John Wick’s Top 20 Weapons, Ranked

Summary

• John Wick’s deadly arsenal includes a wide variety of weapons, from guns to swords to even a pencil, showcasing his lethal capabilities.
• The character’s proficiency with firearms like the TTI JW4 Pit Viper and the Glock 26 make him a force to be reckoned with in the action movie franchise.
• From classic weapons like the Benelli M2 Super 90 to unconventional choices like nunchucks, John Wick proves he can wield any weapon with deadly efficiency.

Since the character’s debut in 2014, John Wick has quickly become one of the most popular action-movie antagonists of all time, thanks in no small part to Keanu Reeves’s hitman’s lethal prowess with a seemingly endless variety of firearms. Throughout the four John Wick movies, the titular assassin has used a wide variety of weapons to kill off his enemies, and he doesn’t just stick to guns, either. Swords, knives, his car, and even a pencil are all used by Keanu Reeves’ assassin with incredibly deadly proficiency.

Despite John Wick mastering many martial arts styles and close-quarters weapons, he’s also more than happy to take out his foes with bullets when needed. Many of these John Wick weapons are incredibly powerful, while others are only deadly because they’re being used personally by Wick, who is a master when it comes to thinking outside the box. Whether it’s a high-powered assault rifle or a simple pencil, nobody is quite safe when John Wick wields these weapons.

20 DTA Stealth Recon Scout

John Wick

John Wick wields the powerful DTA Stealth Recon Scout (SRS), a bolt-action sniper rifle with an effective firing range of over a mile, in 2014’s John Wick and it’s remarkably capable. The SRS entered production in 2007, courtesy of Desert Tactical Arms, and has been featured in several movies, TV shows, and video games outside John Wick due to its excellent quality and intimidating looks.

This bolt-action sniper rifle is one of the few to feature a bullpup design, making it very compact in comparison to others in its class. Both magazine and bolt lay behind the grip, shifting more weight to the rear of the rifle to create a better balance, and can also be attached with a suppressor. John Wick uses this weapon to take out several of Viggo’s men from a distance during the first movie before moving in for some more close-quarters violence.

19 Motorcycle

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum

Many of John Wick’s best weapons aren’t weapons at all, which is a key reason why the slick action movie franchise has become so popular. The Baba Yaga is so feared in the criminal underworld of John Wick for many reasons — and an often referenced one is his penchant for improvised weaponry. In addition to his many guns and blades, John Wick also uses a number of vehicles as weapons throughout the series, including horses, camels, and cars.

It doesn’t quite have the same lethal potential as a gun, but the sequence is nonetheless among the most memorable
John Wick
scenes, and perfectly showcases why John Wick is more than a simple action movie protagonist.

In John Wick 3, he briefly rides a motorcycle during a chase through the streets of Paris, and later uses the motorcycle as a weapon by letting it ride directly into Marko Zaror’s relentless Chidi. It doesn’t quite have the same lethal potential as a gun, but the sequence is nonetheless among the most memorable John Wick scenes, and perfectly showcases why John Wick is more than a simple action movie protagonist.

18 Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum

One of the most vintage firearms used by John Wick came in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, the Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless. This semi-automatic handgun has been a staple of the U.S. military since the Second World War, though the first designs predate the conflict by several decades. Winston gifts this pistol to Wick in the third chapter, during the scene in the Executive Lounge.

It’s a somewhat recognizable gun owing to the fact that it has seen a lot of service as a U.S. military sidearm, beginning with its initial production in 1903. Simplistic, stylish, and reliable, the Colt 1903 was powerful enough to do its task, though it was a bit on the heavy side, and its stopping power has since been dwarfed by its successors. Nevertheless, it is considered a classic, particularly the film version, thanks to its good-looking pearl grip, and is one of the most recognizable John Wick weapons.

17 Glock 26

John Wick

Glock is one of the most well-known brands of modern handgun, and the Glock 26 is a compact model that is regular choice for Keanu Reeves’ titular hitman in the John Wick films. One of the simpler guns in the franchise, John uses the Glock 26 in each of the first three movies. While it appears to be quite basic, it is one of Wick’s personal favorites, which is not good for anyone who might happen to find themselves on the other end of the barrel.

The most memorable scene in which John Wick used the Glock 26 in was the bathhouse sequence from the first
John Wick

The most memorable scene in which John Wick used the Glock 26 in was the bathhouse sequence from the first John Wick, which made it one of the best movies for fans of action movie fight choreography. Chasing down the man who killed his beloved dog, Wick killed over a dozen henchmen, mostly with this weapon.

