The Best Guns of Classic Horror Movies

Halloween is the best time to binge-watch classic horror movies and revisit some of the most iconic scenes in film history (it’s a great time for trying out new horror, too). Within those classics is also some iconic weaponry, much of which is easily recognizable by appearance alone. So, use this list not only as a reminder of some of what we consider the best guns in these classic horror films but also as a suggestion for what to rewatch this Halloween. And of course, there are spoilers ahead and the killer might be revealed, so read with caution!

Halloween I & II – Smith & Wesson Model 15

loomis aiming S&W revolver — Dr. Loomis at least tries to shoot Micheal dead but will be the first of many to try and fail. [Photo credit: IMDB]

Michael Myers is notoriously unkillable, and the Smith & Wesson Model 15 is no match. In the final scene of the first movie of what is an undeniable cult classic, Doctor Samuel Loomis (Donald Pleasance) comes to the rescue as Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) is being strangled by Michael. Loomis runs up the stairs and shoots him first, as Michael struggles to get his mask back on. Loomis then fires off another five rounds into Michael’s chest, knocking him out of a window. And, of course, Michael lives on to stalk another day and disappears off-screen.

In the sequel to the original movie, Loomis is seen shouting: “I shot him six times! I shot him in the heart, but… he’s not human!” as he runs towards a police car. Between the amazing (not quite) kill shot and the quote, the Smith & Wesson Model 15 just might take the prize for the worst performance in a horror movie.

Type: Revolver
Caliber: 38 Special
Weight: 2.13 lbs
Length: 9.13 in
Barrel length: 4 in
Capacity: 6-round Cylinder
Fire Modes: SA/DA

Scream – Beretta 92FS

Sydney aiming handgun — Just like Randy said, the killer came back but Sydney was having none of it. [Photo credit: Dimension Films]

The Beretta 92FS happens to be pretty much the only gun in this movie (we have no idea why), and just about every character uses it at some point. Everyone’s favorite dopey cop Deputy Dwight “Dewey” Riley (David Arquette) is seen carrying it and both ghostface killers — Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich) and Stuart “Stu” Macher (Matthew Lillard) — and Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) use it, too.

The (almost) final blow to Billy (since a TV killed Stu… what a way to go) was delivered by Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox) from the door of the house. Of course, as Sydney, Gale, and Randy Meeks (Jamie Kennedy) stand over Billy’s body, Randy reminds them: “This is the moment when the supposedly dead killer comes back to life, for one last scare.” As if by queue, Billy takes one last lunge at them and Sidney kills him with a final headshot.

Type: Pistol
Caliber: 9x19mm
Weight: 2.1 lbs
Length: 8.5 in
Barrel length: 5 in
Capacity: 15 rounds
Fire Modes: Semi-Auto

Friday the 13th – Winchester Model 67

Alice holding winchester rifle — This movie may have ended a lot sooner if it weren’t for the desk—that can be seen to the lower right— being locked, assuming there was actual ammunition inside. [Photo credit: IMDB]

Friday the 13th was much more of a knife-heavy movie, but there were a few guns. The Winchester Model 67 is used by Alice (Adrienne King) who desperately tries to get ammunition that has been seemingly locked away as the killer, Mrs. Vorhees (Betsy Palmer), approaches.

Though no shots were fired, she was able to pistol whip (or in this case, rifle-whip) Mrs. Vorhees and temporarily knock her out to get away. Mrs. Vorhees continues to get her head bashed in by various objects until, finally, she gets decapitated to end the movie. Gross. But hey, even if it didn’t involve a gun, it’s still an effective method of dispatching a murderous monster, I suppose.

Type: Rifle
Caliber: 22 Long Rifle
Weight: 5 lbs
Barrel length: 27.2 in
Action: Bolt-Action

The Evil Dead – Winchester Model 37A

ash holding shotgun — This is just before Scotty decides to not just sweep, but aim the shotgun at Ash. [Photo credit: IMDB]

In The Evil Dead, one gun is seen handling most of the action: an old Winchester Model 37A single-barreled shotgun (or “Boomstick” according to the parody, Army of Darkness). It’s mainly carried by Ash (Bruce Campell) to slaughter the deadites throughout the movie.

The shotgun is first seen when Scotty (Richard DeManincor) and Ash find it, and Scotty aims it right at Ash’s head because apparently, gun safety doesn’t matter when the world’s crawling with undead brain eaters. Later in the film, deadite Cheryl (Ellen Sandweiss) gets shot in the face twice but somehow manages to keep kickin’. This violates most zombie movie rules, though.

The most entertaining details are behind the scenes though. This shotgun was purchased at Kmart for this film, and they used live rounds for a few scenes including shooting a bloody dummy. After the movie, Bruce Campbell and Producer Robert Tapert bought a heap of shotgun shells and shot all their props. Because why not, right?

Type: Shotgun
Calibers: 20 gauge
Weight: 6 lbs.
Length: 42.25”
Barrel length: 26’’
Capacity: 1
Fire Modes: Break-Action

The Thing – M2A1-7 Flamethrower

macready with flamethrower — Macready was sure ready to light the Thing on fire, though sadly it had taken over one of the men he was working with. [Photo credit: IMDB]

What’s a good list of the best guns used in horror movies without an honorable mention for a flamethrower? The M2A1-7 Flamethrower is one of two used in the film, though the M2A1-7 is the only military-grade one with some of the craziest blasts.

This flamethrower burns the Thing several times throughout the film but is most well-known for its use in ‘the blood test’ scene. In this scene, Macready (Kurt Russel) uses the flamethrower to warm a wire that’s later used to test everyone’s blood because:

“Ya see, when a man bleeds, it’s just tissue, but blood from one of you Things won’t obey when it’s attacked. It’ll try and survive… crawl away from a hot needle, say.”

And of course, the test works. Palmer (David Clennon) is exposed as being infected by the Thing and begins convulsing and transforming. Macready ignites the thing after he’s begun attacking. The Thing then smashes through the wall on fire and falls to the snow as Macready throws a grenade at it.

The flamethrower continued to have an influence on the future movies, comic books, and video games being used to set the Thing aflame for years to come.

Type: Flamethrower
Weight: 43 lbs. Empty and 68 lbs. filled
Firing range: 20 meters

Conclusion

Some of these guns ended the killer or nearly did, but some of them didn’t hold a candle to the movie monsters. But, if you were in these films, what would you have used to escape the killer? Would you have kept the same gun for classic’s sake, or just gone with a different strategy altogether? On top of that, would you have followed the sacred horror movie rules, or been killed off early for breaking them?