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RoboCop (1987)
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RoboCop is a 1987 science fiction action film that marked the first American film directed by Dutch filmmaker Paul Verhoeven (Starship Troopers). Peter Weller stars in the film as Alex Murphy, a Detroit police officer who after being gunned down by a vicious gang, is resurrected by a mega-corporation as the cybernetic law enforcement officer of the future. As he begins his new life as "RoboCop", Murphy starts to regain a bit of his humanity with the help of his former partner Anne Lewis (Nancy Allen). The popularity of the RoboCop character would spawn a RoboCop franchise consisting of, among other media, two more feature films, a 1994 live-action series, two animated television series, a four-part movie miniseries, a 2014 remake, and a 2023 video game.
The following weapons were used in the film RoboCop:
WARNING! THIS PAGE CONTAINS SPOILERS!
Handguns
Beretta 93R (as the "Auto 9")
The main weapon used by RoboCop (Peter Weller) is the "Auto 9". This is a Beretta 93R machine pistol which was heavily modified for the film, featuring a longer barrel with an enormous compensator/flash hider shaped like a casket (which apparently made the trademark gun twirl fairly difficult to perform), plastic grips, and a taller rear sight to match the raised front sight. Typically, RoboCop fires this weapon in 3-round burst mode. The fictional stats of the weapon claim it has an implausibly huge 50-round magazine.
Originally it was planned for Robocop to simply carry a Desert Eagle, but Verhoeven felt that the pistol looked too small compared to Robocop's bulky armour, so a special weapon was devised.
SIG-Sauer P226
Detroit Police Department Officer Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) carries the SIG-Sauer P226 in 9x19mm as his sidearm before he becomes RoboCop. His partner, Anne Lewis (Nancy Allen) also uses one in the abandoned factory and throughout the remainder of the film, although it appears that her sidearm was a P9S earlier.
(There has been some debate on RoboCop message boards over whether this gun is a P220 or a P226. It is definitely a P226 because the frame of the gun has the prominent bulges along the side, visible between the takedown switch and the decocker, which make the frame wider so that the gun can accommodate a double-stack magazine. The P220, which takes a single-stack magazine, lacks these; the sides of the receiver appear smooth rather than bulged, even from a distance.)
While the pistol was briefly featured earlier in both Rambo: First Blood Part II and Short Circuit, RoboCop is still one of the earliest films to feature the P226, and likely the first film to ever feature the gun prominently in actual firing sequences.
IMI Desert Eagle Mark I
Clarence Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith) uses two different types of the Desert Eagle in the film. His main weapon is a Desert Eagle Mark I in .357 Magnum with an elongated threaded barrel (sometimes fitted with a suppressor). He also uses one without the extended barrel during the drug lab shootout. This is likely a continuity error, as the threaded end of the barrel was simply an adapter that screwed into the internally-threaded barrel of the blank pistol. A chrome (or possibly nickel) version is used by Dick Jones (Ronny Cox) in the climax of the film. The chrome pistol is the same weapon used in the infamous scene in which the hapless OCP executive Kinney (Kevin Page) is hamburgered whilst "threatening" the ED-209 prototype.
The Desert Eagle was originally supposed to be RoboCop's main firearm, but it looked too small in RoboCop's hands once the suit was completed; most likely the suppressed version seen in the movie was a first attempt at remedying this, prior to the design of the Auto-9.
Beretta 92F
Joe Cox (Jesse D. Goins) uses a Beretta 92F during the shootout at the drug lab, as does at least one of Sal's thugs.
Detonics ScoreMaster
During the Nightclub scene, RoboCop arrests Leon Nash (Ray Wise) who pulls out a Detonics ScoreMaster, which RoboCop promptly knocks out of his hand. Sal's (Lee de Broux) bodyguard (Allan Graf) in the drug lab also uses a Detonics Scoremaster.
Heckler & Koch P9S
The Heckler & Koch P9S is the standard sidearm of the Detroit Police Department in the movie. Lewis is seen giving a P9S to Murphy during the van chase and Murphy uses it during the shootout with Clarence Boddicker's men (although it appears that she carries a SIG-Sauer P226 later). Later on the station range, we see many police officers firing their P9s, indicating clearly that this weapon is their standard-issue. Several SWAT officers who open fire on RoboCop use the P9S as well.
Submachine Guns
Sterling Mark 6
A semi-automatic civilian version of the Sterling SMG, the Sterling Mark 6 semi-automatic carbine (recognizable by its 16" barrel, necessary to comply with gun laws in the U.S.) is seen used by the convenience store robber (Mike Moroff). It was imported for commercial sale into the U.S. during the 1980s and banned from import after 1989 under the Congressional Assault Weapons Ban, which expired in the 2000s. The carbine is fired in semi-automatic only throughout the attempted robbery scene. RoboCop then renders this weapon useless by bending down the barrel 90 degrees - a notable goof, as the robber would need to be as strong as RoboCop in order for the former to hold still the weapon while the latter twists around the barrel.
Ingram MAC-10
When Emil Antonowsky (Paul McCrane) robs the gas station, he threatens the clerk with an Ingram MAC-10 fitted with a recoil compensator and modified folding stock. One of the same MAC-10s was also used in several episodes of Miami Vice.
Intratec TEC-9 Mini
An Intratec TEC-9 mini with the barrel shroud removed can be seen in the hands of one of the guards at the cocaine factory.
Uzi
Deranged ex civil-servant Ron Miller (Mark Carlton), whom RoboCop punches out a window, uses a full-size Uzi in his siege of City Hall.
