What Guns Did the Mafia Use? — The 5 Most Famous Mafia Gun Names

The Mafia killed thousands of people across the 20th century — but how they killed them changed with the times. From the deafening roar of the Tommy Gun in Prohibition-era Chicago to the improvised fire bombs thrown through shop windows by protection rackets, here are the five weapons that defined organised crime violence from the 1920s to the 1950s.

1. The Thompson 1928 — The Tommy Gun

1928 Tommy Gun

No weapon is more synonymous with the American Mafia than the Thompson submachine gun — the Tommy Gun. Designed by General John T. Thompson and first produced in 1921, it became the defining weapon of Prohibition-era organised crime within years of its release. The mob didn’t just use the Tommy Gun — they made it a symbol of power, fear and the absolute consequences of crossing the wrong people.

The Thompson 1928 model was capable of firing over 850 rounds per minute, with an effective range of up to 160 feet. Its distinctive 50-round drum magazine — which gave the weapon its characteristic silhouette — meant that a single gunman could unleash devastating firepower in seconds. Weighing just under 11 pounds, it was the heaviest weapon in the mob’s arsenal, but in the right hands it was worth every ounce.

The Tommy Gun’s most infamous appearance in mob history came on February 14, 1929 — the St Valentine’s Day Massacre. Al Capone’s gunmen, posing as police officers, used two Thompson submachine guns to execute seven members of Bugs Moran’s North Side gang in a Chicago garage. Forensic analysis of over 70 bullet casings confirmed the weapons used. It remains the most infamous mob killing in American history.

Beyond Chicago, the Tommy Gun was the weapon of choice for gangsters from New York to Los Angeles. Murder Incorporated hitmen used Thompsons in drive-by shootings throughout the 1930s. Its sheer firepower made it the ultimate equaliser — and the ultimate statement.

2. Smith & Wesson Model 19 — The .357 Revolver

Smith and Wesson Model 19

Introduced in 1935 during the depths of the Great Depression, the Smith & Wesson Model 19 was the first .357 Magnum revolver of its kind. Originally marketed to law enforcement — it was devastatingly powerful, eerily accurate and built to last — it was only a matter of time before the mob noticed.

Compact, reliable and with a six-round cylinder capable of reaching 150 feet with lethal accuracy, the Model 19 became a favoured sidearm for mob figures throughout the late 1930s and into the 1940s. At just under two pounds it was light enough to conceal under a suit jacket — essential for men whose profession required they always be armed but never look it.

Unlike the Tommy Gun, which announced itself with a deafening roar, the Model 19 was a weapon for closer, more deliberate work. It was the kind of gun a senior figure might carry personally — not for spraying a garage full of rivals but for a single, precise shot at close range. The .357 Magnum round it fired was among the most powerful handgun cartridges available at the time, meaning one shot was usually sufficient.

3. Colt M1911A1 — The Reliable Standard

Colt M1911A1

The Colt M1911A1 was already a battlefield-proven weapon by the time the Mafia adopted it in numbers. Designed by John Browning and produced from 1911, it served as the standard-issue sidearm of the United States military for over 70 years — and for good reason. The Colt was accurate, powerful, almost never jammed and could take considerable punishment while still functioning reliably.

For mob hitmen, reliability was everything. A gun that misfired at the wrong moment was a death sentence. The Colt’s reputation for flawless function under pressure made it the professional’s choice. Its .45 ACP cartridge delivered enormous stopping power, and its 328-foot effective range — double that of the Smith & Wesson — gave it significant versatility.

Slightly heavier than the Model 19 at two and a half pounds, and carrying a 7-round detachable box magazine, the Colt was the weapon of choice for serious operators. It required skill to use well — unlike the Tommy Gun, which needed only to be pointed in roughly the right direction — but in trained hands it was devastatingly effective at close to medium range.

Many of Murder Incorporated’s most prolific contract killers carried Colts. Its single-action trigger required the hammer to be cocked before firing, which rewarded disciplined, deliberate shooting — exactly the kind practised by professional hitmen.