16 Remington 1875

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum

John Wick may be proficient with modern firearms, but he’s just as deadly with vintage models too — and one of the most iconic weapons in the John Wick movies is the Remington 1875, the revolver also favored by many cowboys in classic Spaghetti Westerns. For all the advancements made in gun designs over the last few hundred years, it’s hard to beat the classics. The six-shot cylinder of the 1875 made it an incredibly popular and reliable firearm during the late 19th century, and John Wick proves that it’s still just as deadly over 100 years later.

John Wick: Chapter 3 features the killer brandishing one of these during the shootout at the antique weapon museum, in the first act. Wick’s on-the-fly modification of the Remington 1875 is a direct nod to the Clint Eastwood classic The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, where Tuco assembles his own Colt Navy from the individual parts of three separate guns.

15 Katana

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum

Thanks to classic Samurai movies like those from director Akira Kurosawa, various anime, and western movies like Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill duology, the katana is arguably one of the most recognizable types of sword in cinematic history. The John Wick franchise puts its own spin on the weapon, with John using the famous blade with deadly efficiency. Katanas were first forged in Japan in mid 1300s, and were in use by the Japanese military right up until the Second World War when they were brandished mainly by officers.

John uses a katana, as well as the wakizashi short sword, in his fight with the shinobi at the end of
Chapter 3
.

John Wick: Chapter 3 sees the assassin making greater use of swords and knives, and perhaps the most famous and mythologized type of sword is the Japanese katana — often referred to by those with only a casual understanding of weaponry as a “samurai sword”. John uses a katana, as well as the wakizashi short sword, in his fight with the shinobi at the end of Chapter 3. He also briefly wields one again in the Osaka fight sequence in John Wick: Chapter 4.

14 TTI JW4 Pit Viper

John Wick: Chapter 4

TTI JW4 Pit Viper is one of the most modern weapons used by John Wick, and is so up-to-date due to the fact that it was designed in part for John Wick: Chapter 4. This 9-millimeter pistol is a gift from The Bowery King to John Wick in John Wick: Chapter 4 to help him make it to the climactic duel with Caine. It features a number of notable features, including a flared magazine for quicker reload times and a built-in compensator to reduce kickback.

The gun was specifically designed for the movie and features a distinctive barrel, though is actually considered sub-standard as a self defense weapon by man gun enthusiasts. The Pit Viper helps John wade through a horde of assassins, although ultimately he has to use a number of other John Wick weapons to make it to the church on time.

13 TTI SIG-Sauer MPX Carbine

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum

Just like the JW4 Pit Viper, the SIG-Sauer MPX Carbine used by John Wick in John Wick: Chapter 3 is designed and distributed by weapons manufacturer Taran Tactical Innovations. This carbine was notable in part due to how John wielded it, as his weapon stance is one of John Wick’s signature character traits, and he shows it off when he wields an assortment of assault rifles.

It’s among the flashier and most feature-heavy of all his weapons thanks to being equipped with an MRO sight and a laser module.

In the third John Wick movie, John busts out an MPX Carbine during the fight at the New York Continental — and it’s among the flashier and most feature-heavy of all his weapons thanks to being equipped with an MRO sight and a laser module. The MPX is a variant of the popular SIG-Sauer combine, which fires 9x19mm, .357 SIG, or .40 S&W rounds. The MPX features a 14.5″-16″ barrel, and can fire 10, 20, or 30 rounds, depending on the choice of magazine.

12 Coharie Arms CA-415

John Wick

While it’s not as complex as his TTI SIG-Sauer MPX Carbine, the Coharie Arms CA-415 is still one of the most reliable assault rifles used by John Wick. Luring his enemies to a church, Wick unloads upon them with a very powerful automatic rifle known as the Coharie Arms CA-415. It’s one of the most effective tactical assault rifles on the market, with a menacing look to boot.

The CA-415 featured in the 2014’s John Wick has a shortened barrel, in comparison to the production model, with a holographic sight and a vertical grip added, for more stability. It fires 5.56x45mm NATO rounds in either full-auto or semi-auto modes, depending on preference and tactical situation. The standard CA-415 model first entered circulation in the 2000s, and was based on the then-widely-spread German firearm the HK416.

11 The Car

John Wick: Chapter 2

One of the most memorable scenes in any John Wick movie came in John Wick: Chapter 2 when he used his car as more than just a mode of transport, showing how he could use even automobiles as a deadly precision weapon. The Bullitt Mustang is considered one of the best movie cars of modern cinema, but John Wick’s car isn’t iconic because of speed or gadgets.

Wick used his famous Mustang to kill the henchmen in various brutal ways.

