The Armorers for the movie Dawn of the Dead (1978) were an East Coast outfit called "The Plastics Factory", however more information on them is unavailable.
The following weapons appear in the 1978 film Dawn of the Dead:
Handguns
FIE Titan Tiger
The FIE Titan Tiger is utilized by Philadelphia SWAT, including Peter and Roger.
FIE Titan Tiger - .38 Special
Rico: "Jesus Christ there's a thousand pigs!"
A young SWAT team member (
John Rice) commits suicide with his Titan Tiger
Peter shoot several zombies in the apartment basement
Wooly goes "ape shit" and kills random apartment inhabitants
While waiting for Roger (Scott H. Reiniger) to return as a zombie Peter (Ken Foree) appears to be holding a chromed snubnose FIE Titan Tiger.
FIE Titan Tiger - .38 Special. Snub version
Peter waits for Roger to reanimate
Thank you Phoenixent
Ruger Single Six Revolver
A Ruger Single Six is seen loaded by "Flyboy" aka Stephen (David Emge).
Early variant of the Ruger Single Six with the black plastic grips (and Ruger Logo) - .22 LR (1953-1973). This is an early 3 screw model that was made between 1953-1962. The later hump back version / 2 screw version is seen in the film.
Stephen (
David Emge) ejects a spent round with the Single Six's ejection rod
Herters SA22
A Herters SA22 with pearl grips is carried around by Francine (Gaylen Ross).
Fran (
Gaylen Ross) checks her Ivory handled
Herters SA22 Single Action revolver when she waits for the others in the Shopping Mall - .22 LR
Fran (
Gaylen Ross) holds her Ivory handled
Herters SA22 Single Action revolver when she waits for the others to return up the stairwell - .22 LR
Colt Navy Revolver
During the gun shop scene Peter is seen holstering what appears to be a pair Colt 1851 Navy black powder revolvers. Probably replicas manufactured by Uberti.
Colt 1851 Navy .36 caliber.
Smith & Wesson Model 10HB
Martinez (
Joe Shelby) puts a hole in one of Roger's teammates, while the man in the red bandana decides to boogie down during the gun battle.)
M1911A1
The Police Commander (Fred Baker), Blades, and Peter all use the M1911A1.
Peter with a M1911A1 in his holster
1866 Derringer pistol
Peter(Ken Foree) contemplates committing suicide with this gun until he decides to go with Fran (Gaylen Ross) to help protect her and her unborn baby.
The Derringer in the store is Chambered in .41, where the one Peter (Ken Foree) uses is chambered in .22
Peter prepares to kill himself
Astra Firecat
Astra Firecat to the right of the derringer
1914 Mauser Pocket Pistol
1914 Mauser Pocket Pistol - 7.65x17mm
Harrington & Richardson Model 632
A Harrington & Richardson Model 632 is seen in the gun case along with several other pocket pistols.
Harrington & Richardson Model 632
Ortgies Pocket Pistol
A Ortgies Pocket Pistol is seen in the display case on the far right.
Ortgies Pocket Pistol - .25 ACP
Pistol to the far right partially covered by the tag.
Colt Python
During the famous gunstore sequence there is a brief glimpse of a Colt Python in the display case. It is taken but never used.
Smith & Wesson Model 64
Smith & Wesson Model 64 Stainless Model
Rifles & Carbines
Adler-Jager AP-74
- Used by all SWAT members , in particular, the characters of Peter (Ken Foree) and Roger (Scott H. Reiniger) but eventually discarded after raiding the gun store. In one shot, when Peter is unloading his weapon after shooting the zombie kids, we can see the tiny .22lr magazine. The Adler-Jager (also marked Armi-Jager) AP-74 is an inexpensive .22 AR15 clone (that was actually pretty close to an SP1 and much better looking than the .22 M16 clone made by Armscor). The guns were pretty much 'mime' fired, with only the sound effect and blood squibs to indicate that the rifle was fired and is used in place of the M16A1.
Adler-Jager AP-74 rifle - .22 LR. Note the sharply angled three prong flash hider and the forward assist, and the small .22 LR magazine that protrudes under the 'fake' 20 round magazine.
Peter (
Ken Foree) aims his Adler-Jager AP-74 (standing in for a real SP1 or M16). The AP-74 was a .22lr M16 clone that had characteristics of both the SP1 and M16A1. - 22LR
SWAT team member hands out gas-masks
Peter and Roger disembark onto the mall roof
Peter and Roger, with a clear view of the AP-74's small ejection port
Peter seems to have a strange way of aiming it
Side view of Peter's AP-74, note the small .22 LR magazine protruding from the faux 20 round fake magazine.
Soldiers of the 28th Infantry Division (Keystone Patch) aka "Pennsylvania National Guard" with AP-74's meant to stand in for M16A1's. There is a mix of actual U.S. Army National Guardsmen and actors. The difference between them is striking. The 'actors' look like long haired "college age students" with plain helmet liners only (no steel pot), non-subdued 28th Infantry Div. patch (red Keystone), and anachronistic Green M43 10-pocket M1 Garand Belts. The Real National Guardsmen have Nam era leaf Pattern Helmet covers, shorter hair, and LCE (ALICE) web gear with correct nylon M16 ammo pouches.
Savage 99 rifle
Peter (Ken Foree) takes a scoped Savage 99 lever action rifle, chambered in 300 Savage, from the gun store for his personal use. He later uses it against the bikers when they invade the mall.
Peter:"The only man that could miss with this gun is the sucker with the bread to buy it"
Peter chambers a round on his Savage Model 99, showcasing the rifle's lever action assembly - .300 Savage
Peter's view through the Savage 99's scope. Peter tells Stephen not to fire through the security doors, lest the ricochets 'chase them around' in the store, however, the metal in the security doors are a combination of aluminum and soft steel, easily punctured by any of the high powered rifle ammo.
