Difference between revisions of "Sahara (2005)"

Revision as of 05:56, 8 August 2008

Sahara is the 2005 Adventure movie starring Matthew McConaughey, Steve Zahn and Penelope Cruz.

The Following guns were seen in the movie:

FN MAG

FN MAG-58 Machine guns are seen mounted on trucks and boats, all manned by Kazims' troops.

FN MAG-58 mounted on a patrol boat - 7.62x51mm

Browning Hi-Power

Seen in the hands of Kazims' Troops and later commandeered by Dirk Pitt (Matthew McConaughey).

Browning Hi Power Mark III - 9mm

Browning Hi Power pistol - 9mm

Norinco Type 56-1

The under-folding stock version of the AKS-47, made in China is seen throughout the film. Mostly a mix with other AK types, carried by Kazims' Troops.

Type 56-1 folding stock AK47s, seen on the left in the hands of a Govt. Soldier, on the right in the hands of Matthew McConaughey in an action shot - 7.62x39mm

AK-47

One of Tuareg fighters who help Pitt and Giordino raid the waste plant carries what appears to be an original milled receiver AK-47 - (7.62x39mm).

Tuareg fighter (with a stolen uniform) with a milled receiver AK-47 - 7.62x39mm

Tuareg fighter with a milled receiver AK-47 - 7.62x39mm

M20 Super Bazooka

Carried by Tuareg tribesmen in the desert battle - 3.5" Rocket.

Tuareg fighter on the right holds an M20 "Super Bazooka" - 3.5" Rockets

Short Magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE)

Some of the Tuareg horsemen also carry Lee Enfield Mk I rifles - .303.

Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Mk.I - .303 in service between 1904–1926

French Flintlock Pistol

Yves Massarde (Lambert Wilson) gives a matched pair of French Flintlock pistols to General Kazim (Lennie James) at his palace. They are a duelling set with silver caps at the bottom of the grips and have other inlaid silver accents. It is mentioned that they were formerly the property of "General Mayenne" causing Kazim to quip that they must have killed 'The Comte de Vézelay' (French for The Count of Vézelay, in the Bourgogne region of France. Though there is no famous Count from that area, it is most known for holding the abbey where the bones of Mary Magdalene were brought.)

Kazim (Lennie James) admires a match set of French Duelling pistols, delivered as a gift from Yves Massarde (Lambert Wilson).

Webley Mk VI

General Kazim (Lennie James) uses his ".455 caliber" Webley Mk IV revolver to shoots (W.H.O.) Doctor Frank Hopper (Glynn Turman), Eva Roja's boss, with it. It is a Silver Webley MK VI with ornate engraving all over the pistol. Kazim mentions that the pistol was previously owned by "General Sir Henry Watkins" and that he must purchase custom loaded ammunition from Holland & Holland of England since the .455 rounds are so rare.

Webley Mk VI .455 Webley

Kazim (Lennie James) pulls out a pistol from a case and shoots Dr. Hopper. It is a Silver custom engraved Webley Mk VI chambered in .455 Webley.

Type 69 Rocket Launcher

Some of the Tuareg carry Chinese Type 69 RPGs though they have different warheads

Chinese Type 69 RPG

Modibo (Paulin Fodouop) looks on as his Tuareg fighters carry AK rilfes and Chinese Type 69 Rocket Launchers.

Sterling SMG

Seen held by Tuareg horsemen in the desert.

British Sterling Submachine Gun - 9mm

Tuareg Horsemen hold aloft AK rifles and Sterling Submachine guns - 9mm

FN FAL

Carried by General Zateb Kazims' armored troops at the final battle (in addition to the plethora of AK47 type rifles). They look to be the solid Metric style front sight block, however the barrels seem shorter than usual, so the exact model is unknown, but they appear to be Metric FALs - 7.62x51mm.

Kazims' soldiers carry AKs and FN FALs - 7.62x51mm

‎

L1A1

Used by a Mali sniper with a scope, but later commandeered by Al Giordino (Steve Zahn).

Sniper fires an L1A1 with early style wood grips and scope - 7.62x51mm

Steve Zahn holds an L1A1 in the truck - scene from the movie "Sahara"

PKMS

Kazims' Soldiers are seen holding PKMS Machine Guns (7.62x54R).

Soldier guards the palace with a PKMS (slung) - 7.62x54R. The soldier checking the papers is holding a Norinco Type 56-1 under-folding stock AK rifle.

‎

Romanian WASR-3

I believe that Al's rifle during a desert battle is a Romanian WASR-3 Rifle built at the S.C. Uzinele Mecanice Cugir S.A. (Cugir Factory) in Romania. The weapon probably came from a foreign armory, but for the purposes of identification, the U.S. version of the Romanian .223 AK will be identified. The Romanians imported a series of three AK type rifles called the SAR series. The SAR-1 was 7.62x39mm, the SAR-2 was 5.45x39mm and the SAR-3 was the 5.56x54mm. Then a later variant was imported, the WASR. The WASR was essentially the same firearm, but with a lower grade of fit and finish. Like the SAR series, the WASR-1 was 7.62x39, the WASR-2 was 5.45x39mm and the WASR-3 was 5.56x45mm. However, the SAR-3 rifle has the original AK74 style gas block, the WASR-3 has a modified AKM style gas block and blonde wood. Both the SAR-3 and the WASR-3 take the ROMAK 223 magazine (Wieger style). This rifle is set up with the Wieger style magazine. Al Giordino's rifle is a WASR-3 (or the European equivalent) and of course, his is fully automatic. It looks to be the same rifle used in the movie Casino Royale since the Sascha Robey was the armorer for both movies.

