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Mosul (2019), the gritty Netflix war film directed by Matthew Michael Carnahan, offers a raw and intense depiction of the Battle of Mosul, where an elite Iraqi SWAT team fought desperately against ISIS. Beyond its gripping narrative, the film stands out for its authentic portrayal of firearms—many of which were historically accurate to the conflict. For gun enthusiasts and military history buffs, Mosul provides a fascinating showcase of Cold War-era rifles, modern carbines, and even some rare weapons.
In this deep dive, we’ll break down the firearms used by the Nineveh SWAT team, ISIS fighters, and other factions in the film, examining their real-world counterparts and how they were employed in combat.
Sidearms: Glocks, Berettas, and a Franchi Shotgun
Glock 17 & Glock 19 – The SWAT Team’s Sidearms
The Nineveh SWAT team primarily carries Glock 17 pistols, a common sidearm among military and police forces worldwide due to its reliability and high magazine capacity (17+1 rounds). The film’s protagonist, Kawa (Adam Bessa), and his partner Jameel (Ali Al Jarrah) use Glock 17s in the opening firefight.
Commander Jasem (Suhail Dabbach), the team’s leader, carries a Glock 19, a slightly more compact version of the Glock 17 with a 15-round magazine. The choice of Glocks reflects their widespread use among Iraqi special forces, who often received Western-supplied firearms.
Beretta 92FS – A Classic Alternative
Some SWAT members, including Waleed (Is’haq Elias) and Kamal (Qutaiba Abdelhaq), use Beretta 92FS pistols. The Beretta, famous for its role as the U.S. military’s M9, was also supplied to Iraqi forces, making its appearance historically plausible.
Franchi PA8 – The PMU’s Wildcard
In one scene, a Popular Mobilization Forces (PMU) militiaman is seen with a Franchi PA8 shotgun, an Italian semi-automatic shotgun. While not a common sight in Iraq, its inclusion adds to the film’s eclectic mix of firearms, reflecting the diverse sources of weaponry in the conflict.
Primary Weapons: AKs, M4s, and a Surprising Valmet
AK-47 & AKM – The Backbone of the SWAT Team
The AK-47 is the most prevalent rifle in Mosul, used by Commander Jasem, Amir (Mohimen Mahbuba), and Hooka (Thaer Al Shayei). Jasem’s AK-47 is customized with:
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A TDI railed handguard
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A Knight’s Armament Company (KAC) foregrip
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An EOTech 512 holographic sight
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A Tapco Intrafuse folding stock
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“Jungle-style” taped magazines (a common field modification for quicker reloads)
Other SWAT members use AKS-47s (AK-47s with underfolding stocks) and AKMs (modernized AK-47s with stamped receivers). Notably, Kawa (Adam Bessa) is initially given a Norinco Type 56-1 (a Chinese AK variant with a folding stock), though continuity errors sometimes show him with an AKMS (a Soviet folding-stock AKM) missing its muzzle brake.
Valmet M76 – The Finnish AK in an Iraqi War
One of the more unusual rifles in the film is the 5.56x45mm Valmet M76, used by ISIS fighters, Iraqi Army soldiers, and PMU militiamen. The Valmet, a Finnish AK variant, is rare in the Middle East, but its presence could be explained by black-market arms deals or captured stockpiles.
M4A1 Carbine – The “Iraqi Army Rifle for Sale”
In a memorable scene, IRGC Colonel Kaveh Afsahani (Waleed Elgadi) wields an M4A1 Carbine with an ACOG scope and foregrip, using it to shoot down ISIS suicide drones. He sarcastically calls it an “Iraqi Army rifle for sale, never been fired, only been dropped once”—a dark joke referencing the poor state of U.S.-supplied weapons in Iraq.
IMI Romat – The Israeli Heavy Barrel Rifle
Akram (Mohamed Attougui) carries an IMI Romat, an Israeli heavy-barrel variant of the M16. Its appearance is unusual but plausible, as captured or black-market Israeli weapons occasionally surfaced in Iraq.
Sniper Rifles: Norinco NDM-86 and the Legendary SVD
Norinco NDM-86 – The Chinese Dragunov
An ISIS sniper uses a Norinco NDM-86, a Chinese copy of the SVD Dragunov, chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO (distinguishable by its straight magazine). After eliminating the sniper, Amir takes the NDM-86 and uses it for the rest of the film.
SVD Dragunov – The Real Deal
When the SWAT team raids the sniper’s nest, they also find a genuine SVD Dragunov (chambered in 7.62x54mmR). Waleed removes its PSO-1 scope to survey the battlefield—a realistic detail, as the PSO-1’s magnification makes it useful for reconnaissance.
Machine Guns: From WWII Relics to Modern PKMs
ZB-53/vz. 37 – The Czech Heavy Machine Gun
Two of the SWAT team’s Humvees are armed with ZB-53/vz. 37 machine guns, a Czech WWII-era weapon chambered in 7.92×57mm Mauser. While anachronistic, it was likely a stand-in for the DsHK heavy machine guns mentioned in the original New Yorker article.
M60 – The American Classic
The team’s third Humvee mounts an M60 machine gun, a weapon used by Iraqi forces due to U.S. military assistance.
Zastava M72 – The Iraqi LMG
Iraqi Federal Police and ISIS fighters are seen with Zastava M72 light machine guns, a Yugoslavian RPK variant. This aligns with the film’s historical accuracy, as Yugoslav weapons were widely exported to Iraq.
Continuity Errors and Missing Weapons
While Mosul is highly accurate, some discrepancies exist:
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Kawa’s Norinco Type 56-1 sometimes turns into an AKMS mid-scene.
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The original New Yorker article mentions PKM machine guns, which don’t appear in the film.
A Gun Lover’s Perspective
Mosul stands out for its realistic depiction of firearms in modern warfare, blending Cold War relics, black-market oddities, and Western-supplied arms. The film’s attention to detail—from taped AK mags to the improvised use of scopes—makes it a must-watch for gun enthusiasts.
If Mosul has inspired you to explore firearms ownership, visit Keystone Shooting Center for expert guidance, training, and a wide selection of firearms. Whether you’re interested in historical rifles like the AK or modern tactical carbines, Keystone Shooting Center can help you find the right firearm for your needs.