form. Overjoyed to meet someone else different like him, Xavier invites her in.

In 1962, Lensherr goes to Switzerland and forces a banker to trace a bar of Nazi gold to Shaw's address in Argentina. In a tavern there patronized by former German soldiers, Lensherr kills three men as he learns that Shaw owns a yacht in Florida. Meanwhile, in England, Xavier has graduated from Oxford and is publishing his thesis on mutation; Raven is now his foster sister and works as a waitress. Simultaneously in Las Vegas, Nevada, CIA agent Moira MacTaggart follows U.S. Army Colonel Hendry into the Hellfire Club, where she sees Shaw, Emma Frost, Riptide and Azazel. Shaw calmly threatens Hendry, telling him that the Colonel should reverse his position on advocating that the U.S. install nuclear missiles in Turkey, a move the government had previously avoided so as not to provoke war with the Soviet Union. When Hendry refuses, Shaw has Riptide demonstrate his power to conjure tornadoes from thin air and hurls Hendry into a wall. Convinced, Shaw has Azazel tele-port Hendry to the President's War Room, where he supports the missile placement in Turkey.

Shaw later meets with Colonel Hendry on his yacht, and refuses to give Hendry his money, at which point Hendry pulls out a grenade and threatens to pull the pin and kill himself and everyone on the boat's deck. Shaw takes the grenade and pulls the pin himself, and absorbs the blast -- Shaw is a mutant, and absorbs energy, which also keeps him young, then taps Hendry, expelling the grenade's energy into the Colonel, destroying him.

MacTaggart seeks Xavier's advice on mutation, and takes Xavier and Raven to the CIA to convince the chief that Shaw is a threat. After convincing them that mutants exist, they are to be taken to a covert facility, but first Xavier insists they track down Shaw. Shaw is aboard his yacht relaxing with Frost and Riptide when Lensherr appears. Frost uses her telepathy to pacify Erik and pushes him overboard.

Lensherr attacks Shaw, using the anchors and chains of the yacht to tear the boat apart. When Shaw escapes in a submarine hidden below the upper decks of the boat, Lensherr tries to stop him, his ability to control metal pulling him along in the water. Xavier stops him so that he does not drown. Lensherr joins Xavier and Raven at the CIA facility, where they meet Hank McCoy, another mutant that Xavier accidentally outs. McCoy and Xavier use a prototype Cerebro to locate mutants and recruit several of them to train to stop Shaw. During the recruiting process, we also see Xavier and Lensherr walk up to Logan, who is Wolverine, in a bar and introduce themselves. He tells them to go to hell, and they walk off slightly dejected.

Shaw plans to meet with a Russian general, but sends Frost instead, who is then captured by Xavier and Lensherr. Xavier taps into Frost's mind and finds out that Shaw plans to start a nuclear war between the US and Russia in order to wipe out all normal humans. Back in the US, the CIA facility is attacked by Azazel, Riptide and Shaw, who kill all the guards and agents present. Shaw offers the new mutants to a place on his side, but most of them refuse. He recruits Angel and kills Darwin When Lensherr and Xavier return they all go to Xavier's mansion and begin to train, though Raven is conflicted about hiding her natural form. Hank creates a vaccine that is supposed to turn his and Raven's appearance normal, however, when Hank takes it there are unexpected side effects: his mutant physical features are enhanced; he now has blue skin, blue fur and is several times stronger.

President Kennedy institutes a blockade of a Russian fleet in the Caribbean Sea. Shaw travels with the Russian fleet to ensure that the missiles get to Cuba. Xavier, MacTaggart and Lensherr fly to the blockade to stop the fleets from engaging. Shaw uses the sub's nuclear core to charge himself up and a helmet to block Xavier's telepathy. While Azazel kills the crew of the Russian missile ship, Xavier uses his powers to make a Russian officer on one of the escort ships fire a missile and destroy the cargo ship carrying the Soviet weapons before it crosses the line.

