I’ve said it before and I’m saying it again, I like guns. Guns are cool. It’s not cool when people use them to murder each other, but other than that, they’re cool. In fact, let me go ahead and get this out of the way; if giving up my guns would stop all gun violence in the world, I would do it, but it won’t, so I’m keeping them. I’m not hunter or big collector, I just own a few and I go shooting at a range with my friends every now then, it’s fun. So, it’s no surprise that I’m a big fan of shooters. To me, part of the draw of the “Metal Gear” games has been collecting all of the different guns as well as Hideo Kojima’s attention to weapons detail. I also applaud Infinity Ward for the excellent job they did with the way all the different guns ”Call of Duty 4″ feel and sound.

Recently, a gun show came to town and while I like guns, I really don’t like most gun enthusiasts. I’ve been to two gun shows before this one and Confederate flags were a 2 for 2 showing so far. I’m very proud to live in the south, but not of the time in our nation’s history when the southern states broke from the team. But, hatred of much of the gun show atmosphere aside, I decided to put myself on a scavenger hunt and search out my top five favorite video game guns of all time.

Upon arriving, I knew this was a stupid fucking idea. With a camera at a gun show I couldn’t help myself from sneaking pictures of people, like the guy pictured above, who came with two shotguns and overalls. And snapping pictures of their weapons got me plenty of nice looks to, like I was part of this new Democrat controlled government who was going to take all of their guns. For some reason the explanation that I was writing an article for a video game website didn’t seem like it was going to get me a free pass, but I was already here, so what the fuck?  Confederate flags now 3 for 3, by the way.

5. M4A1 from “Metal Gear Solid 4”

* In the Game - Although this weapon appears in most modern shooters, it was the ability to totally customize it in “MGS4” that made it the stand out game for me. Reflex sight, silencer, and mounted shotgun was the way I went in the game.

* In Real Life - This is widely used in our armed forces as well as many other military and law enforcement agencies all over the world. It fires the 5.56×45mm NATO round, which gives it less recoil and more accuracy, but also less knockdown power than an AK-47. The real life version is also just as customizable as in “MGS4,” the ones I found were totally tricked out.

4. Thompson Submachine Gun from “Resident Evil 4”

* In the Game – Also called the “Tommy Gun,” it went by another nickname, the “Chicago Typewriter” in “Resident Evil 4.” This was one of the most enjoyable unlockables I’ve ever gotten in a game. Let’s put it this way, each bullet of the handgun you start out with had a hit power of one. Each bullet from this gun had a hit power of ten, it was fully automatic, never ran out of ammo, and you never had to reload. A second play through was never more enjoyable.

* In Real Life – This gun was used in the U.S. military from 1938-1971. It shoots the .45 ACP round which gives it plenty of punch, especially with the drum magazine.

3. UMP from “Rainbow 6: Vegas”

* In the Game – This was by far my most used weapon in “Rainbow 6: Vegas.” With much of the fighting being in close quarters, this was an ideal weapon in that game. Put a red dot sight on this baby and it was accurate with great stopping power.

* In Real Life – Like the “Tommy Gun,” this weapon fires the .45 ACP round which gives it better stopping power on unarmored targets than most other submachine guns like the MP5 that is chambered in 9mm. The version I found was the civilian version, the USC. If I ever win the lottery, I think I’m buying this motherfucker.

2. The RPD from “Call of Duty 4”

* In the Game – This is the gun I keep coming back to in “COD 4.” Customize it with the foregrip and it is a killing machine. I keep trying to venture out and try new guns, but to me, not even the mighty M16 beats it.

* In Real Life – This gun was largely replaced by the RPK in most militaries, but is still used in some African and Asian conflicts. The RPK is, in fact, the version that I found and the weapon I was most surprised to see. It is a rare find, especially in this condition. Although it is said to be a very accurate light machine gun, I can’t imagine it being as accurate in full auto mode as it is in the game as it fires the same heavy hitting 7.62×39mm round as an AK-47. It is also not made to be fitted with a foregrip as in the game. I know it’s just something they did to all of the light machine guns in the game to be able to upgrade them with more accuracy, I’m just saying.

1. Mk 23 from “Metal Gear Solid”

* In the Game – Okay, okay, I know what you’re saying, “Any of the above weapons would be much better to carry into a battle than a pistol.” And, that is correct, but the iconic Mk 23 from the original “Metal Gear Solid” has a special place in my gaming heart. This was the first weapon found and the one that I used the most in the game. The image of Solid Snake from the first “MGS” with the pistol equipped with the laser sight and silencer is, to me, the definitive image of the character.

* In Real Life – This is the one gun on the list that I have actually had the chance to fire, and it was the equivalent of a “Star Wars” fan getting to wield a light saber. This gun is very large for a pistol, as it was designed to be an offensive special ops weapon and not just a sidearm. Shooting it totally met my high expectations.  It is exceptionally accurate and chambered in .45 ACP.

Well, my hunt was over. I braved the crowd, avoided getting shot, and laid eyes on all of my favorite video game weapons. I’m currently playing “Fallout 3.” I hope that game doesn’t make it too far into my head. That teddy bear rocket launcher would be a bitch to find.