Year of the Dragon

Movie poster

Country	United States
Directed by	Michael Cimino
Release Date	1985
Language	English Chinesse Polish
Studio	Dino De Laurentiis Company Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Distributor	MGM/UA

Main Cast
Character	Actor
Stanley White	Mickey Rourke
Joey Tai	John Lone
Angelo Rizzo	Leonard Termo
Louis Bukowski	Raymond J. Barry
Herbert Kwong	Dennis Dun
Tracy Tzu	Ariane Koizumi
Harry Yung	Victor Wong

The following weapons were used in the film Year of the Dragon:

WARNING! THIS PAGE CONTAINS SPOILERS!

Handguns

Magnum Research Desert Eagle Mark I

When Ronnie Chang (Joey Chin) fails to strangle Stanley White in his home, Stanley White (Mickey Rourke) grabs a .357 Magnum Desert Eagle Mark I out of his living room cabinet and uses it when Ronnie tries to flee. Stanley uses it again in his final shootout with Joey Tai (John Lone). According to Magnum Research, Inc., Year of the Dragon is the first-ever use of the Desert Eagle in a film. The blank-adapted firearm was provided to the production by Weapons Specialists, Ltd. and later sold in a 2018 Heritage Auction listing.

The Magnum Research Desert Eagle Mark I used in Year of the Dragon; the weapon pictured here is the actual screen-used firearm carried by Mickey Rourke in the film - .357 Magnum

Opposite view of the Magnum Research Desert Eagle Mark I from Year of the Dragon -.357 Magnum

Closer view of the slide markings of the screen-used Magnum Research Desert Eagle Mark I from Year of the Dragon - .357 Magnum

Stanley fires his Desert Eagle at Ronnie as he tries to flee.

Stanley threatens Joey to find out where the heroin is.

Stanley holds his Desert Eagle on Joey.

Highlight for Spoilers: Joey Tai (John Lone) asks Stanley for his gun.

Colt Detective Special

The main sidearm of Capt. Stanley White (Mickey Rourke) is a Colt Detective Special. He uses it throughout most of the film and carries it in a shoulder holster.

1st Generation Colt Detective Special - .38 Special

Stanley fires his Colt at the Pei Brothers.

Clear shot of his Colt.

Stanley fires his Colt while the Pei Brothers flee, while his eyes are mostly covered up. The gun sight is at eye level.

Stanley fires his Colt at Red Hair (Doreen Chan) and Aileen.

Beretta Cheetah

After refusing to pay protection and insulting him, Lenny Carranza (Tony Lip) is killed by Ronnie Chang (Joey Chin) with a Beretta Cheetah variant with a round trigger guard.

Beretta 84B (earlier version with round trigger guard) - .380 ACP

Ronnie draws his Cheetah on Lenny Carranza.

Close up of the Cheetah.

Ronnie fires his Cheetah.

Smith & Wesson Model 10

New recruits along with Herbert Kwong (Dennis Dun) are seen qualifying with the Smith & Wesson Model 10.

Smith & Wesson Model 10 - .38 Special

A recruit qualifying with the Smith & Wesson Model 10.

Another qualifying with the Smith & Wesson Model 10.

Herbert with a Model 10.

Highlight for Spoilers: Herbert is not a very good shot. Not enough trigger time. Stanley White (Rourke) is told by his superiors that Herbert doesn't have enough training. But Stanley needed someone undercover ASAP, so Herbert did with minimal training which may have cost him his life.

Smith & Wesson Model 10 Heavy Barrel

One of the new recruits is seen qualifying with a Smith & Wesson Model 10 Heavy Barrel.

Smith & Wesson Model 10 Heavy Barrel - .38 Special

A new recruit with a Model 10HB.

Browning Hi-Power

A new gang member is forced to shoot the Pei Brothers with a Browning Hi-Power fitted with a suppressor.

Browning Hi-Power fitted with suppressor - 9x19mm

The gang member with the Hi-Power.

The Hi-Power aimed at one of the Pei Brothers.

Colt M1911A1

A Colt M1911A1 is used by a gang member.

Colt M1911A1 - .45 ACP

The gang member aims the Colt M1911.

The gang member fires the Colt M1911.

The Colt M1911 cycling.

Best view of the Colt M1911.

