![]() |
If you have been locked out of your account you can request a password reset here. |
M16 rifle series
The M16 series of assault rifles and carbine variants are used by the following actors in the following movies, television series, video games, and anime:
Please check the talk page for additional variants not shown on the main page.
Specifications
Type: Assault Rifle
Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO (various other calibers available via after-market conversion kits)
Capacity: 5, 20, 30, 40 round box magazine/ 90 round snail drum/ 100 round dual drum Beta-C magazine
Fire Modes: Safe/Semi (Mk 12 SPR, AR-15, civilian variants) Safe/Semi/Burst (M16A2, M16A4, M4) Safe/Semi/Auto (M16, M16A1, M16A3, M4A1)
M16 Rifle
Since the original M16 is the first pattern AR-15 select fire rifle that was adopted in 1964 by the U.S. Air Force in Vietnam (and also given to the ARVN) all appearances of the slab side M16 in movies and television shows would be either the Class III Colt M16 or the commercially available Colt AR-15 SP1 rifle. After being phased out from active duty, the military owned weapons were issued to National guard units (and later bequeathed to Federal and local law enforcement agencies). Movie Armorers could acquire Law Enforcement Sales models of the M16, as Class III transferable weapons or built as Class III manufacturers. However, an easier way was for commercially sold semiautomatic Colt AR-15 SP1 rifles to be converted to full auto fire in the 1970s and 1980s and these were in movie armories for years.
Film
Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Across The Universe | Various | National Guardsmen | 2007 | |
Alone in the Dark (2005) | Various | Bureau 713 Commandos | 2005 | |
Land of the Dead | Various | U.S. Army soldiers | 2005 | |
Once Upon a Time in Mexico | Gerardo Vigil | General Marquez | Fitted with M16A2 hand guards and M16A1 flash hiders | 2003 |
Once Upon a Time in Mexico | Various | General Soldiers | Fitted with M16A2 hand guards and M16A1 flash hiders | 2003 |
Coronado | Clayton Rohner | Arnet McClure | 2003 | |
Coronado | Various | Rebel Soldiers | 2003 | |
Analyze This | Various | Mobsters | Fitted with M16A2 hand guards and M16A1 flash hiders | 1999 |
The Matrix | Various | Lobby guards | Fitted with both 3-prong and M16A1 flash hiders | 1999 |
The Matrix | Keanu Reeves | Neo | 1999 | |
The Rock | Tony Todd | Captain Darrow | Fitted with M16A1 flash hider and M203 grenade launcher | 1996 |
Forrest Gump | Tom Hanks | Forrest Gump | 1994 | |
Forrest Gump | Various | U.S. Army soldiers | 1994 | |
In the Army Now | Pauly Shore | PFC "Bones" Conway | LaFrance-converted AR-15 SP1; fitted with M16A1 flash hider and M16A2 hand guards | 1994 |
In the Army Now | Various | U.S. Army personnel | LaFrance-converted AR-15 SP1s; fitted with M16A1 flash hiders and M16A2 hand guards | 1994 |
Jurassic Park | Unknown actor | InGen worker | Fitted with M16A2 hand guards and M16A1 flash hider | 1993 |
Showdown in Little Tokyo | Dolph Lundgren | Sergeant Chris Kenner | Fitted with M16A2 hand guards | 1991 |
Showdown in Little Tokyo | Brandon Lee | Johnny Murata | Fitted with M16A2 hand guards | 1991 |
Die Hard | Various | LAPD S.W.A.T. officers | 1988 | |
They Live | Roddy Piper | Nada | 1988 | |
They Live | Keith David | Frank | 1988 | |
They Live | Various | Cable 54 building guards | 1988 | |
Full Metal Jacket | Various | U.S. Marines | 1987 | |
Lethal Weapon | Various | LAPD S.W.A.T. officers | Deleted scene only | 1987 |
Predator | Arnold Schwarzenegger | Dutch | Fitted with M16A1 flash hider and Fake M203 Launcher | 1987 |
Predator | Sonny Landham | Billy | Fitted with M16A2 hand guards, M16A1 flash hider, and Mossberg 500 shotgun | 1987 |
Heartbreak Ridge | Various | U.S. Marines | Fitted with M16A1 flash hiders | 1986 |
The Park is Mine | Various | N.Y.P.D. SWAT officers | Fitted with AN/PVS-2 Starlight night vision scopes | 1986 |
Platoon | Chris Pedersen | Crawford | Fitted with M16A1 flash hider | 1986 |
Raw Deal | Various | Patrovita's thugs | 1986 | |
Commando | Arnold Schwarzenegger | John Matrix | Fitted with M16A1 flash hider; becomes an M16A1 in some shots | 1985 |
Commando | Various | Arius' men and U.S. Army soldiers | Fitted with M16A1 flash hiders, some with M16A2 hand guards | 1985 |
Rambo: First Blood | Brian Dennehy | Hope Sheriff Will Teasle | 1982 | |
Rambo: First Blood | Various | Hope County sheriff's deputies | 1982 | |
Stripes | Various | U.S. Army soldiers | 1981 | |
Taps | Various | Cadets | 1981 | |
Escape from New York | Various | U.S. Police Force and Secret Service Agents | handguards removed | 1981 |
Apocalypse Now | Various | U.S. Army soldiers | 1979 | |
The Spy Who Loved Me | Various | U.S. Navy sailors | Stolen from Armoury and Stromberg guards | 1977 |
The Enforcer | Various | People's Revolutionary Strike Force terrorists and SFPD officers | Fitted with both 3-prong and M16A1 flash hiders | 1976 |
Silver Streak | Various | FBI Agents | 1976 | |
Ice Station Zebra | Various | U.S. Navy crew | 1968 | |
Seven Days in May | Andrew Duggan | Col. William 'Mutt' Henderson | Possibly the first depiction of an M-16 in a Hollywood film | 1964 |
Television
Show Title / Episode | Actor | Character | Note | Air Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Supernatural | Unknown actor | Conspiracy theorist | 2005- | |
Mail Call | R. Lee Ermey | Himself | 2002- | |
JAG | Various | U.S. soldiers | Only seen in flashbacks to Vietnam War | 1995-2005 |
Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | Various | U.S. soldiers, guards, criminals | 1993-1997 | |
The Stand | Unknown actor | henchman | 1994 | |
The A-Team | Various | 1983-1988 |
Video Games
Game Title | Mods | Passwords | Release Date |
---|---|---|---|
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories | 2006 | ||
Enter the Matrix | 2003 | ||
Shellshock Nam '67 | Called the "Assault Rifle" | 2004 | |
Vietcong | 2002 |
Anime
XM16E1 Rifle
![](/images/thumb/e/e5/XM16E1_WeWereSoldiers.jpg/500px-XM16E1_WeWereSoldiers.jpg)
The XM16E1 is an improved variant of the original M16 which featured several improvements, including the forward assist (visually, the most obvious difference). The Army requested this feature, but the Air Force believed it had no benefit and only increased the weapon's per-unit cost. Consequently, the M16 (SP1) was the version adopted by the Air Force, while the Army adopted the (slightly) more expensive XM16E1. After the M16A1 was introduced in 1967, both services transitioned to this rifle. Before 1968, this was the most common version of the M16 rifle platform. Most examples in recent films are actually 'faux' XM16E1 rifles. Apparently there are no 'real' XM16E1s in movie armories any more, since all examples of the XM16E1 seen in films are mocked up from M16A1 rifles. The real XM16E1 has a partial magazine fence on its' lower receiver, whereas the M16A1 has a full raised rib around the magazine release button. The only known examples of an authentic XM16E1 rifle in a motion picture was in the John Wayne film The Green Berets (which may be a result of the film having so much help from the U.S. Army).
