The Last of the Mohicans

The Last of the Mohicans (1992)

The Last of the Mohicans is the 1992 motion picture adaptation of the classic James Fennimore Cooper novel. The film stars Daniel Day-Lewis as Poe as well as Madeleine Stowe, Russell Means, Eric Schweig, Johdi May, Steven Waddington, and Wes Studi. Directed by Michael Mann, this historical epic tells the story of Nathaniel Poe, the adopted son of Huron Indians, who caught in the conflict between the French and the British in North American during the the French and Indian War of 1757. The character of "Nathaniel Poe" was not named as such in the original book, and is a modern construct from the original character of "Natty Bumppo", whose name did not seem so strange to the audiences of Cooper's Time.

The following weapons were used in the film The Last of the Mohicans:

Kentucky Flintlock Rifle

The main rifle used by Hawkeye/Nathaniel Poe (Daniel Day-Lewis) is the Kentucky Flintlock Rifle.

Kentucky Rifle - .50, .45, or .36 caliber.

Nathaniel Poe (Daniel Day-Lewis) aims the Flintlock during the hunt that opens the film.

Nathaniel gets ready to fire his Flintlock.

Brown Bess Flintlock Musket

The Brown Bess appears as the standard flintlock musket of the British army as well as the French. Always seen with a bayonet. The Huron and the Mohicans use them as well, most notably Magua (Wes Studi), Chingachgook (Russell Means), and Uncas (Eric Schweig).

Brown Bess Infantry musket from 1722-1768 - .78 caliber.

British readying their firing line during the ambush

Nathaniel and Uncas (Eric Schweig) provide cover fire with Uncas using the Brown Bess Musket

Magua (Wes Studi) raises his musket to fire.

Prop Background Muskets

The soldiers and Indians in the wide shots that were not required to fire their weapons were given background muskets. According to MPM2008, the vast majority of the guns were destroyed during the filming (the stuntmen pretty much used their muskets as clubs in most of the fight scenes) and over 400 Brown Bess muskets were destroyed.

Last of the Mohicans background screen musket

Last of the Mohicans background screen musket - fortress siege scene only

Flintlock Pistol

All of the British officers, most notably Maj. Duncan Heyward (Steven Waddington), use Flintlock Pistols as their sidearm. Cora Munro (Madeleine Stowe) takes a Flintlock pistol from an officer when they are attacked and later uses it to defend herself against the Huron.

Sparrow Flintlock.

Cora Munro (Madeleine Stowe) takes down an enemy with the Flintlock pistol.

Flintlock Grenade Launcher

A British soldier led by Maj. Heyward, is shown firing what appears to be flintlock Grenade Launcher. These launchers were usually a Brown Bess Muskets with attachements which were cup shaped to fire grenades. He is seen firing the weapon into the air using it like a mortar.

The soldier holds the Flintlock Grenade Launcher standing to the left of Maj. Duncan Heyward (Steven Waddington).

Mortar

French troops are seen firing Cannon Mortars as well as regular Cannon at the Fort.