Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller), along with various other characters, uses a 16" barreled AR-15 Sporter II Carbine throughout the film, which is anachronistic for Vietnam . The original AR-15 Carbine was an SP1 (sold between 1978-1985)), so there was no forward Assist on the upper receiver. Stiller's gun is the A1 version, or what Colt called the "Sporter II version" in U.S. sales. The Colt Model 653 based weapons came after 1973. He should be using an XM177 variation to be accurate to the era. It may be an homage to the movie Platoon since the characters of Barnes (Tom Berenger) and Elias (Willem Dafoe) used the Phillipine export Colt Model 653 rifles. This film uses what is available in the United States, which happens to be the Sporter II carbine, since most of the movie was filmed in Los Angeles and Hawaii.
Kevin Sandusky (Jay Baruchel) and Alpo Chino (Branon T. Jackson) both carry M16A1 rifles fitted with the older style M16 muzzle flash reducers throughout the film.
Jeff "Fats" Portnoy (Jack Black) wields an M60 Machine Gun as his weapon in the film. Jack Black commented on how he got stuck with the M60, which he knew was nicknamed "The Pig", and was tolds he was a natural with it, something he found disturbing. Some other random soldiers are also seen firing M60s during the opening scene.
One of the Guerillas is seen holding a Colt Gold Cup National Match 1911 pistol on Cody (Danny R. McBride) when he flies a chopper to their Heroin base and Portnoy is seen armed with it before Tran kicks it out of his hand, implying it is a rubber prop.
Lazarus is seen using an M1911A1 as his sidearm in the film and uses it several times. Portnoy later gets his hands on it and uses it to hold Tran (Brandon Soo Hoo) hostage.
A door-gunner is seen manning an M60D machine gun during the opening "Hot LZ" scene, even though the M60D is anachronistic to Vietnam. Back then, they just mounted the regular M60s to a pivotal mount.
Speedman and Portnoy are seen with M67 hand grenades attached to their belts and jackets. Since their film is supposed to take place in 1969, it makes sense to see them with these grenades, since '69 was when the M67 began to mass replace the M26 grenade.
M67 hand grenade.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSpeedman keeps an M67 grenade hanging from his jacket.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSpeedman pulls the pin on his M67 grenade to throw at the enemy Guerrilas, and despite it being a dummy grenade, Cody happens to set off some C4 at the same time. Pulling the pin on a grenade like this would cause severe dental damage in real life. Seriously, this film they are making is in serious need of a military advisor!Error creating thumbnail: File missingPortnoy keeps an M67 on his belt.
During the opening "Hot LZ" scene, a Vietnamese soldier tries to throw a Model 24 Stielhandgranate at the Huey chopper as it takes off, so Speedman jumps up and stops the grenade, loosing his hands in the process.
Vietnamese soldiers are seen armed with AKM rifles during the opening "Hot LZ" scene, one of which most notabley dissembowels Sandsuky with his bayonet. It would be more accurate for the Vietnamese to use Norinco Type 56 rifles, the chinese model of the AK. Later the Guerilla soldiers can be seen armed with AKM rifles, which appear to be Egyptian Maadi ARM rifles, one of the most common AKMs used in films.