Film
Title | Actor | Character | Notation | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tropic Thunder | Jay Baruchel | Kevin Sandusky | mocked up from an M16A1 | 2008 |
Tropic Thunder | Brandon T. Jackson | Alpo Chino | mocked up from an M16A1 | 2008 |
Tropic Thunder | Various | Actors playing U.S. soldiers | mocked up from an M16A1 | 2008 |
We Were Soldiers | Mel Gibson | Lt. Col. Hal Moore | mocked up from an M16A1 | 2002 |
We Were Soldiers | Barry Pepper | Joe Galloway | mocked up from an M16A1 | 2002 |
We Were Soldiers | Josh Daugherty | Spc. Robert Ouellette | mocked up from an M16A1 | 2002 |
We Were Soldiers | Ryan Hurst | Sgt. Ernie Savage | mocked up from an M16A1 | 2002 |
We Were Soldiers | Robert Bagnell | 1LT. Charlie Hastings | mocked up from an M16A1 | 2002 |
We Were Soldiers | Chris Klein | 2LT. Jack Geoghegan | mocked up from an M16A1 | 2002 |
We Were Soldiers | Various | U.S. Army soldiers | mocked up from an M16A1 | 2002 |
Dead Presidents | Jaimz Woolvett | Lieutenant Dugan | mocked up from an M16A1 | 1995 |
Dead Presidents | Various | U.S. Marines | mocked up from an M16A1 | 1995 |
Hamburger Hill | Various | U.S. Army 101st Airborne personnel | mocked up from an M16A1 | 1987 |
The Green Berets | John Wayne | Colonel Mike Kirby | Real XM16E1 | 1968 |
The Green Berets | Various | U.S. Special Forces | Real XM16E1 | 1968 |
Video Games
Game Title | Mods | Notes | Release Date |
---|---|---|---|
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater | 2004 |
M16A1 Rifle
Film
![](/images/thumb/c/cd/M16A1wA2Handguards.jpg/500px-M16A1wA2Handguards.jpg)
Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Rambo | Various | Karen rebels | 2008 | |
The Departed | Various | Massachusetts State Police at funeral | Fitted with M16A2 hand guards | 2006 |
The Devil's Rejects | Various | Sheriffs deparment and Rejects | 2005 | |
Land of the Dead | Various | Fiddler's Green Soldiers | 2005 | |
The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course | Various | U.S. Army Rangers | Some fitted with M203 grenade launchers | 2002 |
XXX | Unknown actor | Colombian narcotics officer | 2002 | |
Blue Streak | Various | Mexican Border Security Officers | Fitted with M16A2 hand guards | 1999 |
The Pentagon Wars | U.S. Army soldiers | With M16A2 handguards | 1998 | |
The Pentagon Wars | Cary Elwes | Lt. Col. James G. Burton | With magazine removed and M16A2 handguards | 1998 |
Con Air | Various | Convicts and U.S. National Guardsmen | Fitted with M16A2 handguards | 1997 |
The Postman | Various | Holnist soldiers | 1997 | |
Eraser | Various | U.S. Marshalls | Fitted with M16A2 handguards | 1996 |
The Rock | Various | Rogue U.S. Marines | Fitted with M16A2 handguards and tactical flashlights, with & without M203 grenade launchers | 1996 |
Romeo & Juliet | Various | Verona Beach police officers | Some fitted with M16A2 handguards | 1996 |
Species | Background extras | U.S. Soldiers | 1995 | |
Heat | Wes Studi | Detective Casals | Fitted with M16A2 handguards | 1995 |
Hard Boiled | Philip Kwok | Mad Dog | Fitted with M203 grenade launcher | 1992 |
Hard Boiled | Various | Hong Kong police and Johnny Wong's thugs | 1992 | |
Terminator 2: Judgement Day | N/A | N/A | Seen on the walls of Sarah's armory | 1991 |
Toy Soldiers | Various | Colombian soldiers | 1991 | |
Nothing But Trouble | Various | National Guardsmen | 1991 | |
Die Hard 2 | Various | Airport police and U.S. Army Special Forces | The Army team's fitted with M16A2 hand guards | 1990 |
Fire Birds | Various | U.S. Army soldiers | 1990 | |
Total Recall | N/A | N/A | Seen at Kuato's resistance base | 1990 |
A Better Tomorrow III | Chow Yun-Fat | Mark Lee | 1989 | |
A Better Tomorrow III | Anita Mui | Chow Ying Kit | 1989 | |
A Better Tomorrow III | Tony Leung Ka-Fai | Cheung Chi Mun | 1989 | |
A Better Tomorrow III | Various | ARVN soldiers | 1989 | |
Casualties of War | Various | U.S. Army soldiers | 1989 | |
Iron Eagle II | Various | U.S. Military Police | 1988 | |
Extreme Prejudice | Various | Special Unit and cartel members | some with A2 hand guards | 1987 |
Hamburger Hill | Various | U.S. Army 101st Airborne personnel | 1987 | |
Aliens | N/A | N/A | Seen on the walls of the Sulaco's armory | 1986 |
Equalizer 2000 | Various | Gang members | Some fitted with futuristic shells | 1986 |
Heartbreak Ridge | Various | U.S. Marines | With and without MILES gear | 1986 |
Iron Eagle | Various | U.S. Air Force security guards | 1986 | |
The Park is Mine | Various | NYPD S.W.A.T. officers | 1986 | |
Platoon | Charlie Sheen | Pvt. Chris Taylor | 1986 | |
Platoon | Various | U.S. Army soldiers | 1986 | |
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home | Various | U.S. Marines | 1986 | |
Commando | Arnold Schwarzenegger | John Matrix | Alternates with M16 SP1 | 1985 |
Commando | Various | Arius' men and U.S. Army soldiers | Some fitted with M16A2 hand guards | 1985 |
Day of the Dead | Various | U.S. Army soldiers | 1985 | |
Rambo: First Blood Part II | Various | Vietnamese troops and pirates | Some fitted with M16A2 hand guards | 1985 |
Ghostbusters | Various | U.S. National Guardsmen | 1984 | |
The Terminator | Paul Winfield | Lt. Edward Traxler | 1984 | |
The Terminator | Lance Henriksen | Detective Hal Vukovich | 1984 | |
The Terminator | Various | LAPD officers | 1984 | |
Rambo: First Blood | Various | U.S. National Guardsmen | 1982 | |
The Day After | Various | U.S. Air Force Security Police | 1983 | |
Death Wish 2 | Various | Thugs | 1982 | |
The Blues Brothers | Carrie Fisher | Jake's ex-fiance | 1980 | |
The Blues Brothers | Various | State Troopers, Sheriff's Deputies, Chicago Police SWAT, U.S. Army soldiers | 1980 | |
The Final Countdown | Various | U.S. Marines | 1980 | |
Apocalypse Now | Various | U.S. Army soldiers | 1979 | |
The Jerk | M. Emmet Walsh | The Madman | Fitted with scope | 1979 |
Moonraker | Various | Drake launch base guards | 1979 | |
The Odd Angry Shot | Various | Australian SAS troopers | 1979 | |
The Enforcer | Various | SFPD officers | 1976 | |
The Sniper | hong Kong SDU Sniper Team | M16A1 with A2 style handguards and ACOG | 2009 |
Television
Show Title / Episode | Actor | Character | Note | Air Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Harsh Realm | Various | U.S. Army soldiers | Fitted with M16A2 hand guards | 1999-2000 |
Seven Days | Various | U.S. Army personnel | Fitted with M16A2 hand guards, some fitted with Cobray CM203 Flare Launchers, one fitted with a night-vision scope | 1998-2001 |
Bugs | Various | 1995-1999 | ||
The Stand | Gary Sinise | Stud Redman | 1994 | |
The Stand | Various | U.S. Army soldiers | 1994 | |
Tour of Duty | Various | U.S. Army soldiers | 1987-1988 | |
The A-Team | Various | U.S. Army soldiers | 1983-1987 |
Video Games
Game Title | Mods | Notes | Release Date |
---|---|---|---|
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops | 2006 | ||
Scarface: The World is Yours | Can be fitted with M203 grenade launcher | 2006 | |
Project Reality | 2005 | ||
Battlefield: Vietnam | 2004 | ||
Conflict: Vietnam | 2004 | ||
Spec Ops: Ranger Elite | also available with M203 | 2001 | |
Grand Theft Auto III | Fitted with fictional 60-rd magazine | 2001 | |
Command & Conquer: Red Alert | With A2 handguards; used by Allied soldiers in FMV cutscenes only | 1997 | |
Rainbow Six 3: Black Arrow | ACOG Scope | Possibly an A1 fitted with A2 handguards | 2002 |
Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War | With A2 handguards | Seen in cutscene, non-playable | 2004 |
Anime
Character | Film Title | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|
Kochikame, The UFO Movie | |||
Sousuke Sagara | Full Metal Panic | ||
Ulgian Soldiers | Noir | ||
Rally Vincent's Bedroom | Riding Bean | ||
US Army soldiers | Blood+ | ||
Thugs/Mercenaries/US Military | Black Lagoon | 2006/2010 |
Animation
- Seen in the Vietnam War flashback in the Ring Raiders (episode: "The Best Man for the Job is a Woman")
M16A2 Rifle
In contrast to the real world M16A2 rifle adopted by the U.S. Military in the early 1980s, most of the A2s seen in movies are A2 'kits' built on A1 full auto lower receivers (or converted A2 style receivers). Most movie "M16A2" rifles have the A1 Birdcage flash hider installed, since Cinematographers want the "starburst" of the Flash to go all the way around, not just divert upwards (as is the case with the correct A2 Flash hider). In the real world, the fully automatic version of the M16A2 is known as the M16A3, however, because nearly all movie "M16A2s" fire full automatic, it is not IMFDB policy to designate these rifles as "M16A3s" when identifying them in movies, since in nearly all cases they are intended to pass for M16A2s.
Also note that some American movies feature M16A1 rifles fitted with M16A2-style handguards, such as Heat and Die Hard 2. An example of such a rifle can be seen in the M16A1 entry above. When identifying M16 variants, please look at the receiver of the rifle in question, not just its handguards, to determine whether it is an A1 or an A2.
