The real life inspiration for all that PUBG equipment

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is a complex game with a lot of stuff – just what is all of that PUBG equipment based on in real life?

Weapons

Pistols

• P18C – Glock 18c
  • The Glock 18c is a polymer-framed semi-automatic pistol introduced in the early 80s for the Austrian Military and police. It now sees widespread use – initial fears over plastic proved unfounded; the 18c is lightweight and reliable – and has a very high rate of fire and (relatively) low damage here in PUBG.
• P1911 – Colt M1911
  • The Colt M1911 is a semi-automatic pistol, widely used by US armed forces between 1911 and 1986. It’s chambered for .45-ACP for greater stopping power, but features a slightly slower rate of fire, which places it in the middle of the pistol spectrum in PUBG.
• P92 – Beretta 92FS
  • Chambered for 9mm rounds, with slightly less power but a quicker rate of fire to the P1911, the Beretta 92FS replaced the Colt M1911 for the US military in the mid-eighties.
• R1895 – Nagant M1895
  • The Nagant M1895 is a seven-shot revolver, designed for the Russian Empire in 1895 by Belgian industrialist Léon Nagant. It’s a very powerful pistol, and that’s replicated in PUBG, but the reload time is so slow we get palpitations if it’s the only weapon we can find during early looting.
• R45 – Rhino 60DS
  • The R45 is exclusive to the Miramar desert map, and is similar to the R1895 for stopping power and rate of fire. It comes with one major advantage, however: the R45 is reloaded with ‘moon clips’, a pre-loaded ring of bullets which means you chamber all six .45-ACP rounds at once.

Subbmachine Guns (SMGs)

• Micro UZI – Micro Uzi
  • If the AKM/AK-47 is the most ubiquitous assault rifle among conflicts, the compact, rapid-fire Uzi is perhaps best known for its place in criminality and gang violence. The Micro UZI in PUBG is the machine pistol variant of the 9mm Israeli submachine gun designed by Major Uziel Gal in the early 1950s. Add a stock and it turns into a ‘proper’ Uzi.
• Tommy Gun – Thompson Submachine Gun
  • The Thompson submachine gun, nicknamed the ‘Chicago Typewriter’, was designed by John Thompson in 1918, and saw extensive use among criminals and police alike during the prohibition era, and also with the US military during World War II. While the Tommy Gun in PUBG deals high damage for an SMG due to it’s .45-ACP rounds, it’s frustratingly inconsistent with which attachments you can use, and the recoil is virtually unmanageable without a vertical foregrip.
• UMP9 – Heckler & Koch UMP
  • The UMP in UMP9 stands for Universale Maschinenpistole, its name according to German manufacturer, Heckler & Koch. The 9 on the end is presumably just because it uses 9mm rounds. The UMP is the successor to H&K’s MP5 SMG, and is widely used in law enforcement. In PUBG, the range of attachments – combined with decent range, damage, and stability – makes this a decent short-range alternative to an assault rifle.
• Vector – KRISS Vector
  • The KRISS Vector, formerly the TDI Vector, is one of the more modern weapons in PUBG. having been introduced in its original form in 2007. Small and lightweight, with a full complement of attachments, the Vector is outwardly similar to the UMP9; however with a minuscule magazine (only 13 rounds) and uncomfortable recoil on full auto (without a stock and foregrip) we tend to favour the German SMG.

Assault Rifles

• AKM – Kalashnikov AK-47
  • The AK-47 is possibly the most iconic weapon in the world. The cheap to produce and easy to maintain assault rifle has been the mainstay of everyone from government militaries to guerrillas and militia. The M designation here means its the modernised version – the Avtomat Kalashnikova Modernizirovanniy – introduced in 1959, with a muzzle brake for reduced recoil, and slightly reduced rate of fire on full-auto.
• AUG A3 – Steyr AUG A3
  • The AUG A3 was introduced this autumn, and can only be found in supply drops. Introduced by the Austrian army in the 1970s and firing NATO-standard 5.56 rounds, this bullpup assault rifle also features MIL-STD-1913 rail for scope attachments.
• Groza – OTs-14 Groza
  • The Groza is a bullpup assault rifle – similar to the newly-introduced AUG A3, but chambered for 7.62 rounds. It’s also a beast. It features the same range and damage profile as the AKM, but its full-auto mode is relentless; it’s for the best that this is only found in care package air drops.
• M16A4 – M16A4
  • The M16 is a US military adaptation of the Armalight AR-15. The fourth generation – the A4 designation – improves the original with a larger magazine, better grip, and a mounting rail for optics. It also boasts the fastest rate of fire in PUBG’s assault rifles; though it only features single and burst-fire modes. The M16 has been largely replaced by the US military and Marine Corps by the…
• M416 – M4 Carbine (Heckler & Koch HK416?)
  • Though the M-designation means this appears to be the US military M4 Carbine rifle (that came into service to replace the M16) the fact they’ve added the M416 designation on this weapon’s name makes it a little less unclear. Is it in fact a Heckler & Koch HK416, or an amalgamation of the two? We’re not entirely sure, but its full-auto fire mode makes it better for close engagements than the M16A4 – if you’ve got a stock and foregrip to control the recoil.
• SCAR-L – FN SCAR-L
  • The FN SCAR-L, which stands for – deep breath – Fabrique Nationale Special operations forces Combat Assault Rifle Light, is a Belgian-built assault rifle that has similar stats to the M16A4, and features the full-auto fire mode of the M416. The SCAR-L is chambered for NATO 5.56 rounds, whereas the real life SCAR-H (for ‘Heavy’, which isn’t in the game… yet) is chambered for 7.62 rounds.

