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Lord of War

From Internet Movie Firearms Database - Guns in Movies, TV and Video Games
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The following guns were used in the movie Lord of War

AK-47

Yuri Orlov (Nicolas Cage) is seen examining a Type III Pattern AK-47 rifle of Russian manufacture during one of the film's most memorable scenes, the weapon's simplicity and near-indestructibility being highly praised by him. The film starts out following the journey of an AK-47 7.62x39mm round from a munitions factory in Russia to its final destination in an African country, where it is fired at and kills a child soldier.

AK-47 7.62x39mm
Yuri cycles the action on the AK-47.
A close-up of the magazine well of the AK-47 Yuri is inspecting as he loads the weapon with a magazine full of dummy rounds (the Cyrillic markings on the selector establish that the gun is of Russian manufacture).
Yuri Orlov plays with a Soviet-built Type III AK-47 during the scene in which he describes the Kalashnikov's legendary reputation for viewers.
Several AK-47s are seen piled up in Yuri's plane.

Norinco Type 56-1

As in many Hollywood movies, one of the most common AK derivatives seen in the film is the Norinco Type 56-1, the Chinese copy of the AKMS, with its distinctive hooded front sight. In fact, AKs of this type are seen being used by the ex-USSR soldiers in Ukraine during the early-1990s (which is highly inaccurate, because Soviet troops would never use Chinese-made weapons, and the 7.62x39mm AKs had been phased out of Russian service at the time of the scene, anyway). Many of the Type 56-1s seen in the movie have been visually modified to pass for AKMS rifles - they have been fitted with the ribbed receiver cover (Chinese AKs normally have smooth) and the wider front grip.

Norinco Type 56-1 AK rifle with underfolder stock - 7.62x39mm (Chinese copy of AKMS)
A Russian Mobster fires his Norinco Type 56-1 during a hit in a restaurant. Note that the folding stock has been removed.
A Soviet troop in Ukraine erroneously holding a Norinco Type 56-1.
The Soviet mechanic working on the Hind (played by Nicholas Cage's son Weston Cage) aims his Norinco Type 56-1 at the Interpol agents.
An Afghan Mujahideen fires a Norinco Type 56-1 (note that in real life, the CIA in cooperation with China and Pakistan supplied many Type 56 rifles to the Mujahideen to fight the Soviet troops in Afghanistan.) This particular Chinese Type 56 has the ribbed top cover of an AKM - the Chinese AKs have smooth top covers.
Africans clear out a box in Yuri's plane filled with Norinco Type 56-1s.
The R.U.F. rebel commander fires a Norinco Type 56-1 at Vitaly Orlov (Jared Leto) after he blows up a truck full of arms intended for the rebels.

In Yuri's gun container, a nickel-plated Norinco Type 56-1 with ivory furniture and a Romanian-style folding grip is seen, which is the same prop used in the film Belly.

Nickel plated Norinco Type 56-1 used in Belly.
The custom Norinco Type 56-1 circled in red.

AKM

Yuri Orlov (Nicolas Cage) is seen loading and handing out an AKM to an African when his plane lands on the dirt road. They also appear numerous times during Yuri's sales. A Russian mobster is seen using one with the stock removed to appear like an AKMS, although close inspection reveals it lacks the stock and hinges.

AKM - 7.62x39mm.
The Russian mobster on the right fires his AKM with the stock removed.
The mobster fires his AKM.
Yuri loads an AKM and gives to an African free of charge.
André Baptiste Sr. (Eamonn Walker) views a crate of Yuri's weapons, containing an AKM (fourth from the first) and four AK-47s..

AKMS

Several AKMS's are seen among Yuri's deliveries.

AKMS - 7.62x39mm.
Yuri shows Vitaly how even newspapers are filled with guns, where an Afghan rebel is seen holding a side-folding stock East German MPi-KMS.
The camera passes several AKMS's (fitted with East German BFAs).
A bundle of AKMS's are next to Yuri on his plane.

André Baptiste, Jr.'s custom AK

The gold-plated AK-47/AKM derivative carried by André Baptiste, Jr. (Sammi Rotibi) is not, as has been written previously, an "AKS-47U" or "AKMSU" or any such factory-manufactured weapon. It is a custom-made Kalashnikov that was built specially for the movie. Martin Edge, an armorer at Hire Weapons, which supplied the guns for all scenes filmed in South Africa, has sent IMFDB an e-mail with the following details:

"The weapon started out as a Saiga hunting rifle with synthetic stock and furniture...Here are the rest of the details:

-The folding stock is, as you mentioned from East Germany, this was purchased in East Germany at an arms fair and fitted to the weapon
-The top cover is held on by means of a S.M.L.E. rear top cover spring clip
-A pistol grip was installed and the trigger moved forward, the trigger guard is from a Vector R4
-The barrel and gas tube were shortened and the front sight is fitted to the barrel by means a flat on the barrel and a key on the front sight, the hand guard is held in position by the flash hider
-The Muzzle brake/flash hider was turned down from a piece of bar

The weapon was originally supplied to the production with the black synthetic furniture, but was rejected in favour of the wooden furniture. The weapon was actually built by Bruce Wenztel, the owner of Hire Arms, which is Johannesburg based movie weapons props house in South Africa. I was not one of the armourers on the movie as I was not working for the company that the time of the production. The armourer was Lance Peters who handled the weapons on set on the companies behalf. Hire Arms imported some weapons and supplied the others. I spend most of my time building specialised weapons for future productions and spend very little time on set. The company has 400 feature movies under its belt and seems to be going from strength to strength. I am attaching various other pictures, please feel free to upload as you like.

You also mention the magazine in your copy, and it is an early type and was chosen because of its surface area for ease of plating. Brass plating was suggested as an alternative to gold but was rejected by the production in favour of 18crt gold plating, which cost a small fortune."

As mentioned in Martin's e-mail, he sent us a number of photos of the gold-plated AK. IMFDB is extremely grateful to him for this exclusive info!

AK open.jpg
LOW-GoldAK2.jpeg
LOW-GoldAK3.jpeg
LOW-GoldAK4.jpeg
André Baptiste, Jr. holding his gold-plated AK.
Another view of Jr.'s AK - note the East German side-folding stock (not like the AKS-47U or AKMSU at all).
Jr. firing his AK into the air from his car while Yuri winces.



SA Vz.58 Assault Rifle

In Ukraine, a Russian stockpile of weaponry consists of thousands of Kalashnikovs, which are in fact SA Vz.58 assault rifles standing in. According to Director Andrew Niccol in the DVD commentary, the guns were real guns rented from a real arms dealer, as it was cheaper for the production to rent 3,000 real guns than to rent 3,000 blank converted props.


SA Vz.58 - 7.62x39mm.
Thousands of SA Vz.58s are seen in the Soviet armory.
Note the distinctive shape of the stocks, indicating they are not AK-47s.

Micro Uzi

Yuri's very first arms sale is a batch of Micro Uzi machine pistols, which are sold to local Russian mobsters (this is unrealistic as the civilian version of the Micro-Uzi was not made available until 1983).

Micro Uzi with 32 rd magazine - 9mm
A couple of Micro Uzis along with sound suppressors and ammo hidden in a video camera case, about to be sold to the mobsters.
One of the mobsters points a Micro Uzi at Yuri right after Yuri said it is so quiet that they could unload a mag into him and never wake the guy next door. He should have also told him to put the suppressor on first before threatening to try it on him,
Vitaly Orlov (Jared Leto) examines on of Uri's Micro Uzis.

M16A2

In one of Yuri's first major sales, he procures hundreds of surplus M16A2 rifles left in Lebanon by America peace keepers, which he sells to the leader of a Lebanese Maronite militia (probably the real-life Phalange) in a joint deal with a corrupt American military officer named Lt. Colonel Southern (a reference to Lt. Colonel Oliver North, who in real life helped sell American-made weaponry "under the table" to proxy forces).

M16A2, 5.56x45mm NATO
A pile of American M16A2s left over in Lebanon (some AKs and Heckler & Koch G3s are also visible in the pile).
A close-up of one of the M16s in the pile (the weapon is actually an AR-15, as can be seen by the receiver. It also appears to have suffered damage to the upper reciever just above the magazine well and is missing the bolt catch).

M16A1 with A2 Handguards

Two Lebanese soldiers are seen using M16A1s with M16A2-style handguards to execute Palestinian guerillas. One is also seen in Yuri Orlov's weapons container.

M16A1 with A2 handguards - 5.56x45mm.
A Lebanese soldier closest to the camera prepares to fire his M16A1 with A2 handguards. The soldier at the end has one as well.
An M16A1 with A2 handguards hanging on the wall top left.

IMI Galil SAR

A Lebanese soldier is seen using an IMI Galil SAR to execute Palestinian guerillas.

IMI Galil SAR - 5.56x45mm
A Lebanese soldier (second in line) fires his IMI Galil SAR.

Colt Model 723

During the Berlin Arms Fair scenes, several female models can be seen posing with Colt Model 723s.

Colt Model 723 - 5.56mm
One of the models poses with a Colt Model 723 during the DVD Menu.
Girls with Colt Models 723 atop a T-72 tank during the Berlin Arms Fair.
A close-up of one of the Colt Model 723 lying on the floor (next to the uniforms worn by the models).