Film
Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shootout | Ron Livingston | Donnie Anderson | 2003 | |
Con Air | John Malkovich | Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom | 1997 | |
Con Air | Ving Rhames | Nathan "Diamond Dog" Jones | 1997 | |
Cloverfield | US Army Soldiers | 2008 | ||
XXX 2: State of the Union | US Marines | 2005 | ||
XXX 2: State of the Union | US Army soldiers | 2005 | ||
The Whole Ten Yards | Bruce Willis | Jimmy "The Tulip" Tudesky | 2004 | |
The Whole Ten Yards | Matthew Perry | Oz | 2004 | |
The Rock | US Marine honor guard | 1996 | ||
I Am Legend | Guard | 2007 | ||
Black Hawk Down | Josh Hartnett | SSGT. Matt Eversmann | 2001 | |
Black Hawk Down | Ewan McGregor | SPC. John Grimes | With M203 grenade launcher | 2001 |
Black Hawk Down | Johnny Strong | SFC Randy Shughart | 2001 | |
Black Hawk Down | Carmine Giovinazzo | SGT. Mike Goodale | 2001 | |
Black Hawk Down | Matthew Marsden | SPC. Dale Sizemore | 2001 | |
Black Hawk Down | Gregory Sporleder | SGT. Scott Galentine | 2001 | |
Black Hawk Down | Brian Van Holt | SGT. Struecker | 2001 | |
Black Hawk Down | Enrique Murciano | SSGT. Ruiz | With Cobray CM203 | 2001 |
Black Hawk Down | US Army Rangers | 2001 | ||
War of the Worlds | US Army soldiers | With & without Surefire Universal weaponlight | 2005 | |
War of the Worlds | US Marines | 2005 | ||
Jarhead | Jake Gyllenhaal | Anthony "Swoff" Swofford | 2005 | |
Jarhead | Jamie Foxx | SSGT. Sykes | With & without paintball conversion | 2005 |
Jarhead | Lucas Black | LCPL. Chris Kruger | 2005 | |
Jarhead | Laz Alonso | LCPL. Ramon Escobar | With Cobra CM203 | 2005 |
Jarhead | Brian Geraghty | Fergus | With & without M203 grenade launcher | 2005 |
Jarhead | Peter Sarsgaard | Troy | With M203 grenade launcher/Cobray CM203 | 2005 |
Jarhead | US Marines | 2005 | ||
Bad Boys II | US Marines | 2003 | ||
Bad Boys II | [[Miami PD officers | 2003 | ||
Three Kings | Mark Wahlberg | SFC Troy Barlow | 1999 | |
Three Kings | Ice Cube | SSGT. "Chief" Elgin | 1999 | |
Three Kings | US Army soldiers | 1999 | ||
The Siege | US Army soldiers | 1998 | ||
The Pest | John Leguizamo | Pestario "Pest" Vargas | 1997 | |
The Day After Tomorrow | US Army soldier | 2004 | ||
Clear and Present Danger | US Army soldiers | 1994 | ||
Die Another Day | US military personnel | 2002 | ||
Die Another Day | South Korean Military Police | 2002 | ||
A Man Apart | Guard | 2003 | ||
Bulletproof | LAPD SWAT officers | 1996 | ||
Bulletproof | DEA agents | 1996 | ||
Volcano | Army National Guard soldiers | 1997 | ||
Godzilla | US Army soldiers | 1998 | ||
Courage Under Fire | Meg Ryan | CPT. Karen Emma Walden | 1996 | |
Courage Under Fire | Seth Gilliam | SGT. Steven Altameyer | 1996 | |
Courage Under Fire | US Army soldiers | 1996 | ||
The Core | US military personnel | 2003 | ||
X-Men: The Last Stand | US Army soldiers | 2006 | ||
Independence Day | US military personnel | 1996 | ||
Armageddon | US military personnel | 1998 | ||
GoldenEye | US Marines | 1995 | ||
Jurassic Park | Guards | With & wouthout barrel-mounted weaponlights | 1993 | |
Jurassic Park III | US Marines | 2001 | ||
Battle Royale II: Requiem | Japanese soldiers | 2003 | ||
Bobby Z | Laurence Fishburne | Tad Gruzsa | 2007 | |
Lord of War | Seen in warehouse | 2005 | ||
The Departed | Police honor guard | 2006 | ||
Behind Enemy Lines | US Marines | 2001 | ||
Blood Diamond | Sierra Leone Army soldiers | 2006 | ||
Blood Diamond | South African mercenaries | 2006 | ||
Eraser | US Marshal | 1996 | ||
Stone Cold | Soldiers | 1991 | ||
Tears of the Sun | US Marines | 2003 | ||
Swordfish | Police officer | 2001 | ||
Bangkok Dangerous | Police sniper | With scope, Harris bipod, and cheekpad | 2008 | |
Babylon A.D. | Neolite | 2008 | ||
Dreamcatcher | US Army soldiers | 2003 | ||
In the Army Now | Pauly Shore | PFC Bones Conway | 1994 | |
The Sum of All Fears | US Marines | With & without M203 grenade launcher | 2002 | |
Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia | Colombian Army soldiers | 2009 | ||
Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia | Rogue unit | 2009 | ||
The Sniper | Hong Kong SDU sniper team | With scopes on carry handles | 2009 | |
Crank: High Voltage | Stripper | 2009 | ||
In the Line of Duty: The FBI Murders | Michael Gross | William Matrix | 1988 | |
Home of the Brave | Brian Presley | SPC. Tommy Yates | 2006 | |
Home of the Brave | US Army soldiers | 2006 |
Television
- Nicki Lynn Aycox as Pvt. Brenda 'Mrs. B' Mitchell in Over There
- Lizette Carrin as PFC Esmaralda 'Doublewide' Del Rio in Over There
- Pittsburg P.D. officers and an armored van driver in The Kill Point
- U.S. Military personnel in JAG
- U.S. Army soldiers in The Unit
- Various characters in Jericho
- Various characters in Seven Days
- Militant extremists in Star Trek: Voyager (episode: "Future's End")
- U.S. Marines in CSI: NY (episode: "Heroes", fitted with ACOG scopes, several having M203 grenade launchers)
- Nigerian soldiers in Burn Notice
- U.S. Marines and R. Lee Ermy in Mail Call.
Video Games
Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Release Date |
---|---|---|---|
50 Cent: Bulletproof | 2005 | ||
GoldenEye 007 | As the "AR33" | Erroneously shown capable of full auto fire | 1997 |
Operation Flashpoint | With and without M203 grenade launcher | 2001 | |
Battlefield 2 | With and without M203 grenade launcher | 2005 | |
Conflict: Desert Storm II: Back to Baghdad | With M203 grenade launcher | 2003 | |
America's Army | Can be fitted with M203 grenade launcher | 2002 | |
Postal 2 | 2003 | ||
The Punisher | As the "5.56mm Assault Rifle" | With optional M203 grenade launcher and night-vision scope, incorrectly shown capable of full auto fire | 2005 |
Project I.G.I | 2000 | ||
Project IGI 2: Covert Strike | With M203 grenade launcher | 2003 | |
Left 4 Dead | Assault Rifle | With barrel-mounted weaponlight 50-round magazine |
2008 |
Left 4 Dead 2 | M-16 Assault Rifle | With barrel-mounted weaponlight and optional laser sight 50-round magazine |
2009 |
ArmA II | 2009 | ||
Command & Conquer | Seen on box art only, non-playable | 1995 | |
Far Cry 2 | As the "M16A3" | Seen in a magazine and on posters, non-playable | 2008 |
Delta Force: Black Hawk Down | Available w/ M203 grenade launcher | 2003 | |
Joint Operations: Typhoon Rising | Available w/ M203 grenade launcher | 2004 |
Anime
M16A4 Rifle
The M16A4 is often mistaken as an M16A3 w/ RIS rails. This is not true. The M16A3 is a full auto M16A2 with the standard A2 upper receiver and barrel. The Flat top with removable carry handle and RAS rails only appear on the A4s. Also the A4 is a 3-round burst rifle like the A2. As is the case with the A2 rifle, all movie/TV appearances of the 'flat top' M16 are full auto, not three round burst, since no director wants to see only three rounds fire at a time. So these are, again, A4 uppers built on full auto lower receivers. Despite the fact that the real world A4 is a three round burst rifle, IMFDB will still refer to the movie incarnations as A4s, since that is the rifle they are supposed to represent on film.
