Airsoft guns in the movies and TV shows
Airsoft guns regularly make an appearance in Hollywood blockbusters and TV action series.
It’s not hard to see why they’ve become a regular feature on both the big and the small screen. With 1:1 scaling and designs based on real firearms and sci-fi weapons, airsoft guns are safer than guns firing blanks and cost a whole lot less for the studios.
UK police forces, including the Met even produce guidance on using Airsoft guns on film sets.
Here’s six productions that have used Airsoft guns in their shoot ‘em up scenes.
The Walking Dead
The global zombie smash features a lot of guns. Many of the pistols and rifles spotted in the Walking Dead are Airsoft replicas. Look closely and you’ll be able to identify everything from a Walther PP9, to Accuracy International PMs to Colt Pythons. All of them Airsoft models.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Based on the Marvel Comics, the action-adventure series listed airsoft guns in their inventory of props throughout the seven seasons.
28 Weeks Later
Back to the world of zombies, but this time from movieland. The 2007 sequel to classic 28 Days Later features airsoft guns throughout. Look out for a squad of soldiers running M4 style rifles at the beginning of the film.
Iron Man 3
With Robert Downey Jr returning to the role of Iron Man 3, in this the third instalment of the franchise, there are airsoft replicas throughout from everything from firearms to magazines.
Salt
Starring Angelina Jolie as Agent Salt, accused of spying for the Russians, her boss Agent Winters, levels a P229 at a door The P229 is an airsoft gun made by airsoft manufacturer KJW.
Terminator 2: Judgement Day
Remastered in 3D in 2018, the 1991 movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in his second outing as the Terminator is notable for featuring a Winchester 1887 airsoft replica rifle.
Green Zone
The Matt Damon action thriller uses airsoft guns throughout. G&P and Classic Army models are on display and actually quite easy to make out in this one due to the logos and markings on firearms and magazines.
Spot the airsoft gun on the silver screen
With guns firing blanks becoming a costly prop addition for moviemakers (a specialist “gun wrangler” has to be employed to oversee their use for one thing), airsoft firearms are on the rise in the movies.
Sometimes you have to look very closely, but you can often make out logos, graphics, tell-tale winding wheels and recoils which distinguish airsoft guns from the real thing. Look out for them next time you visit the cinema.
