If one seized all the weapons used in the longstanding Predator franchise, they might have enough to start World War III, all by themselves. Throughout the series, a variety of high-impact weapons have been featured, as mankind does battle with the deadly Yautja race.
Some are real, while others are bastardized Frankenguns comprised of mods and parts from other weapons. Overall, they're all devastating in the right hands. So without further delay, these are the 10 most iconic weapons of the Predator movies, ranked from deadly to downright extinction-level! Safeties off, gentlemen. It's time to let Ol' Painless out of the bag!
War Sport LVOA
2018's The Predator might have bombed both critically and commercially, but at least it had one or two cool weapons to brag about. One of these was the War Sport LVOA, an AR-15 derivative firing 5.56x45mm ammo and weighing just over 7 lbs.
The weapon itself might have been a nod to Dutch Schaefer's original military-grade AR-15, but the two guns are different enough to stand apart from one another, much like their respective movies.
Desert Eagle Mark VII
In Predator 2, Mike Harrigan uses a Desert Eagle as his choice of gun, renowned for its intense blowback and extreme stopping power. This .357 Magnum pistol was outfitted in the movie with a laser sight for greater accuracy, something that was not common in law enforcement at the time, but adapted later on.
The Desert Eagle used in the film is notorious for its placing of the cord which powers the laser sight. Such a setup could theoretically cause problems with shell casings ejecting after a shot.
AN/M5 Pyrotechnic Discharger
Poncho's signature weapon was a rotating barrel grenade launcher known as the AN/M5. It's one of the few weapons that doesn't actually exist in the real world, but rather was constructed from HK94 parts with a WWII-era Pyrotechnic Discharger as the core module.
This six-shot launcher fired 37mm flares from Air Force bombers during WWII. The originals are incredibly rare, and no longer in service. The model used in Predator would later be used in the Chuck Norris action epic Braddock: Missing In Action III.
Custom Torque Bow
After losing his entire team to the O.G. Predator, Dutch Schaefer decides to make one final stand against his foe, pulling out all the stops and harnessing all of his boy scout training for the final battle. To deal damage to the Predator in silence, he crafts himself a bow out of common jungle materials.
This makeshift recurve bow must have quite a draw strength, given that it can send arrows clean through large trees. In the end, he uses the bow to launch an explosive-tipped arrow laced with material from his grenade rounds. Unfortunately, this would have no effect in the real world, due to the lack of any sort of detonator. Still, it's a movie about an alien trophy hunter. Disbelief can be suspended for the sake of fun.
Blaser R93 LRS2
Predators featured the memorable IDF soldier Isabelle as a tough-as-nails sniper carrying a Blaser R93 LRS2 rifle. Its design is unique among other rifles in its class, both in appearance and design. Isabelle's model features a highly advance digital scope with auto-focus, allowing her to keep track of her targets without manual adjustment.
The R93 is of German design, and originally conceived as a hunting rifle, before evolving into a tactical weapon. Police and military forces around the world utilize the rifle, most notably the Australian military.
Katana Blade
The only non-projectile weapon on this list is the Katana, wielded by Hanzo in his spectacular battle against the Falconer Predator. While there's nothing particularly special or noteworthy about the Katana in question, it's the method of use which nets it the most respect.
Hanzo bears the distinction of being one of the very few humans to get up close and personal with a Predator, and manage to take one down. For Hanzo however, the cost was much too high.
Miquelet Lock Pistol
The Elder Predator gifts a triumphant Mike Harrigan with this vintage pistol at the end of Predator 2, as a sign of respect. It features a plate with an engraved date of 1715, hinting that the Yautja race had been hunting humans for centuries.
The Miquelet was based on early firearms technology that relied on a flintlock ignition system. These pistols came in a variety of styles with a bevvy of decorative elements that make them sought-after collector's items, even to this day.
AA-12
Royce carries this easily remembered AA-12 Shotgun in Predators, and it remains one of the franchise's most popular guns. This automatic 12-gauge shotgun features a drum magazine delivery system carrying Frag-12 rounds with either 20 or 32 round capacity.
The AA-12 can be fired full auto with a maximum shot rate of 300 RPM, or fired in semi-auto mode for more precision. The AA-12 is also far more precise than a regular shotgun due to the tighter pellet spread, allowing for greater damage at farther distances.
AR-15/SP1
Not to be confused with the civilian model AR-15, this particular weapon was Dutch Schaefer's gun of choice in the original Predator film. This gun was outfitted with an M203 grenade launcher for extra damage output, particularly during the raid on the guerrilla encampment.
The military version of the AR-15 includes fully automatic and burst-fire modes with a shorter barrel, whereas the civilian model is semi-auto only in nature, and features an extended 16" barrel to comply with NFA standards. Civilian models are inherently difficult to turn into military models due to several major part variations, including the trigger and bolt carrier.
GE M134 Minigun (AKA OI' Painless)
Predator will forever be linked with "Ol' Painless," an M134 Minigun wielded by Blain, and later by Mac during a memorable exercise in extreme rainforest deforestation. This impractical weapon was brought to the film purely for the cool factor, and was not used by army personnel in that manner.
The Minigun fired 7.62x51mm ammo that could fire 6,000 rounds per minute. It was originally mounted on helicopters during the Vietnam war, until somebody decided it would be a great idea to lug into the humid jungle on rescue missions.