With Xavier's help, Lensherr pulls Shaw's submarine from the water, but an attack by Riptide forces the jet and submarine to crash on a nearby beach. Xavier desperately tries to locate Shaw with his telepathic ability but is unable while Shaw is in the reactor room of the sub. Lensherr goes after Shaw and finds him in the sub's reactor room. The two battle furiously and the shielding around the chamber cracks, allowing Xavier to locate Shaw. Lensherr tries to overcome Shaw with the metal in the room but Shaw counters with his own telekinesis and pins Lensherr to the wall. Suddenly, Lensherr plucks Shaw's helmet from his head with a length of cable and Xavier freezes Shaw. Lensherr puts on the helmet to block out Xavier's telepathy and admits that he agrees with everything Shaw believes about mutants and humans and how he never would have developed his power if Shaw hadn't forced him to. Eric, however, is still vengeful about Shaw's murder of his mother and kills Shaw by slowly forcing the coin that Shaw taunted him with as a child through his brain while Xavier screams, experiencing the act himself. Eric exits the wrecked submarine with Shaw's body and announces to his fellow mutants that the humans in both fleets are their real enemies and that the mutants should band together to fight them. Xavier pleads with Eric to end the campaign but he fails.
The two fleets fire their missiles and shells at the mutants on the beach, but Lensherr, now fully in control of his abilities, stops the projectiles in mid-flight and then turns them on the fleet. In the ensuing fight Xavier manages to distract Lensherr, but when MacTaggart fires at Lensherr he deflects the bullets, with one striking Xavier in the lower spine. The missiles and shells all fall into the ocean or explode. Lensherr removes the bullet from Charles' back but, more furious than before, begins to choke MacTaggart with the chain holding her ID tags, blaming her for Xavier's injury. Xavier tells Erik that Moira is not the one responsible and Erik relents, realizing he injured his friend. Erik releases Moira, who rushes to Xavier's side.

Lensherr takes Raven, Angel, Riptide and Azazel and leaves, having convinced them that humans are their enemies. Xavier, now confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life, and his fellow mutants return to the mansion, where he will open a school. He wipes MacTaggart's memory. MacTaggart reports to her superiors but has nothing to tell them, knowing that Charles had erased her memory of all recent events.

At CIA headquarters, Emma Frost sits alone in a specialized holding cell. The door is suddenly ripped from it's frame and Erik walks in with his new recruits waiting just outside. He is wearing a new uniform and a newer version of the helmet he'd stolen from Shaw. He tells Frost to call him "Magneto."



This movie is a great glimpse into how each X-Men character takes on their roles in all the other films in the franchise. Lots of action packed sequences and thrulls throughout the film but let's take a look at some of the more memorable ones and the weapons that made them stand out.


A Luger P08 is used by Dr. Klaus Schmidt (Kevin Bacon) while testing Erik Lehnsherr's powers during the 1944 flahback. Later, an Argentinian bartender holds one on Erik (Michael Fassbender), who then kills him and uses the gun to finish off the remaining officer.

Luger P08 - 9x19mm.

                         

      Dr. Schmidt aiming his Luger P08 at Erik's mother.

                            

                           

While leveling the Luger at Erik's mother, Schmidt cautiously stares down at the coin.

                            

 The bartender to left with his Luger as Erik stabs a former SS member.

                             

Erik kills the last former SS member with a Luger.

To watch the Argentina scene you can watch it here: 

Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) uses a M1911A1 pistol when training with Erik. Erik is later seen holding it when he and some of the students watch President Kennedy's address. A Division X agent (Tony Curran) fires one at Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) during the Hellfire Club's assault. It is also seen holstered and used by various U.S. soldiers, notably the soldier in the truck heading to the General's palace.

  Pre-War Colt M1911A1 Pistol Commercial - .45 ACP

Shaw is threatened with the M1911A1.

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A Division X agent firing his M1911A1 at Shaw.

Charles thumbs back the hammer on an M1911A1 pistol. While not visible in a screenshot, this scene opens with the camera focused on the pistol's muzzle, then focuses on Charles, giving a clear view of the trademarks on the slide as it does this.

Another shot of the same scene. When Charles hands the pistol to Erik after this, Erik lowers the hammer.

Erik holding his M1911A1 while watching President Kennedy's address.

To see each characters abilities as well as see them in some crucial scenes you can watch here: 

Soviet border guards and the General's palace guards are armed with AK-47s.

