# Firefly and Firearms **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 11, 2005, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-and-firearms/303364 "2005-05-11T06:41:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dancer\_Flight](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dancer_flight/32/7601_2.png) [@Dancer\_Flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dancer_Flight)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-and-firearms/303364/1 "2005-05-11T06:41:13Z")
I took up target pistol shooting a couple years back and I’ve always liked playing spot the brand when it comes to firearms in T.V. shows and movies (and nowadays I’m really looking for good trigger discipline (finger OFF the trigger when not shooting!)) so after all of that (to keep the upcoming spoiler from appearing in the mouse-over preview), my observation/question: I was watching the episode _ **Trash** _ and I noticed that Inara, (possible plot spoiler) when she holds YoSafBridge at gun point in the desert uses a pistol that is clearly a dandied up Ruger MkII/MkIII .22 pistol. Has anyone else noticed specific base guns/models that have been futurified for this series? Does anyone have other good examples in other popular Sci-Fi movies/series (MG-42s packed by storm troopers in Star Wars (along with the British Sterling MkIV), Mauser C96 used as a basis for Han Solo’s blaster). -DF ---
**Author:** ![matt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@matt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-and-firearms/303364/2 "2005-05-11T12:01:11Z")
**Demolition Man** used an H & K G11 as the “gauss rifle”, at least that’s what it looked like to me. I don’t think they futurified it at all, the black version looks very sci-fi all on its own. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-and-firearms/303364/3 "2005-05-11T12:32:40Z")
> [@Dancer\_Flight](#): > > Has anyone else noticed specific base guns/models that have been futurified for this series? I remember seeing lots of Kalashnikov-like assault rifles - Niska’s henchmen were carrying them, for instance. ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-and-firearms/303364/4 "2005-05-11T12:41:03Z")
> [@Dancer\_Flight](#): > > (and nowadays I’m really looking for good trigger discipline (finger OFF the trigger when not shooting!)) You do that too? That’s one of the first things I look for. It drives me nuts when supposed experts in guns have their finger wrapped around the trigger. One time, the opposite occurred (damn, but that word looks funny). The character had apparently never picked up a gun in his life, but his trigger finger was parallel with the barrel, perfect form. No answer to your question, though. I can’t usually identify guns on sight. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-and-firearms/303364/5 "2005-05-11T13:04:30Z")
One note: They were advised wrongly on the ‘guns in space’ issue, and are now REALLY REALLY aware that you can, in fact, fire powder weapons in vaccum. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-and-firearms/303364/6 "2005-05-11T13:13:42Z")
Stormtroopers in Star Wars used real life firearms that were just made up to look futuristic. I think they used WWII era weapons though I suppose this might just be an urban legend or something. Marc ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-and-firearms/303364/7 "2005-05-11T13:24:02Z")
I believe the Lawgiver in Judge Dredd was a Beretta. The P90s on Stargate SG1 were chosen because they drop the brass downwards when firing, so it won’t glint and mess with the filming. ---
**Author:** ![Blackclaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e68b1a/32.png) [@Blackclaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackclaw)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-and-firearms/303364/8 "2005-05-11T13:35:36Z")
> [@MGibson](#): > > Stormtroopers in Star Wars used real life firearms that were just made up to look futuristic. I think they used WWII era weapons though I suppose this might just be an urban legend or something. > > Marc I think the weapons themselves were props, but their design used historical guns for inspiration. Han Solo’s blaster was based on the Mauser pistol. [http://www.g6csy.net/c96/](http://www.g6csy.net/c96/) [http://shop.starwars.com/catalog/product.xml?product\_sku=SWMRBHS&rid=CJADPL00001](http://shop.starwars.com/catalog/product.xml?product_sku=SWMRBHS&rid=CJADPL00001) ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-and-firearms/303364/9 "2005-05-11T14:01:07Z")
> [@Blackclaw](#): > > I think the weapons themselves were props, but their design used historical guns for inspiration. Nope, the guns are real and fired blanks so the red beams could be synced up. If you look closely you can see ejecting shells! They may have been cleaned up in the special editions though. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-and-firearms/303364/10 "2005-05-11T14:01:09Z")
In Robocop, the Man-Portable 20 mm Assault cannon was a Barrett Light .50 with a big box on top. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-and-firearms/303364/11 "2005-05-11T14:18:00Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > In Robocop, the Man-Portable 20 mm Assault cannon was a Barrett Light .50 with a big box on top. And Robocop’s sidearm was a Beretta 93R 9mm with fancy looking stuff on it. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-and-firearms/303364/12 "2005-05-11T14:25:20Z")
Star Wars stormtrooper blasters are just the [9 mm Gun Sub-Machine L2A3 Selective Fire, Blowback aka Sterling](http://www.rememuseum.org.uk/arms/submachg/armsmg2.htm) with the stock removed. It’s been years since I saw Star Wars, but I don’t remember them as being otherwise modified. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-and-firearms/303364/13 "2005-05-11T14:33:07Z")
