Stripes (1981)

Stripes (1981) was a hit comedy starring Bill Murray and Harold Ramis (of Ghostbusters fame). Despite being a broad farce, with implausible situations, it is indicative of the mindset of the U.S. Military in the 1970s (i.e. the immediate Post Vietnam war Years). Morale was not high, and despite an active Cold War with the Soviets, the military's budget was slashed under then President Jimmy Carter. Stripes was filmed with the cooperation of the U.S. Army, and many portions of the film was filmed at active Army base, Fort Knox, Kentucky (but nowhere near the famous "gold reserve"). Despite being irreverent, the film still depicted American Soldiers as brave and dedicated, albeit a little weird and goofy. It was that positive portrayal of the U.S. Army in general (despite some comical and incompetent characters) which allowed the Defense Department to approve helping the film.

The following guns were used in the film:

M16A1

During training, the recruits are seen with M16A1 rifles.

During training the recruits hold M16A1 Rifle - 5.56mm. What is interesting is that they still have their magazines locked, which is unnecessary since they are just on a forced march/run.

During Boot camp bayonet training, we see a mix of M16A1 and M16 (SP1) rifles - 5.56mm

Francis "Psycho" Soyer (Conrad Dunn) shoots live rounds at a flock of ducks and hits an observation tower - 5.56mm. In reality such an action would result in the immediate removal of such a 'recruit'.

M16 (SP1)

Mixed in the M16A1 rifles are M16 (AR15 SP1) slab side receiver rifles. Though there 'may' have been some left over in inventory during the 1970s, when this movie was filmed, it would have been rare. These are 'movie' guns, aka, SP1 rifles converted to full auto fire by movie armorers.

John Winger's (Bill Murray) rifle is an original M16 (SP1) during bayonet training - 5.56mm

When Pvt. "Psycho" Soyer (Conrad Dunn) says "Finally I get to kill something", he loads a 20 round magazine into an M16 (SP1) slab side rifle 5.56mm

M1 Garand "Training Rifles"

During the boot camp sequences of the film, the recruits don't actually use real M1 Garand rifles. They instead use plastic & metal training rifles patterned after the M1 Garand.

Winger leads his platoon with plastic & metal M1 Garand Training Rifles.

Some detailed shots of Winger's Plastic & Metal M1 Garand training rifle.

M1911A1

The Standard sidearm of all of the U.S. Military personnel (officers, NCOs, Military Police) are the M1911A1 in the film. What is interesting is that the so called "Russian Soldiers" (i.e. the officers) at the end of the film also carry M1911A1 pistols. I suppose they couldn't get Tokarev or Makarov pistols.

Pvt. John Winger (Bill Murray) threatens Czechoslovakian Border guard (Joe Flaherty) with his M1911A1 while Pvt. Russell Ziskey (Harold Ramis) thinks of the consequences - .45 ACP. Note: That is a fictional uniform for the Czechoslovakian soldier, made up of obsolete American uniform parts. It looks nothing like the real uniform that a border guard would wear.

Fake Uzi Submachine gun aka "The MAC Uzi"

Seen in the film are the fake Uzi Submachine guns, fabricated out of MAC-10s (9mm versions) by Special Effects Unlimited, in the 1970s. There may have not been enough real blank adapted Uzis in the U.S. at the time so these faux Uzis were used in several movies. These fake Uzis were famously used in the Christopher Walken film The Dogs of War and also in the film High Risk.

Czechoslovakian Border guard (Joe Flaherty) with his "MAC-Uzi" with a full wooden stock - 9mm

Closeup of the "MAC-Uzi" with a full wooden stock - 9mm

The "Russian" Soldier in the tower reacts to the RV's rocket launcher while holding a "Mac-Uzi" - 9mm

Valmet M76

Many of the so called "Russian Soldiers" at the base in Czechoslovakia are carrying Valmet M76 rifles, since real AKs or AK clones were near impossible to get in the 1970s. Only with the advent of imported rifles from China and Egypt did American movies get to see closer versions of the AK rifle series. The Valmet M76 rifles used in the film appear to be the 5.56mm versions.

Leading the RV into the camp, "Russian Soldiers" carry the Valmet M76 Rifle - 5.56mm

"Russian guards" carry their Valmet M76 rifles - 5.56mm

A pair of "Russian" guards, one with a Valmet M76 rifle, the other with a real Uzi submachine gun, not the fake "MAC-Uzi"

Uzi Submachine Gun

Seen rarely, but mixed in the other weapons at the "Russian" base, we see a few real Uzi Submachine guns with full wooden stocks.

Seen at the lower left of frame, a Russian soldier holds a wooden stocked Uzi - 9mm

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