Film
Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Legion | Paul Bettany | Michael | fitted with an M203 grenade launcher | 2010 |
The Incredible Hulk | U.S. Army soldiers | 2008 | ||
28 Weeks Later | U.S. Army soldiers | 2007 | ||
Home of the Brave | Sgt. First Class Duhon | With EOTech red dot sight | 2006 | |
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | U.S. military personnel | With ACOG scopes, Surefire Universal weaponlights, and RIS foregrips | 2009 |
Television
Actor | Character | Show Title / Episode | Note | Air Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
U.S. Marines | CSI: Miami / "Come As You Are" | With ACOG scope, Surefire Universal weaponlight, RIS foregrip, and AN/PEQ-2 IR designator | 2002 - ???? | |
Miami-Dade P.D. officer | CSI: Miami / "Seeing Red" | With EOTech red dot sight | 2002 - ???? | |
New Bern residents | Jericho | 2006 - 2008 | ||
Beck's soldiers | Jericho | With and without M68 Aimpoint scope and Surefire weaponlight | 2006 - 2008 | |
U.S. Army soldier | The Unit | 2006 - 2009 |
Video Games
Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Release Date |
---|---|---|---|
Project Reality | With optional M68 Aimpoint red dot & ACOG scopes and M203 grenade launcher | 2005 | |
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare | With optional Sure Shot red dot sight and M203 grenade launcher, erroneously shown as capable of full auto fire | 2007 | |
Insurgency | With or without M203 grenade launcher | 2007 | |
Combat Arms | As the "M-16A3" | Erroneously shown as capable of both full auto and 3-round burst fire | 2008 |
ArmA II | With AN/PEQ-2 IR designator, ACOG scope, and M203 grenade launcher | 2009 | |
America's Army 3 | With optional M68 Aimpoint scope, Surefire weaponlight, or Heckler & Koch M320 grenade launcher | 2009 | |
America's Army 3 | As the "M16A4 DMR" | With M150 ACOG scope and semi-auto fire only | 2009 |
Ghost Recon | As the "M16A2" | With M68 Aimpoint scope and optional M203 grenade launcher | 2001 |
America's Army: True Soldiers | With M68 Aimpoint red dot scope and M203 grenade launcher | 2007 | |
Modern Warfare 2 | With a variety of accessories | 2009 | |
Marines: Modern Urban Combat | With ACOG scope and optional M203 grenade launcher | 2010 |
Colt AR-15 Sporter-1
Films
Television
Colt AR-15 Sporter Carbine
![](/images/thumb/e/e4/Colt-Sporter-I-Carbine.jpg/500px-Colt-Sporter-I-Carbine.jpg)
![](/images/thumb/a/a8/ColtSporterIICarbine.jpg/500px-ColtSporterIICarbine.jpg)
Films
- Ben Stiller as Tugg Speedman and others in Tropic Thunder
- This info is incorrect. Speedman's rifle, though a 16" carbine is not either a Sporter I or Sporter II. MoviePropMaster2008 19:54, 11 October 2009 (UTC)
Television
Actor | Character | Show Title / Episode | Note | Air Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Different Actors | U.S. Army soldiers | X-Files, The | Mocked up to look like M16A2 | 1993 - 2002 |
Diemaco C7/Colt Model 715
Known as the Colt Model 715 in the United States, the Diemaco C7 is a Canadian license-built version of the M16 that was developed in tandem with the M16A2, but retains the rear sight and the automatic firing mode of the earlier M16A1, with the further addition of a heavier barrel and brass deflector. The original C7 was gradually replaced by the C7A1 in Canadian service during the mid 1990s, eliminating the carrying handle in favor of a Weaver rail system and a 3.5x ELCAN optical sight. The C7A2 is a mid-life upgrade of the C7A1 that adds a 4-position M4-style stock, a new handguard and pistol grip in OD green, and a Triad rail system that allows for the mounting of additional accessories such as RIS foregrips or AN/PEQ-2 laser illumination devices.
NOTE: Diemaco (currently Colt Canada) does not permit sale of their weapons to civilians (including film armorers), so C7s in films is near impossible to see. However, several AR-15 manufacturers built identically-configured rifles with the same receiver style, which were usually marketed as "budget" alternatives to their M16A2 clones. Colt manufactured the Model 715, while Olympic Arms manufactured its own version, the K4B (which is currently sold as the "Plinker Plus 20"). Most of the "C7" rifles appearing in movies and TV shows are the older-model (pre-1994) Olympic Arms K4B rifles; these guns are evidently preferred by the armorers in Vancouver, British Columbia and have been featured on TV shows such as Stargate: SG1, The X-Files, Millennium, and Viper. If the movie or TV show you are watching was filmed in British Columbia, chances are that you're seeing a converted Olympic Arms K4B, and not a genuine C7.
Film
Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Walking Tall | Ex-Deputy | With Beta-C drum magazine | 2004 | |
Operation Dumbo Drop | Green Berets,US Soldiers,ARVN | Mocked up as M16A1 | 1995 |
Television
Actor | Character | Show Title / Episode | Note | Air Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Various | U.S. Army soldiers | Harsh Realm | 1999 | |
Various | Repblican Guard Special Forces | Harsh Realm | 1999 | |
Various | Cherokee rebels | Harsh Realm | 1999 | |
Various | Survivalists/other characters | Millennium | 1997 - 2007 | |
Various | U.S.A.F. personnel | Stargate: SG1 | 1997 - 2007 | |
Various | U.S. military personnel/various bad guys | Viper | 1996 - 1999 | |
Viper / "Diamond in the Rough" | With 20-round magazine and Cobray CM203 launcher | 1996 - 1999 | ||
Various | Villains | Viper | 1996 - 1999 | |
Armored van robber | The Sentinel / "Love and Guns" | with Cobray CM203 | 1996 - 1999 | |
Richard Burgi | Det. Jim Ellison | The Sentinel / "Siege" | 1996 - 1999 |
Video Games
Game Title | Referred as | Mods | Notation | Release Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jagged Alliance 2 | C-7 | 1999 | ||
Project Reality | C7A2, with ELCAN scope | 2005 |
M16 with M203 Grenade Launcher
NOTE: In some movies and TV shows, the Cobray 37mm Launcher is used to impersonate the M203. For a list of ways to tell the two launchers apart, visit the Cobray 37mm Launcher page.
![](/images/thumb/7/74/M16M203PredatorCombo.jpg/500px-M16M203PredatorCombo.jpg)
![](/images/thumb/f/f3/M16wM203.jpg/500px-M16wM203.jpg)
Film
Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Scarface | Al Pacino | Tony Montana | M16A1, with two magazines taped together "jungle style" | 1983 |
Predator | Arnold Schwarzenegger | Dutch | AR-15/SP1 | 1987 |
Police Academy 6: City Under Siege | David Graf | Eugene Tackleberry | M16A1 | 1989 |
Jarhead | Peter Sarsgaard | Troy | M16A2 | 2005 |
Jarhead | Brian Geraghty | Fergus | M16A2 | 2005 |
Jarhead | Laz Alonso | LCpl. Ramon Escobar | M16A2 | 2005 |
The Boondock Saints | M16A1, hanging on wall | 1999 | ||
Black Hawk Down | Ewan McGregor | Spc. John Grimes | M16A2 | 2001 |
Black Hawk Down | Enrique Murciano | Sgt. Ruiz | M16A2 | 2001 |
Hard Boiled | Philip Kwok | Mad Dog | M16A1 | 1992 |
Clear and Present Danger | Jaime Gomez | Sgt. Julio Vega | M16A1 | 1994 |
Clear and Present Danger | Reciprocity team member | M16A2 | 1994 | |
Heartbreak Ridge | Rodney Hill | Collins | AR-15/SP1 | 1986 |
The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course | US Army Ranger | M16A1 | 2002 | |
Tomorrow Never Dies | Henchmen | M16A2, with Beta-C drum magazines | 1997 | |
American Gangster | M16A1 | 2007 | ||
The Rock | Bokeem Woodbine | Sgt. Crisp | M16A1 | 1996 |
The Rock | Tony Todd | Cpt. Darrow | Switches between AR-16/SP1 and M16A1 | 1996 |
The Rock | Rogue Marines | M16A1 | 1996 | |
Without a Paddle | Seth Green | Dan | M16A1 | 2004 |
Without a Paddle | Ethan Suplee | Elwood | M16A1 | 2004 |
The One That Got Away | Paul McGann | Chris Ryan | AR-15/SP1, with camouflage paint scheme | 1996 |
Bravo Two Zero | Sean Bean | Andy McNab | M16A2, with camouflage paint scheme and compass attached to handguard | 1999 |
Bravo Two Zero | Kevin Collins | Chris Ryan | M16A2, with camouflage paint scheme | 1999 |
Sniper 2 | M16A1, with scope mounted on carry handle | 2002 | ||
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home | US Marine | M16A1 | 1986 | |
In the Army Now | Pauly Shore | Bones Conway | M16A1, promotional material only | 1994 |
The Punisher | Thomas Jane | Frank Castle | M16A2, promotional material only | 2004 |
The Sum of All Fears | US Marine | M16A2 | 2002 | |
Legion | Paul Bettany | Michael | Switches between M16A2 and M16A4 | 2010 |
Television
Actor | Character | Show Title / Episode | Note | Air Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Various | U.S. Army soldiers | The Unit | Mounted on M16A2 | 2006 - 2009 |
Kieran Mulroney | Cpl. Mick Kirkland | Seven Days / "Daddy's Little Girl" | Mounted on M16A1, with and without night vision scope | 1998 - 2001 |
Todd Kimsey | Lt. Willis | Seven Days / "Daddy's Little Girl" | Mounted on M16A1, with and without night vision scope | 1998 - 2001 |
Gary Dourdan | Sgt. Mohmand | Seven Days / "Daddy's Little Girl" | Mounted on M16A1, with and without night vision scope | 1998 - 2001 |
Various | U.S. Marines | CSI: NY / "Heroes" | Mounted on M16A2, with ACOG scope | 2004- ???? |
George Peppard | Col. John "Hannibal" Smith | The A-Team / "The Sound of Thunder" | Mounted on AR-15/SP1 | 1983 - 1988 |
Video Games
Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Release Date |
---|---|---|---|
Battlefield 2 | Mounted on M16A2 | 2005 | |
Spec Ops: Ranger Elite | on M16A1 | 2001 | |
Project Reality | Mounted on M16A4, with optional ACOG scope | 2005 | |
America's Army | Mounted on M16A2 | 2002 | |
Operation Flashpoint | Mounted on M16A2 | 2001 | |
Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising | Mounted on M16A4, with AN/PEQ-2 IR designator | 2009 | |
ArmA II | Mounted on M16A4, with AN/PEQ-2 IR designator and ACOG scope | 2009 | |
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare | Mounted on M16A4 | 2007 | |
Ghost Recon | Mounted on M16A4 | 2001 | |
Insurgency | Mounted on M16A4 | 2007 | |
America's Army: True Soldiers | Mounted on M16A4, with optional M68 Aimpoint red dot scope | 2007 | |
007: Agent Under Fire | As the "Windsor FSU-4" | Mounted on M16A1 | 2001 |
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 | As the "M16A2" | Mounted on M16A4 | 2010 |
Marines: Modern Urban Combat | Mounted on M16A4, with ACOG scope | 2010 |
Anime
Character | Film Title | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|
Asano | Mezzo DSA | Mounted on M16A1 | 2004 |
U.S. soldier | Blood+ | Mounted on M16A2 | 2005 - 2006 |
Colt XM177/CAR-15/Commando Series
![](/images/thumb/8/83/FakeXM177.jpg/500px-FakeXM177.jpg)
![](/images/thumb/8/87/CAR-15Rifle.jpg/500px-CAR-15Rifle.jpg)
During the Vietnam War, Colt made several short barreled carbines that were fielded. The Colt Model 607 (a line of carbines that would eventually be called the CAR-15 in the US Market) was designated the XM177 in Vietnam. It had a 10" barrel and a slab side receiver just like the original AR-15s. The Colt Model 609 was designated the XM177E1, where they added a forward assist, upgraded breakdown pin assembly and a chromed chamber (the same modifications made to the A1 upgrade of the M16 rifle). This version was also where they started stamping the receivers "Commando", thus known as the "Colt Commando" back in the States. The Colt Model 610 was a version built for the USAF security forces, and was called the XM177 GAU-5/A or when formally adopted by the US Air Force, 'the GAU-5/A ' (which is why the gun is seen on the show Stargate: SG1 since the USAF used the carbine until recently). The Colt Model 629 was officially designated the XM177E2 having changed the barrel from 10" to 11.5" and slightly changing the flash hider/sound suppressor. This is the version most seen as replica and airsoft guns throughout the world.