Ammo boxes of .300 Weatherby Magnum ammunition
(The words 300 magnum are clearly seen on the box and the artwork of the casing says "Weatherby"). Since the Savage Model 99 was never chambered in .300 Wby Mag, this is a error.
A bandoleer of 303 British soft points is loaded up; note the rimmed case. Even though a Lee-Enfield is pictured in the shop, this is an error since no 303 British chambered guns are used.
Peter goes biker hunting with his scoped Savage Model 99 Rifle - .300 Savage
Marlin Model 983
Stephen originally uses a Marlin Model 983 rifle but is incompetent with it. During the sequence when Roger (Scott H. Reiniger) and Peter (Ken Foree) are venturing forth from the safety of the mall to get the trucks Fran (Gaylen Ross) is providing cover fire from the roof of the mall with a rifle.
Marlin Model 983 - .22 Magnum
Roger pushes Stephen aside and takes the shot
Fran chambers a new round
Winchester 1906
The .22lr slide action Winchester Model 1906 can be seen in red.
K98 Sporter
K98 Sporter - 7.92x57mm IS
Steve gets a feel for the rifle
Winchester Model 1894
Marlin Model 336
Marlin Model Golden 39A
Marlin Model Golden 39A in blue
M1917 Enfield
One of the rifles on the left side of the red circle appear to be an M1917 Enfield bolt-action rifle.
In red, one of the rifles on the left is an M1917 Enfield
Arisaka Type 38 rifle
On the right side of the red circle, an Arisaka Type 38 rifle can be seen.
Arisaka Type 38 rifle - 6.5x50mm Arisaka
One the right of the red circle, one of the rifles is an Arisaka Type 38 rifle
Submachine Guns
Thompson M1921AC
One of the bikers(Larry Vaira) who invade the mall is using a M1921AC Thompson Submachine Gun with a 50 round drum magazine.
M1921 "Tommy Gun" .45 ACP with 50-round drum magazine, like that used in the film
Thompson in weapons cache
M1921 "Tommy Gun" .45 ACP with a stick magazine
M1921 "Tommy Gun" .45 ACP ,now with a drum magazine
MP-40
Biker in the rear behind (
Larry Vaira)'s character has a MP-40
Shotguns
Smith & Wesson 916A
A Smith & Wesson 916A shotgun is seen during the S.W.A.T. raid at the beginning of the film. One is also carried by one of the bikers when they attack the mall.
Smith & Wesson 916A - 12 gauge
Wooley (
Jim Baffico) anxiously waits for the shooting to begin
Teargas is fired via shotgun
Look at the trigger guard, its me or the revolver looks different to the FIE
SWAT team member holding his shotgun on an apartment resident
good shot of the trigger guard
Mossberg 500
A Mossberg 500 can be seen along the many other firearms handed out to the bikers.
being handed out to bikers
Single Shot Breach loading Shotgun
A 12 Gauge Single Shot Shotgun is seen in the hands of Martinez's men in the beginning of the film, also in the hands of "rednecks".
Harrington & Richardson Topper Model 158 Shotgun with case hardened receiver - 12 gauge
One of Martinez's men gets blasted by SWAT. Of course the wisdom of 'charging' a SWAT team when all you have is a single shot breach loading shotgun is questionable.
Break top shotgun in the hands of the man behind the juvenile
Ithaca 37 Deerslayer
An Ithaca 37 Deerslayer, is seen in the gunshop (in green circle)
Ithaca 37 Deerslayer in green
Assorted Weapons & Non Guns
M101 Howitzer
Multiple M101 Howitzers can be seen being transported by the U.S. Army National Guard.
National Guard M101/M2A1 Howitzer - 105mm
National Guard M101/M2A1 Howitzer - 105mm
M26A1 grenade
M26A1 grenade on the left, obviously deactivated
Mk 2 hand grenade
Jack (
Nick Tallo) destroys truck blocking the mall entrance, an impossible feat for a fragmentation grenade.
Lightgun Thompson
Peter using a lightgun Thompson in the arcade
Lightgun Rifle
Roger leisurely plays duckhunt
Extended Version
George A. Romero's uncut version of the film shows the gun store being raided during the biker invasion with several more weapons visible.
Walther P38
Colt Buntline Special
Bernadelli Model 60
Remington XP-100
Remington XP-100 -.221 Fireball
Several Unidentified Firearms
There are a Multitude of Firearms I cannot identify, if you can identify them feel free to contribute.
Fun Trivia
Miscellaneous
The split second before and after Wooley blows the head of the apartment resident (it was NOT meant to be a zombie). This was a head made by
Tom Savini. It is made from a mold of
Gaylen Ross for the original ending of the movie (Peter commits suicide, and Fran sticks her head in the blades of the Helicopter). When they decided to change the ending, they decided to use it in the tenement building scene, so Savini made it look like a African-American male, filled with food scraps, and shot with an actual shotgun.
Peter shoots a zombie (Nick Maestandrea) in the head. This effect was generated by yanking a soup can lid (using fishing line) through the mortician's wax layered on the actor's forehead.
Steve loads a bandoleer up with shotgun shells despite not being armed with a shotgun. Of course it can be argued that a loaded 12 gauge bandoleer was for another unseen shotgun that was stowed somewhere in their 'apartment' hidden on the top floor of the mall.
Despite being armed with M16's the "soldiers" in the Apartment scene are wearing World War II vintage M43 Green 10 pocket M1 Garand ammo belts.
See Also
George A. Romero's "Dead" Series
Remakes