Milled Type III AK-47 (Poly Tech Legend) - 7.62x39mm.

Soviet border guards with AK-47s. Note the middle guard's chest pouches, which were not created until after the Soviet-Afghan war.

Erik disassembles the AK-47s of two Soviet guards with his metal-controlling powers.

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today: Ghost triggers for your Glock

American soldiers aboard the Naval Blockade are armed with M16A1 Rifles. Since this movie took place during the Cuban missile Crisis in 1962, this rifle, like the CAR-15, is an anachronism because M16s were not issued to US military en mass until the onset of the Vietnam war and the fact that the M16A1 was not produced until 1968.

M16A1 with 30 round magazine - 5.56x45mm

U.S. Navy crewmen pointing their M16s at Havoc.

U.S. Navy crewman drop their M16s to the ground in response to Banshee's ultrasonic screaming.

To find out more about the weapons used in this film you can go here: http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/X-Men:_First_Class

A great film from start to finish, I recommend grabbing all of your favorite friends and start this film franchise this week. Enjoy! 

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

is the fourth film in the X-Men film franchise and the first solo film for the character of Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). This film was directed by Gavin Hood and retells the origins of Logan and his relationship with his brother and fellow mutant Victor (Liev Schreiber), who also possesses the power of immortality. The film's cast includes Ryan Reynolds, Dominic Monaghan, Kevin Durand, Daniel Henney, and Danny Huston. In addition to the X-Men sequels, Jackman would return as Logan in 2013's The Wolverine, a second standalone Wolverine film. Ryan Reynolds would return as Deadpool in his own feature film in 2016.

In 1845 in North-Western Territory, British North America, young James Howlett sees his father John Howlett  killed by his friend Victor Creed's father, Thomas Logan. In an act of vengeance, James kills the elder Logan using bone claws which have grown out of his hands due to the stress of the incident. With his dying breath, Logan tells James that he is also his son. James runs out of the house, followed by Victor, who finds him and promises his younger brother that he'll look out for him. James and Victor run away, pursued by a torch-wielding mob.

In the years that follow, adult brothers James and Victor  are seen fighting together in the American Civil War, World War I, World War II, and eventually the Vietnam War. Their regenerative powers keep them from being killed in the battlefield and they both age considerably slowly compared to non-mutants. James is forced to act as a check on Victor's increasing rage and ferocity. In Vietnam, Victor kills a superior officer after being stopped from raping a girl, and James and Victor are sentenced to death by firing squad, though their unique regenerative abilities keep them alive.

While they are incarcerated, Major William Stryker approaches the two mutants and offers them membership in Team X, his elite group of mutants. The team consists of mutants Fred Dukes, who possesses super strength and invulnerability; John Wraith, who can teleport; Chris Bradley, a.k.a. Bolt, who can control electricity and possesses telekinetic abilities; expert marksman Agent Zero ; and mercenary Wade Wilson, an amazing swordsman who never stops talking. The brothers join the group and are sent to the team's first mission: Invade the headquarters of a diamond trafficking operation in Lagos, Nigeria, to retrieve a meteorite. When Stryker asks the diamond smuggler about the source of the meteorite, the smuggler tells him that it came from a remote village further into Nigeria. The team goes there and Stryker and the team brutally interrogate the local people to learn where the meteorite was found. James is disgusted by the murders committed by his teammates and abandons the group over Victor's persuasions and protests.

Six years afterward, James, now going by his last name of Logan, is a lumberjack living with his girlfriend Kayla Silverfox. Meanwhile, Victor hunts down and murders Bradley, who was working at a circus. Victor mentions that Wade is already dead. Stryker locates Logan and claims that someone is killing members of the now-disbanded team. Stryker asks Logan for help, but is refused. Shortly after, Silverfox is murdered by Victor. Wolverine hunts down his half-brother, but is easily defeated. Stryker once again asks Logan for help, and Logan agrees. Stryker has Logan's skeletal system reinforced with adamantium which is a virtually indestructible metal retrieved from the meteorite source found by Team X in Nigeria. Before the procedure, Logan asks for his new dog tags to say "Wolverine," a reference to a story that Kayla told him. After the procedure, Stryker orders Wolverine's memory to be erased, but Wolverine overhears this and flees, despite being totally nude.  Stryker orders Agent Zero to hunt him down and take his head off.

