Chuck Norris is an interesting action hero. He made his name in those crazy Canon films of the 1970s and then had a successful career on the TV series, “Walker, Texas Ranger.” He then had a third career as a meme when the Chuck Norris jokes of the early 2000s exploded. On top of all that, Chuck Norris remains a 2nd Amendment supporter and is currently the spokesperson for Glock. He’s one of the few action stars who isn’t a hypocrite and actually seems to know how to shoot a gun. With that in mind, we are diving in to look at some of the more interesting guns he’s used throughout his filmography.
Why does Chuck Norris need guns?
Chuck Norris made his bones as a martial artist. He was a karate champion and acted as the bad guy in the Bruce Lee film “Way of the Dragon.” He even taught Steve McQueen a little karate. So why does he need a gun?
Well, a roundhouse kick from Chuck Norris is actually a violation of the Geneva Convention. Yep, they passed it back in the 1970s, and since then, he’s had to taper himself and stick to using a gun instead of decapitating and dismembering his enemies with a kick to the body or head.
Since Chuck works for Glock, I’d hazard to guess that his official gun would be some form of Glock pistol. He’s probably a Glock 20 man who appreciates a good 10mm, but that’s speculation. I can’t possibly tell you what Chuck’s personal favorite gun is, but I can tell you what my favorite Chuck Norris guns are.
The HK G3A4 With “Grenade’ Launcher — Missing In Action 3
Missing In Action 3 isn’t the best of the Missing In Action series. However, it does have one of the most interesting firearms in the series. The base rifle is a G3A4 battle rifle. The A4 model has the collapsing stock. This rifle is a roller-delayed blowback series that originates in Spain but was perfected by Germany. It was one of the more popular battle rifles out there and it armed numerous countries.
The rifle was appropriate for the time period. Chuck gets 30-round magazines with his G3, which is a bit unusual since 30 rounds were the standard. The most striking feature is the six-shot under-barrel ‘grenade’ launcher. In reality, it’s a flare launcher from an aircraft. It’s absolutely massive and likely quite heavy and awkward.
Chuck never seems to aim the gun. It’s slung over one shoulder, and the man fires with perfect accuracy from the hip. He decimates enemy forces and knocks down a guard tower with the grenade launcher. It’s the pinnacle of the 80s action movie gun. Loud, huge, and over the top.
Dual Mini Uzis — Invasion USA
“Invasion USA” is an over-the-top action flick that was certainly written by folks under the influence of certain Colombian products, and I don’t mean coffee. The film has Soviet-led South American guerillas invading Florida and facing off with the ultimate Florida man, ex-CIA Agent Matt Hunter. His weapon of choice is a pair of Micro Uzis in a custom rig designed by our friends at Desantis.
The Micro Uzi descended from the Uzi but is more like a pistol than a standard submachine gun. It’s micro-sized, and of course, it’s full auto. The micro-sized 9mm lead spitter is most certainly wielded best in pairs. You don’t need stocks, but that is an option. Instead of using stock, Hunter just fires from the hip and deals death at an insane rate.
In real life, are two machine pistols practical? Hell no. They are difficult to control in full auto and impossible to aim. That doesn’t matter because looking cool is half the battle, and the other half is overwhelming violence.
Sawn Off Auto 5 — Lone Wolf McQuade
I’ve watched “Lone Wolf McQuade” over a hundred times because it’s one of my Dad’s favorite movies. Our character, McQuade, is a Texas Ranger who works alone, in case the name doesn’t give it away. McQuade carries an arsenal of firearms, but his slick-sawn-off Auto 5 is the most memorable. It harkens back to Clyde Barrow’s whippet guns.
The Auto 5 is a semi-auto shotgun designed by John Moses Browning. It was the first successful semi-auto shotgun on the market and, to this day, occupies plenty of deer stands, duck blinds, and skeet ranges. McQuade’s shotgun features a sawn-off pistol grip and barrel. He wields it one-handed at times and often fires it from the hip.
I’d be interested to know if the Auto 5 actually worked in this configuration. Semi-auto shotguns can be finicky, especially older models, and this is an extreme modification. If it did work, it would be handy, lightweight, and easily wielded.
G36C With Mags For Days — Expendables
“The Expendables” movies are an absolute ton of fun. They are over the top, a little campy, and ultra-violent, to say the least. These films bring all the old action heroes from the 1970s, 80s, and 90s together as a team of elite mercenaries. Chuck Norris makes an extended cameo, but he’s not an Expendable. In fact, he’s a legend even among ehe Expendables and is even the subject of a traditional Chick Norris joke or two.
Chuck Norris pops in the film when the Expendables are getting their asses kicked. They are outgunned, outnumbered, and in a dire situation when a streak of machine gun fire just lays down bad guy after bad guy. A one-man army shows up to save the day, and it’s Chuck Norris wielding a G36C.
The G36C uses magazines with a system that allows for organic jungle-style magazine attachment. Chuck makes use of this and has three magazines interconnected together to create one massive magazine body for 90 rounds on tap after a couple of quick mag changes. He even takes the time to aim with a C-More red dot on top of his rifle.
The Belt Fed Beauty M60 — Missing In Action
The first “Missing In Action” is the best one. The trilogy was really set up by this first film, where Colonel Braddock, a Vietnam vet, goes back to Vietnam to find and free lost POWs. This film shares a lot in common with “Rambo 2,” including the M60. Braddock doesn’t get his M60 til the final fight to free the POWs, and when he does, it’s glorious.
He skirts along the POW convoy in the riverboat gun battle, laying hate and discontent. Later, he comes out of the water like a super commando, firing the M60 from the hip and dealing death like he works the strip in Vegas. It’s the quintessential 80s action scene, complete with an invincible hero rocking and rolling with a giant gun fired from the hip.
The M60 is a belt-fed, 7.62 NATO, open bolt, air-cooled machine gun that became a movie star in its own right during the 80’s action movie craze. It continues to serve in limited roles today, although it’s been a bit overshadowed by the FN MAG and other GPMGs.
The Man, The Myth, The Legend
Chuck Norris has cemented himself on the Mount Rushmore of action heroes like Stallone, Willis, and Schwarzenegger. Norris mixed the traditional gun-toting action hero with the martial artist action hero to be his own unique contribution to over-the-top action. Along the way, he had help, ballistic help, and I think we’ve captured his best blasters. With that said, if you disagree, let us know below!
