Red Dawn (1984)

The following weapons were used in the film Red Dawn (1984):

AKM

• AKM rifles are used by Soviet and Cuban soldiers, and later captured by the Wolverines.

Maadi ARM (AKM) 7.62x39mm as used in Red Dawn (image from Long Mountain Outfitters)

• According to Long Mountain Outfitters (http://www.longmountain.com/movieguns/RedDawn), the AKMs used in the movie were actually Egyptian Maadi MISR (imported into the US as the ARM) semi-auto rifles, some of the first semi-automatic Kalashnikov-type rifles ever imported into the United States (besides the Clayco AKM copies). 53 such rifles were used in the movie, 32 of which were converted to full-auto by Class 2 manufacturer Pearl Manufacturing specially for the film. These guns were later used in numerous other movies. Not to be confused with the post 1989 imported firearms called "MISR" which was modified to comply with the federal import ban.

Aardvark (Doug Toby) utters the classic line "Wolverines!" while holding a Maadi ARM rifle converted to Full auto fire

Jed (Patrick Swayze) delivers some hot lead to a Russian tanker via an AKM.

Fake AKS-74

• Fake AKS-74s are used by Soviet Paratroopers in the first attack on the school and Soviet Spetsnaz in the battle in the snow. They are actually Maadi ARM (AKMs) that were very cleverly mocked up with skeletal stocks and a custom make muzzle brake that resembled the AK74.

Several angles of the mocked up AK-74 with the custom Muzzle Brake and the non-folding Skeletal stock. These rifles also use orange bakelite 7.62x39mm magazines. As a contrast, the standard AKMs in the film used metal magazines

Fake RPG-7

• Used by Soviet and Communist Bloc soldiers, and later Charlie Sheen. The weapon itself is actually an RPG-2 which has been modified to look like an RPG-7. It is easy to tell the difference given the shape of the warhead and the slightly bulky nature of the optical sight. Note: I'm not so sure it's an RPG-2. I believe it is a complete mockup built from scratch. The Warhead is a plastic and rubber fabrication and not an RPG-2 rocket head. The fuse tip itself is the cap from a Crest toothpaste tube! And the sight is really rough and looks to be made of plastic.

Matt (Charlie Sheen) aims his plastic and rubber mockup of an RPG-7 (though no RPG has a bright yellow warhead with a Bright light blue rocket tube that I know of! :)

Closeup of the rubber rocket head of the fake RPG-7

On another note, the rocket of the fake RPG-7 (like many other films that use rocket launchers) is a foam rubber fake when firing around actors. Prior to the advent of CGI in films, they were fired with real Estes rocket motors and guided along wires to their targets. Below we see a frame of film where we can clearly see the wire that will guide the foam rubber rocket head to it's intended target.

A view of the wire that guides the phony rocket head to it's target.

Valmet M78

• The Valmet M78 LMG was standing in for the Soviet RPK since none were available in the country when this movie was filmed. The M78 LMG was used by Russian Paratroopers in the beginning of the movie and, and later by the Wolverines, most notably by Jennifer Grey.

Finnish Valmet M78, standing in for a Russian RPK (since they didn't have any available when this film was made) with a standard stock and 30 rd magazine. Both straight buttstock and synthetic thumbhole stocks (both made by Valmet) were used in the film.

Soviet Paratrooper fires the Valmet M78 LMG during the initial attack - 7.62x39mm

Jennifer Grey fires her Valmet M78 LMG during an ambush.

Jed (Patrick Swayze) carries the Valmet M78.

Fake DShK heavy machine gun

• At the time of filming there were no DShK 12.7 machine guns available for use in movies, so the armorers mocked up DShKs from ... M60 machine guns! Apparently the size difference between a 7.62mm gun and a .50 cal gun wasn't enough to distract people during the movie.... :)

In the snow battle, we clearly see fake DShKs mounted on the fake T-72 tanks that are made from M60Ds

In the ambush on the Spetnaz troops in the snow, Lea Thompson can clearly be seen firing a mocked up M60D, posing as a DShK.

Fake Gorunov SGM Machine gun

• Yet another Soviet era machine gun that was mocked up from the venerable (and available) M60 Machine gun.

Robert's position during the snow battle has a fake Gorunov, mocked up from yet another M60 Machine Gun.

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Jatimatic SMG

• The Jatimatic was used by Colonel Strelnikov (William Smith) when he is hunting Charlie Sheen and Patrick Swayze at the end of the film. It was supposed to resemble the Polish PM-63 but none were available in the country during the time of filming.

Colonel Strelnikov (William Smith) actually wears the Jatimatic on a custom holster during his speech to the Spetnaz.

Colonel Strelnikov (William Smith) brandishes the Jatimatic when he hunts for Jed and Matt at the train station.

FN FAL

• Seen held by Cuban and Nicaraguan soldiers.

A quick but clear shot of the FAL rifle being brandished by the Cuban / Nicaraguan troops during an ambush. Most of the time the soldiers held the rifles close to their bodies, making a clear view difficult - 7.62x51mm

Colt SAA

• The Colt Single Action Army revolve was used by Jed (Patrick Swayze).

Colt Single Action Army .45 Long Colt

This revolver was a piece owned by director John Milius.

Winchester 1894

• The Winchester Model 94 lever action rifle was picked up from the store just after the invasion. Doug Toby who played the character of Aardvark fires a single shot from the back of a pickup truck at Russian troops, after an American UH-1 helicopter attacks the Soviets on the ground using rockets. He also uses it in some of the ambushes later in the film.

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Winchester Model 1894

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Aardvark (Doug Toby) fires the Model 94 from the pickup truck.

Aardvark (Doug Toby) fires the Model 94 during an ambush.

Remington Model 700

• Jed picks up a Remington Model 700 bolt action rifle from Mr. Morris' store at the beginning of the film. He uses it as a sniper rifle during some of the ambushes. The Model 700 is chambered in a variety of calibers, .308 and 30.06 to name a few.

Jed surveys the desolate battlefield with his Remington 700

Jed on an ambush with his Remington 700

Remington 870

• One of the weapons grabbed by the boys from Mr. Morris' store at the beginning of the movie. Originally used in its' full sized version and then seen with the barrel cut down to just above the magazine tube after the first ambush of the Russian soldiers near the monument. Used pretty much exclusively by C. Thomas Howell's character Robert throughout the movie.

Robert (C. Thomas Howell) cuts down the barrel of his Remington 870 wingmaster.

Robert (C. Thomas Howell) fires his short 870 along with Matt (Charlie Sheen) and his AKM.