For Guns of the Other Star Wars Movies, Go Here. Considering about 75 percent of the Star Wars prequel movies were created on a computer, it might be surprising to some to learn that a number of the various blasters of the new worlds created by George Lucas more than a decade after Return of the Jedi hit theaters were based on real firearms and air guns. Since Lucas cobbled together almost all the blasters in the original trilogy from real WWII-era firearms from the UK, and that seemed to work out pretty well, it makes sense he’d do something similar for the far slicker looking prequels, to a degree. Here’s a look at the guns behind the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy: Naboo Blaster Real Gun: Walther LPM-1 Air Gun)
Some of the troops on Naboo carry a different unnamed blaster pistol that is based on a resin casting of a Walther LPM-1 Air Gun, according to imfd.org. It was then fitted with optics and an under-barrel attachment not dissimilar from the on used on the S-5 blaster below, which was based on a different air gun.
Unidentified Projectile Rifle
Real Gun: Kentucky Flintlock Rifle
If you look close, you can find Zam Wesell (Leeanna Walsmann) uses an unnamed projectile rifle. If you go deep nerd, you’ll find out the rifle was later given a name in the Legends continuity: the KlSteer 1284 projectile rifle.
It’s based on an old-school flintlock Kentucky Rifle with all the wood furniture replaced with synthetic black furniture and the flintlock mechanism replaced with black and silver scope. However, the filmmakers retained the Kentucky Rifle’s trigger guard and finger shelf, as well as the ramrod.
I have to say, the synthetic-stock version actually looks pretty cool. If it were a modern muzzleloader with a Kentucky Rifle aesthetic, I might find it a bit difficult to not buy.
BlasTech DC-15A Blaster Rifle
Real Gun: MG34 combined with a scaled-up Sterling L2A3 submachine gun
The BlasTech DC-15A blaster rifle is known in Star Wars literature as the DC-15 and is the weapon of choice for the Galactic Republic’s clone troopers and is seen prominently in Attach of the Clones and *Revenge of the Sith.
It’s a larger and more long-range alternative to the DC-15S carbine. Even though the guns, and the clone troopers, were completely CGI, the design for the gun was based on parts from the German MG34 machine gun for the rear half and a scaled-up Sterling L2A3 submachine gun turned upside down to form the front of the blaster rifle.
Corellian Arms CR-2 Heavy Blaster Pistol
Real Gun: Calico M950A
The troops on Naboo in Phantom Menace are varied and so is their weaponry. Some of them are seen with a Corellian Arms CR-2 heavy blaster pistol. Believe it or not, there actually is a real gun, not an air gun, underneath all that stuff.
This blaster is based on the Calico M950A, which was a pistol made by Calico Light Weapons Systems. It, along with all the other guns in the Calico system, featured a proprietary helical magazine mounted on top of the gun that came in surprisingly large 50- and 100-round capacities. This model came in 9mm and used a roller-delayed blowback action.
While it was a bold step in firearm development that got a lot of use in movies of the 1990s due to it’s bizarre looks.
In 1998, the company’s operations were moved from Bakersfield, California to Sparks, Nevada where replacement parts for existing firearms were produced after production on the actual guns ceased.
In 2006, Calico was sold once again, and moved to Hillsboro, Oregon, where full production of firearms resumed. The company implemented a CNC machining process and upgraded materials since and did minor redesigns to existing models to increase durability and reliability, which earlier models had significant problems with.
At the 2012 SHOT Show, Calico showed off a prototype 12 gauge shogun with a top-mounted helical magazine, but it was never put into production.
Theed Arms Security S-5 Heavy Blaster Pistol
Real Gun: Feinwerkbau C55 Model Air Gun
In the first prequel movie, The Phantom Menace the Naboo troops use what is described on the Star Wars wiki as a Theed Arms Security S-5 heavy blaster pistol, which is based on the Feinwerkbau C55 Model CO2-powered air gun with the reservoir removed and a large silver scope added to the top, and another smaller scope off-set to the left side. A golden rod was also added under the barrel, but the unique looking trigger and grip of the air gun were retained.
At one point, Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman) uses one of the blasters alongside other troops on Naboo.