The Weapon That Defined Sci-Fi: Screen-Used Pulse Rifle
Royal Armouries
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27m
“They mostly come at night… mostly.”
In this special episode of What Is This Weapon? Jonathan takes a deep dive into one of the most iconic sci-fi firearms ever conceived: the M-41A Pulse Rifle from Aliens (1986) and Alien³ (1992). But this isn’t a replica, this is a screen-used prop from the films themselves, now preserved in the national collection at the Royal Armouries.
Join Jonathan as he uncovers the secrets behind its design, construction, and cinematic legacy from hidden Thompsons and SPAS-12 shotguns to behind-the-scenes stories, production quirks, and James Cameron’s hands-on involvement. It's a love letter to speculative military hardware, movie magic and the weapon that defined the Colonial Marines.
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