Some unique trademarks are so associated with a movie character that they become synonymous with the character. It could be a catchphrase like The Terminator's "I'll be back," or a piece of clothing like Indian Jones' hat. For an action hero, that trademark is typically a gun.
Action films are rarely ever about everyone getting along. In these dangerous worlds, the villains are armed to the teeth, and the only way the hero can save the day is through superior firepower. Some of the most iconic movie guns are an extension of the heroes who carry them.
10 James Bond's Elegant Walther PPK
Dr. No
James Bond likes fast cars and good martinis. There are many things associated with 007, but none more than his signature Walther PPK. For the times when Q hasn't provided a clever gadget, Bond can always rely on his .32 ACP semi-automatic handgun.
From the very beginning in Dr. No, all the way through to Tomorrow Never Dies, Bond has carried the Walther PPK. The gun is actually a bit underpowered in terms of stopping power, but James Bond is a classy agent, and he needs an elegant weapon.
9 Hellboy Loves His Good Samaritan
Hellboy
Hellboy's enemies are rarely mortal, so he needs a weapon with otherworldly capabilities. The "Good Samaritan" is Hellboy's trusty revolver, which fires 22-millimeter rounds that can penetrate nearly anything. The explosive-tipped shells are loaded with holy water, silver, and white oak to take care of any evil creature he may encounter.
The gun was forged from Irish church bells, cold iron from crucifixes, and blessed silver, with hand grips craved from fragments of the True Cross. Because Hellboy's giant "Right Hand of Doom" is overly cumbersome for delicate work, he must load and fire the Good Samaritan with his left hand.
8 A Proton Pack Sucks The Evil Spirit Out Of Ghosts
Ghostbusters
In Ghostbusters, the main characters need a gun that can catch "a spook, specter, or ghost." As such, a traditional firearm will not be sufficient. Thankfully, Dr. Egon Spengler invented the Proton Pack with a Neutrona Wand to take care of troublesome poltergeists.
The "unlicensed nuclear accelerator" Proton Pack fires a positively charged proton beam, which contains and holds a spirit's negative energy. The Ghostbusters don't want to cross the streams from these awesome energy guns, as it would kill everyone on the planet. Given how iconic Ghostbusters is, the Proton Pack is incredibly famous.
7 Cherry's Leg Gun Was Impressive
Planet Terror
In Planet Terror, Cherry Darling survived a zombie attack. However, in the scuffle with the "Sickos," she lost a leg. She mounted a gift gun where her leg used to be to get revenge on the zombie hordes.
Cherry's Bushmaster HBAR Carbine leg rifle came equipped with a Cobray 37mm grenade launcher and fired 5.56x45mm NATO rounds in full-auto mode. Operating the weapon was as simple as manipulating a prosthetic limb. Cherry sent electric impulses to the trigger and took down numerous zombies.
6 The Noisy Cricket Is Unassuming
Men In Black
The Noisy Cricket is an unassuming palm-sized gun that's capable of unimaginable power. It fires a huge ball of energy that can destroy a truck or blast through a concrete wall. In Men in Black, Agent J doubted the power of the puny gun until he fired it at Edgar the Bug, and the recoil knocked him over.
Having been given the Noisy Cricket by Agent K in Men in Black, without warning, Agent J tried to repay the favor in the sequel. Despite having been "neuralyzed," Agent K regained his memory and fired the gun with no issue, perhaps realizing there are different power settings.
5 Rambo's Belt-Fed Machine Gun Is Iconic
Rambo: First Blood
John Rambo is a U.S. Army Special Forces Vietnam War combat vet, who is trained in hand-to-hand combat and improvised munitions. Despite his skill with any weapon, or turning anything into a weapon, the gun most associated with the character is the belt-fed M60 General-Purpose Machine Gun.
Rambo wields the M60, which is supposed to be mounted or used on a bi-pod, with one arm, while the ammo belt is wrapped around the other. Capable of firing 600 7.62x51mm NATO rounds per minute, Rambo used the gun to destroy a police station in First Blood and shot up a military base in Rambo: First Blood Part II.
4 The Boomstick Is Ash Williams' Weapon Of Choice
Army Of Darkness
Ash Williams has two signature weapons to fight the Deadites: an arm-mounted chainsaw and a shotgun. In the original Evil Dead, the gun was a single-barreled Winchester 20-gauge. In Evil Dead II, it was replaced by a 12-gauge double-barreled Stevens. Then, in Army of Darkness, it was a 12-gauge double-barreled Remington, which Ash dubbed "The Boomstick."
The Boomstick goes with Ash through the expanded universe of comics, video games, and the Ash vs. The Evil Dead TV show. The weapon accompanies him as he travels through time and space, wiping out Deadites.
3 Hans Loved His Heavy Blaster Pistol
Star Wars
Han Solo may have made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs, but his real source of pride was his heavy blaster pistol. The modified BlasTech DL-44 model, given to Solo by a fellow smuggler, started out in a rifle configuration. However, it was later stripped down to pistol size. Offering better-than-average firepower while still retaining accuracy, the smaller DL-44 mod could be drawn quickly in a tight situation.
In Star Wars, this feature came in handy during the fateful meeting with Greedo at the Cantina at Mos Eisley when Han got the drop on the Rodian bounty hunter. The DL-44 heavy blaster pistol served Solo well, from his first heist to his ultimate death on the Starkiller base. As Han told Luke, "Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."
2 Ralphie Shoots His Eye Out With A Red Ryder
A Christmas Story
Ralphie's gun in A Christmas Story is iconic, mainly because the line, "Red Ryder, carbine action, 200-shot, range model air rifle, with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time" is uttered almost 30 times throughout the movie. The gun fires .177 caliber steel balls at 700 feet per second. That is more than enough firepower to deal with Black Bart and his band of marauders, which is why Ralphie from the holiday classic A Christmas Story wanted one.
However, like his parents, teacher, and Santa Claus said, Ralphie would likely shoot his eye out with such an awesome weapon. The Red Ryder was a real air rifle, licensed from a comic strip character of the same name. It was also kind of dangerous, as proven in A Christmas Story when Ralphie nearly shoots his eye out.
1 Harry's .44 Magnum Feels Lucky
Dirty Harry
There is no more iconic movie gun than Harry Callahan's Smith & Wesson Model 29 .44 Magnum. Introduced in the first Dirty Harry film, the gun became almost as big of a celebrity as Clint Eastwood. The .44 was a cultural phenomenon, with S&W experiencing a massive surge in sales following Dirty Harry's release.
The Model 29 wouldn't have reached legendary status if it weren't for Dirty Harry's banter with a robber. The wounded criminal was reaching for his gun while the SFPD Inspector aimed the .44 Magnum. Harry quipped that he lost count of how many rounds he had fired, but pointed out he was holding the "most powerful handgun in the world" and asked the suspect, "do you feel lucky? Well, do you, punk?"