An elderly couple, Travis and Heather Hudson, see Wolverine enter their barn. They're wary but welcoming, giving him food and clothing, including a leather jacket of their son's -- and their son's motorcycle. The next morning, both are shot dead by Zero. Wolverine takes out several HMMWVs, a helicopter and Zero himself, telling Stryker over Zero's radio, that he'll hunt him down. Stryker warns Wolverine that if he chooses to go after the answers he seeks, he won't like what he finds.

Wolverine locates former associates John Wraith and Fred Dukes, seeking to learn the location of Stryker's new laboratory. After beating Dukes in a boxing match, Wolverine learns the disbanded team had been capturing young mutants for Stryker. One of them, Remy LeBeau, known as Gambit, escaped the island laboratory and knows its location. Dukes tells Logan that his brother Victor is actually working for Stryker, capturing and killing mutants for him.

Wolverine and Wraith locate Gambit in a New Orleans bar. Wolverine talks to Gambit while Wraith keeps watch outside, but Gambit suspects Wolverine was sent to recapture him and, using his ability to charge objects with kinetic energy, throws several playing cards at Wolverine that send him flying through a wall. Outside, Wolverine sees Victor has killed Wraith and taken a sample of his blood. Wolverine fights Victor, only to be interrupted by Gambit. Victor escapes, and after a brief struggle, Gambit agrees to take Wolverine to the Stryker's secret mutant prison/laboratory.

The facility turns out to be Three Mile Island. Once there, Wolverine confronts Stryker and learns Silverfox is still alive; Victor faked her death with hydrochlorothiazide. She was keeping track of the mutant to free her sister, Emma Frost, who is also in the prison. Wolverine is devastated by this betrayal.

Now having no quarrel with Stryker, Wolverine departs. Victor, angered that Stryker let Wolverine go, demands the adamantium procedure. Stryker, however, tells him that he won't survive the procedure and in an act of rage, Victor tries to kill Silverfox, her power of persuasion failing to influence Victor despite her physical contact with him. Wolverine hears Silverfox's screams and attacks Victor. Finally having the chance to kill Victor, Wolverine chooses not to give in to his animal instincts and instead knocks him out. Silverfox shows Wolverine to the holding cells, and he frees the mutants there.

Panicking, Stryker prematurely activates his newest creation, Weapon XI, a bald, pale-skinned and deformed Wade Wilson, lacking a mouth and with patterns on his skin marking his adamantium bone structure. As the rescue party approaches an exit, it is blocked by Weapon XI, who is under Stryker's control. Wolverine tells them to find a new exit as two long blades extend from Weapon XI's arms. The blades are similar to Wolverine's claws, but more like katana swords, Wilson's weapon of choice. Wolverine realizes that this monstrosity is actually Wade Wilson.

Weapon XI, also called Deadpool, is a mutant Frankenstein's monster, with the abilities of several of the killed and captured mutants: Summer's optic blasts, Wraith's teleportation, and Wolverine's healing ability. During the escape, Silverfox is mortally wounded. The other mutants escape through the facility's tunnels, guided by Scott who is unable to tell them how he knows the way out. Emerging from the tunnel, the party encounters a helicopter. Riding in the helicopter is a familiar figure: Professor Charles Xavier, who has guided them to safety and offers them a home at his school.

Meanwhile, the fight between Wolverine and Weapon XI moves to the top of one of the nuclear power plant's cooling towers. Weapon XI overpowers and prepares to decapitate Wolverine, but Victor returns to aid his brother. Wolverine and Victor, now working together, are able to decapitate Weapon XI, sending its head, still firing optic blasts, down into the cooling tower. Wolverine coldly informs Victor that despite his help, their relationship is over. Victor reminds him that as brothers, they can never be finished, and jumps off the the cooling tower. The damage from the optic blasts causes the cooling tower to collapse, but Wolverine is rescued by Gambit.

