The Roof Koreans, or Rooftop Koreans, have become a steady part of gun culture. They live on as an example of why the Second Amendment is so important. The origin of the Roof Koreans comes from the 1992 LA riots. These riots left first responders and law enforcement too swamped with calls to be able to respond and protect neighborhoods. Korean store owners and their families took their privately owned firearms and stood in vigil over their neighborhoods and businesses.
Their pictures and story soon became legendary. In gun culture, it’s an example we use to show how much we need the ability to defend ourselves. It’s become enshrined in memes, t-shirts, and even patches. The Roof Koreans are seen as a positive example of self-defense when there are no police to come rescue you.
We often examine the firearms of military forces, police officers around the world, and even terrorist forces. But what about the Koreans who defended their neighborhoods in 1992? What guns did they wield? It turns out to be an interesting mix of civilian-owned firearms.
Daewoo K1A1
One of the most famous photographs from the LA Riots and the Roof Koreans is a man in a red shirt holding an odd-looking rifle with a huge smile. That rifle is the Korean-produced Daewoo K1A1. The K1A1 is a direct impingement 5.56 caliber semi-auto rifle that feeds from a box magazine.
The rifle in the photo appears to have a folding, collapsing stock system. These rifles were imported from Korea in a semi-auto-only configuration. This rifle was utilized by South Korean forces from 1981 until 1985 when it was replaced by the K2. It is worth noting the military variant of the K1 is designed for a .223 Remington, as is the original MAX-1 imported rifle. However, the K1A1 could fire 5.56.
The K1A1 would be quite the rifle for this situation. It’s lightweight, chambers an intermediate cartridge, and feeds from a box magazine. It’s no slouch and would be adequate for self-defense.
Remington 700
Another famed photo shows a young Korean man wielding a bolt action rifle. Specifically, it appears to be a Remington 700. I’m 99% sure. It’s easy to believe, as the Remington 700 is an extremely common rifle. It’s one of the most popular bolt action rifles out there and would occupy the hands of hunters, competition shooters, and even military snipers.
It would be a shot in the dark to guess the caliber since Remington produced them in every caliber under the sun. These were accurate rifles and very reliable. It’s an odd choice for an urban defense scenario and shows how ad hoc the entire situation was.
Benelli M3
This is a tough one to call for sure, but this photo from the LA Times shows what looks very much like a Benelli shotgun, but it has a pump instead of a solid forend. This means it has to be an M3. The Benelli M3 is an oddball shotgun that is a hybrid pump action and semi-auto design. A twist of a ring converts it to pump action. In semi-auto, it’s an inertia-operated shotgun.
This is a tactical shotgun that is best thought of as a semi-auto with pump action capability. The pump action capability was to allow it to cycle underpowered loads, like less lethal munitions. The Benelli M3 never achieved the popularity of the M2 or later M4, but it was a great gun all around. For urban defense, it was a capable and reliable option.
Beretta 92
In 1992 David Joo managed a gun store in Korea. There is some fairly famous footage of Korean citizens buying guns en masse in this time period at his gun store. He was featured in several news videos defending the store, as well as the stores in the same complex. His weapon of choice was a Beretta 92 handgun.
In 1992 the Beretta 92 was the top dog. It was the choice of dozens of police departments, the US military, and even the LAPD. It held 15 rounds of 9mm and offered a DA/SA action. This was a very modern pistol for the era and remains a great choice for self-defense.
Glock Gen 1 or 2
Sliding in behind the famed Beretta 92 is the Glock series of pistols. One photo shows two young men taking cover behind a forklift, each wielding a handgun. One is a Glock 17. Likely a Gen 2, but possibly a Gen 1. The Gen 2 premiered in 1988, so it wasn’t an uncommon pistol. In this era, it would have been fairly advanced.
Glock was seeing some success at this point but had not dominated the market just yet. Polymer pistols were not hot stuff just yet, but this young man was thinking ahead. Or likely handling what was available to defend his neighborhood.
M1911
Sitting behind that same forklift with the Glock-wielding young man is another toting an M1911. It seems almost poetic that the 1911 vs. Glock argument could be put aside for mutual defense. The young man has a decocked, stainless M1911. I can’t guarantee you what brand the gun is, but I would guess a Colt.
The M1911 was showing its age by 1992. The Glock offered more than double its capacity, was lighter, and was just as capable. Yet, the warhorse stuck around and helped defend Koreantown like an old trooper who wasn’t ready to retire.
Kimel AP-9
An oddball we saw a young Korean man carrying was a Kimel AP-9. It’s often mistaken for a TEC-9, and it’s easy to see why. The TEC-9 and AP-9 both have perforated heat shields, magazines forward of the trigger, and looks that give Nancy Pelosi nightmares. It’s a big pistol and wasn’t any more capable than the aforementioned Glock and M1911.
It was just bigger. The AP-9 never reached TEC-9 fame and was never super useful. They still pop up every now and then and are typically affordable firearms. The AP-9 series wouldn’t be my first choice, but it’s better than harsh words.
Various Double Barrel Shotguns
Another example of sporting arms turned to defensive firearms is the various photos of double-barrel shotguns being wielded by the Roof Koreans: Brownings, Winchesters, Remington, and many more. It’s tough to tell as they do all share looks, and finding a reference guide to 1992 over/under shotguns wasn’t worth the time.
These are bird and clays guns, but they’ve been retrofitted and put into a new rule as needed.
Legend of the Roof Koreans
In America, we live in a society where the police can often respond and intercept violence. We also often live in a world where our only interaction with police is in the form of a speeding ticket. For the most part, we live in a safe world.
However, when things suddenly become unsafe and the police are nowhere to be seen, the ability to defend ourselves, our homes, and our communities relies on the Second Amendment. That’s exactly what these men did, and these are the firearms they did it with.
