Live by Night (2016)

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Live by Night (2016)

Live by Night is a 2016 crime film written, directed, and co-produced by Ben Affleck. Set in the US during the time of Prohibition, the film tells the story of Joe Coughlin (Ben Affleck), a Boston gangster who also happens to be the estranged son of a Boston police captain and who starts running a bootlegging operation in Florida. The film was adapted from a novel by Dennis Lehane (the author of Mystic River and whose novel Gone Baby Gone was previously adapted into a film by Affleck). The cast includes Elle Fanning, Brendan Gleeson, Sienna Miller, Zoe Saldana, and Chris Cooper, who also co-starred in Affleck's 2010 directorial effort The Town.

The following weapons were used in the film Live by Night (2016):

Handguns

Colt 1902

Joe Coughlin (Ben Affleck) carries what appears to be a Colt Model 1902 as his sidearm.

Colt Model 1902 Sporting Model - .38 ACP

Joe Coughlin (Ben Affleck) with what appears to be a Colt Model 1902 moments before a robbery.

Coughlin sets his pistol on a desktop. Note the squared-off muzzle, differentiating it from other automatic pistols of the era such as a 1911 variant.

Colt Official Police

A bank guard fires a 4-inch .38 police revolver, likely a Colt Official Police during a robbery.

Colt Official Police - .38 Special

The bank guard fires his revolver.

CZ 27

Dion Bartolo (Chris Messina) carries a CZ 27 during the poker game and bank robbery.

Czech CZ27 - 7.65mm

Dion Bartolo readies his CZ 27.

Dion fires his CZ during the getaway.

Dion fires his CZ at the approaching cops.

Shotguns

Winchester Model 12

Coughlin's second man during the bank robbery carries a cut-down Winchester Model 12 shotgun which he uses to great effect during the getaway.

Winchester Model 1912 Riot Gun - 12 Gauge

Coughlin's man holds the shotgun.

The same man fires the shotgun.

Coughlin's second man pumps a new shell into the chamber.

Submachine Guns

Thompson M1921AC

The cops pursuing Coughlin and his gang after the bank robbery fire Thompson M1921AC submachine guns, noted by their lack of barrel compensators, from their moving police cars. While the Thompsons are period-correct models, the 30-round stick magazines they're loaded with are anachronistic due to their not being manufactured until 1942. The 20-round magazines would have been appropriate for the time of the film. One of Coughlin's gunmen also uses a M1921AC with a 100-round drum in the climactic gun battle.

Colt M1921AC Thompson with 50-round drum magazine - .45 ACP.

A cop aims his Thompson out of the police car. Note the anachronistic 30-round magazine.

A cop fires his Thompson. Note the absence of a compensator.

Another cop fires his Thompson at Coughlin's car.

Coughlin's gunman with the M1921AC. Note the 100-round drum and the how the manufacturing proofs are painted white.

The same gunman lets off a one-handed burst from his Tommy Gun.

Thompson M1928

The Thompson M1928 is seen in the hands of multiple gangsters, including Dion Bartolo, throughout the film. They're are seen the most during the climactic gunfight, during which gunmen on both sides wield Thompsons. One gunman is seen briefly wielding a Thompson with the buttstock removed.

Colt M1921AC Thompson with 50-round drum - .45 ACP.

Dion Bartolo holds his freshly-fired Thompson.

One of Coughlin's gunmen opens up with his Thompson.

Dion unleashes hell with his Thompson.

A Pescatore thug goes down with a Thompson that's had the buttstock removed.

Machine Guns

Browning Automatic Rifle

Joe Coughlin wields and fires a customized Browning Automatic Rifle during a shootout. This particular gun resembles the famous sawed off BARs used by Bonnie and Clyde, and also the ones used in the film Public Enemies. The major difference is that while the barrel is shortened, the one in the trailer also has a shortened stock, making it a sort of BAR "whippet gun." While the shortened stock and barrel would certainly make the gun more concealable and lightweight ("lightweight" being a relative term for a 16-pound firearm), controlled fire would probably be nearly impossible. The gun also has a later model sight as opposed to the original WWI model sight, which is considerably rarer, and indicates it was made with a later-model BAR. At least one other gunman is seen holding an identical BAR in the film (likely the same gun used in a different scene).

This is an actual Clyde Barrow cutdown Browning Automatic Rifle. The one in the trailer is similar, but also has a shortened stock and a later model sight.

Browning Automatic Rifle, standard length barrel - .30-06

Coughlin grabs the cut-down BAR.

Coughlin shoots through a wall with the cut-down BAR (an easy feat when firing .30-06).

Coughlin takes cover with the BAR during a shootout.

Coughlin fires his BAR.

One of Coughlin's gunman with another identical BAR (almost certainly the same gun reused in a different scene).