King Kong (2005)

The following weapons appear in the 2005 remake of the film King Kong:

M1928 Thompson

The M1928 Thompson appears numerous times throughout the film used by various members of the crew of the S.S. Venture during the mission to rescue Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts). The Thompsons seen in the film have the classic 'gangster' configuration; vertical foregrips, Cutts compensators, charging handle on the top, and high-capacity 50rd. drum magazines. It would be a task to correctly identify if the Thompsons used in the film are models of 1921AC (compensated), 1928 "overstamp" from 1921 Colt, or 1928A1's with vertical grip added for the film to give them the earlier look. However, it is logical to assume that these are actually WWII M1928A1's with make-overs in order to give the appearance of the earlier pre-war Colt guns.

M1928 "Tommygun" .45 ACP

M1928s stored underneath a crewman's bed in the Venture, which the crew retrieves before landing on the island.

A crate full of drum magazines.

Carl Denham(Jack Black) firing an M1928 Thompson.(Note:This scene is from the extended edition of the movie.)

Lumpy The Cook firing an M1928 Thompson.

Ben Hayes kills a Venatasaurus raptor with his M1928.

Jimmy loads his M1928 when he finds a spare drum magazine

Jimmy fires his M1928 Thompson at the bugs.

Bruce Baxter(Kyle Chandler) swings down firing at giant insects in the chasm.

Captain Englehorn(Thomas Kretschmann) fires at insects in the chasm.

Mauser Gewehr 1898

Another weapon used by the crew of the Venture is the German-made Mauser Gewehr 1898 bolt-action rifle. Though firing a more powerful round (7.92x57mm Mauser), they tend to be less effective in the film overall than the rapid-fire Thompsons, possibly due to the Gew 98's straight bolt handle (which slows down reload time compared to the rate of fire of a bolt-action rifle that has a turned-down bolt handle) and five-round magazine.

Mauser Gewehr 1898 7.92x57mm Mauser

Mauser Gewehr 1898s in the Venture's Armory

Jimmy at the front of a raft with a Gewehr 1898.

Jimmy takes aim with a Gewehr 1898.

M1911A1

The second mate of the Venture, Ben Hayes (Evan Parke) carries an M1911A1 pistol during the mission to rescue Ann. He's most notably seen chambering it just before being killed by Kong.

M1911A1 .45 ACP

Ben Hayes holding his M1911A1 while in Kong's grip.

Ben Hayes chambering his M1911A1.

Luger LP08 "Artillery"

The skipper of the S.S. Venture, Captain Englehorn (Thomas Kretschmann) is seen using a long-barreled Artillery model Luger P08 pistol, shooting a Skull Island native with it just as the native is about to kill Carl Denham (Jack Black).

Artillery Model Luger P08 (with long barrel) - 9mm

Captain Englehorn (Thomas Kretschmann) fires a long barreled "Artillery" Luger P08.

Captain Englehorn (Thomas Kretschmann) with his long barreled "Artillery" Luger P08.

M1903 Springfield

During and just after the climax of the film, several U.S. Army soldiers gathered around the Empire State Building can be seen holding M1903 Springfield bolt-action rifles.

Actually most of the rifles shown are the similar Model 1917 Enfield bolt-action rifle. This was a First World War improvisation by the US Army to address shortages of the Springfield and lack of manufacturing capacity for that rifle. The M1917 was a modification of the British Enfield Pattern 1914 rifle (itself a copy of the German Mauser Gew 98) for the US .30-06 cartridge. As the P-14 was being manufactured by Winchester and Remington (in the British .303 cartridge) it was far easier to alter production than re-tool to make the Springfield. In fact far more Enfields were manufactured by the end of the war (~2.65 million, in addition to 1.15 million for the United Kingdom) than Springfields.

M1903 Springfield Mk1 .30-06

Three soldiers armed with M1903 Springfields pose for a photo in front of Kong's body.

M1917 Enfield

Several US Army soldiers can be seen using the M1917 Enfield bolt-action rifle alongside soldiers armed with Springfield M1903 rifles.

M1917 Enfield .30-06 M1917 Enfield .30-06. The Pattern 1914 was chambered originally in a high velocity .276 caliber and then changed to .303 British when the experimental caliber proved to be troublesome. Remington manufactured the rifle for the British in WW1. After the U.S. joined the Allies it was easy to convert the rifle to 30-06. Which was important since the Federal Springfield Armory could not produce enough of the 1903 Springfield rifle to meet war demands.United States troops carried both the 1917 Enfield and the 1903 Springfield in World War I.

Browning Automatic Rifle

In the extended edition of the film, a soldier armed with a Browning Automatic Rifle in the back of a military truck is telling his fellow comrades what they will do to Kong before the giant ape runs into the vehicle, and smashes it into a wall.

Browning Automatic Rifle .30-06

The soldier in back of this truck has a Browning Automatic Rifle.

Lewis Gun

During the climax of the movie, the biplanes that attack Kong on the Empire State Building are fitted with Lewis guns for the observer/tail gunner. The version used on the biplanes are air-cooled and lack the thick, water-filled sleeve around the barrel.

Aircraft-mounted Lewis Gun .30-06

A gunner in a biplane fires a Lewis gun.

Unknown Harpoon

When Kong is attacking the crew of the Venture during their attempt to capture him, Captain Englehorn (Thomas Kretschmann) shoots Kong in the leg with a harpoon gun of unknown make and model.

Captain Englehorn about to shoot Kong with a Harpoon gun of unknown make or model.

Browning M1919

In the scene where Kong is pursued from Central Park to the Empire State Building, U.S. Army soldiers are seen firing on the giant ape with a Browning M1919 machine gun mounted in the back of a car.

The model shown, the M1919A4, is somewhat anachronistic for 1933 however.

Browning M1919 .30-06 on M2 tripod

A Browning M1919 manned by a U.S Army soldier.

Anti-aircraft Cannon

While Kong is being pursued through New York City, U.S Army soldiers fire at him with cannons mounted on several military trucks.

This cannon is in fact a British Enfield 13-pdr 9-cwt Mk I, 3" This was a First World War adaption of obsolete 13 pounder cannon as air defense weapons, hence the high angle mounting shown on the truck. The weapon is of three inch (76mm) calibre; the "9-cwt" indicating the barrel/breech assembly weighs nine hundredweight and differentiates this model weapon from other "thirteen pounders".

It may have been selected as the weapon is still (2008) in use and ammunition produced for it; the British Royal Horse Artillery use the cannon, on a conventional carriage mount, for ceremonial purposes such as firing salutes and participating in military "tattoos". However this is mere speculation.

It goes without saying that this weapon was never, in reality, used either by the US Army or by any National Guard unit.

However it's very cool looking and fits the time period. Jcordell

An unknown cannon is fired at Kong.