The discussion focuses on a top five list of firearms used in the film 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, with a clear note that the production is not affiliated with Paramount or any studio. The number five pick is the Salient Grey rifle, a distinctive AR-platform build from Salient Arms International. It appears in the movie in the hands of the character Rone during intense street scenes under night vision, engaging multiple attackers. The rifle combines high-end accessories, including Salient’s own Jailbreak muzzle device, and is offered in several configurations with barrel lengths around 11–12 inches and 14.5 inches, in both 300 Blackout and 5.56. The rifle is known for its premium price and has also been spotted in other films such as John Wick and Transformers, adding to its on-screen recognition.
The number four pick is the M240 belt-fed machine gun, prominently used on the rooftop by Rone in 13 Hours. The M240 is highlighted for its reliability and design lineage, drawing on earlier machine guns like the M60 and older German designs. Chambered in 7.62 NATO, it is described as a very flat-shooting gun once the trigger is pressed, with recoil that can visually hold the gun up during sustained fire. Personal experience from time in the Marines reinforces its reputation as a dependable belt-fed, despite its weight. In the film, the actor portraying Rone is shown moving the M240 across the rooftop to counter a flanking maneuver, and the way he handles the gun reflects its heft while still moving efficiently to engage targets.
The number three pick is the DShK heavy machine gun, often nicknamed “Dushka,” presented as a rough counterpart to the M2 in Russian service. The comparison notes that the M2 in .50 BMG uses the 12.7x99mm cartridge, while the DShK fires 12.7x108mm. In 13 Hours, the DShK is mounted on a technical, a vehicle fitted with a mounted weapon, and plays a major role in a street ambush scene. The gunner uses the butterfly trigger to send heavy fire downrange, with bodies and vehicles reacting dramatically to the impacts. One sequence shows rounds driving into a white sedan and apparently pushing it backward, raising the question of how much is realistic and how much is cinematic exaggeration. The scene ends when Tig uses a grenade launcher to destroy the truck and the mounted DShK, removing the threat in a single blast.
The number two pick is the M249 SAW, specifically the paratrooper model seen frequently in 13 Hours. Characters such as Tig and Tanto are shown running and fighting with the compact belt-fed, which has a distinct sound and noticeably higher rate of fire than the M4s and other rifles in the film. Certain shots are framed from the shooter’s perspective down the barrel, occasionally showing optics and giving a sense of how the gun is employed under pressure. There is also a scene where the camera angle focuses on the gun cycling rather than the impact area, emphasizing the intensity of firing rather than precise point of aim. Semi-automatic civilian M249 variants are mentioned as being more reliable when belts of 5.56 are properly oiled. In the movie, the SAW is used heavily in both street engagements and rooftop defense, with long bursts that underscore its role as a squad automatic weapon.
Before revealing the top pick, the video notes several honorable mentions that appear throughout 13 Hours. The M4 is shown extensively as a standard service rifle, still widely issued in the U.S. Army and also used by many Marines, even as some units transition to other platforms. The M16 remains in service in various roles, and piston-driven replacements such as the M27 are referenced as modern alternatives in Marine units. The Mark 18 is singled out as another notable carbine, with a mock build using an Aero Precision enhanced upper and rail standing in for the real configuration. Beyond these, the film features numerous AK-pattern rifles and RPDs on the opposing side. These guns are acknowledged as important to the overall action, even if they do not make the formal top five list.
The number one pick centers on the rifle used by the character Boon, identified as an HK 417 chambered in 7.62, paired with a day optic and a night vision clip-on mounted in front of the scope. Early in the assault, the team uses night vision and infrared aiming devices to mark and track multiple hostile figures under rules of engagement that initially restrict firing. Once the situation escalates, they transition from tagging to engaging. A standout scene shows an attacker struggling with an RPG-7, apparently loading or figuring out the trigger, when a 7.62 round from Boon’s 417 strikes him in the head. The RPG discharges into the dirt and ends up taking out two of his nearby companions. Another moment shows Boon eliminating a man attempting to drag a wounded comrade away. The sequence underscores the precision role of the 417 under night vision in the film’s defensive fight.
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