The XM177 was adopted by the US Air force during the vietnam war and is still used by the USAF. The XM177E1 and the XM177E2 was adopted by the US Army and is no longer used.
Movie Armorer's note: Since the ATF viewed the flashhider of the XM177 as a 'silencer' due to the sound baffles within the item, it was as strictly controlled as any other silencer. Also the interior design of the flash hider / sound suppressor of the XM177 made it difficult to adapt to fire movie blanks. Thus there are virtually NO real XM177s used in movies. Most of the versions seen in films are modified commercial SP1 Carbines/M16 shorties with 'fake' XM177 flash hiders slipped over or welded to the end of the barrel. Also movie armorers used aftermarket barreled uppers by third party manufacturers and mated them to existing fully automatic lower receivers, thus were constantly swapping parts to build up guns which were requested by movie directors. So it is possible to see various upper receiver assemblies on recognizable M16/A1/A2 lower receivers.
Film
- Sean Connery as John Mason, Nicolas Cage as Stanley Goodspeed, and Rogue US Recon Marines in The Rock (fitted with tactical flashlights and/or M203 Grenade Launchers)
- M.O.I. Swat teams in Brazil
- Richard Norton in Equalizer 2000 (heavily modified to look somewhat futuristic)
- Leonardo DiCaprio as Danny Archer in Blood Diamond (with Aimpoint M3 red-dot sight and camouflage paint) (unknown variant; A2 receiver with XM177-style front end)
- Colonel Coetzee (Arnold Vosloo)'s men in Blood Diamond (with Aimpoint M3 red-dot sight and camouflage paint) (unknown variant; A2 receiver with XM177-style front end)
- Counter-terrorist teams in Toy Soldiers
- Shadow Company goons and Gary Busey as Mr. Joshua in Lethal Weapon (Busey using one with a scope as well as with and without 'jungle-style' taped magazines)
- Drug runners in Bad Boys II
- U.S. military personnel in Die Another Day
- N.Y.P.D. SWAT in The Park is Mine
- Bucho's henchmen in Desperado
- Reciprocity team members in Clear and Present Danger
- N.Y.P.D. SWAT commander in The Park is Mine
- Danny Glover as Lt. Mike Harrigan in Predator 2, (fitted with M203 grenade launcher)
- U.S. Navy SEALs in Navy SEALs
- Michael Biehn as Lt. Curran in Navy SEALs (fitted with M203 grenade launcher)
- John Castle as Paul McDaggart in RoboCop 3
- Arnold Schwarzenegger as Ben Richards in The Running Man
- A Chicago P.D. SWAT sniper in The Fugitive
- Judd Nelson as Nick in New Jack City
- Navy Seals in Hot Shots! Part Deux
- Ramon Cota's men in Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection(Fitted with M203 grenade launchers)
- Dean Norris as Det. Sgt. Goodhart, Charles Boswell as Jack Axel in Hard to Kill
- FBI HRT members in The Cell
- Valri Bromfield as 'Miss Purdah' in Nothing But Trouble (She carries both a civilian CAR-15 and an XM177E2.)
Television
Actor | Character | Show Title / Episode | Note | Air Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Raymond Cruz | Rodriguez | Seven Days / "Daddy's Little Girl" | Mocked-up weapons with M16A2-style receivers | 1998 - 2001 |
Various | U.S. Army soldiers | Seven Days | Mocked-up weapons with M16A2-style receivers | 1998 - 2001 |
Various | NNL Personnel | Seven Days | Mocked-up weapons with M16A2-style receivers | 1998 - 2001 |
Terence Knox | Sgt 1st Class Clayton "Zeke" Anderson | Tour of Duty | 1987 - 1989 |
Video Games
- The World Is Not Enough (as the "Mustang MAR-4", available with an M203 grenade launcher as the "Mustang MAR-4 GL")
- Operation Flashpoint (XM-177E2)
- Max Payne series
Colt Carbine/Model 653/Model 727/Model 733
After 1973 Colt made several lightweight versions of the M16 and Commando rifles for use with Police and Security forces, as well as civilian sales worldwide. It had the features of the XM177 rifle series, including the telescoping stock, but had either a 14.5" or a 16" lightweight barrel, depending on the demands of the customer, whether domestic or foreign. It was NOT correct for Viet Nam, despite what the movie Platoon portrays. Though 'unofficially' called the "M16 Shorty" by some writers and shooters, the 16" barreled lightweight carbine was never adopted formally by the US Military, and thus never had an "M" or "XM" designation. It was used in the U.S. by Federal and local law enforcement.
Colt also made the Model 733, which was a 11.5" barreled version of the Model 653, intended for Tactical police and security work. Later manufactured versions of both guns had A2 style heavy barrels. The Model 723 was a 733 designed for export for the UAE and used by US Delta Force.
What is confusing is that other manufacturers made all sorts of modified short barreled AR-15 rifles for the Police and Civilian markets throughout the years. Colt themselves bastardized so many of their rifles throughout the years, swapping particular uppers with different lowers so that there will always be exceptions to the rule. The explosion of custom and unique looking AR-15 rifles in the 1980s and 1990s has led to a lot of confusion regarding what rifle is in what movie.
