Horror movies and Halloween obviously go hand in hand. Well, guns and horror movies also tend to go hand in hand. So, for Halloween, we’ve rounded up some of the best scary movie guns of all time. If you’re interested in more horror, our friends at Ballistic put together a list entitled “11 of the Most WTF, Scary Movie Moments of All-Time” — it’s definitely worth a watch.
Our List of Scary Movie Guns
You’re no doubt familiar with Freddy Krueger’s iconic finger-blade glove from the Nightmare On Elm Street series. You’re probably also aware of Jason Voorhees’ trusty machete used in all 12 (and counting) Friday The 13th films. You might even be acquainted with the chainsaw used by the creepy Leatherface in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise. But can you name any firearms used in these movies?
Scroll through the gallery below to learn more about 13 guns from some of the most famous, or infamous, horror films of the past 50 years. Deciding which firearms would make the cut wasn’t an easy task. But after much consideration, we’re confident we’ve come up with a worthy selection to put you in the Halloween spirit.
The Thing – M2A1-7 Flamethrower
In this sci-fi horror classic, the members of an Antarctic research station battle an alien parasite that imitates and assimilates other life forms. What’s the best way to deal with such an opponent? A M2A1-7 Flamethrower, of course! A few different characters use this bad boy in the movie. Most famously by MacReady (Kurt Russell, seen here).
Shaun of the Dead – Winchester Model 1866
In this memorable 2004 British horror-comedy, Shaun (Simon Pegg, seen here) finds the Winchester Model 1866 “Yellow Boy” at the Winchester pub. He then uses it to take out multiple zombies before the rifle runs out of ammo.
Scream – Beretta 92FS
The late, great Wes Craven launched a major comeback with the release of “Scream” in 1996. Aside from the knife used by the killer Ghostface, the weapon most commonly seen in the film is the Beretta 92FS. Multiple characters use it, including (spoiler alert) Billy (Skeet Ulrich, seen here) and Stu (Matthew Lillard).
Predator – M134 Minigun
Sgt. Blaine Cooper (Jesse Ventura) carries the M134 Minigun in Predator. IMFDB says this gun was modified for handheld use via an M60 handguard assembly installed backward beneath the barrels. Likewise, it includes a rear pistol grip taken from Minigun spade grips.
The grips are then attached by a Y-frame with a M16-style carry handle mounted to the recoil absorbers. Sgt. Mac Eliot (Bill Duke, pictured above) also uses the minigun after the Predator kills Blaine. Notice Arnold Schwarzenegger to his left with the AR-15/SP1.
Night of the Living Dead – Winchester Model 1894
In this groundbreaking film that launched a legion of imitators, Ben (Duane Jones) finds a Winchester Model 1894 in the house where he seeks refuge from the horde of zombies outside. He carries it with him and uses it for the majority of the movie.
Jaws – M1 Garand
Arguably the greatest horror film of all time, “Jaws” features the M1 Garand in some of its most intense sequences. Orca captain Quint (Robert Shaw) keeps the M1 Garand on his boat. Police Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) says one of the most quotable lines in cinema history before firing the shot that brings down the giant shark: “Smile, you son of a bitch!”
Halloween – Smith & Wesson Model 15
Dr. Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasence) wields the Smith & Wesson Model 15 revolver as he chases masked killer Michael Myers in this groundbreaking slasher flick. He famously used the S&W Model 15 to shoot Michael Myers six times in the chest during the climactic scene.
Dawn of the Dead – Winchester Model 70
In the 2004 remake of George A. Romero’s 1978 classic (itself a sequel to “Night of the Living Dead”), Andy (Bruce Bohne), the owner of a gun store across from the mall where the film’s action takes place, owns a Winchester Model 70 with a camo stock and folding bipod, which he memorably uses to kill zombies in a twisted version of Hollywood Squares.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre – Ruger Vaquero
Charlie Hewitt, a.k.a. Sheriff Winston Hoyt (Our good friend, the late R. Lee Ermey) carries the Ruger Vaquero as his sidearm during the 2006 film
“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning.” As IMFDB points out, there’s a flaw here: the film takes place in 1969, but the Vaquero wasn’t produced until 1980. In any event, this Vaquero-wielding lawman is no ordinary sheriff. He’s actually the foster brother of chainsaw-wielding maniac Leatherface.
Army of Darkness – 12-Gauge Stoeger Coach Gun
The character of Ash (Bruce Campbell) famously refers to this 12-gauge Stoeger Coach Gun as his “boomstick” when he battles the undead during the 1992 horror-comedy “Army of Darkness.”
He uses it during a few pivotal scenes in the film. In one scene, he incorrectly identifies this shotgun as a Remington. Which, if you’re familiar with the character, isn’t a surprise.
Aliens – M56 Smart Gun
The sequel to the original hit horror film “Alien” features a lot more firepower, including the M56 Smart Gun.
According to the IMFDB, “These weapons were constructed from German MG42 machine guns with the grip and stock removed. The body-mount apparatus was constructed from the arm & vest of a “‘”Steadicam” camera stabilization system. ‘Dressing’ on the MG42 was constructed from various motorcycle parts, most notably the handlebars used for the weapon’s trigger and grips.”
28 Weeks Later – Springfield M1A
The Springfield M1As in this 2007 British horror film have actually been modified to resemble the M21 Sniper Weapon System (SWS), IMFDB says. Doyle (Jeremy Renner, seen here) can be seen using one, with a Parker & Hale bipod, Leupold scope, and urban camo.
Friday the 13th – Dan Wesson Model 15-VH
We couldn’t have a list like this without including something from the “Friday the 13th” series. In the sixth installment, Deputy Rick Cologne (Vincent Guastaferro) uses a Dan Wesson Model 15-VH with a massive laser sight attachment. It’s not enough to stop Jason from doing his thing, however.
Like the scary movie guns you see above? Check out the Internet Movie Firearms Database at IMFDB.org.
And here’s a little bonus for you — the famous GE M134 Minigun (used at the 20-second mark) from “Predator” in action. [Note: Brief explicit language used in the clip]
