{"id":390704,"date":"2023-03-21T12:00:47","date_gmt":"2023-03-21T17:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/?p=390704"},"modified":"2025-10-08T11:47:47","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T16:47:47","slug":"hondo-and-his-guns-through-three-generations-of-swat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/hondo-and-his-guns-through-three-generations-of-swat\/","title":{"rendered":"Hondo and His Guns Through Three Generations of SWAT"},"content":{"rendered":"

Why don’t tactical trainers incorporate the Hondo roll into their training? It’s clearly an effective technique ever since the original Hondo incorporated it into his SWAT training package. SWAT is an interesting television show and it was the first police show to ever focus on the Special Weapons and Tactics teams pioneered by the LAPD. The leader of the unit Dan ‘Hondo’ Harrelson, helped inspire not only the use of modern weapons by police but helped create the entire 1980s tactical look.<\/p>\n

Who doesn’t remember an all-black outfit, complete with a vest covered in pockets and a patrol cap, and what appeared to be jump boots? It really helped inspire the look of the 1970s, 80s, and 90s operators. Hondo as a character has been replicated three times. The original from the 1975 show SWAT, the 2003 version from the film SWAT, and the latest version of SWAT from 2017, which is now in its sixth season.<\/p>\n

What’s always captured me about these fictional SWAT officers is that they’ve also done a great job of representing the gear and tactics of that era. Watch any of the three Hondos and look at the year that portion of media was created. The guns, accessories, and gear all match the era from the 1970s origins to the 2003 early GWOT to the current crop of high-speed rifles, optics, and gadgets. Today, we are going to examine the weapons of Hondo and see how they reflect the era they originated in.<\/p>\n

The O.G. SWAT Hondo – M16<\/h2>\n

In 1975, the M16 was a rather revolutionary rifle. It was the first time a ‘black’ rifle was issued that matched what the military carried. The entire SWAT team in the 1975 series carried M16 rifles<\/a>, complete with slap-side uppers and carry handles. At the time, most cops were still packing revolvers, and if they were lucky, a pump shotgun rode in the cruiser.<\/p>\n

\"Hondo
In 1975 police with M16s was a new phenomenon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Detectives in the NYPD were still carrying double-barrel shotguns in 1975. In an era defined by S&W revolvers and Ithaca shotguns, the M16 offered a capable and versatile platform. It was lightweight, easy to shoot, accurate, and compared to most rifles of the era, it was compact. We are spoiled as a generation with our carbines. Hondo and his men did it with 20-round magazines, carry handles, and web slings.
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