L.A. Confidential

L.A. Confidential (1997)

L.A. Confidential is the 1997 feature film adaptation of the novel written by James Ellroy (the L.A. crime novelist whose stories have been adapted into such films as The Black Dahlia, Dark Blue and Street Kings). Set in the early 1950's, the film follows three LAPD detectives whose paths cross during an investigation into a multiple homicide that involved a former officer. The film's cast includes Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey, Guy Pearce, Kim Basinger, and James Cromwell. L.A. Confidential was also adapted for television (see below) in an unsold pilot for FOX that starred Kiefer Sutherland as Det. Jack Vincennes.

The following weapons were used in the film L.A. Confidential:

WARNING! THIS PAGE CONTAINS SPOILERS!

Revolvers

Colt Detective Special

The Colt Detective Special snubnose revolver is most commonly seen gun in the film. This revolver is carried by both Officer Bud White (Russell Crowe) and Lt. Ed Exley (Guy Pearce). Det. Richard Stensland (Graham Beckel) also carries one of these, seen only when he hands it over to his superiors.

Colt Detective Special - .38 special

White puts his badge and his Detective Special on the chief's desk.

Det. Richard Stensland (Graham Beckel) hands over his badge and his Colt DS.

Lt. Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) draws his Colt DS as he prepares to arrest the three Nite Owl suspects.

White forces a suspect to play Russian roulette with his Colt DS during interrogation.

White with his Colt DS discovers Inez.

Exley holds White's own Colt on him during their fight.

White and Exley draw their Colts while looking for Patchett.

Exley dual-wields his Colt DS and an M1911A1 during the Victory Motel shootout.

Colt Police Positive

Exley tells Capt. Smith that the cook grabbed a .38 caliber revolver, but was murdered before he could use it. It appears to be a Colt Police Positive as the frame size and grips are too small to be a Colt Official Police. White disarms Leland "Buzz" Meeks (Darrell Sandeen) of this revolver near the start of the film as well.

Colt Police Positive with 4" Barrel - .38 spl

White disarms Leland "Buzz" Meeks (Darrell Sandeen) of his revolver near the start of the film as well.

The cook at the Nite Owl lays murdered next to his revolver.

Smith & Wesson Military & Police

Nite Owl suspect Ty Jones (Kareem Washington) grabs a Smith & Wesson M&P to try and defend himself from Exley and Carlisle during their raid.

Smith & Wesson Model 10 Revolver - .38 Special

The S&W revolver is seen right before Jones (Kareem Washington) reaches for it.

Ty Jones (Kareem Washington) holds the Smith & Wesson M&P.

Smith & Wesson .32 Hand Ejector Third Model

Officer White plants a Smith & Wesson .32 Hand Ejector Third Model in the hand of rapist Sylvester Fitch (Jeff Sanders). It is identifiable as the .32 Third Model by the ejector rod and the S&W trademark on the left side of the frame. This particular model was the "I" frame. Predecessor to the "J" frame.

S&W .32 Hand Ejector Third Model

White places a S&W Model 30 revolver with pre-taped trigger and grip in Fitch's hand.

Smith & Wesson Combat Masterpiece

Capt. Dudley Smith (James Cromwell) appears to be using a Smith & Wesson Combat Masterpiece with a 4" barrel during the climactic shootout at the Victory Motel. The story takes place before 1957 when Smith & Wesson began numbering its models.

Smith & Wesson Model 15 .38 Special

Capt. Smith fires his S&W Model 15.

Capt. Smith with his revolver. He is seen handling the revolver similarly in the 1996 film Eraser.

Pistols

Colt Government

Sgt. Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) carries what appears to be a Colt Government with customized grips as his duty sidearm, carrying it during the "Movie Premiere Pot Bust" and while arresting the Nite Owl suspects.

Colt Government

Sgt. Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) draws his Colt pistol during the "Movie Premiere Pot Bust".

Sgt. Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) carries the Colt Government as he and Exley prepare to arrest the Nite Owl suspects.

Vincennes holds the pistol during the raid on Sugar Ray Collins' apartment.

M1911A1

Roland Navarette (Steven Lambert) is seen using an M1911A1 when Exley and Carlisle bust in a hideout. White gets one from his car, giving the pistol and an extra magazine to Exley to use during the final gunfight at the Victory Motel.

M1911A1 Pistol - .45 ACP.

Roland Navarette (Steven Lambert) is seen using an M1911A1 when Exley and Carlisle bust in.

Navarette fires the M1911A1 at Officer Carlisle.

Exley hits the ground holding his .45 during the Victory Motel shootout.

Exley carries his Colt DS and 1911 akimbo during the final shootout.

Colt M1903 Hammerless

At one point in the film, a .32 ACP Colt Model 1903 Hammerless pistol is seen pointed at Sgt. Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey).

Colt Model 1903 Semiautomatic Pistol - .32 ACP

At one point in the film, a .32 ACP Colt Model 1903 Hammerless pistol is seen pointed at Sgt. Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey).

