I was just watching "The Green Berets" on DVD and in a couple of scenes it apears the Duke is holding an AR10 with M16 handguards.

The first time I noticed was in the jungle where his team member fought 5 v.c. with knifes. John Wayne picks up the guys rifle and twists in around and the light reflects of the rather large magazine. It just looks way to big to be a M16 mag. The Duke then smashes the weapon against a tree.

The other scene was when the camp was being attacked. When Wayne leaves the fallen tower you get a flash of what appears to be a larger than normal mag.

Anyone else catch these?

In both cases the rifles have the M16 triangular handguards. And in most scenes, he and everyone else, have obviously observable M16's.

Just curious.

I know every word of this movie by heart.I hadnt noticed but Ill watch next time.When did this come out on DVD and why wasn't I told!


I heard the one he smashes was a Mattel.

I found the DVD at Wal-mart Friday for $15.00.

Maybe that's what it was, a toy gun. The mag. just looks to big to be a 5.56 mag. But a toy noise box would be large too.

It's been about a year since I watched it, but I remembered noticing it too the last time I watched.

It definitely was a larger than normal mag on the one that got smashed against the tree.

In the scene where The Duke smashes the M16 against the tree, the M16 was replaced with a Mattel Marauder, an M16-shaped toy that had a huge magazine to accomodate the noise maker.  Notice that a buffer doesnt fly out of the gun when he smashes it against the tree.  It would take an awful amount of force to break a buffer tube like that, especially if the buffer was still in there to prevent the tube from deforming.

Kharn

Wow, talk about your esoteric movie questions!

BTW, does anyone know who made the shots for The Duke during the skeet scene at the beginning?

It was an E8 at Benning while they were filming.  He had just come back from a world shoot w/the US team.  Mr. Wayne couldn't break the shots exactly where the director wanted them so he asked the NCOIC of the team who the best shot was and the NCOIC called this MSgt over to do it.

The MSgt in question is now in his 70s and still shoots skeet.  He is a member of our club @ Ft. Campbell and there is an 8" x 10" pic of him and The Duke posted in the clubhouse.

I can say I'm proud to know him!

awp101[shotgun]

You are correct. If you look real closely, you can see the slots in the magazine for the "noisebox".  It is definitely Mattel.

I noticed that peculiarity the first time I saw the movie...when I was a kid.  Back then I just thought it was an AR10.  The broken rifle belonged to Peter-san.  And what's "Hamchunk" doing these days?

Bradd

Yea, I never really thought it was an actual AR10. Even in '68-'69 when they filmed this movie it would make a very expensive prop to be smashing like that. [:O]

It wasn't Peter-san.  It was his (nameless) pointman, who later played Donal Penobscott(Hot Lips Hubby) on a couple episodes of MASH.