About Us
In 1981 Weapons Specialists Ltd, a company that provides the media industry with theatrical props and armorer services, was founded by Rick Washburn. Since then, Weapons Specialists Ltd has vastly expanded to become the largest theatrical weapons property house on the eastern coast of the United States. Our inventory ranges dramatically from Paleolithic flint knives to modern Russian T-90 Tanks. Most hand-held weapons are stocked at our New York City warehouse and can be shipped to order on a same-day basis to anywhere in the world (subject to local legal restrictions - see the “Rental Policy” page).
Today, Weapons Specialists provides a wide range of media outlets with prop rentals, custom prop fabrication, consulting services and on-set weapons coordination (including safety, supervision, training, and maintenance). Not only do we service the film and TV industry, we also work with advertising firms, ballet companies, photographers, theater troupes, and university art departments. In the past 28 years, Weapons Specialists has equipped over 800 feature films as well as countless TV series, commercials, plays, operas, photographic spreads, gallery shows, illustrations, book covers and video games.
Our firearms have been modified to meet the New York City Police Department’s standards and specifications for theatrical prop firearms – which remain the strictest in the United States. Once our modifications have been made and officially declared theatrical props by NYC regulation, they cannot fire live ammunition. These firearms are classified as “blank-firing” weapons and fire special "Hollywood" (long-duration flash) blanks, which look and sound realistic while remaining practical for filming purposes. Because of our experience modifying blank-firing guns, Weapons Specialists has been able to supply firearms to locations which normally pose legal troubles for production companies, including New York City, Finland, Japan, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and even Washington D.C. and the United Nations.
In addition to the several thousand blank-firing weapons in our inventory, Weapons Specialists also supplies “replicas” and “non-guns”. Replicas are non-functional look-alikes that are used when firing is not needed. Non-Guns are replicas that are capable of emitting an electronic flash comparable to that of a blank-firing gun.
Firearms are just a portion of our inventory; we also carry armor, edged weapons, shields, spears, bows, blowguns, explosives, gas masks and law enforcement/military gear. Accordingly, we also stock a diversity of accessories such as holsters, gun-slings, Kevlar vests and a variety of combat gear. In conjunction with our warehouse inventory, Weapons Specialists maintains a network of oversized rentals such as cannons, military vehicles, aircrafts, and ships.
Weapons Specialists has amassed an extensive research library specializing in the history of weaponry. Our office is a forum for collectors, military consultants, battle re-enacting clubs, and museum experts in addition to movie directors/producers and prop masters. Next time you are in New York City, make sure to schedule an appointment to visit our offices. We always enjoy presenting the world’s history in weapons.