Shotgun

Ithaca 37

Almost as commonly seen as the Colt Detective Special, the 12-gauge Ithaca 37 is the main shotgun seen in the film. Michael Breuning (Tomas Arana), William Carlisle, Exley, and White are among the officers seen using this shotgun throughout the film. Carlisle and Exley carry these during the Bunker Hill apartment raid, leading to Exley's "Shotgun Ed" moniker. At the Victory Motel shootout finale, Bud White uses the shotgun with great effect.

Ithaca Model 37 - 12 gauge

Breuning (Tomas Arana) threatens Vincennes with a 12-gauge.

Carlisle (Michael McCleery) and Breuning (Tomas Arana) are armed with Ithaca shotguns in the Nite Owl suspects' apartment.

Breuning (Tomas Arana) armed with the Ithaca.

Carlisle (Michael McCleery) armed with the Ithaca.

Bud armed with the shotgun at the Victory Motel.

Winchester Model 1912

Several Winchester Model 1912 shotguns are seen in the back seat of the '49 Mercury when Vincennes and Exley search for the Nite Owl suspects. The Nite Owl shooters were said to have used 12-gauge pump shotguns with a five-shell capacity.

Winchester M1912 Riot Gun

Vincennes and Exley find the shotguns in the '49 Mercury.

Winchester Model 1897

A Winchester Model 1897 is another shotgun seen in the back seat of the '49 Mercury when Vincennes and Exley search for the Nite Owl suspects. The Nite Owl shooters were said to have used 12-gauge pump shotguns with a five-shell capacity.

Winchester M1897

Vincennes and Exley find the shotguns in the '49 Mercury.

L.A. Confidential (unsold pilot)

L.A. Confidential (2003)

L.A. Confidential was also adapted as an 2003 unsold pilot written to be a prequel to the film starring Kiefer Sutherland as Det. Jack Vincennes, David Conrad as Det. Ed Exley, Josh Hopkins as Officer Bud White, Melissa George as Lynn Bracken, and Tom Nowicki as Captain Dudley Smith. Originally planned for a 13 episode run on HBO, the premium channel eventually passed on the project. The FOX network then ordered a pilot, but declined to pick it up as a series. Filmed in 1999 and intended to air in 2000, the pilot did not air on television until the fall of 2003. Though intended to be a prequel, the pilot differs from the film on a few facts, like Bud White's first meeting with Lynn Bracken and Ed Exley already working for Internal Affairs. The episode ends in a cliffhanger, one which will never be resolved. The entire episode is available as a special feature on home video copies of L.A. Confidential the film.
Note: The episode lacks opening and closing titles, not even a title card, and the IMDB page is sparse, thus many of the actors cannot be properly credited.

The following firearms were used in the film L.A. Confidential (2003):

Colt Official Police

An assailant (uncredited) opens fire on Det. Jack Vincennes (Kiefer Sutherland) during a botched undercover drug buy with a Colt Official Police. Uniformed officers, including Officer Bud White (Josh Hopkins) are armed with Colt Official Police revolvers as well.

Colt Official Police - 6" Heavy Barrel - .38 Special

An assailant opens fire on Det. Jack Vincennes.

Officer Bud White, not yet a detective, with his service revolver.

Officer Bud White (Josh Hopkins) with his revolver.

White fires his revolver on the run.

Smith & Wesson Model 36

Det. Jack Vincennes uses a nickel-plated Smith & Wesson Model 36 during the botched undercover drug buy. It's not known if this is intended to be his service weapon, or whether he's just using it as part of his disguise. (He carried a Colt Government in the film).

Smith & Wesson Model 36 (Nickel-Plated) - .38 Special

A wounded Jack Vincennes opens fire with his revolver. Note the five rounds in the cylinder.

Iver Johnson Revolver

When Jack and his partner (Jack McGee) realize that they've mistakenly gunned down an unarmed bystander, Jack's partner (credited as such) use an Iver Johnson Revolver as a drop piece.

Iver Johnson - .38 S&W

An Iver Johnson with taped grips dropped by the dead man, mistakenly shot by Jack Vincennes.

Coach Gun

A bank robber (an uncredited C. Thomas Howell), fires a Coach Gun at police.

Stoeger/IGA Coach imported side by side shotgun - 12 Gauge

The bank robber fires both barrels at police.

Colt Detective Special

Once the shotgun is out, the same bank robber (C. Thomas Howell) transitions to a Colt Detective Special.

Colt Detective Special - .38 Special

The bank robber (C. Thomas Howell) holds the revolver during the confrontation with police.

Winchester Model 1912

The other bank robber (also uncredited) is armed with a Winchester Model 1912.

Winchester M1912 Riot Gun - 12 Gauge

The other bank robber with his Winchester Model 1912.

The other bank robber with his Winchester Model 1912.

Unidentifiable revolver

Jack's partner (Jack McGee) fires an unidentifiable revolver during the botched undercover drug buy. It's only seen once in a quick over-the-shoulder shot.

The only shot of the revolver available.