CAR-15 SMG

One of the Narco-guerilla's henchmen is seen holding an CAR-15 with a 10" barrel when Yuri sells him Glocks. One is also seen in Yuri's gun container.

CAR-15 SMG - 5.56x45mm
Left: The narco-guerilla's henchman holding a CAR-15 SMG. Right: A CAR-15 SMG (shown to be a slab-side) is seen in Yuri's container, bottom left.

L1A1 SLR

André Baptiste Sr.'s (Eamonn Walker) escort soldiers are seen armed with L1A1 SLRs.

L1A1 SLR - 7.62x51mm NATO.
One of André Baptiste Sr.'s escorts with an L1A1 SLR.

Uzi

In one scene, Yuri and Vitaly sell full-size Uzi submachine guns to Somali Islamic resistance fighters (one of them tests the weapon by firing it at a cardboard cutout of Ronald Reagan). Yuri notes the irony of this transaction: "I sold Israeli-made Uzis to Muslims."

IMI Uzi 9mm
A Somali gunman test-fires an Uzi (missing its stock for some reason).

Glock 17

In one part of the film, Yuri sells four Glock 17 pistols to a Colombian narco-guerilla (possibly a member of FARC),along with a large shipment of other weapons. When a dispute arises regarding payment for the weapons (the drug lord wants to give him cocaine instead of money), Yuri ends up getting shot with one of the pistols, violating the most important of his three rules; "Don't get shot with your own merchandise".

A notable mistake is that two of the Glock-17s in this scene (including the one used by the drug lord to shoot Yuri) are clearly 3rd Generation models (they have frame rails for mounting accessories, plus thumb reliefs and finger grooves in the grip), which were introduced in the late-1990s, but the scene takes place in the late-1980s. The other two Glocks are both 2nd Generation models, which would have been correct for the time period.

2nd Generation Glock 17 9mm
3rd Generation Glock 17 9mm
The narco-guerilla reaches for a Glock 17 during the scene in Colombia. The two Glocks in the center of the box are Generation 3 models, which did not exist at the time in which the scene takes place (1989).
The narco-guerilla shoots Yuri with one of the Glock 17s.

Unknown 1911 Pistol

The Russian Mobster who is attacked in the restaraunt single handedly takes out the two hitters with his 1911 pistol, although it is never seen close enough to be properly identified. It appears the same gun is among the weapons Yuri sells to André Baptiste Sr.

The Russian mobster fires his 1911 at the hitters.
The Russian points his 1911 at Yuri.
Yuri sells possibly the same gun to André Baptiste Sr.

Makarov PM

A Soviet soldier in Ukraine points his Makarov PM at the Interpol agents when they try to bust Yuri.

Makarov PM - 9x18mm Makarov.
A Soviet soldier points his Makarov PM at Interpol agents.

Smith & Wesson Model 686

While Yuri is negotiating with André Baptiste Sr. (Eamonn Walker), the warlord uses a Smith & Wesson Model 686 to kill one of the men in the room, after which Yuri comments that he'll have to purchase the weapon having used it. Later on, André captures Yuri's primary gun-running competitor, Simeon Weisz (Ian Holm) as a "present" for Yuri and gives him the opportunity to kill him using the revolver. When Yuri is reluctant to do the deed himself, the warlord puts the gun in Yuri's hand and presses Yuri's finger on the trigger until the gun fires, killing Weisz.

Smith & Wesson Model 686 - .357 Magnum
André Baptiste Sr. examines Yuri's Smith & Wesson Model 686. Here he spins the cylinder while it is swung out of the gun, yet the ratcheting sound is heard, despite having nothing to ratchet against.
"Now you're gonna have to buy it. It's a used gun!"
André Baptiste Sr. holding his Smith & Wesson 686.
André Baptiste Sr. forces Yuri Orlov to kill Simeon Weisz with the Smith & Wesson 686 Yuri had sold him earlier in the movie.
Close up on the trigger guard as they pull the trigger together.

M60 Machine Gun

While doing buisness with André Baptiste, André Baptiste Jr. requests that Yuri get him what he calls "the gun of Rambo", an M60 machine gun. Upon receiving it, he is seen firing the gun at random civilians while driving in the truck to do business with the R.U.F. in Sierra Leone.

An M60 is also seen on the Coast Guard launch when Jack Valentine is about to board the Kristol/Kono.

M60 machine gun 7.62x51mm NATO
An M60 machine gun mounted on Jack Valentine's boat.
André Baptiste Jr. hangs out of the transport truck window manning his new "gun of Rambo".
André Baptiste Jr. fires the M60 with sadistic glee at civilians in Sierra Leone.