At the beginning of John Wick: Chapter 2, he finally got his prized car back. After finally getting it back, Wick used his famous Mustang to kill the henchmen in various brutal ways. By the time the scene was over, the car itself was quite a mess, leading many fans to speculate if it had been worth it in the first place. It wasn’t the last time that a car would be used as a weapon in the John Wick series, as John throws adversaries into Paris traffic during the fight by the Arc de Triumph in John Wick: Chapter 4.

10 TTI TR-1 Ultralight

John Wick: Chapter 2

In John Wick: Chapter 2, there is a great scene where John is forced to fight off several enemies in an underground catacomb. Knowing this battle was going to happen beforehand, the experienced killer hid several now-infamous John Wick weapons to prepare. Among these hidden weapons is the TR1, by Taran Tactical Innovations, who manufacture several of John Wick’s weapons. This is a small assault rifle compared to some others that John Wick uses, that’s still incredibly deadly.

The film version was fitted with a collapsible stock, a pistol grip with a vertical forgrip, and a PRI Compensator. Like many of Wick’s rifles, the TR1 is compact, easy to control, and devastating in tight quarters. Outside the John Wick movies, replicas of the TR1 are incredibly popular among Airsoft players, something that its presence in the second John Wick movie only increased.

9 Nunchucks

John Wick: Chapter 4

Just like the katana, the John Wick movies included another close-combat weapon made popular thanks to decades of cinema — especially the films of Bruce Lee — when he used nunchuks with characteristic deadly efficiency. John Wick shows how dangerous he can be even with an ancient weapon in Chapter 4, where he takes a pair of nunchucks from a samurai display case and uses them against the masked hitmen sent by the High Table.

John uses the classic martial arts weapon and kung-fu movie staple to bludgeon and strangle his adversaries, steering them into each other’s bullets and showing just how deadly two sticks attached by a chain can be in the right hands.

John uses the classic martial arts weapon and kung-fu movie staple to bludgeon and strangle his adversaries, steering them into each other’s bullets and showing just how deadly two sticks attached by a chain can be in the right hands. It’s a nice nod to martial arts tradition amidst all the gunplay, and like every weapon in John Wick that isn’t a gun, showcases why so many in the criminal underworld fear Baba Yaga.

8 Kel-Tec KSG

John Wick

The Kel-Tech KSG is a bullpup 12-gauge shotgun that’s incredibly dangerous even when wielded by inexperienced combatants — so, understandably, when John Wick gets his hands on one in the first movie, he causes no small amount of carnage. John uses this weapon in the first film after he takes one from an enemy during a battle outside the church.

The Kel-Tec KSG is a modernized pump-action shotgun designed for maximum stopping power, with more refined stability and less chaotic recoil. This has made it quite a popular weapon for both self-defense and hunting. Despite its appearance, the KSG is not a double-barreled shotgun. Many people are mistaken due to the weapon’s twin tube magazines located underneath the barrel. It fires 12-gauge shotgun shells with several ammo capacity variants, depending on the version in question.

7 Dueling Pistols

John Wick: Chapter 4

One of the many reasons the John Wick franchise has been so popular is that it appeals to gun enthusiasts with a veritable catalog of iconic and well-known firearms. However, during the ending of John Wick: Chapter 4, the movie opts for something much more cinematic. The final battle in the entire John Wick series takes place not with modern firearms but with ceremonial dueling pistols, as he takes on Donnie Yen’s Caine in a traditional battle of pistols at dawn.

The dueling pistols in
John Wick: Chapter 4
have a lot of ornamental detail and evidently pack quite a punch, ultimately felling John Wick himself after he takes a shot to the gut.

The dueling pistols in John Wick: Chapter 4 have a lot of ornamental detail and evidently pack quite a punch, ultimately felling John Wick himself after he takes a shot to the gut. The choice of such an old-fashioned weapon for John Wick’s final fight reflects the series’ nature as ultimately a classical revenge tragedy.

6 Smith & Wesson SW1911SC “E-Series”

John Wick: Chapter 2

Smith & Wesson are an institution in American firearms, with various models of their handguns featuring in movies — and in John Wick: Chapter 2, Keanu Reeves’ hitman brandishes one of his own. In the second film, John earns the ire of fellow assassin Cassian, one of the most dangerous criminals in the John Wick films. The two square off against each other in a subway, where Wick fires at him using an E-Series SW1911SC, which has been outfitted with a suppressor module.

This unique John Wick weapon allows him to walk away without suspicion. The scene is humorous, as no silencer is capable of muffling the sound of gunshots to that extent, but it’s all done for the sake of dramatic style. The E-Series is Smith & Wesson’s line of SW1911 models based on the original Moses Browning design, and is available in an assortment of finishes, materials, and special features.

5 Knives

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum

John Wick seems to favor bullets over blades, though it’s clear he’s just as deadly with or without his finger around a trigger. When the ammo runs out, would-be assassins need to rely on whatever they can get their hands on. If there are no pencils lying about, Wick will fall back on knives, which are a trusted alternative.

