Small arms

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Not much description has been given about the small arms that are seen in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica, but, based on what is seen, some of the firearms that the Colonial forces carry are real firearms that are in current use.

Handguns

Apollo, Starbuck, and Hotdog on the firing range with FN Five-seveNs

The standard-issue Colonial sidearm (seen used in the Miniseries, etc.) is according to RDM's commentary supposed to be an exact replica of the (fictional) sidearm used in Blade Runner (also starring Edward James Olmos). The standard service handgun used by the Colonial forces appears to be a modernized version of the LeMat revolver of the US Civil War, with a revolver-like pistol grip and a large barrel beneath the primary barrel. From closer examination of the handgun, it appears that the handgun that was in the Miniseries and Season 1 of the re-imagined series of Battlestar Galactica was built around a Smith & Wesson K-Frame or L-Frame revolver. This sidearm is nicknamed the "Colonial Clamshell" by a propmaster in David Eick's 18th video blog.

It seems that, in the second season the original sidearms have been nearly completely replaced by the Fabrique Nationale Five-seveN, also dressed up with an underbarrel explosive launcher. (This changeover allows for real semi-automatic fire and makes use of the existing stores of 5.7 x 28 mm (FN P-90) blank ammunition).

The Heckler & Koch P9 is seen, along with an Intratec Cat-9 (Colonial Day).

The Vektor CP1 has also made an appearence (Bastille Day, Black Market, Sacrifice, etc.); this is odd given a safety recall issued in 2000.

Samuel Anders has been seen on with the Heckler & Koch Mark 23, a variant of the USP, (Resistance) and the Israeli Desert Eagle (Downloaded).

The Russian-made Makarov PM handgun and the Russian-made Stechkin APS handgun have made an appearance in the Season 2 episode "Sacrifice".

The Stallion appears in the episode, "Home, Part II". Based on the COP 357 Derringer , designed as a police off-duty/backup weapon, this four shot derringer fires .357 Magnum rounds. The name "Stallion" may be a production in-joke on the Marushin's model name, "COP 357", whose name is shared in part with the ubiquitous Colt .357 handgun.

Submachine guns

One of the real firearms that are seen on a regular basis in Battlestar Galactica is the Belgian Fabrique Nationale P90 submachine gun which is seen in the hands of the Colonal security forces and Marines of Galactica. The weapon is notable for its unusual 5.7x28 round, designed to pierce body armor. Its unusual magazine placement and design (resting on top with rounds perpendicular to the barrel) means each cartridge is rotated 90 degrees as it is fed.

The FN P90 submachine gun has also been seen in other science fiction shows like Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis (which are also filmed in Vancouver alongside Battlestar Galactica).

Thrace's Skorpions and Anders's UMP (Resistance)

Another real-life submachine guns that made an appearance is the German Heckler & Koch UMP. In the episode "Resistance", Samuel Anders is seen armed with one. Other weapons seen this episode are the Czech Skorpion machine pistol, wielded akimbo by Starbuck, and the American Ruger MP9 being wielded by Helo when the two characters encounter Samuel Anders and his resistance fighters.
The Skorpion is also carried by Chief Tyrol during the Battle of New Caprica (Exodus, Part II).

The Beretta Model 12 submachine gun is used by Anders's resistance fighters.

In "A Measure of Salvation", both Major Adama and Gunnery Sergeant Mathias appear to be armed with Heckler & Koch MP7A1 Personal Defence Weapons, mounted with ELCAN C79 optical sights. The MP7A1 and C79 sight are further examples of weaponry and equipment seen in Stargate SG-1. Additionally, the fighters on the algae planet, including Lee Adama and Anders, are equipped with the MP7 and sight combination (Rapture).

Shotguns

Another real firearm seen in the first season of the re-imagined series of Battlestar Galactica is the American Mossberg 500 pump-action shotgun, specifically a 12-gauge bullpup variant, seen in the episode "Bastille Day" in the hands of the prisoners on the prison ship Astral Queen after they overwhelmed the guards and took control of the ship. None of the bullpup variants are available anymore as of 2006.