FN MAG-58

When Yuri sells Communist made ammunition to fascists in Borneo, one of the fascist soldiers is seen manning an FN MAG-58.

FN MAG-58 - 7.62x51mm NATO.
A fascist soldier mans an FN MAG-58.

Heckler & Koch MP5A2/A3

Throughout the movie, the Interpol agents are brandishing Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine guns, both the MP5A2 and MP5A3, many of which have Navy trigger groups. In one scene where Interpol agents confront Yuri as he is about to ship an Mi-24 attack helicopter to Burkina Faso, one of the agents shoves an MP5 in his face threateningly. He coolly replies, "Oh, the new MP5...would you like a silencer for that?"

Heckler & Koch MP5A2 9x19mm with Navy trigger group
Heckler & Koch MP5A3 9x19mm with Navy trigger group
If you look closely to the right, you can see this MP5A2 has a Navy trigger group.
"Oh, the new MP5...would you like a silencer for that?"
The agent in the background has an MP5A2 Navy.

Heckler & Koch MP5K

Interpol agent Jack Valentine (Ethan Hawke) carries a Heckler & Koch MP5K with a 15-round magazine and a Navy trigger group.

Heckler & Koch MP5KA 9x19mm with Navy trigger group
Agent Valentine sticks his MP5K in Yuri's face.
Valentine with his MP5K slung at his side.

RPG-7

Another frequently-seen weapon in the film is the RPG-7 rocket launcher. In one scene, Yuri gives away a whole plane full of weapons, including RPGs, to peasants to avoid being caught with them by Interpol agents.Interestingly, the flight scene shows that the launchers are armed, having the rocket-propelled grenades mounted... never a very safe way to fly.

RPG-7 70mm
An RPG-7 in an African's house.
Yuri hands out RPG-7s to civilians as he attempts to get rid of all evidence before Interpol catches him.

Beretta 92SB

Yuri's brother Vitaly Orlov (Jared Leto) carries a Beretta 92SB pistol throughout the film. During the altercation with the narco-guerilla in Colombia, he pulls this weapon to defend his brother. The same prop also appears as one of the guns Yuri tries to sell André Baptiste Sr. (Eamonn Walker).

Beretta 92SB 9mm
Vitaly draws his Beretta 92SB when Lebanese soldiers execute Palestinian guerillas. Note round trigger guard, and how the prop lacks a guide rod. (???)
Vitaly draws his Beretta 92SB when he hears an Afghan Mujahideen fire his AKMS.
Vitaly aims his Beretta 92SB at the Columbian narco-guerilla. He had better put his finger on the trigger if he wants the reflex to shoot the man if the man shoots him.

Karabiner 98k

A Karabiner 98k bolt-action rifle can be seen in the hands of an Afghan Mudjahideen rebel during the montage where Yuri describes the growth of his business. The rifle has a straight bolt unlike a genuine 98k but has the indentation in the stock under the bolt indicating this gun is built off of several Mauser variants.

Karabiner 98K - 7.92x57mm
A Mudjahideen armed with a Karabiner 98K

Remington 870

A stainless steel Remington 870 with a side-folding stock is seen in Yuri's weapons container.

Remington 870 with folding stock - 12 Gauge.
Remington 870 circled in red.

M40A3 rifle

An M40A3 sniper rifle with a Harris Bipod and a high-powered scope is seen in Yuri's weapons container..

M40A3, 7.62x51mm NATO
An M40A3 sniper rifle is sitting on the table.

Henry US Survival Break-Down Rifle

A Henry US Survival break-down rifle with a stainless steel finish, a matching M68 Aimpoint red dot scope, and a wire stock is seen in Yuri's weapons container.

Henry US Survival .22 LR with M68 Aimpoint red dot scope
Henry US Survival circled in red.

RGD-5 Hand Grenade

Near the end of the film, Vitaly uses RGD-5 hand grenades to try to destroy the weapons his brother is selling to the R.U.F. in exchange for conflict diamonds, but only manages to destroy one truck (containing half the weapons) before he's shot multiple times by rebel gunmen. He falls close to the second truckload of weapons and tries to pull the pin out of a second grenade as he lies dying, but he is stopped by Yuri, who puts the pin back into the grenade. Vitaly then expires.

RGD-5 High-Explosive Fragmentation hand grenade
African Civilians cleaning out Yuri's plane take RGD-5 hand grenades out of a crate.
Vitaly opens a crate of RGD-5 hand grenades.
Vitaly, near death, tries to pull the pin out of another RGD-5 and destroy the rest of the weapons.

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