Okay, so I got really into Miami Vice again recently. You know, the classic 80s show? Don Johnson, the pastel suits, the fast cars… and the guns. I got obsessed with figuring out what guns they actually used. It wasn’t as easy as you’d think!
First, I spent hours just re-watching episodes, pausing and rewinding, trying to get a good look. My wife thought I was crazy. “It’s for research!” I kept telling her.
Then I hit the internet. I mean, really hit it. Forums, fan pages, you name it. I found tons of arguments. Some people were sure they knew, others were just guessing. It was a mess.
The Bren Ten Confusion
One big thing I discovered was the whole Bren Ten deal. Sonny Crockett, Don Johnson’s character, he started with this gun, the Bren Ten. It looked cool, all stainless steel. But apparently, it was a nightmare. I read about how it was unreliable, magazines were hard to find… basically, a prop master’s headache.
- Problem 1: The Bren Ten was unreliable in real life.
- Problem 2: Finding magazines was tough.
- Problem 3: It jammed, a lot, apparently!
So, they switched it! Mid-series! I never even noticed until I started digging. He moved to a Smith & Wesson 645. Much more reliable, easier to get ammo for, I guess. Makes sense, right?
Other Guns, Other Headaches
It wasn’t just Crockett’s gun, either. I tried to figure out what Tubbs (Philip Michael Thomas) carried. That sawed-off shotgun? Turns out there’s debate about that too. Was it an Ithaca 37? Maybe. There’s a lot of “probably” and “possibly” in these discussions.
And the bad guys? Forget it! So many different guns. Everything from Uzis to MAC-10s. It was a wild west of firearms. I spent a good chunk of time just identifying the various guns in single episodes, pausing, zooming, checking my notes. I had spreadsheets, man, spreadsheets!
Ultimately, I realized that it’s almost impossible to be 100% certain about every single gun. Production changes, availability, even just what looked good on camera… it all played a part. But it was a fun deep dive. I learned a lot about 80s firearms, and I got a new appreciation for how much work goes into even the smallest details on a show like Miami Vice.
I still not sure my result, but I will try my best to keep learning, wish me luck!