The Protecta/Striker shotgun is used in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I", "Part II" and "Home". This is the weapon with the drum magazine which Boomer uses to save Apollo's life on Kobol. It is frequently featured in many Hollywood movies due to its distinctive appearance.

A short-barrelled pump action shotgun (which closely resembles the Ithaca Model 37 pump-action shotgun) with forward pistol grip is used by the bartender in the deleted flashback scenes in "Scattered".

Rifles and Carbines

Another real firearm used in Battlestar Galactica is the British SA-80 bullpup assault rifle which is carried by a Colonial military honor guard at Zak Adama's funeral in "Act of Contrition". The SA-80 is the current, standard-issue infantry rifle of the British armed forces and has been in British military service since 1985.
The SA-80s in "Act of Contrition" appear to be without the standard, British Army issue SUSAT telescopic sight, and the iron foresight and rear-sight/carry handle are not in use despite the fact that SA-80s without the SUSAT sight are seen with the foresight and rear-sight/carry handle unfolded and in use. In "Resistance" and "The Farm", the resistance fighters on Caprica are armed with SA-80s alongside other firearms. The SA-80s used by the resistance fighters in these two episodes appear to have SUSAT sights fitted on the rifles.

Starbuck uses an Italian Beretta Cx4 Storm carbine to shoot at Tom Zarek on the Astral Queen (Bastille Day). In "Fragged", Gaius Baltar, Chief Tyrol, the others stranded on Kobol, and various Colonial Marines throughout the series are armed with them as well. (It is probable that the Cx4 has replaced the P-90 as the standard Colonial longarm in the series' production, most likely due to the P-90s already extensive usage on Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis).
The Cx4s that are seen in Battlestar Galactica are fitted with specially-made accessories which go the length of the exposed barrel. Aside from this, the carbines are fitted with real-life tactical lights and AimPoint Red-Dot scopes.

Besides automatic and semi-automatic rifles, one of the resistance fighters on Caprica in the episode "Resistance" is armed with a bolt-action rifle. From the look of its action, the rifle appears to be an American Remington Model 700 fitted with a Choate Ultimate Sniper/Target tactical rifle stock and a third-party telescopic sight. It is possible that the bolt-action rifle is a standard-issue Colonial military sniper rifle (possibly Colonial Marine Corps issue) since Anders and his resistance fighters raided Colonial military armories on Caprica for firearms, ammunition and other weapons to fight the Cylons.

In the episodes "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I" and "Part II", Starbuck is seen using a Heckler & Koch G36K while at the same time, a member of the resistance is using a Kalashnikov-type rifle. The Kalashnikov-type rifle that is seen in the hands of Anders' resistance fighters on Caprica in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II" and in a few episodes of Season 3 in the hands of one of the members of the New Caprica Resistance is a Chinese-made, NORINCO Type 84S rifle chambered in 5.56mm NATO/.223 Remington.

In the Miniseries, the Colonial security personnel on Galactica are armed with a bullpup assault rifle. It bears a resemblance to a short-barreled FAMAS with a Picatinny rail mount. This rifle was actually designed by Masamune Shirow for the Ghost in the Shell series, it is known as the CZN-M22 "Nine-Weapon".

The weapon possesed by Leoben Conoy at Ragnar Station is a fictional variant of the AR-15, known as the Close Quarters Battle Weapon Type Zero, aka the "Raisen". It is a model gun designed by Poseidon Industries of Japan (see link.)

Besides the military-issue rifles and carbines that have been seen in Season 2, civilian rifles have made an appearance. One example can be seen in "Resistance", when one of Anders's resistance fighters is armed with a semi-automatic, civilian hunting rifle fitted with a telescopic sight. From the look of the rifle, it appears that the rifle is a Remington Model 7400 semi-automatic hunting rifle that had part of the rearsight removed in order for the telescopic sight to be fitted. This rifle may have come from either the hunters or survivalists that were picked up by the resistance after the Cylon attack.