Wolverine asks Gambit to ensure the prisoners are safe, while he returns to find Silverfox, who stayed behind because she was wounded. As he carries her to safety, Stryker shoots him in the back with an adamantium bullet. Wolverine charges Stryker to kill him but is shot in the head, knocking him unconscious.

Stryker approaches Silverfox and prepares to shoot her as well but she uses her powers of persuasion to order Stryker to first throw away the pistol and then walk away until his feet bleed. She then dies from her injuries. Gambit returns to assure Wolverine that the mutants are safe, but due to amnesia caused by the brain damage the adamantium bullets inflicted, Wolverine does not remember anything. Logan's lack of memory was Stryker's intention all along,  knowing that even the adamantium bullets could not kill Logan but will cause amnesia). Gambit tries to get Wolverine to come with him, but he declines. Gambit wishes Wolverine good luck before departing, and Wolverine flees the scene as the ambulances and police arrive.

Wolverine is my favorite X-Men and I love the origin story. Keep in mind that some references below will refer to  Hugh Jackman's character  by a few different names and that represents the different phases of his life and transformations. Let's take a look at some of the weapons used in this film.


David North, aka "Agent Zero" (Daniel Henney), carries a pair of stainless Taurus PT92s in the film notably during the Nigerian mission. He shows off his reloading talents by throwing them in the air and inserting fresh mags as they fall, but the CGI had in one instance the slides are locked back, but by the time Zero inserts new mags, the slides were released and he continues to fire without racking the slide or pressing a release, as if he already had one in each chamber.

   Taurus PT92 - 9mm.

Zero pretending to surrender, but in reality, has 2 more PT92s strapped to his back.

Agent Zero fires his Taurus PT92s at African soldiers.

Zero shows off his unusual way of reloading his Taurus handguns.

To watch the first scene featuring the talents of Agent Zero you can do so here:





A Humvee in hot pursuit of Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) fires a Browning M2HB at him as he drives away on a motorcycle. Wolverine then does a hard turn and flips the Humvee with his claws. One of the guns he destroys by chopping off the barrel with his claws, while another he uses to fire at the helicopter before it is destroyed by a rocket. The Browning M2HB is also seen mounted on the Higgins boat in the opening credits.

         Browning M2HB - .50 BMG.

In a scene from the trailer, a helicopter gunner fires a Browning M2HB at Wolverine.

   When Wolverine flips the Humvee, the Browning M2HB is visible.

Wolverine prepares to fire the Browning M2HB.

To watch the scene with Wolverine and the helicopter you can watch here:

During the opening credits, one of the US soldiers in Vietnam is seen aiming an M14 Rifle at Howlett and Creed.

M14 rifle - 7.62x51mm NATO

A soldier behind Howlett pointing his M14 at both Howlett and Creed. Note that by surrounding the two men in a circle, they run the risk of shooting each other

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During the opening credits, both James Howlett (Hugh Jackman) and Victor Creed (Liev Schreiber) are seen carrying Enfield Pattern 1853 rifles as Union soldiers during the Civil War. Several Union and Confederate soldiers are seen using Enfield rifles as well.

British 1853 Enfield.

Howlett and several other Union soldiers charge with Enfield Pattern 1853.

Howlett and Victor run together with Enfield Pattern 1853.

                 

Both James Howlett (Hugh Jackman) and Victor Creed (Liev Schreiber) are armed with the M1903 Springfield while fighting in the trenches during World War I.

  Springfield 1903 - .30-06.

    Howlett takes out two German riflemen with his M1903 Springfield.

To watch the war montage in the credits you can do so here:




To see what other weapons were used in this film you can go here: http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/X-Men_Origins:_Wolverine



Grab plenty of snacks and enjoy a comic book fueled action packed franchise film weekend!

www.CactusTactical.com

www.USGunWorks.com

Shawn in the Korengal Valley, Kunar Province, Afghanistan.

For more info on these and other weapons
Technical specs compiled from:
http://armypubs.army.mil/doctrine/Active_FM.html
http://world.guns.ru/index-e.html
https://en.wikipedia.org
http://www.militaryfactory.com/
http://www.olive-drab.com/
http://www.army.mil/
http://dok-ing.hr/products/demining/mv_4?productPage=general
http://www.peosoldier.army.mil/

"The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement."