When it comes to the greatest mafia movies of all time, “Scarface” is near or at the top of the list. It might have come out in 1983, but it remains awesome. For those who haven’t seen it, “Scarface” is a movie that follows the admittedly violent path of a Cuban refugee who becomes a seriously powerful drug lord. The movie has tons of fantastic firepower, so we’ve put together a list of five of our favorites. Feel free to let us know if you think we missed one.
Colt Python
We can’t pass by the fact that they used a Colt Python in the movie. This was 1983, meaning it’s one of those extremely cool original Pythons. In what we’d call one of the more dramatic moments of the movie if it wasn’t accompanied by so much other drama, Tony, who is the main character played by Al Pacino, needs rescuing. He’s about to meet a chainsaw in a wildly unpleasant way, so the characters Chi Chi and Manny go to save him. It’s Chi Chi who’s armed with a Colt Python, which he uses to stop one of the Columbians rather effectively (the Columbians being the bad guys…or would that be Extra Bad guys…in this scenario).
A Colt Python makes another appearance toward the end of the movie, being used by another one of Tony’s men. That use of the gun doesn’t exactly end well for the guy with the Python, but at least he tried (and used a great gun).
AR-15 with M203 Grenade Launcher
The most famous, or infamous, scene of “Scarface” has become the moment Tony yells “Say hello to my little friend” right before wielding an AR-15 that’s converted to full auto with what’s supposed to be an M203 grenade launcher on it. The rifle is the classic carry handle style while the grenade launcher is meant to be a 40mm (but it’s a prop). According to movie trivia guys, the grenade launcher shown in this scene doesn’t just look like the one that’s used in the movie “Predator,” it really is the exact same one. In this movie, Tony uses the grenade launcher to blow away a door and take out a bunch of the Extra Bad guys opposing him. Tony also has a pair of mags taped together at the beginning of this scene, and when they’re empty, he inserts a single mag to keep fighting.
Spanish Zabala Sawed Off Double Barreled Shotgun
This paragraph contains spoilers, so if you haven’t seen “Scarface,” you might want to keep scrolling. A Spanish Zabala Sawed Off Double Barreled Shotgun is used by an assassin named The Skull in the movie. He shows up at the end, intent on finally taking out Tony, and let’s just say the shotgun blast is quite effective. This specific Zabala was rented for the studio to use in the scene. It’s actually a nice-looking shotgun, and whether or not you think it’s good that Tony’s reign ends in the movies, well, that depends on personal opinions. Either way, considering the massive firepower that shows up throughout this movie, it’s interesting they chose a shotgun to finally end it all. This side-by-side is a 12 gauge that’s neither high-end nor bottom of the barrel (depending on who you ask). Is it a legit weapon of choice for a mafia assassin in 1983? Maybe? Hard to say for sure.
Smith & Wesson Model 36
It’s not too surprising the snub-nosed revolver that makes an on-screen appearance is being used by a character that’s supposed to be a cop. It’s not even inaccurate to show a cop with a snubby in the 1980s. This particular character’s name is Seidelbaum, and he’s an undercover cop interested in arresting Tony for tax evasion (shades of Al Capone).
The Smith & Wesson Model 36 is a 38 Special with a five-round capacity. Was it ever used by police officers in that general era? Yes, it really was. This J-frame is still in production today, in fact. There are a few of these snubbies in “Scarface” including during a scene where Tony is threatened by a bathrobe-clad woman. And if you’re interested in the prevalence of awful grips in movies, you might take note that Seidelbaum really didn’t do badly at all holding his Model 36. Does Seidelbaum arrest Tony? Why yes, he does, and you’ll have to watch the movie to learn more than that.
Suppressed Beretta Model 81 Cheetah
A suppressed Beretta Model 81 Cheetah is used by Tony in one of the many firefights. This particular battle takes place at the Babylon Club where Tony is once again fighting off hitmen. The Cheetah is chambered in 32 ACP and is a blowback gun with a 12-round magazine. It has a steel frame and a double action/single action trigger. This is the gun Tony carries in the entire movie in a small-of-back holster. When Tony goes after Extra Bad guy Frank Lopez, he puts a suppressor on his handgun.
Apparently, this gun has been misidentified by some as a Model 84 BB, but according to the studio’s own records, it was a Model 81. It can also be seen near the end of the movie sitting by a mountain of cocaine. It was modified for blanks and had its grips replaced after years of use by the production company. Basically, you can see this pistol in numerous scenes throughout the movie (and other movies).
Of course, there are a lot of other guns shown in “Scarface.” What do you think we should have included? Let us know in the comments section.
