Every Epic James Bond Gun and Where to Find Them IRL

Since his debut in Ian Fleming’s 1953 novel Casino Royale, James Bond has gone on to become one of the most celebrated figures in pop culture history. The character has been the star of 26 movies over the last 50 years. 

Admired for his gadgets, suave demeanor, super-spy skills, and unassailable style, James Bond isn’t one to be overshadowed by anyone or anything. But there is one costar of the films that consistently comes in a close second to Bond himself—the guns.

The gadgets and weapons featured in Bond films are nearly as loved as the character himself, and for good reason. The movies feature some ultra-cool firearms that would be hard not to love even for a casual observer. 

Since so much attention has been paid to the character over the years, we thought we’d take a different approach and cast our eye toward the aforementioned arsenal instead. So, here’s a look at every James Bond gun worth mentioning.

Beretta M1934

From the very start of Bond’s film legacy, his gun is an important topic. Like in Fleming’s books, they discuss Bond’s gun frequently in his first film, 1962’s Dr. No. 

In the book, he carries a Beretta 418 chambered in .25 ACP, but his film counterpart carries a Beretta M1934 in 9mm. Early in the film, he trades this in for a Walther “PPK.” Though, in actuality, it’s an earlier PP model.

Within the context of the book, this trade makes sense. The 7.65mm PPK is an upgrade from the .25 ACP Beretta. However, in the film, the Beretta’s 9mm is actually the superior round. So, in an interesting twist, James Bond’s iconic PPK is actually overshadowed by the very first gun he’s seen with in the films!

Actually, the M1934 overshadowed the Walther PP in real life as well. Beretta was the manufacturer for the Italian army in the 1930s, but the army was showing an interest in Walther’s PP series. Not wanting to lose a lucrative contract, Beretta developed the Model 1934, which the Italian army ended up implementing.

The M1934 was produced all the way up until 1991. That means you’ll need to buy one used if you want to get your hands on one, but that’s not too tough. You can find them online for between $300-600, depending on the production year and condition.

Browning FN Model 1910

Before we jump into discussing Bond’s famous Walther PPK, let’s take a look at a gun that makes a brief appearance in Dr. No—the FN Model 1910.

When Bond assassinates the character of Professor Dent, he’s seen using the 1910 in place of the Walther. There’s no on-screen explanation for this, but it could be that the 1910 worked better with their silencer prop. Either way, it’s a cool gun in its own right.

As its namesake suggests, it was designed by John Browning in 1910. Interestingly, it actually pioneered a spring technology that would later be used by the Walther PPK. In a true full circle scenario, this gun was the grandfather of Bond’s most iconic sidearm.

This gun was known for its ease of use and reliability, which is why it was produced up until 1983. You can find these online for about the same price as the M1934 discussed above.

Walther PPK

Now on to the most iconic Bond gun of all time. Officially, this was always Bond’s go-to sidearm, though we didn’t see an actual PPK on screen until 1963’s From Russia With Love.

First released in 1930, the PPK was designed with concealment in mind. It’s a compact pistol with a short barrel and smallish grip housing a 7 round magazine. Its small size means it lacks stopping power but is the perfect gun for concealment in an espionage situation.

It’s chambered in .32 ACP, which is about the bare minimum you’d want in a close-range self-defense scenario. In other words, just right for Bond’s up close and personal style.

Over the years, the PPK has seen a number of different iterations. In 1968, the PPK/S was designed in order to meet the new import standards of the Gun Control Act. Featuring slightly more weight, the PPK/S was a combination of the original PP and the PPK.

Also debuted in the 1960s, the PPK-L was a lightweight version of the gun. Whereas the original PPK was a rather heavy steel design, the PPK-L utilized an aluminum alloy frame for a considerable weight reduction. This increased the recoil, but also made it an even more attractive choice for concealed carry enthusiasts and spies.

The most recent model was the European produced PPK/E, which was released in 2000. In most respects, it doesn’t differ greatly from the original PPK.

If you want to get your hands on a PPK, you’re in luck. Walther still produces them. You can one brand new for around $600, but a quick search will yield used models with price tags of around $400.

And they’re worth investing in if you want a combination of history and a fun-to-shoot gun all in one. This is still a decent pistol to carry, especially if you like something that’s easy to conceal.

The PPK remained Bond’s official gun up until 1983 when Walther insisted he uses the new at the time P5. After that, he once again reverted to the PPK, which he’d use up through Goldeneye. In recent film’s he’s once again gone back to the classic PPK.

ArmaLite AR-7 Explorer

Let’s take a break from Bond’s sidearms for a minute and look at another interesting weapon. More specifically, the AR-7.

In the films, they depict the AR-7 as a powerful but easy to dissemble sniper rifle. In actuality, it’s not exactly that, but it’s still really cool.

The AR-7 was originally developed in 1959 as a semi-automatic survival rifle for downed airforce pilots. The fact that it’s chambered in .22 Long Rifle makes it ideal for its intended purpose of small game hunting, but not great for its onscreen depiction as a sniper rifle.

One thing the films did get right is its novel design. Due to its role as a portable survival rifle, the AR-7 was made especially easy to break down. But the really cool part is that you can store all the parts in the rifle’s hollow stock.

For this reason, it makes an incredibly cool gun to use in a spy film. After all, it doesn’t get much more spy-like than that.

If you want to get your hands on one these, it’s not hard to do. You can find them at most sporting goods stores that sell firearms, and they’re cheap. Right out of the box, these will only run you about $250.

Walther P99

Last but not least is the Walther P99. Barring Bond’s recent return to the tried and true PPK, this is the most recent onscreen Bond gun.

The P99 made its first appearance in 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies. At the time, this was a brand new design, so it makes sense that Walther would want to promote it. Though he’s since switched back to the PPK, the P99 was most recently used by Daniel Craig’s incarnation of the character.

Unlike the smaller caliber PPK, the P99 is chambered in 9mm. This gives it more stopping power, which makes sense for its intended use as a police and military sidearm. It’s still seeing active use for that purpose, as it’s the chosen sidearm for various American, European, and Asian police agencies.

Not as small, sleek, or stylish as the PPK, the P99 is, in reality, the superior gun in most respects. Sporting all the amenities you’d expect from a modern handgun, what it lacks in old world charm, it makes up for in performance. A modern gun for a modern Bond.

It also features a Picatinny rail system, which makes mounting a custom laser or other mods a piece of cake. While you might not be able to customize it with mods like you’d find at Spikes Tactical for something like an AR-15, it’s still nice to have options.

If you’re interested in carrying one of these babies, one could hardly blame you. After all, if it’s good enough for Daniel Craig, it’s damn sure good enough for everyone else!

Luckily, the P99 is still in production and easy to acquire. You can find them used for around $400, but they can go up past $600 depending on what specific model you get. 

The Definitive James Bond Gun

As this list suggests, the Walther PPK is the James Bond gun of lore, but it’s far from the only one. We could barely even skim the surface of all the guns used by the debonair spy throughout the years, but now you know the basics.

Spying in real life isn’t quite as glamorous as the Bond films make it seem, but it’s still pretty cool. If you’re looking to add a little espionage to your life, check out this list of real-life spy techniques.

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