The Loadout Blog

Entertainment|Movies

Hello and welcome to my first Top 5 post. The Top 5 will cover a wide range of topics within the movie, tv, and video game industries with a firearm twist. I will have Top 5 posts on iconic scenes with a firearms, Top 5 weapons seen throughout the Call of Duty a series, and many more. These post are here to be engaging entertainment for readers to see how firearm culture and entertainment media mesh together. Let’s get started and welcome to the Top 5 series.

When, it comes to iconic movie moments and weapon systems, machine guns have some of the most iconic scenes. Machine guns are big, powerful, and can create a wall of lead. 

So, I began to think about what machine gun stood out in my mind. As, I thought about it, the M60 machine gun kept popping up over and over again. 

The M60 machine gun has been used in over a hundred movies, dozen of tv shows, and scores of video games. The M60 has been seen in popular movies as Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, Predator, Commando, and the Rambo Series. Also, seen in tv shows such as Magnum P.I. (Tom Selleck version), A-Team, Firefly and Breaking Bad. The M60 is also used in many popular video game franchises such as Call of Duty, Ghost Recon, and Metal Gear Solid Series. As, you can see the M60 is an iconic machine gun used in all forms of our entertainment. 

Here are the Top 5 Iconic Movie Scenes with an M60.

Side note: During this Top 5 post I will be using all iterations of the M60 machine gun. I will designate which variant it is with each choice within the Top 5.

1. Rambo First Blood Part II: Rambo vs Murdock

Rambo is one of the most iconic and greatest action heroes from the 80’s and 90’s. Easily, in the Top 10 for greatest action heroes of all time. The character of Rambo is based on the 1972 novel titled First Blood by Dave Morrell. The films follows John Rambo, a U.S. Special Forces veteran, challenges with integrating back into society and using his skills to fight various threats around the world.

The iconic scene with the M60 E3 is when Rambo files back a distressed and failing helicopter to the Base of Operations. From there Rambo exits the pilot seat and dismounts the M60 E3 and wraps belt of ammunition around his forearm. Walks up to Trautman and Erickson. Erickson gives him the bullshit, “I’m glad you made it,” line. Rambo quickly dispatches him and stares at Trautman and heads into the control room. From there the iconic scene kicks off with Rambo laying waste to the control room. Meanwhile in his office Murdock is sweating bullets as he listens to the destruction. In a burst of angry and frustration Rambo tosses the M60 E3 aside to confront Murdock and tell him to bring those American soldiers home where they belong.

We have all had the dream of being an badass and shooting the M60 from the hip or like Rambo did in First Blood part II. We can thank Rambo for that dream. 

Rambo First Blood Part II by far has the most iconic scenes from the Rambo series. Rambo in the power of the M60 E3 motivated the inner badass in all of us. That is why it lands number one on the list.

2. Commando: Manison Shootout

Sticking within the era of 80’s and 90’s action movies and actions stars, we have Arnold Schwarzenegger starring in the 1985 action film Commando. Schwarzenegger is also one of the action movie stars from the golden age of action movies. He sits easily in the Top 10 of great action movie stars in history. 

In Commando Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as John Matrix, U.S. Special Forces solider who is forced work to takedown a South American dictator or his daughter will be killed. 

Commando is classic 1980’s action hero written all over it. Badass U.S. Special forces protagonist. Check. Cheesy but good story line. Check. One man wrecking crew with a lot of guns at his disposal. Check.

The M60 E3 is used in the iconic mansion shootout during the climax of the movie. Matrix becomes a one man wrecking crew and demolishes Arius’s army on his private island where Matrix’s daughter Jenny is being held hostage. Matrix works from the front to back of the property, slaying all the goons along the way.

The M60 E3 used in the film was a lightweight prop with a faux ammo belt attached to it. If you watch closely during the movie you can watch the belt shorten and expand in different scenes with the M60 E3.

If you talk to fan of action movies, Commando is easily one of the most memorable scenes with a M60 machine gun. That’s why the mansion scene from Commando lands at number two on the list.

3. Full Metal Jacket: Any Scene with Animal Mother and his M60 E1.

Full Metal Jacket follows a U.S. Marine nicknamed private Joker through boot camp through his deployment to Vietnam as a reporter for Stars and Stripes. 

Full Metal Jacket is mainly remember for the iconic boot camp portion of the movie, which taken over by the awesome Gunnery Sgt. Hartman. Who was played by R. Lee Emery a retired Marine Corps Staff Sgt. and was honorarily promoted to Gunnery Sgt. in 2002. 

The star of the second act of the movie during the Tet Offensive is by far the machine gunner know as Animal Mother. He is what you think of when you picture a Marine Corps machine gunner. Big. Strong. Ready to lay the hate at a moments notice. Animal Mother is one of unofficial patron saints of machine gunners throughout the military.

Animal Mother and his M60 E1 steal the show during the second half of the Full Metal Jacket. You have the iconic scene with Animal Mother low crawling with, “I become death” on his helmet. Shouldering his M60 during the Stars and Strips interview. Finally, running and gunning with the M60 E1 to help take out the sniper. Animal Mother and the M60 E1 lands at number three on the list.

4. Tropic Thunder: Opening Sequence 

Tropic Thunder is one of the best action/comedy movies of all time. It was a smart, funny, with an awesome ensemble acting heavyweights and comedians. With the excellent executed Les Grossman played by Tom Cruise.

Ben Stiller, Justin Theroux, Etan Cohen wrote the screenplay and Ben directed the project. Tropic Thunder is part satire, comedy, and action movie rolled into one for audiences. Tropic Thunder is a straight love letter to movies about the Vietnam War with references from Platoon, Apocalypse Now and many others.

Tropic Thunder has big explosions and heavy firepower that is made evident from the opening scene of the movie. The M60 E1 lands in an iconic scene in the opening moments with Jack Black’s character Jeff “Fats” Portnoy. In the opening scene he stands next to Robert Downey Jr, character Kirk Lazarus laying down suppressive fire to cover the recently landed bird on the landing zone. From their heis told to round up the boys so they can head out. Laying waste to Vietcong soldiers along the way to the boys. The opening scene of Tropic Thunder is awesome and comedic gold. Jack Black’s Portnoy and his M60 E1 makes number four on our list.

5. Lord of War: Gun of Rambo Scene 

Lord of War is one of the best Nic Cage movies out there. Lord of War stars Nicolas Cage as arms dealer Yuri Orlov. Yuri serves as a window into the end of the Cold War between the U.S.and Russia and the emergence of international arms trafficking. Throughout the movie Yuri finds himself dealing with the demons of his ethically challenged brother, sidestepping U.S. Federal Agent Jack Lawerence, and keeping his supermodel wife in the dark about his arms dealings. A complex, deep, and flawed character portrayed well by Nic Cage.

In Lord of War you have direct reference made to the M60 and the Rambo series.

While doing business with African dictator Andre Baptiste, Andre Baptiste Jr. request that Yuri bring him “the gun of Rambo.” Yuri asks, Part one, part two or part three?” We find out Baptiste Jr is referring to is the M60 E1 machine gun from Rambo:First Blood starring Sylvester Stallone. Later upon receiving the M60, Baptiste Jr. is seen firing the gun randomly while driving the truck to Sierra Leone to conduct business. From that direct movie reference of the M60E1, to the inclusion in the film is why the “gun of Rambo” scene takes the final spot on the list.

Do you agree with the list? What is your favorite scene on this list? What scene do you think should have made the Top 5? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for Reading 

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