# What kind of gun do they gun use in "Heroes"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 6, 2007, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-gun-do-they-gun-use-in-heroes/394791 "2007-03-06T06:52:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-gun-do-they-gun-use-in-heroes/394791/1 "2007-03-06T06:52:31Z")
I know they use several types, but I’m only interested in the one. It looks like a rather large caliber automatic with an extended muzzle. The extension doesn’t look like a silencer. I couldn’t find a mention of it on any of the official sites. That particular gun has been used by Mr Bennet and the Hatian guy. Anyone know which gun I’m talking about? ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-gun-do-they-gun-use-in-heroes/394791/2 "2007-03-06T06:57:20Z")
I don’t know - but here’s a [screenshot](http://www.heroes-tv.com/uploads/newbb/1544_458615ece5e22.jpg) for more knowledgeable Dopers to check out. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-gun-do-they-gun-use-in-heroes/394791/3 "2007-03-06T07:09:10Z")
It looks like a highly customized 1911 with a longer barrel and slide with a built-in compensator. EDIT: I just noticed that the compensator is a different color, making it look more like some custom job that is attached to a stock 1911. Not sure what make, though. ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-gun-do-they-gun-use-in-heroes/394791/4 "2007-03-06T09:53:23Z")
Thanks for that screencap **Doctor Who**. That’s the gun. The part at the back under the hammer where the gun rests on your hand looks very custom to me. How did you find that screencap **Doctor Who**? ---
**Author:** ![Armilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@Armilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Armilla)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-gun-do-they-gun-use-in-heroes/394791/5 "2007-03-06T09:57:26Z")
It looks quite like a very slightly customised Tangfolio pistol from their range designed for Practical Shooting events. Have a look under the Sport and Competition section here: [http://www.tanfoglio.it/tanfoglio.php?lingua=uk](http://www.tanfoglio.it/tanfoglio.php?lingua=uk) ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-gun-do-they-gun-use-in-heroes/394791/6 "2007-03-06T10:05:06Z")
[QUOTE=Armilla] It looks quite like a very slightly customised Tangfolio pistol from their range designed for Practical Shooting events. Have a look under the Sport and Competition section here: [http://www.tanfoglio.it/tanfoglio.php?lingua=uk](http://www.tanfoglio.it/tanfoglio.php?lingua=uk) [/QUOTE] Yep. It looks a lot like their Gold Custom E. Nice Work! ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-gun-do-they-gun-use-in-heroes/394791/7 "2007-03-06T16:10:35Z")
[QUOTE=dnooman] Thanks for that screencap **Doctor Who**. That’s the gun. The part at the back under the hammer where the gun rests on your hand looks very custom to me. [/QUOTE] That is called a beavertail grip safety. It can be a ‘custom’ part but I think it’s standard on most new production 1911s. The Tanfolio, BTW is a 1911. I’m pretty sure they are the maker, after seeing that skeletonized trigger. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-gun-do-they-gun-use-in-heroes/394791/8 "2007-03-06T16:59:33Z")
[QUOTE=dnooman] Thanks for that screencap **Doctor Who**. That’s the gun. The part at the back under the hammer where the gun rests on your hand looks very custom to me. How did you find that screencap **Doctor Who**? [/QUOTE] Google-fu. And no need to thank me - I was wondering about that gun too, but I hadn’t gotten around to thinking about asking about it. Just thought I’d ride your coattails a little bit. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-gun-do-they-gun-use-in-heroes/394791/9 "2007-03-06T20:13:33Z")
In case you didn’t know what a “compensator” is (mentioned by **CynicalGabe** up above): the extended bit at the muzzle of the gun, which as you mentioned is not a silencer, is a compensator. It has vents at the top that allow the hot gases to escape after a shot is fired. The idea is, the energy of the venting gases being forced upward will prevent “muzzle flip”, which is the tendency of guns to kick upward after a shot. The compensator keeps the barrel on the level, or at least closer to it, which means faster recovery time between shots. ---
**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:** [March 6, 2007, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-gun-do-they-gun-use-in-heroes/394791/10 "2007-03-06T22:21:56Z")
[QUOTE=CynicalGabe] That is called a beavertail grip safety. It can be a ‘custom’ part but I think it’s standard on most new production 1911s. The Tanfolio, BTW is a 1911. I’m pretty sure they are the maker, after seeing that skeletonized trigger. [/QUOTE] The [Tanfolio](http://world.guns.ru/handguns/hg72-e.htm) is _not_ a 1911-pattern gun. It is based upon the famed [CZ 75 pistol](http://world.guns.ru/handguns/hg51-e.htm), using a Browning-style linkless short-recoil action, as opposed to the swinging link of the 1911 design. It also is somewhat unusually in that the slide rails are on the inside of the frame rather than the outside, making this pistol design instantly recognizable (and the screengrabbed linked clearly is not, as the slide is too tall). The CZ 75 does not incorporate a grip safety, but the “beavertail” extension does protect the web of the shooter’s hand from the dread hammerbite. I’m guessing it’s a 1911 built on a [[http://www.stiguns.com/frames/index.html](http://www.stiguns.com/frames/index.html)]STI Frame Kit with a custom (maybe Wilson) slide with integral compensation and an extended, muzzle comp barrel. This isn’t something you’d want to carry on the street; the comp flash from the muzzle would be blinding in low light, and the thing is as unwieldy as a sledgehammer. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2007, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-gun-do-they-gun-use-in-heroes/394791/11 "2007-03-07T03:25:44Z")
It’s a Race Gun, period. There are tons of custom shops out there so it could be impossible to decide which, if any, made it. These pistols are used in competitions like IPSC and such. The large magwell at the bottom helps speed up reloads and the compensator on the barrel makes the muzzel flip practically nonexistant. It could possibly be chambered in anything from 40cal to 9x25 to any round you’d want. Usually these things are found with huge optics up top. These things can be ordered custom from places like Infinity Arms and you can even choose your own serial number. I think Custom Race Gun is about the best answer a person could give without guessing. Edit: Didn’t mean to imply that the 1911 vs CZ debate was not relevant or informative. Even custom jobs are based on _something_. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2007, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-gun-do-they-gun-use-in-heroes/394791/12 "2007-03-07T07:13:25Z")
My bad. Sure looked like one at first glance. ---
**Author:** ![recnelis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@recnelis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/recnelis)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-gun-do-they-gun-use-in-heroes/394791/13 "2008-02-19T01:10:06Z")
Looks like a Springfield 1911-A1 Hi-cap full race with 3 chamber factory compensator to me. ---
**Author:** ![recnelis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@recnelis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/recnelis)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-gun-do-they-gun-use-in-heroes/394791/14 "2008-02-19T01:15:02Z")
[QUOTE=recnelis] Looks like a Springfield 1911-A1 Hi-cap full race with 3 chamber factory compensator to me. [/QUOTE] Springfield USA’s custom shop has been producing these since 1993 its available in .45 ACP, 9x25 dillon and .38 super. Magazine capacities are respectively 15, 17, or 18 rounds for the mentioned calibers. The High cap is factory fitted with a 1, 2 or 3 chamber compensator. ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-gun-do-they-gun-use-in-heroes/394791/15 "2008-02-19T07:09:12Z")
Sweet! My first zombie thread. [/zombie]