A while back at the NRA museum, they had an exhibit of weapons used in film and TV. There were a lot of great guns there, from some Bond pistols to the Rifleman’s rifle to the pistol from the _Manchurian Candidate_. Also included were two light sabres from the original Star Wars movie. Great exhibit. ---
**Author:** ![Dancer\_Flight](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dancer_flight/32/7601_2.png) [@Dancer\_Flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dancer_Flight)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-and-firearms/303364/14 "2005-05-11T16:35:59Z")
Wow, Thanks for the responses so far. My mom has a copy of “Demolition Man” so I’ll have to take a look at that for the G11. It’s been a long time since I saw Robocop but I’ll try to spot the Barrett and Barretta next time I give that a whirl (I may be feeling a little Verhoevenish in the medium-term future) I’ll also have to check out some early SG1 (as in the parts of an episode I just saw, most of the characters where using snake guns of some sort) I’ll try to spot the AK’s in Niska’s episodes (I remember seeing those too and having the thought “My, things really haven’t changed have they?”) The Ruger just stood right out because they have a really distinctive back end to them, but I don’t know if there is a sizeable population that would have noticed and identified it. Keep the responses coming 🙂 -DF ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-and-firearms/303364/15 "2005-05-11T16:46:08Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Star Wars stormtrooper blasters are just the [9 mm Gun Sub-Machine L2A3 Selective Fire, Blowback aka Sterling](http://www.rememuseum.org.uk/arms/submachg/armsmg2.htm) with the stock removed. It’s been years since I saw Star Wars, but I don’t remember them as being otherwise modified. [It was a little modified.](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.entertainmentearth.com/images/AUTOIMAGES/MRSW126.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.entertainmentearth.com/aff-home.asp%3Fid%3DST-306227515%26number%3DMRSW126&h=180&w=267&sz=8&tbnid=4kKaP-44KKoJ:&tbnh=72&tbnw=107&hl=en&start=9&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dstormtrooper%2Bblaster%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DG) ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-and-firearms/303364/16 "2005-05-11T21:09:39Z")
Y’all might enjoy [this interview](http://chud.com/news/2863) with a movie armorer (the guy who coordinates firearms handling on set). It’s specifically about his work on the recent _Assault on Precinct 13_ remake, but he also talks about how he got into the business. He describes some of the weapons he’s fancied up for the screen; he calls the doodads “furniture.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-and-firearms/303364/17 "2005-05-11T21:29:20Z")
Out of curiosity, how well do folks who wield guns for a living follow professional trigger discipline? Is this one of those things they really should do but mostly ignore, or is it something that everyone actually does? Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-and-firearms/303364/18 "2005-05-11T21:41:10Z")
One of my favourite fictional firearms was the [M41-A pulse rifle](http://aliens.humlak.cz/aliens/Aliens_papirove_modely/papercraft/m41.html) from _Aliens_, similar as it is but does but predating the real-world [Objective Individual Combat Weapon.](http://www.hkpro.com/oicw.htm) And sloppy weapon use in the movies drives me nuts, too. Pvt. Gomer Pyle was supposed to be a good shot in _Full Metal Jacket_ (after his buddies gave him their support) but Vincent D’Onofrio was bouncing that barrel around like it was on a trampoline. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-and-firearms/303364/19 "2005-05-11T22:04:06Z")
The longarms in _Total Recall_ were mostly Ruger Mini-14s in aftermarket stocks, and a Striker shotgun. The machine pistols were MAC-11s or clones (I believe), and Tec-9s. In _Aliens_ The M41 pulse rifles carried by the Colonial Marines use are made from a Thompson M1A1 machine gun with a Franchi SPAS 12 shotgun underneath. The smartguns were MG-42 machineguns mounted on SteadiCam mounts. The Lieutenant’s sidearm was a HK VP70Z. I can’t find a reference but a gun wrangler I used to know claimed that Deckard’s sidearm in _Blade Runner_ was made from a cut-down Mauser bolt-gun receiver and a Ruger single action revolver frame with a bunch of LEDs tacked on it. (There are a couple of close-up shots which show how nicely detailed this thing is, just like the rest of the props for the film.) The Glock in various configurations used to fill in as a futuristic sidearm in a lot of films back before every other police department issued them. Now everybody makes plastic-framed handguns and it’s no big deal. It’s not sci-fi, but the long-barreled handgun you see Sean Connery holding up against his chest in various posters for _Thunderball_ is actually a compressed air gun (Crossman, I believe, but I can’t find the exact model offhand). The [Calico](http://mem.tcon.net/users/5010/5491/m-100.htm) rifles and pistols were quite popular in films for a while due to their “futuristic” (albeit clunky) looks. I think this was their singular selling point, as their actual function was typically to reliably feed-jam every third round. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-and-firearms/303364/20 "2005-05-11T22:16:58Z")
> [@Stranger On A Train](#): > > The longarms in _Total Recall_ were mostly Ruger Mini-14s in aftermarket stocks, and a Striker shotgun. The machine pistols were MAC-11s or clones (I believe), and Tec-9s. Actually the machine pistols in Total Recall were Claridge Hi-Techs, a little-known semiauto blowback 9mm. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-and-firearms/303364.md?page=2)