Rambo III

Rambo III is an unusual movie in that it's production was halted about two thirds into the shooting schedule of the film. Rambo III was scheduled to film entirely in Israel, and many scenes were filmed there, using Israeli armorers. However, the spectacle of a major American movie being filmed in the middle east created a lot of concern about terrorist attacks (to disrupt the production and 'send a message of the U.S.'). Before production could be completed, Israel revoked the production's permission to remain in the country (the official reason being security concerns and threats made to the American film crew). Not wishing for a multi million dollar film to be scrapped, then California State Senator Pete Wilson (R), helped the production relocate back to Southern California. The remaining shots were completed (including many insert shots) using the same talent, but utilizing areas around the California Desert, most notable Lone Pine, CA. The sudden change from 'accurate Soviet weaponry' (provided by the Israeli armorers) to the typical 'faux' weaponry seen in many American movies, is explained by this sudden relocation back to California. Thus we see Norinco Type 56 rifles instead of real AK47s, etc. Stembridge Gun Rentals took over the final shoot (back in California).

Most notably, the armored vehicles at the final battle changed from the authentic and original Soviet armored vehicles from the middle of the film, to the modified American tanks and APCs (from the film Red Dawn). These were provided by Veluzat Armored Vehicles out of Newhall, California. Only aficionados of tanks would notice the change.

The weapons used in this movie are:

Note: This is still a work in progress.... There were many errors on this page BEFORE I started working on it. So be patient and let me finish before nitpicking on the details. :) Thanks. MPM2008.

AK-47

Seen carried by the Mujahideen and by Armed tribal members in Peshawar, Pakistan. The ones in the early parts of the film are authentic AK47s (the real deal). These were all captured enemy arms, taken during the many wars between Israel and their neighbor nations. Israeli movie armorers have access to tons of authentic captured Soviet weaponry over the years, and any film shot in Israel would have real Soviet guns.

Tribal member in Peshawar holds an AK47 - 7.62x39mm

Mujahideen fighters hold a council with Rambo, many holding AK47s. These are Israeli movie guns, evident by the extra long screw on blank adapters on the end of the barrels. American Armorers usually have drop in BFAs or thread the interior of their barrels and use a hex nut as the blank adapter, but the Israelis don't. This is the case for every movie filmed in Israel that has AK47s and is a good visual indicator where a scene was filmed.

Another good shot of the AK47s with the extended screw on blank adapters. These are noticeably thinner than any of the military screw on blank adapters and are a different shape than any military BFA issued for the AK or any of it's variants.

Norinco Type 56 assault rifle

A number of Mujahideen fighters are seen with the Chinese-made Norinco Type 56 and Type 56-1 assault rifles in the film. The use of Norinco Type 56 and Type 56-1 rifles by the Mujahideen fighters in Rambo 3 mirrors the real-life Mujahideen's usage of the Norinco Type 56 series rifles in the 1980s when the Chinese, Americans, and Pakistanis provided Type 56 rifles to the Mujahideen in their war against the Soviet Union's occupation of Afghanistan.

Norinco Type 56 (fixed stock variant) with under-folding bayonet - 7.62x39mm

Norinco Type 56-1 (under-folding stock variant) - 7.62x39mm

AMD 65

Colonel Trautman is seen with an AMD-65 rifle at the end scene of the movie, It is also seen in the hands of some Russian troops.

File:AMD 65.jpg

(This is not an AMD-65; it's an AKM-63, often mistakenly IDed as the "AMD-63". The AMD-65 has plastic furniture, a shorter barrel, a side-folding stock, and a distinctive-looking muzzle break.)

File:Rambo-III.jpg

Rambo and the AMD 65

PM-63

This weapon is used by Colonel Zaysen (Marc de Jonge) during the interrogation scene.

PM-63

Colonel Zaysen holds his PM-63 to the throat of Col. Trautman.

Colonel Zaysen's PM-63 is cocked back, ready to fire, evident by the cocking shroud being level with the barrel tip. The PM63 msut be cocked back in such a manner to fire, and also makes it very obvious that is is locked and loaded.

DShK Heavy Machine Gun

An accurate and real DShK 12.7mm Soviet Machine Gun is used by Rambo to down an attack helicopter. It is one of the very few times a real DShK (rather than a fake one made out of an American gun like an M2 .50 cal) is used in an American Motion Picture.