The Guns of Django Unchained (2012): Every Weapon Identified

Quentin Tarantino loves a period-correct gun, and Django Unchained is a cap-and-ball showcase. Set in 1858, its arsenal is all percussion revolvers, single-shot buffalo rifles, and coach guns, handled with Tarantino’s usual glee. Here is every major gun in Django Unchained, and the modern reproduction you can actually buy and shoot.

Django’s Colt 1851 Navy

Django (Jamie Foxx) carries a Colt 1851 Navy, the elegant .36-caliber percussion revolver that was one of the most popular sidearms of the era. It is a cap-and-ball gun, loaded with loose powder, ball, and percussion caps, and its balance and pointability made it a favorite of gunfighters. Uberti builds faithful 1851 Navy reproductions, including cartridge-conversion versions you can shoot with modern ammo. See more in our best revolvers guide.

The Remington 1858 New Army

The Remington New Army, another percussion revolver, appears throughout the film. Its solid top-strap frame made it stronger than the open-top Colts, and shooters loved that you could swap a spare pre-loaded cylinder for a fast reload. It remains one of the most popular black-powder revolvers today, and Uberti and Pietta both make excellent copies.

The Sharps 1874 Buffalo Rifle

For long-range work, the film reaches for the Sharps 1874, the big single-shot buffalo rifle that could drop a bison at distances that still sound impossible. Its heavy paper or metallic cartridges and superb accuracy made it the sniper rifle of the Old West. Pedersoli builds gorgeous modern Sharps reproductions that long-range black-powder shooters prize.

The Henry 1860 & The Rest

The lever-action Henry 1860 and Spencer 1860 carbine both appear, early repeaters that gave a rider serious firepower; you can trace their descendants in our best lever-action rifles guide. Add a Colt 1860 Army, a hidden derringer, and the inevitable double-barreled shotgun, and you have one of the most period-accurate arsenals Tarantino ever assembled. If it sparked an interest in cap-and-ball iron, start with our revolvers guide and read up on cowboy action shooting.