Top 5 Guns From Heat
Centered on a professional heist crew and the LAPD detectives assigned to catch them, Heat is a slow-burn action thriller that delves deep into the minds of its characters. That doesn't mean there's a shortage of heart-pounding set pieces, though. Rather, the character studies serve to compliment the action by informing each player's motivations during and after the frenetic shootouts that define the film.
Michael Mann, who wrote and directed Heat as well as its made-for-television predecessor L.A. Takedown, is famous for applying the same attention to detail to his characters' choice of firearms. Guns are a part of how the heist crew (and to a lesser extent, the police) interact with the world around them and are carefully selected to match what these individuals would have realistically have access to.
From Lieutenant Vincent Hanna's distinctive 1911 Officer's Model to the Colt Model 733 that Val Kilmer's Chris Shiherlis uses to kick off the climactic bank robbery shootout, the guns of Heat reflect the characters' lived experiences on and off screen. They are handled in a manner consistent with the professional cops and robbers the actors are portraying, lending the film a degree of credibility seldom awarded to Hollywood productions by us nitpicky firearms enthusiasts.
Several more recent blockbusters like The Town and Den Of Thieves have attempted to recapture the magic Michael Mann achieved with Heat, but so far, none have successfully replaced it as the definitive gun guy movie. That's why in this blog, we're ranking our picks for the five best guns used in Heat.
5. Star Megastar
The Star Megastar is the sidearm of choice for the film's secondary antagonist, Waingro, who carries both blued and nickel models at different points. Chambered in .45 ACP, this traditional double / single action pistol has a capacity of 12+1 and features an ambidextrous safety / decocker lever.
It's a cool, full steel handgun that is still popular with collectors of vintage 90s firearms today - held in much the same regard as other coveted DA/SA models like the Smith & Wesson 4506 or the Ruger P90.
Waingro checks his hotel room door with his nickel Star Megastar.
4. FN FNC
Lt. Vincent Hanna (played by Al Pacino) uses an FN FNC as his primary during Heat's bombastic downtown LA shootout. Notably, his character does not employ the rifle's full-auto capabilities, opting instead for controlled semi-auto fire. This choice reflects Hanna's police training, which heavily discourages collateral damage to civilians and property.
While perhaps an unconventional choice for the LAPD, the FNC is still used to great effect throughout the exchange. It even carries the distinction of firing the final round of the gunfight, dispatching a bank robber that attempted to use a child hostage as a human shield with an incredibly risky unsupported head shot.
Vincent takes careful aim with his FN FNC rifle.
For a modern FN rifle, check out the FN 15 Military Collector edition!
3. Heckler & Koch USP
Carried by Robert De Niro's Neil McCauley during the first half of the film, the Heckler & Koch USP perfectly mirrors the character's criminal sophistication. It is precise and reliable, as demonstrated when it is used to save McCauley's life from an attempted ambush at a drive-in movie theater.
The screen-used gun is most likely chambered in 9mm since the .45 ACP model wasn't released until after Heat was finished filming, but there is much speculation online that Michael Mann intended this to be the .45 ACP model. Support for this theory can be found in the notes from Mann's original script as well as McCauley's choice to replace the USP with a Sig P220 (also chambered in .45 ACP) after the USP.
Neil places his USP on a table after returning home for the evening.
2. Colt 1991 A1 Series 80 Officer ACP
This compact 1911 variant is most likely a nod to Vincent Hanna's service in the Marine Corps. The character carries his Colt 1991 A1 Series 80 Officer ACP in a leather crossdraw holster, a choice that helps Hanna stand out from other on-screen detectives who use strong side holsters or shoulder rigs.
Hanna pulls the pistol midway through his final confrontation with McCauley, immediately after running his shotgun completely dry. It is then used to decide the outcome of their fateful duel amongst the blinding lights of the airport runway.
Vincent searches near the airport runway with his Colt drawn.
Honorable Mention: IMI Galil ARM
Career criminal Michael Cheritto (played by Tom Sizemore) is armed with an IMI Galil ARM during the bank robbery scene. The screen-used rifle is chambered in 5.56 NATO, but Michael Mann refers to it as a "7.62" in his audio commentary. Thus, it is likely that this was meant as a stand-in for the heavier model chambered in .308 Win / 7.62 NATO.
In either case, Cheritto would not have been able to use the same ammo pool as McCauley and Shiherlis, both of whom were running Colts at the time. The Galil uses different magazines, setting Tom Sizemore's character apart from the rest and hinting at his eventual fate after he is split off from the rest of his crew.
Cheritto returns fire with his Galil ARM.
1. Colt Model 733
Featuring prominently in what is perhaps the most iconic (and realistic) shootout ever put to film, the Colt Model 733 is used by Chris Shiherlis to open fire on several LAPD detectives outside the bank. Val Kilmer's character is able to transition from carrying the short barreled rifle under his jacket to firing a burst of full auto in mere seconds, with no hesitation whatsoever.
Shiherlis uses the 733 to cover his fellow heisters as they advance in a textbook bounding overwatch maneuver. Viewers can also get a nice close-up of the rifle when Val Kilmer's character takes cover behind a vehicle to execute one of the cleanest reloads we've ever seen.
Chris Shirherlis (Val Kilmer) opens up with his Colt Model 733.
Heat: The Anatomy Of A Great Movie Shootout
In addition to Michael Mann's selection of firearms, his decision to have the principal actors train with military and law enforcement advisors allowed their movement and tactics during the action set pieces to seem authentic, most notably during the iconic bank shootout.
The police approach methodically, utilizing cover and concealment while moving innocent bystanders out of harm's way. As previously noted, members of the LAPD use aimed semi-automatic fire to target members of the heist crew to minimize risk of injury to civilians in surrounding cars or buildings.
By contrast, the heist crew advances forcefully, making full use of their rifles' select-fire capabilities to suppress the pursuing detectives and punch through barricades set by patrol officers. They're less concerned with collateral damage than they are working together as a tight unit so that everyone can escape with the money they've just stolen.
And throughout the entire 10-minute firefight, the gunshots reverberate from the tall buildings of downtown LA. Mann chose to use live sound captured on location rather than dubbing the gunfire in post-production, resulting in a loud and chaotic scene that has captivated audiences ever since.
Heat is without a doubt the definitive gun guy movie. The characters, their choices, and the guns they carry make it one of the most authentic "cops and robbers" films ever made. To learn more about this incredible movie and the guns featured on-screen, be sure to watch our video with Matt below!
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