Sam Elliott may be known for his signature baritone and facial hair. But he’s also wielded some pretty iconic weaponry during his career. The actor’s played everything from a cowboy to a soldier to a seasoned detective. Let’s just say you don’t want to mess with a gun-wielding Elliott.
5. Sam Elliott Shoots to Kill in ‘Fatal Beauty’
Sam Elliott and Whoopi Goldberg make an unlikely pair in this 1987 action-comedy. While Goldberg is the star as an undercover detective, Elliott also turns in a memorable part as Mike Marshak.
He’s a criminal with a heart of gold unless you’re on the other end of his Smith & Wesson Model 629. The actor wields the powerful piece of weaponry for most of the movie. The gun is also featured in the film’s promotional material.
Elliott’s character gets to put the weapon to good use in the film as well. He comes to Goldberg’s aid with the gun. And the two team up for a climactic showdown with the film’s villains.
4. The Actor Has the Perfect Combo for ‘The Quick and the Dead’
Sam Elliott’s character Con Vallian had the perfect combo in this 1987 western. The gunslinger, on a mission, wields both a Winchester Model 1873 and a Colt 1873 Single Action Army Revolver. The two guns cover both short and long-range, turning deadly when Vallian gets into a gunfight.
The Winchester Model 1873 is considered to be the “Gun that Won the West” by many. Commonly produced, the weapon received wide-appeal as a lever-action rifle during that time period.
Winchester produced over 720,000 rifles between 1873 and 1923. Meanwhile, Samuel Colt Firearms began producing the Colt 1873 in 1873. It was used by many famous Wild West legends like Billy the Kid, Wild Bill Hickock, and the Earp brothers.
3. Sam Elliott Wields Iconic Weaponry in ‘Tombstone’
“Tombstone” stands out among Sam Elliott’s best westerns. So of course, the actor would need the weapons to match. Stepping into the boots of Virgil Earp, Elliott’s choice of gun in the film is a Smith & Wesson Model No. 3.
The actor, or at least his characters, apparently has a soft spot for the manufacturer. The revolver had a nickel finish and pearl grips, standing out.
Additionally, Elliott also gets his hands on a Meteor 10-gauge side-by-side shotgun later in the film. He picks the Belgian-made gun up from Billy Bob Thornton’s character.
2. ‘Shakedown’ Brings the Heat
The question every Sam Elliott fan has to ask themselves – do you want to see the actor wield a submachine gun? And the answer is always usually yes. (Unless of course, if you’re on the other end).
Elliott brings the heat as Detective Richie Marks in a film that channels all of his sex appeal from the 1980s. The actor wields a Heckler & Kock MP5K with a laser sight during a drug raid.
But like Dirty Harry, Marks has his own signature weapon. Throughout the film, Elliot carries a LAR Grizzly Pistol fitted with a compensator, chambered in .45 Winchester Magnum. Don’t mess with Detective Richie Marks.
1. ‘We Were Soldiers’ is the Actor’s Most Iconic
In several military films, Sam Elliott wields the Colt M1911. But it was in this 2002 film, the actor put it to the best use.
Set during the Vietnam War, Elliott plays Command Sergeant Major Basil Plumley during the film. The Command Sergeant prefers his Colt over the standard-issue M16.
During one climactic moment, Elliott’s character does just that. Raising his pistol, he urges his troops to defend themselves. He then puts the gun to use proving he’s just as deadly with a pistol as any of his soldiers are with rifles.