Micro Uzi
The Micro Uzi is used by several of Sal's men as well as Sal himself in the cocaine factory shootout.
Shotguns
Mossberg 5500
Previously identified as a shortened Remington 1100, Clarence Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith) uses a modified Mossberg 5500, a semi-automatic shotgun with a shortened barrel and heat shield, to fire at Murphy and Lewis during the van chase and then to blow Murphy's limbs off during his death scene. Additional modification includes a telescoping wire stock taken from a Daewoo K1A. Another 5500 with heat-shield is seen in the hands of a Detroit SWAT officer during the hostage incident at City Hall.
Remington 870 Police Folder
During the van chase and then later at the steel mill, Boddicker's crew uses several Remington 870 Police Folder shotguns. They appear to be standard pistol-gripped Police Magnum Folder variants, though at least one has an extended magazine tube. Some of the shotguns are seen with the folding stocks removed.
Ithaca 37 (Extended Mag Tube and pistol grip)
Leon Nash (Ray Wise) uses an Ithaca 37 with pistol-grip and extended magazine tube during the van chase with Lewis and Murphy. He switches to a Remington 870 in the steel mill, while Emil Antonowsky (Paul McCrane) uses the Ithaca.
Mossberg 500 Cruiser
Steve Minh (Calvin Jung) wields a Mossberg 500 Cruiser with a distinctive sling swivel at the front throughout the movie, notably in the drug lab shootout.
Mossberg 500 Bullpup
Mossberg 500 Bullpup shotguns are used by the Detroit SWAT teams, seen during the standoff at City Hall and when the police open fire on RoboCop at the OCP building.
Franchi SPAS-12
The Franchi SPAS-12 is used by one of Sal's men during the drug lab shootout and by at least one SWAT officer during the standoff at the Detroit City Hall.
Remington 1100
One of the guards at the cocaine factory fires at RoboCop with what appears to be a Remington 1100 with extended magazine tube.
Rifles / Carbines
Steyr AUG
Another weapon used by the Detroit SWAT officers is the Steyr AUG assault rifle. It's used seen when SWAT is ordered to open fire on RoboCop at the OCP building. When the SWAT officers advance on RoboCop, their AUG's are held sideways to eject the brass cartridges downwards. It seems these are loaded with some form of AP (armor piercing) rounds because they can somehow damage RoboCop, whereas he is impervious to similar-caliber rounds from weapons previously fired at him in the cocaine factory.
Daewoo K1A
A Daewoo K1A is used by several of Sal's men in the drug lab shootout including Sal's bodyguard (Allan Graf).
Norinco Type 56
Some of Sal's men during the drug lab shootout are seen with Norinco Type 56 assault rifles fitted with black furniture.
Machine Guns
FN Minimi
One of the SWAT officers who fires upon Robocop at the OCP building uses an FN Minimi. The Minimi used in this scene is a full-size variant (as evidenced by the stock) which has had its barrel cut down.
Heavy Weapons
Barrett M82 (as the "Cobra Assault Cannon")
When Clarence Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith) and his gang are asked by Dick Jones (Ronny Cox) to kill RoboCop, they are provided with an experimental military weapon being developed by OCP called the "Cobra Assault Cannon". The Cobras are actually older-specification Barrett M82 long-range .50 BMG rifles fitted with gigantic scopes. (The scopes were originally supposed to show computer-generated targeting information, but this idea was scrapped due to budget constraints.) The Cobra fires some type of powerful high explosive incendiary round that explodes upon impact (judging by the lack of substantial recoil, this is likely some form of low-pressure grenade); in the film, Clarence Boddicker memorably tests the weapon by firing it at the 6000 SUX sedan stolen by Joe Cox (Jesse D. Goins), destroying the vehicle (much to Cox's chagrin). Anne Lewis (Nancy Allen) obtains one of these rifles and uses it against Leon Nash (Ray Wise) during the shootout at the abandoned steel mill. After RoboCop and Lewis take out Boddicker and his gang, RoboCop takes one of the Cobra Assault Cannons (presumably, the same one used by Lewis) to the OCP office building and uses it to destroy the ED-209 Robot out in front.
Hawk MM1 Grenade Launcher
A Hawk MM1 grenade launcher with a short barrel is briefly shown being used by one of the SWAT officers that are ordered to open fire on RoboCop.
ED-209 Armaments
The Enforcement Droid series 209, or simply, ED-209, is armed with numerous heavy weapons. Referred as having a 'modular weapons system', the left 'gun-arm' contains two 20mm cannons while the right contains a single 20mm gun and three missile launchers (firing heat-seeking missiles). The ED-209 unit also contained twin launchers in a pocket behind the head that could fire either explosive mortar rounds or gas grenades - These weapons were in the design but were never used in the film. The cannons are used on the hapless executive Kinney during its initial demonstration in the boardroom scene. Both the cannons and missiles are also seen fired at RoboCop when he confronts Dick Jones inside the OCP building later in the film.
Phil Tippett, who animated the stop-motion Imperial Walkers in the Star Wars films The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, directed the stop-motion animation of the ED-209 unit, which included the guns' firing. The muzzle flashes were created with pieces of cotton (stretched numerous ways), painted a special orange color, and lit with flash-bulb tubes modified to be placed inside the guns of the actual ED-209 miniature. The effect was enhanced with a large amount of optical diffusion to give the 'flashes' the more 'burned-in' look of gunfire.