King Kong (2005)

The following weapons were used in the film King Kong (2005):

Handguns

Colt M1911A1

The First Mate of the S.S. Venture, Ben Hayes (Evan Parke) carries a pre-war Colt M1911A1 Government Model during the mission to rescue Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts).

Pre-war Colt M1911A1 Government Model - .45 ACP

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

Ben Hayes chambering his M1911A1.

Luger P08 "Artillery"

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

Luger P08 "Artillery" model with long barrel - 9x19mm

Captain Englehorn fires his long barreled "Artillery" Luger P08.

Captain Englehorn with his long barreled "Artillery" Luger P08.

Smith & Wesson Military & Police

The Smith & Wesson Military & Police revolver can be seen in the holster of an NYPD cop who Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody) shoves past to get into the Empire State Building.

Smith & Wesson Military & Police - .38 Special

An NYPD cop with a holstered revolver as he attempts to hinder Jack Driscoll's path.

Jack Driscoll shoves past the cop.

Submachine Guns

M1928 Thompson

The M1928 Thompson is used by Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody), First Mate Ben Hayes (Evan Parke), Lumpy the Cook (Andy Serkis), Bruce Baxter (Kyle Chandler), and various members of the crew of the S.S. Venture during the mission to rescue Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts). Jimmy (Jamie Bell) also uses a Thompson to shoot the Weta-rexes off of Jack when in the insect pit. The Thompsons seen in the film have the classic 'gangster' configuration; vertical foregrips, Cutts compensators, charging handle on the top, and high-capacity 50 round drum magazines.

It would be a task to correctly identify if the Thompsons used in the film are 1921AC (compensated), 1928 "overstamp" from 1921 Colt, or 1928A1s with vertical grip added for the film to give them the earlier look. However, it is logical to assume that these are actually WWII M1928A1s with make-overs in order to give the appearance of the earlier pre-war Colt guns. Also, the M1928 Thompson was already in production and was widely available during the time period the film was set in (early 1930s), so the use of the M1928 Thompsons by the crew of the S.S. Venture is authentic to the period of time.

M1928 "Tommy Gun" - .45 ACP with 50 round drum magazine, made famous through countless classic gangster films

M1928 Thompsons stored underneath a crewman's bed in the S.S. Venture, which the crew retrieves before landing on the Skull Island.

A crate full of drum magazines.

Carl Denham (Jack Black) firing an M1928 Thompson at the Piranhadon. Note this scene is from the extended edition of the film.

Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody) with an M1928 Thompson.

Lumpy the Cook readies his Thompson when he hears a noise.

Lumpy the Cook firing his M1928 Thompson.

Ben Hayes kills a Venatosaurus with his M1928 Thompson.

Jimmy loads the M1928 Thompson when he finds a spare drum magazine.

Jimmy fires the M1928 Thompson at the insects.

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

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

Rifles

Mauser Gewehr 1898

Another weapon used by the crew of the S.S. 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 Gewehr 1898'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), "cock on opening" bolt-action and five-round magazine. Carl Denham (Jack Black) is also seen using a Gewehr 1898 rifle as a club against the giant insects in the chasm.

Mauser Gewehr 1898 - 7.92x57mm Mauser

Mauser Gewehr 1898s in the S.S. Venture's armory.

Mauser Gewehr 1898s are loaded into rowboats when the crewmen go ashore to rescue Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts).

A crewman loads a Gewehr 1898.

Crewmen fire their Gewehr 1898s at Kong.

A crewman futilely fires his Gewehr 1898 before having his head bit off. Note the large muzzle flash, likely from post production.

Jimmy (at the front of a raft) with a Gewehr 1898 before encountering the Piranhadon.

Jimmy holds a Gewehr 1898.

M1917 Enfield

Several U.S. Army soldiers are armed with M1917 Enfield bolt-action rifles.

M1917 Enfield - .30-06

U.S. Army soldiers with their M1917 Enfield rifles as they form an improvised roadblock with a truck to halt Kong's rampage through New York City.

Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody) pushes past soldiers carrying M1917 Enfield rifles.

The soldiers armed with M1917 Enfield rifles pose for a photo in front of Kong's body.

A soldier holds back the crowd while armed with an M1917 Enfield. Note the open front sights, which confirms it as an M1917 Enfield.

Heavy Weapons

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. Note that the gun is a BAR M1918A2 with bipod removed, anachronistic to the film's 1930s setting. A BAR M1918 would have been correct.

Browning Automatic Rifle - .30-06

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

Browning AN/M2

The Browning AN/M2 heavy machine gun can be seen mounted on Navy-flown Curtiss F8C-5/O2C-1 Helldiver biplanes as the primary armament.

Browning AN/M2, fixed mount - .30-06 Springfield

The Curtiss F8C-5 Helldiver with its dual Browning AN/M2 before engaging Kong.

The pilot then signals the other pilots to attack Kong in waves.

A Curtiss F8C-5 Helldiver aims its Browning AN/M2 at Kong.

A Curtiss F8C-5 Helldiver opens fire at Kong.

The Curtiss F8C-5 Helldiver pilots look on with indifference as Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) attempts to convince them to not kill Kong.

A Curtiss F8C-5 Helldiver circles around Kong after one of the other Curtiss Helldivers gets downed by a lunging attack from Kong.

Lewis Gun

During the climax of the film, the Curtiss F8C-5/O2C-1 Helldiver biplanes that attack Kong on the Empire State Building are fitted with Lewis guns for the observer/tail gunner. Like virtually all aircraft-mounted Lewis guns, the version used on the biplanes in the film had the cooling shrouds removed from their barrels.

Lewis Gun Aircraft Version - .303 British

A gunner in a biplane fires a Lewis gun.

Another gunner opens fire. This gunner is director Peter Jackson in a cameo.

Interesting way the gunner stabilizes himself.

Browning M1919A4

In the scene where Kong is pursued from Central Park to the Empire State Building, U.S. Army soldiers are seen firing at the giant ape with a Browning M1919A4 machine gun mounted in the back of a car. Some are also mounted on the top of U.S. Army cars facing the Empire State Building. The model shown, the M1919A4, is somewhat anachronistic for 1933 however.

Browning M1919A4 on M2 tripod - .30-06

A Browning M1919A4 manned by a U.S. Army soldier in pursuit of Kong.

A Browning M1919A4 manned by a U.S. Army soldier while watching the fight between Kong and the biplanes.

Enfield 13-pdr 9-cwt Mk I

While Kong is being pursued through New York City, U.S. Army soldiers fire at him with the Enfield 13-pdr 9-cwt Mk I (QF 13-pounder 9-cwt) mounted on several military trucks. 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) caliber; the "9-cwt" indicating the barrel/breech assembly weighs nine hundredweight and differentiates this model weapon from other "thirteen pounders".