@@ Line 65: / Line 65: @@
 [[Image:Sahara PKMa.jpg‎|thumb|none|500px|Soldier guards the palace with a PKMS (slung) - 7.62x54R.  The soldier checking the papers is holding a Norinco Type 56-1 under-folding stock AK rifle.]]‎
-==Norinco Type 84==
+==Romanian WASR-3==
-Al's rifle during a desert battle is a Norinco Type 84 .223 AK Rifle. The reciever cover has been replaced with an AKM ribbed type instead of smooth chinese types similair to older AKs. The furniture is blonde aftermarket. A similair rifle appears in [[Casino Royale]] used by the militia soldiers.
+I believe that Al's rifle during a desert battle is a Romanian WASR-3 Rifle built at the ''S.C. Uzinele Mecanice Cugir S.A.'' (Cugir Factory) in Romania. The weapon probably came from a foreign armory, but for the purposes of identification, the U.S. version of the Romanian .223 AK will be identified.  The Romanians imported a series of three AK type rifles called the SAR series.  The SAR-1 was 7.62x39mm, the SAR-2 was 5.45x39mm and the SAR-3 was the 5.56x54mm.  Then a later variant was imported, the WASR.  The WASR was essentially the same firearm, but with a lower grade of fit and finish.  Like the SAR series, the WASR-1 was 7.62x39, the WASR-2 was 5.45x39mm and the WASR-3 was 5.56x45mm.  However, the SAR-3 rifle has the original AK74 style gas block, the WASR-3 has a modified AKM style gas block and blonde wood.  Both the SAR-3 and the WASR-3 take the ROMAK 223 magazine (Wieger style).  This rifle is set up with the Wieger style magazine.  Al Giordino's rifle is a WASR-3 (or the European equivalent) and of course, '''his''' is fully automatic.  It looks to be the same rifle used in the movie ''[[Casino Royale]]'' since the ''Sascha Robey'' was the  armorer for both movies.
-Note: this is NOT a Type 84.  Type 84s are blued, this is painted black, the magazine is completely different (it just just like the ROMAK 223 magazine) and the front sight is a European pattern, NOT the Chinese hooded front sight.
+[[Image:Sahara AK 223 06a.jpg|thumb|none|600px|]]
+[[Image:Sahara AK 223-05A.jpg‎|thumb|none|600px|]]
-:Look at the third screenshot of him leaning over the rifle - that is clearly a hooded front sight. I have never seen a European AK that has that; Chinese AKs (and the Iranian license-built copies of them) are the only ones with that style sight. As far as the magazine goes, Type 84s can take Romak-style magazines. Here's a picture of one:
+[[Image:Sahara AK-223 04A.jpg‎|thumb|none|600px|]]
-[[Image:Type56-1s.jpg|thumb|none|400px|]]
-:The finish is suspicious, but if they went to the trouble of replacing the receiver cover and furniture, maybe they could have re-finished it as well. Or maybe this is some Franken-Kalash variant. But the front sight is definitely Chinese style, so I'm guessing a Type 84 was still the base gun.
-::I don't agree. The front sight is OPEN not the chinese closed hooded sight.  I've look at it from several angles and it is an AKM open sight.  Also check your PMs.  I listed several other strong points which indicate that it is NOT a Type 84 nor ever was.  The irrefutable proof is the front sight (which is an AKM style) and the fact that you can't see the 2nd notch hole that would be on the barrel if it originally had a type 84 sight and the gas block (which has metal pieces indicating that the front sling swivel is attached), this gun does not.
-To clarify my remarks (which might be hard to follow being that I'm not the best typist) I have included an image which details what I was discussing.  I ran out and took a  closeup shot of one of the Type 84s in inventory.  Many of these were 'converted' to resemble AK74s back in the day and haven't been configured back to original spec yet.  Notice how the finely machine and blued finish of the original Type 84 contrasts with the 'rough' machined and spray painted AKM replacement front sight.  After the 1980s, the fit and finish of AK and SKS guns just went down the tubes, IMHO.
-Anyway, you can see the 'notch' in the barrel for the pin used to lock down the back half of the Chinese Front Sight.  If they converted a Type 84, the notch would be there since all Type 84s were shipped with original Chinese Front Sights.  Also note the differences in the Gas block.
-[[Image:Type84DetailsA.jpg]]
-[[Image:Sahara AK 223 06a.jpg|thumb|none|400px|]]
-[[Image:Sahara AK 223-05A.jpg‎|thumb|none|400px|]]
-He's right, if you look real close, that sight isn't hooded. Someone needs to properly classify this gun. Try to delete all these argumental facts if possible. I'm afriad I don't know enough about Roman AKs to help out.
-[[Image:Sahara AK-223 04A.jpg‎|thumb|none|400px]]
 [[Category:Movie]]