Film
- Willem Dafoe as Sergeant Elias K. Grodin in Platoon (M653)
- Tom Berenger as Sgt. Bob Barnes in Platoon (M653)
- Robert De Niro as Neil McCauley in Heat (M733)
- Val Kilmer as Chris Shiherlis in Heat (M733)
- Michael Paul Chan as U.N. Cultural Attache of China Xian Chen in U.S. Marshals ((Colt AR-15 Carbine, Civilian version of the Colt M653); fitted with Aimpoint 9000 SC red dot scope and silencer)
- Delta Force operators and Ron Eldard as Mike Durant in Black Hawk Down (M727 and M733, fitted with various accessories including M68 Aimpoint red dot scopes, silencers, tactical flashlights, and camouflage paint)
- Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor in Terminator 2: Judgement Day (fitted with silencer, laser sight, and ACOG scope, and a standard issue one on the freeway shootout) (Supposed to be an XM177E2 but was Commercial Colt version of the Model 653 with a fake slip on flash hider)
- Arnold Schwarzenegger as the T-800 in Terminator 2: Judgement Day (Supposed to be an XM177E2 but was Commercial Colt version of the Model 653 with a fake slip on flash hider)
- Models at the Berlin Arms Fair in Lord of War (M653 and M723)
- Brazilian cops (BOPE members) in Elite Squad
- Brad Whitaker (Joe Don Baker) in The Living Daylights (fitted with a transparent bullet-proof shield) (M733)
- Hugh Jackman as James Howlett in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (M733)
- A Navy SEAL in Hot Shots! Part Deux (fitted with a M203) (M653)
- Special Forces soldiers in Green Zone (With Aimpoint sights and Surefire Universal tactical lights) (M727)
Television
- Johnathan LaPaglia as Frank Parker in Seven Days (episode "The Fire Last Time", M733)
- Michael Gross as Burt Gummer in Tremors: The Series (episodes "Shriek and Destroy" and "Night of the Shriekers", M653)
- Victor Browne as Tyler Reed in Tremors: The Series (episode "Night of the Shriekers", M653)
- Pittsburg P.D. SWAT in The Kill Point (M653, fitted with Surefire M500AB weaponlights)
Video Games
Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Release Date |
---|---|---|---|
Project Reality | "M16A1 Menosar" | Model 653 | 2005 |
Project Reality | "M16A1 Mekotzrar" | Model 733, with A1-style upper reciever | 2005 |
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City | "M4" | Model 733 | 2002 |
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas | "M4" | Model 733 | 2004 |
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories | "M4" | Model 733 | 2005 |
Delta Force: Black Hawk Down | "CAR-15" | Model 727 | 2003 |
AR-15 Carbine
The AR-15 (for Armalite model 15)Carbine is the common name for the widely-owned semi-automatic rifle which soon afterwards became the selective fire M16 and M4 carbine assault rifles, which are currently in use by the United States military. AR-15 was the original name for what became the militarily designated M16, the assault rifle first used by the U.S. in the Vietnam War. The name AR-15 is now used almost exclusively to refer to the semi-automatic (commercially available) civilian version(s) of the M16 and M4 assault rifles. Standard AR-15 rifles accept detachable magazines of widely varying capacities, and have a pistol grip that protrudes beneath the stock. AR-15 rifles are highly configurable and customizable. They are commonly fitted with several accessories such as bipods, folding or collapsing stocks, threaded barrels for the attachment of a flash suppressor, and a rail system for the attachment of vertical grips, flashlights, laser sights, telescopic sights, etc. The AR-15 consists of separate upper and lower receiver assemblies, which are attached with two through-pins and can be quickly interchanged with no tools. The upper receiver assembly is simply considered a part, and may be freely purchased and mail-ordered in most locations. This is a very attractive feature for enthusiasts, who often purchase a number of upper receivers (often in different calibers) and interchange them with the same lower receiver. However, one must be thoroughly familiar with firearms laws before doing this as it is possible to make an illegal configuration.
Films
- Freddy Rodriguez as El Wray in Planet Terror
M4/M4A1 Carbine
The M4 Carbine is a 14.5" barreled select fire Assault Rifle. It has a distinctive 'step down' in the barrel to allow for mounting the M203 grenade launcher. Many of them in the battlefield are customized with forearm rails (usually holding the AN/PEQ-2 IR designator, a vertical forward grip, sometimes a flashlight, or one of many types of rifle scopes and red-dot or reflex optics). The M4 has three round burst capability, while the M4A1 has full auto fire capability. The very earliest M4s delivered to the U.S. Army had fixed carry handles and were known in Colt's catalog as the Model 777; however, soon after, the military started buying the Model 920, which featured a detachable carry handle, but continued to call these guns "M4s". Contrary to popular misconception, the carry handles on most M4s and M4A1s are detachable, and most of these carbines are used with the carry handle removed, and a folding rear sight and optic being attached to the receiver instead. As far as the procurement program has always been concerned, the burst/auto capability is the only difference between an M4 and M4A1, however, the M4A1 also utilizes a heavier barrel profile under the handguards in order to prevent the barrel from rapidly overheating during fully automatic fire.
What is confusing is that many civilian commercial makers of AR-15 style rifles call their 16" Carbine "The M4". Though there is no rule saying they can't name their gun whatever they want, the official M4 is the version used and originally issued by the U.S. Army and built by Colt. Colt tried to sue other gun makers to stop using the term 'M4' however, it was ruled that M4 refers to a type of firearm and Colt cannot copyright the term.
Film
- Boston P.D. S.W.A.T. officers in Edge of Darkness (2010)
- Kohl Sudduth as Officer Luther 'Suitcase' Simpson in Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise (2006)
- Jeremy Renner as Sergeant First Class William James in The Hurt Locker
- Matt Damon as Roy Miller in Green Zone
- "Company Men" in Mr. & Mrs. Smith
- Gary Oldman as Ivan Korshunov in Air Force One (fitted with C-More Sight)
- Jeremy Renner as Brian Gamble, his men, and L.A. Police SWAT in S.W.A.T. (fitted with ACOG scopes and Surefire M500AB weaponlights)
- TNT and rescue team members in Bad Boys II
- SWAT officers and Nick Stahl as John Connor in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (fitted with various accessories including Surefire M500AB weaponlights and C-More red dot sights)
- Miami P.D. SWAT in Transporter 2
- Robbie Gee as Kahn in Underworld (fitted with a scope and a Surefire M500AB weaponlight)
- Child recruits in Soldier (fitted with C-More red dot sights)
- Ray Stevenson as Frank Castle in Punisher: War Zone (fitted with a red dot sight, a sound suppresser, and a short version of the AG36 grenade launcher).
- Robert Downey Jr. as Kirk Lazarus in Tropic Thunder.
- U.S. Army Soldiers in Cloverfield
- U.S. Army Soldiers in Transformers (fitted with ACOG scopes, AN/PEQ-2 IR designators, and RIS foregrips, some having custom camo paint schemes)
- Resistance members in Children of Men
- Carver's henchmen in Tomorrow Never Dies
- NSA Agents in XXX: State of the Union (fitted with Surefire M500AB weaponlights)
- Marton Csokas as Yorgi, Jan Pavel Filipensky as Viktor, and Yorgi's henchmen in XXX (fitted with M68 Aimpoint scopes, Beta-C mags, and RIS foregrips, Yorgi using one with a Surefire M900 weaponlight foregrip)
- William Stryker (Brian Cox)'s men in X2: X-Men United (fitted with RIS foregrips, laser pointers, and tactical flashlights)
- U.S. Army soldiers including Jeremy Renner as Doyle in 28 Weeks Later (Renner using one fitted with RIS foregrip, EO-Tech red dot sight, and a night vision scope)
- Vin Diesel as Toorop in Babylon A.D.
- Used by Marines and SRT in Resident Evil Degeneration
- U.S. Army soldiers in Lions for Lambs
- A Secret Service agent in The Sentinel (fitted with M68 Aimpoint scope)
- U.S. Soldiers in Dreamcatcher
- U.S. Army soldiers and SWAT in Dragon Wars: D-War (fitted with M68 Aimpoint scopes and RIS foregrips)
- U.S. military personnel in The Sum of All Fears (fitted with Trijicon RX01 red dot sight)
- US Navy SEALS and the Colombian Rogue Unit in Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia
- SAS Commandos in 31 North 62 East
- FBI HRT members in The Cell
- U.S. Army soldiers in The Crazies
Television
- U.S. Army soldiers and an Iraqi civilian in Over There (fitted with RIS foregrip and AN/PEQ-2 laser system)
- Keith Robinson as Pvt. Avery "Angel" King in Over There (fitted with RIS foregrip, AN/PEQ-2 laser system, and ACOG scope)
- U.S. military personnel in Stargate: SG1
- Pittsburgh P.D. SWAT officers on The Kill Point
- U.S. military regulars and Unit members in The Unit
- Ravenwood mercenaries in Jericho (fitted with RIS foregrips, tactical flashlights, and M68 Aimpoint scopes)
- Several terrorists and a thug in Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
- Fake U.S. Marines in Jericho (episode "Semper Fidelis", fitted with AN/PEQ-2 laser systems and M68 Aimpoint scopes)
- Keifer Sutherland as Agent Jack Bauer and most CTU Tactical Team members in 24
- Miami P.D. SWAT in CSI: Miami
- SWAT in Heroes
- Las Vegas P.D. SWAT in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (fitted with Surefire M500AB weaponlights and M68 Aimpoint scopes)
- Various SAS troopers in Primeval (fitted with RIS foregrip, flip-up rear sight and ACOG scope)
- N.Y.P.D. SWAT in The Unusuals
Video Games
- ArmA: Armed Assault (can be fitted with M68 Aimpoint scope and RIS foregrip)
- America's Army (can be fitted with M68 Aimpoint red dot and ACOG scopes, Harris bipod, silencer, Trijicon RX01 red dot sight, and M203 grenade launcher)
- America's Army 3 (can be fitted with M68 Aimpoint red dot scope)
- Battlefield 2 (with M68 Aimpoint scope and flip-up rear sight)
- Counter-Strike (as the "Maverick M4A1 Carbine")
- Counter-Strike: Condition Zero (as the "Maverick M4A1 Carbine")
- Counter Strike: Source (as the "Maverick M4A1 Carbine")
- Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (can be fitted with optional M203 grenade launcher, red dot sight, or ACOG scope)
- U.S. Army Soldiers in Combat Mission: Shock Force (with M68 Aimpoint sight and optional M203 grenade launcher)
- Far Cry (as the "M4 Assault Weapon," despite being an M4A1)
- Far Cry Instincts: Predator (with C-More red dot sight, silencer, and camo paint scheme)
- Counter-Strike Online (as the "Maverick M4A1 Carbine",with plastic,camouflage,dragon and gold finishes)
- ArmA II (with M68 Aimpoint scope and RIS handguards)
- SWAT 4 (with Surefire M500AB weaponlight and vertical foregrip)
- Insurgency (with M68 Aimpoint scope or RIS foregrip)
- Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction (as the "Carbine")
- Mercenaries 2: World In Flames (as the "Carbine")
- Saints Row (as the "AR40 Xtnd," despite being an M4A1)
- Saints Row 2 (as the "AR40 Xtnd," despite being an M4A1)
- Army of TWO (can be fitted with folding stock, M203 grenade launcher, box magazine, folding stock, and SIR rail system.)