The
John Wick 3
knife fight is one of the tensest battles of the franchise, with one of the goriest, and most gut-wrenching kills, as well.

John Wick is exceptionally gifted with knives — just as much an expert with them as he is a distinguished marksman — as evidenced by the battle in the antique store in the first act of the third film. Whether he’s using them as stabbing or throwing weapons, Wick knows how to properly utilize knives in a fight. In the scene in question, he’s spoiled for choice. The John Wick 3 knife fight is one of the tensest battles of the franchise, with one of the goriest, and most gut-wrenching kills, as well.

4 Benelli M2 Super 90

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum

Whereas the Kel-Tec KSG is an example of a modern shotgun, John Wick also includes some classic models of the weapon in his arsenal, such as the Benelli M2, which has been in production since the 1980s. The final battle of the third chapter starts out looking a little grim for the protagonists of the series. A large team of heavily-armed assassins is sent into the Continental Hotel to murder Wick, but when he starts shooting back at them, it is revealed that their armor is completely bulletproof.

John compensates by grabbing a Benelli M2 Super 90. It’s loaded with armor-piercing rounds that end up evening the score quite effectively. The M2 is a super shotgun available in either tactical or field models and fires 12-gauge shotgun shells in either 4, 5, or 7-capacity limits. It’s also semi-automatic, for easier use in combat.

3 Dragon’s Breath Shells

John Wick: Chapter 4

One of the most memorable fight scenes in the entire John Wick franchise comes towards the end of Chapter 4, as John Wick fights his way through a building full of enemies, with the scene mostly filmed from a top-down perspective. The action is enhanced by his use of dragon’s breath shells — shotgun ammunition that produces a flash of fire when it is released.

It’s easy to see why Dragon’s Breath shells are illegal when there’s evidence that they can launch a brief cone of flames as far as 300 feet.

These bullets do exist in real life, although they are usually custom-made and illegal in many jurisdictions. They’re a type of incendiary ammunition made with magnesium shards of pellets, turning a standard shotgun into, essentially, a flash flamethrower. It’s easy to see why Dragon’s Breath shells are illegal when there’s evidence that they can launch a brief cone of flames as far as 300 feet. In John Wick: Chapter 4, the Dragon’s Breath shells help to add to the memorable scene, providing a source of cinematic light as well as setting many of John’s foes on fire.

2 A Pencil

John Wick: Chapter 2

“I once saw him kill three men in a bar… with a pencil, with a f***ing pencil.” This statement in the first film ended up foreshadowing his use of a simple pencil as a weapon in the next film, which ends up being one of the most infamous John Wick weapons. His utter relentlessness to survive and kill his enemies is defined by this classic tale.

Cornered by two assassins, John was left with few options, and grabbed the only weapon he could find nearby. Having had previous experience taking out three assailants with a pencil, he had little trouble replicating the effect for just two, even while suffering numerous wounds. The pencil also serves a key thematic purpose in the John Wick movies, as they show that the hitman truly is just as deadly and rightly feared as the expositionary dialogue in the first movie makes him out to be.

1 His Bare Hands

John Wick

An armed John Wick may be the worst fear of the criminal underworld in the John Wick movies, but a weaponless, unarmed John Wick is just as much of a threat. While John Wick is a master of all kinds of weapons, he’s also extremely dangerous with his hands empty. There are a number of different martial arts disciplines used in John Wick, and John effortlessly moves between styles armed and not.

This creates some of the franchise’s most memorable combat sequences, such as the epic fight scene with Zero and his shinobi pupils in Chapter 3. While there are a number of impressive guns and blades used in the epic action franchise, the most powerful weapon of all is John Wick himself.

Other Iconic John Wick Weapons

While John Wick’s own weaponry might steal the show in this franchise, some of the other characters also have memorable weapons. Caine is perhaps the most unique when it comes to his choice of weapons, due to being blind. He walks with a cane sword which is used to help him scan his surroundings, and which uses motion sensor devices to signal the location of his enemies so he can take them out. It is also worth noting that, like John himself, Caine is given a Thompson Center Arms Encore for their duel which becomes the gun that ultimately leads to John Wick’s death.

There are also some important weapons used in the franchise’s first spinoff project, The Continental. While there is certainly a lot of gunplay, there are some inventive methods used for fighting the enemies as well. Yen, for example, uses a series of boobytraps in her movie theater hideout to take out unwanted intruders while also using a bomb vest to blow up Gretel. Also, given that Lou refuses to handle guns, she has become an expert at throwing hatchets which is nearly as effective as her hand-to-hand combat skills.