4. Remington Model 870 — The Pump-Action Shotgun

Remington Model 870

The Remington Model 870 entered production in 1950 and quickly became one of the most widely used shotguns in American history — first by law enforcement, then by the criminal organisations that always kept a close eye on what the police were carrying. By the mid-1950s the 870 had found its way into the arsenals of mob crews across the country.

A 12-gauge pump-action shotgun weighing around 7 pounds, the 870 was an entirely different proposition to the handguns and submachine guns that dominated the mob’s earlier decades. At close range it was catastrophically destructive — the spread of its shot pattern made precise aim less critical, and the psychological impact of a shotgun round was significant. At up to 150 feet it remained lethally effective.

Its drawbacks were real. The pump-action mechanism was slower to cycle than a semi-automatic weapon, and its size made concealment impossible. It was not a weapon for the subtle assassination — it was a weapon for a specific kind of message. When a mob crew showed up with shotguns, everyone in the room understood exactly what kind of visit this was.

The 870 was used in several high-profile mob hits of the 1950s and 60s, particularly in the aftermath of the Apalachin meeting of 1957 when the Commission was thrown into disarray and internal violence increased.

5. The Molotov Cocktail — The Mob’s Firebomb

Molotov Cocktail

The final entry on this list is not a firearm at all — but it was one of the most consistently used weapons in the mob’s arsenal from the 1920s right through to the present day. The Molotov cocktail: cheap, easy to make, impossible to trace and devastatingly effective as a tool of terror and destruction.

The construction was simple. A glass bottle — ideally thick enough to survive being thrown but thin enough to shatter on impact — filled with petrol or napalm. A cloth or sock stuffed into the neck served as both stopper and wick. The wick was soaked in alcohol, lit, and the bottle thrown. On impact it shattered, igniting the fuel and sending a fireball across whatever surface it hit.

For the mob, the Molotov cocktail was primarily a tool of the protection racket. Business owners in mob-controlled neighbourhoods paid weekly tribute in exchange for “protection.” Those who refused — or who fell behind on payments — quickly discovered what they were being protected from. A Molotov thrown through a shop window at 3am was a message that needed no translation.

It was also used in drive-bys against rival operations — thrown from moving vehicles at social clubs, warehouses and vehicles belonging to enemy crews. During the gang wars of the 1920s and 30s, entire blocks could be set alight in a single night. The Chicago Outfit was particularly fond of the firebomb as an intimidation tool during the Prohibition era.

Unlike every other weapon on this list, the Molotov cocktail required no licence, no purchase record, no ballistic evidence. It destroyed evidence as it created carnage — making it one of the most forensically clean weapons the mob ever used.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the most famous weapon used by the Mafia?

The Thompson submachine gun — the Tommy Gun — was the most iconic mob weapon. Used in the St Valentine’s Day Massacre of 1929, it could fire over 850 rounds per minute and became the defining symbol of Prohibition-era gang violence.

What gun was used in the St Valentine’s Day Massacre?

Two Thompson submachine guns were used in the St Valentine’s Day Massacre on February 14, 1929. Forensic analysis of over 70 bullet casings confirmed the weapons. Seven members of Bugs Moran’s gang were killed.

Did the Mafia use shotguns?

Yes. The Remington Model 870 pump-action shotgun was widely used by mob crews from the 1950s onwards, particularly for close-range hits where its devastating spread made it especially lethal.

What is a Molotov cocktail?

A Molotov cocktail is an improvised incendiary device — a glass bottle filled with petrol or flammable liquid with a cloth wick. When lit and thrown it shatters on impact and ignites. The Mafia used them extensively from the 1920s for arson attacks and intimidation against businesses that refused to pay protection money.

What was the preferred handgun of mob hitmen?

The Colt M1911A1 was the most reliable and widely carried handgun among professional mob hitmen. Produced from 1911, its .45 ACP semi-automatic action almost never jammed and its 328-foot range exceeded most contemporary revolvers.