Anime
Character | Film Title | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|
Kochikame, The UFO Movie | |||
Sousuke Sagara | Full Metal Panic | ||
1st Division operators | Ga-rei: Zero | 2008 |
M4/M4A1 with M203 Grenade Launcher
![](/images/thumb/d/df/CM4-M203.jpg/500px-CM4-M203.jpg)
Film
- Eamonn Walker as Ellis "Zee" Pettigrew and Paul Francis as Danny "Doc" Kelley in Tears of the Sun (fitted with M68 Aimpoint scopes)
- U.S. Army soldiers in War of the Worlds (fitted with M68 Aimpoint and ACOG scopes, C-More red dot sights, and AN/PEQ-2 laser systems)
- Thomas Jane as Frank Castle in The Punisher (fitted with M68 Aimpoint Close Combat Optic)
- Götz Otto as Richard Stamper in Tomorrow Never Dies
- Jake La Botz as Reese in Rambo (fitted with ACOG scope and camo paint scheme)
- Henry Ian Cusick as Udre Belicoff in Hitman
- Tyrese Gibson as TSgt. Bobby Epps in Transformers (with ACOG scope and camouflage paint scheme)
- A U.S. Marine in The Sum of All Fears (with Trijicon RX01 red dot sight)
Television
Actor | Character | Show Title / Episode | Note | Air Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dennis Haysbert | Sgt.Maj. Jonas "Snake Doctor" Blane | The Unit | With various optics and attachments | 2006 - 2009 |
Various | U.S. Army soldiers | The Unit | 2006 - 2009 | |
Luke MacFarlane | Pvt. Frank "Dim" Dumphy | Over There | With an M68 red dot sight, AN/PEQ-2 IR designator, and M203 Grenade Launcher | 2005 |
Alexander Skarsgard | Sgt. Brad "Iceman" Colbert | Generation Kill | With AN/PVS-17 night-vision and ACOG scopes and AN/PEQ-2 IR designator | 2008 |
Brian Wade | Cpt. Craig "Encino Man" Schwetje | Generation Kill | With AN/PEQ-2 IR designator | 2008 |
Video Games
Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Release Date |
---|---|---|---|
America's Army | With M68 Aimpoint red dot & ACOG scopes, silencer, and camouflage paint scheme, able to fire HEDP and flare rounds | 2002 | |
Project Reality | With ACOG scope or ITL MARS red dot sight | 2005 | |
Combat Mission: Shock Force | With M68 Aimpoint red dot scope | 2007 | |
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare | M4A1 Grenadier / M4A1 SOPMOD | With EOTech red dot sight or SureShot Reflex sight and suppressor | 2007 |
ArmA II | With EOTech red dot sight and camouflage paint scheme | 2009 | |
Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising | With AN/PEQ-2 IR designator | 2009 |
Colt Model 933
The Colt Model 933 carbine is similar to the M4 carbine listed above, except with an 11.5" barrel as opposed to the 14.5" barrel on the M4. Aside from that, it has all the same features, including the removable carry handle/rear sight assembly. This has led some people (including Airsoft manufacturers) to nickname it the "M4 Commando" or "M4 CQB", though these are not its' official designations.
Film
Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Transformers | Josh Duhamel | Captain William Lennox | With M68 Aimpoint red dot & AN/PVS-17 night vision scopes, Vltor Clubfoot stock, Surefire M900 weaponlight foregrip, AN/PEQ-2 IR designator, and Phantom muzzle brake | 2007 |
Harsh Times | Christian Bale | Jim Davis | With M68 Aimpoint red dot scope, AN/PEQ-2 IR designator, Surefire weaponlight, and RIS foregrip | 2006 |
Romeo Must Die | DMX | Silk | With custom muzzle brake | 2000 |
Home of the Brave | U.S. Army soldiers | 2006 |
Television
Actor | Character | Show Title / Episode | Note | Air Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dennis Haysbert | SGM Jonas "Snake Doctor" Blane | The Unit / "Five Brothers", "Play 16" | With EOTech red dot sight, Crane stock, RIS foregrip, and AN/PEQ-2 IR designator | 2006 - 2009 |
Scott Foley | SFC Bobby "Cool Breeze" Brown | The Unit / "Five Brothers", "Play 16" | With EOTech red dot sight, Crane stock, RIS foregrip, and AN/PEQ-2 IR designator | 2006 - 2009 |
Max Martini | MSGT Mack "Dirt Diver" Gerhardt | The Unit / "Five Brothers", "Play 16" | With EOTech red dot sight, Crane stock, RIS foregrip, and AN/PEQ-2 IR designator | 2006 - 2009 |
Michael Irby | SFC Charles "Betty Blue" Grey | The Unit / "Five Brothers", "Play 16" | With EOTech red dot sight, Crane stock, RIS foregrip, and AN/PEQ-2 IR designator | 2006 - 2009 |
Video Games
Game Title | Mods | Passwords | Release Date |
---|---|---|---|
Battlefield 2 | Promotional material only, with M68 Aimpoint red dot scope | 2005 |
Anime
Character | Film Title | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|
Lewis | Blood+ | With Surefire M900 weaponlight foregrip and EOTech red dot sight | 2005 - 2006 |
U.S. Special Forces soldiers | Blood+ | With Surefire M900 weaponlight foregrips and EOTech red dot sights | 2005 - 2006 |
CQB-R / Mk. 18 Mod 0
An even shorter-barreled M4 Carbine, it has about a 10.5 inch barrel. The upper receiver, which is used on a regular M4 lower receiver, is designated CQB-R (Close Quarters Battle-Receiver), while the entire weapon system is designated as Mark 18 Mod 0 by the United States Navy. Used by Navy VBSS units, NCIS and Navy SEALs. It is another one of the weapons that fell under the 'M4 Commando' Nickname as an airsoft gun.
Film
Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Blood Work | Jeff Daniels | Jasper 'Buddy' Noone | With front sight removed and C-More red dot sight | 2002 |
Tropic Thunder | Flaming Dragons guerrilla | With ACOG sight | 2008 | |
The Expendables | Sylvester Stallone | Barney "The Schizo" Ross | With EOTech sight, tactical flashlight and suppressor | 2010 |
The Losers | Various characters | With various accessories | 2010 |
Television
Actor | Character | Show Title / Episode | Note | Air Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kiefer Sutherland | Jack Bauer | 24 / Season 7 "Episode 15 - 10:00 P.M. - 11:00 P.M." | With Aimpoint M4 red dot sight, Aimpoint 3x Magnifier, Gemtech G5 suppressor, LaRue Tactical 7.0 railed handguard, Yankee Hill Mfg front & rear sights, DPMS Inc. 4-railed Gas Block, and Vltor Modstock | 2001 - 2010 |
Video Games
Game Title | Mods | Passwords | Release Date |
---|---|---|---|
Combat Arms | As the "M4A1 CQB-R", with Crane stock and SOPMOD rear sight | 2008 |
Anime
Title/Episode | Character | Note | Air Date |
---|---|---|---|
Angel Beats! | Yuri | with EOTech Holograhic sight and Beta C-Mag 100 rounds drum magazine | 2010 |
Colt AR-15A2 Government Carbine
A civilian released carbine rifle with a 16" barrel, A2 upper reciever. Designed for law enforcement.
Film
Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Fast and the Furious | L.A.P.D. SWAT officer | With M16-style stock | 2001 | |
Conspiracy Theory | John Schwartzman | Sniper | With night-vision scope, 20-round magazine, and laser pointer | 1997 |
Television
Anime
Video Games
Colt AR-15A3 Tactical Carbine
A civilian released carbine rifle with a 16" barrel and a removable carry handle. By designating this rifle as an "A3", much confusion has been made leading people to believe the M16A3 has a removable carry handle as opposed to the M16A4.
Film
Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Fast and the Furious | L.A.P.D. SWAT officer | With M16-style stock | 2001 |
Television
Anime
Video Games
Colt Law Enforcement Carbine
The "M4A1" of the civilian world, this rifle has a 16" barrel (as opposed to the M4A1's 14.5") with step-cuts to attach a launcher such as an M203 grenade launcher and the Cobray 37mm Launcher. In films, this gun has been converted to full auto to trick viewers into believing it is an M4A1, earning it the nickname "M4gery".