Walther PPK

Highlight for Spoilers: As retribution for the death of Herbert Kwong (Dennis Dun), Stanley White finds Joey Tai (John Lone) in a nightclub, where he takes him to a bathroom stall and beats him. Red Hair (Doreen Chan) and Aileen (uncredited) draw Walther PPKs on Stanley and his partner Angelo Rizzo (Leonard Termo). Joey Tai (John Lone) uses what appears to be a gold plated PPK in the final shootout with Stanley White.

Walther PPK - .380 ACP.

Red Hair aims her PPK at Stanley.

Red Hair fires her PPK, which grazes Stanley's neck.

Aileen fires her PPK, which wounds Rizzo in the stomach.

Red Hair lying on the street with her PPK. Note that the slide is locked back.

Best view of the PPK. Slide is forward.

Joey Tai (John Lone) with his gold plated PPK.

Smith & Wesson Model 27

Gen. Ban Sung (Yukio Yamamoto) gives a Smith & Wesson Model 27 to Joey Tai (John Lone) to shoot the old General for talking to the Americans.

Smith & Wesson Model 27 - .357 Magnum.

Gen. Ban Sung hands off the S&W Model 27.

Joey Tai aims the S&W Model 27 on the old General. Notice how the soldier on the right gets out of the would-be bullet path.

Unknown Revolver

When Angleo Rizzo (Leonard Termo) is shot by Aileen with her PPK, Rizzo's revolver is seen holstered.

Submachine Guns

IMI Uzi

The Pei Brothers (Sammy Lee) & (Kennan Leung) shoot up Harry Yung's restaurant armed with IMI Uzis, killing a great number of innocent bystanders.

IMI Uzi - 9x19mm

One of the Pei Brothers reloading. Note the spare magazine is clipped with a bracket at a right angle to the other. This configuration, originally conceived of by Israeli Special Forces soldiers, not only facilitates a rapid magazine change, but adds a small amount of additional weight facing forward, helping to control muzzle rise. When the first magazine is empty and the full one is flipped upward and into the magazine well, the empty magazine extends backward, parallel to the arm and out of the way.

Uzi Pistol

After a failed attempt to assassinate Stanley White, Ronnie Chang (Joey Chin) draws an Uzi Pistol fitted with a folding stock before trying to flee.

IMI Uzi Pistol with 25-round magazine - 9x19mm

Ronnie fires a Micro Uzi at Stanley, using the folding stock as a foregrip.

Better view of the Micro Uzi, while Ronnie tries to flee.

Shotguns

Winchester Model 1897

After hearing gunshots down the street from Stanley's house, Louis Bukowski (Raymond J. Barry) carries a Winchester Model 1897 when trying to find out what's going on.

Winchester Model 1897 - 12 gauge

Louis Bukowski with his Model 1897.

Rifles

M16A1

When Joey Tai goes to Thailand, most of General Ban Sung (Yukio Yamamoto) soldiers are armed with M16A1s.

M16A1 with 30-round magazine - 5.56x45mm

Soldiers with M16A1s.

Soldiers on the left with M16A1s.

SKS

A soldier on horseback is seen with an SKS, while escorting Joey Tai to the General.

SKS - 7.62x39mm

A soldier behind Joey with an SKS.

Best view of the SKS.

Heckler & Koch HK33A3

A few of the General's soldiers are armed with Heckler & Koch HK33A3.

Heckler & Koch HK33A3 - 5.56x45mm

Soldiers in the center with their HK33A3s

Close up shot of the HK33A3.

Type 56-1

Gen. Ban Sung (Yamamoto) handles a Type 56-1 while discussing kilo prices with Joey Tai. Gen. Ban Sung calls the Kalashnikov the best rifle ever made, despite most of his men being armed with M16A1s and also claims this specific rifle is Russian in origin, when it is actually Chinese. One soldier is seen with a milled receiver Type 56-1 when Joey Tai is given a S&W Model 27 to shoot the old General (Harry Yip).

Type 56-1 - 7.62x39mm

Gen. Ban Sung with a Type 56-1.

Gen. Ban Sung : "A Kalashnikov! Best rifle ever made. The Russians used to give them to us to fight the Burmese. But now it's harder to get. They want dollars. Everybody wants dollars".