Some of you may already know that I’m a movie junkie. I tend to gravitate largely toward action movies, with a little horror and suspense thrown in for good measure. Due to my cinematic preferences and my fondness for the shooting sports, I always end up playing one particular game, whether I’m watching the silver screen or popping on a Blu-Ray in the comfort of my own home: Name That Gun. In this article series, I invite you to join in on the fun.
To kick off Guns in Movies, I had to start with one of my favorite guns—the Springfield Armory M1911—from one of my favorite movies—Robert Rodriguez’s Sin City.
History
The original M1911 pistol design was a product of the prolific inventor John Moses Browning. JMB’s M1911 was an answer for the United States military’s desires for an auto-loading service pistol to replace the several revolvers in service. Since the firearm design’s inception in, you guessed it, 1911, Browning’s brainchild has spawned hundreds of variants, including the Springfield Armory M1911 A1.
Specs
Caliber: .45 ACP
Capacity: usually 7+1 or 8+1
Weight: approx. 2.4lbs
Frame material: steel
Slide material: steel
Barrel length: 5.0in
Price range: $750-$1,200
Where You’ve Seen It
This particular 1911 variant isn’t perhaps as common as, say, its Colt brethren, but it has made its way into several movies and television shows over the years. The Springfield Armory M1911 A1 is just about the star of Sin City, popping up multiple times in each story arch, wearing a variety of finishes, wielded by heroes (e.g., Marv) and “bad guys” (e.g., Det. Jack “Jackie Boy” Rafferty) alike. In various forms, this popular Springer has also made an appearance in the movies Batman Begins, Resident Evil, and is the sidearm of choice of characters Sydney Bristow (Alias) and Jax Teller (Sons of Anarchy).
Featured image of Marv’s Springfield Armory M1911 A1, Gladys, from Robert Rodriguez’s film, Sin City (2005).