Film
Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
I Am Legend | Will Smith | Dr. Robert Neville | With ACOG scope and PentagonLight MD3R weaponlight | 2007 |
Casino Royale | Miami-Dade Police | 2006 |
Television
Anime
Video Games
Colt 9mm Submachine Gun
Film
- Vin Diesel as DEA Agent Sean Vetter in A Man Apart
- Chow Yun-Fat as John Lee and Terence Wei's men in The Replacement Killers
- An FBI Special Agent in Collateral
- Melinda Clark as Jessica Priest in Spawn (heavily customized with flammable chemicals canister, C-More sight, and laser sight)
- NSA commandos and hidden in the back seat of the GTO in XXX (fitted with Surefire M500AB forend weaponlight and C-More red dot sight)
- One of the Merovingian's henchmen in The Matrix Reloaded
- Special operations soldiers in The Siege (fitted with C-More red dot sights)
- Human resistance fighters in Battlefield Earth
Television
Actor | Character | Show Title / Episode | Note | Air Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Johnathan LaPaglia | Frank Parker | Seven Days / "Daddy's Little Girl" | 1998 - 2001 |
Video Games
Game Title | Mods | Passwords | Release Date |
---|---|---|---|
Enter the Matrix | As the "9mm Carbine" | 2003 |
Mk 12 Special Purpose Rifle
Film
Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
28 Weeks Later | Delta Sniper | With 30-round magazine, incorrectly shown firing full auto | 2007 | |
Live Free or Die Hard | Cyril Raffaelli | Rand | With silencer, brass catcher, AN/PEQ-2 IR designator, Surefire M900 weaponlight foregrip, and Leupold CQ/T scope | 2007 |
Hitman | Sniper | With AN-PEQ-2 IR designator, silencer, and Surefire M900 weaponlight foregrip | 2007 |
Video Games
Game Title | Mods | Passwords | Release Date |
---|---|---|---|
America's Army | With bipod and optional silencer | 2002 | |
Ghost Recon 2 | Incorrectly firing 6.8mm ammo | 2004 | |
ArmA II | 2009 |
Commercial Copies of the M16 Rifle series
Many of the guns seen as Colt model guns aren't Colt at all, but the many various other manufacturer copies of the M16/AR-15 series of firearms. The most common clones are the guns made by Bushmaster, PWA, Eagle Arms. Though there are now many semiautomatic rifles made by companies like Panther DPMS and others, most of the Movie Prop houses acquired their guns before the 1990s. So only the most common third part manufacturers will be seen. Since it's difficult to determine which maker built the gun, for the sake of simplicity, the rifle variants in movies will be identified by the COLT model they most look like.
Film
- Barry Pepper as Mike Norton in Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, The
- Rose McGowan as Cherry Darling in Planet Terror (as a prostetic leg with grenade launcher)
Rock River Arms Tactical CAR-A4 DEA Carbine
The standard rifle for DEA agents.
Television
- Used by DEA agents in the SPIKE TV series DEA
LaFrance Specialties M16K
Note the sight arrangement to reduce weight and restriction for confined spaces. Special order weapon system built for Law Enforcement and Government Agencies.
Film
Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Escape from L.A. | Kurt Russell | Snake Pliskin | Used as base for Coreburner | 1996 |
Police Story 3: Supercop | Jackie Chan | Inspector Chan | With 90-round drum magazine | 1992 |
The Dead Pool | Mob assassin | 1988 | ||
Pink Cadillac | Militia member | 1989 |
Bushmaster XM15 "V-Match"
Film
Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mr. & Mrs. Smith | Seen leaning against wall | 2005 | ||
Soldier | Arcadia 234 Inhabitant | With C-More red dot sight | 1998 |
Olympic Arms K23B
Film
Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Departed | SWAT officers | 2006 | ||
Righteous Kill | Robert De Niro | Turk | 2008 | |
Righteous Kill | Al Pacino | Rooster | 2008 |
Non Firing Replicas of the M16 Rifle
MGC M-16 Model Gun Corp Replica Rifle
![](/images/thumb/a/a3/MGC16.jpg/500px-MGC16.jpg)
![](/images/thumb/8/8a/MGC_CAR15.jpg/500px-MGC_CAR15.jpg)
Before the advent of inexpensive Airsoft guns there were precious few replica weapons that could be used in productions if they didn't want to have a live firing weapon on set, or for a stunt or if they didn't have the budget to get a real gun (and armorer). Though the U.S. Army had a "rubber duck", i.e. slang for the hard rubber training M16 they used, it was not readily available on demand for the movie prop houses of the 1970s and the 1980s. Thus the metal REPLICA gun was used (those models that were actually available for purchase). Model Gun Corporation of Japan made and built excellent quality metal replica guns between the late 1960s and the early 1980s and the most utilized one was the MGC M16 assault rifle. They were sold in the United States by Collector's Armory, Ltd. (and should not be confused with the inferior quality zinc-pot metal replicas currently coming in from Spain). There is also the MGC XM177 Commando carbine variant (listed in the catalog as the CAR-15), which is basically the same as above but with a non-retractable stock for imitation purposes.
If you've seen a movie with M16s in it, chances are you've seen many replicas of the rifle on camera.
In the following, the use of a metal replica M16 was (painfully) obvious:
Film
- Apocalypse Now : mounted on the PBR boat, shot up by tracer rounds.
- Full Metal Jacket : the MGC M16 was visible being held by all soldiers who carried the M16. Only when they were firing on screen, did it switch to a live version of the weapon.
- Hamburger Hill : used by background Airborne Soldiers during a medical Evac.
- The Spy Who Loved Me : used by the British/Russian/US Navy Sailors during the gun battle on the Liparus.
- Predator : Used by Dutch (Arnold Schwarzenegger), for a scene where his rifle is blown up by the Predator.
- Commando : Used by bad guys who kidnap Matrix and hold their M16s on him.
- Uncommon Valor : in any of the armory scenes or flashback scenes of soldiers not firing their M16s, the MGC M16 is evident. Also the CAR-15 replica is heavily used by the LRRP teams in the beginning of the film.
- First Blood : the Army National Guardsmen are seen holding many MGC M16 rifles. Only when an actor fired, did the weapon change to a real weapon.
- Rambo: First Blood Part II : seen in the weapons hold of the pirate boat used to smuggle Rambo up river.
- Hulk : when the Hulk explodes out of the ground on Powell Street in San Francisco, many of the U.S. Army Soldiers were carrying MGC-16 replica rifles (in addition to real AR15-A2 rifles). One of the soldiers holding the fake rifle has a closeup in one of the 'split screen' shots of their reaction to the Hulk.
- The Final Countdown : used by Marines on the deck of the Nimitz in scenes where there is no firing.
- Barb Wire : outfitted with ill fitting 30 round magazines, A2 handguards and A1 birdcage flash hiders, held by Congressionals.
- Dragon Wars: D-War : outfitted with ill fitting 30 round magazines, A2 handguards and A1 birdcage flash hiders, used by background U.S. Army troops defending Los Angeles.
- Used by many cadets in Taps
- Ghostbusters : some of the Army National Guard soldiers near the climax can be seen with these weapons fitted with A1-style flash hiders, supplimenting real M16A1's.
- An L.A.P.D. SWAT officer in Bandits (fitted with A2-style handguards)
- Used by soldiers in Land of the Dead
Television
.22 caliber Clones of the M16 Rifle
Adler-Jager AP-74/Armi-Jager AP-15
Made in Italy and imported by Mitchell Arms, these M16 clones were chambered for .22 LR and looked very similar to the M16 or M16A1 rifles. The dummy "20 round magazine" was a solid part of the lower receiver. A small .22LR magazine was inserted into the bottom of the dummy magazine. They were used sometimes in films due to budgetary reasons, since low budget films (especially in the 1970s and 80s) could pick up a .22LR M16 clone for less than a real AR-15. There were .22LR guns imported into the U.S. with either Armi-Jager or Adler-Jager markings (but the Armi-Jager was most common), so both names are correct.
- Peter (Ken Foree) and Roger (Scott H. Reiniger) in Dawn of the Dead (1978) (AP-74)
- American Soldiers in 1968 Tunnel Rats (2009) (AP-74)
- American Soldiers in Baader Meinhof Complex, The (Der Baader Meinhof Komplex) (AP-74)
- NYPD ESU officer in Leon (The Professional) (AP-15 fitted with a fake grenade launcher)
Armscor M16 22
Armscor (out of the Philippines) made another .22LR clone rifle, the Armscor M16 22, however this rifle looked even less like a real M16 and was rarely (if ever) used in a film to impersonate an M16 rifle.
See Also
- Armalite AR-10 - Firearm from which the M16 is derived.
- Knight's Armament SR-25 - Firearm that uses the AR-10 (and by extension the M16) as the base of its' design, sometimes mistaken for the Mk 12 Special Purpose Rifle.
- Heckler & Koch HK416 - Firearm derived from the M4.
- Barrett REC7 & Barrett M468 - Firearms derived from the M16 series in 6.8x43mm Remington SPC.
- LWRC SRT rifle series -Firearms derived from AR-15.