Light Machine Guns

• DP-28 – Degtyaryov machine gun
  • The DP-28’s full name – or sometimes DP-27; the weapon was designed in 1927, but first appeared in 1928 – is Pulemyot Degtyaryova Pekhotny, literally Degtyaryov’s infantry machine gun. Nicknamed the ‘Record Player’ by the Red Army, due to its distinctive top-loading circular drum magazine. The PUBG version also features a retracting bipod, which deploys automatically when prone.
• M249 – M249 SAW
  • The M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) is a light machine gun built by FN Herstal, the Belgian manufacturers who also produce the SCAR-L, that has been in service since the eighties. It features a rapid rate of fire and a huge magazine, but has cumbersome reload times as a result. Unusually for an LMG, can be fitted with up to a 15x scope for long range engagements, but its fire rate makes it better at short-to-middle distances.

Shotguns

• S12K – Saiga 12K
  • The Saiga 12K is an assault rifle-style, semi-auto shotgun. Its damage is slightly lower than the other shotguns, but with a five shell magazine for speedy reload and the ability to unload five rounds in just over a second, the S12K is vicious. You can also add AR-type attachments like extended mags and scopes, and the world’s largest comedy suppressor.
• S1897 – Winchester Model 1897 ‘Trench Gun’
  • The Winchester ‘Trench Gun’ is a five shell, pump-action shotgun, that has seen action in all manner of global combat theatres since its introduction at the turn of the last century. Stats are similar to the S686, but the ability to hold five rounds means you can clear a whole squad (but it takes longer to reload).
• S686 – Beretta 686 ‘Silver Pigeon’
  • If you’ve ever been clay pigeon shooting, the double-barelled S686 – or something very similar in design – is exactly what you’ll have used. Two shots is not a lot when you’re taking on a squad (or a moving target) but the ability to unload both barrels almost at exactly the same time means you can deliver a tonne of damage at point-blank range.
• Sawed-off – Sawn-off shotgun
  • The sawed-off – I’m sorry, I’m referring to it as a sawn-off, I can’t bring myself to call it that – is a new weapon that’s exclusive to the Miramar desert map. It’s similar to the S686 but with the barrel sawn right down (hence the name, sawn-off) for shorter range and wider spread. Unusually, it also goes into your pistol/sidearm slot.

Designated Marksman Rifles (DMRs)

• Mini 14 – Ruger Mini-14
  • The Mini 14 was added in an update this autumn, and like the VSS sniper rifle, it’s a bit of an odd duck. It’s got relatively low damage for a DMR, but with a large magazine, high muzzle velocity and range, lighter weight 5.56 rounds, and a high rate of semi-auto fire, it’s a middle ground between sniper and assault rifle.
• Mk14 EBR – Mark 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle
  • The Mk14 EBR is a DMR favoured by US special forces. This crate-only weapon sits above the Mini 14 and SKS for power and damage, and has a full-auto mode alongside the semi-auto of the other two DMRs. Like the light machine guns in the game, the Mk14 also features a natty bipod which deploys automatically for extra stability, but it’s only usable while prone.
• SKS – SKS-45
  • The SKS-45 – or Samozaryadny Karabin sistemy Simonova 1945 to its mother – is a Soviet designated marksman rifle chambered for 7.62 rounds. Like the Mini 14, the SKS can be found in regular loot rotation, and with high damage and semi-auto fire, it makes a good bridge between sniper and assault rifle. The recoil-reducing stock seen in-game is not a standard specification – the SKS-45 usually comes with a solid wooden stock.

Sniper Rifles

• AWM – Arctic Warfare Magnum
  • The AWM, from Accuracy International, is just as the name suggests: a long barrel sniper rifle that fires .300 Magnum rounds. It is currently the only weapon to use this ammo in PUBG, and because of its outrageous stopping power, it’s probably for the best that the AWM can only be found in care package drops.
• Kar98k – Karabiner 98 Kurz
  • This is a vintage German bolt-action sniper rifle, designed for use in World War II, and is a shortened version of the Mauser 98 (chambered with 7.62 rounds in PUBG). Hugely powerful and massive range, but with a slow rate of fire, this can be a tricky gun to master at first. If you hear that telltale, rhythmic delay between shots, that can only be a Kar98k (or worse, an AWM or M24)? Run.
• M24 – US Military M24 Sniper Weapon System
  • The M24 is the US Military’s standard issue sniper rifle, and is technically the military and police version of the Remington 700 rifle. With its slightly increased power and magazine for faster reload, the M24 is the next step up from the Kar98k.
• VSS – VSS Vintorez
  • The VSS Vintorez is a very unusual weapon. It’s a 9mm sniper rifle with a 4x scope and suppressor built in – no, they can’t be swapped, not even to upgrade the scope to something bigger – but you won’t need to: the range is short and the power is incredibly low. Its 9mm rounds are subsonic, though, so people won’t even hear the telltale crack.
• Winchester – Winchester Model 1894
  • This is a lever action repeater cowboy rifle, exactly as you’d see it in a classic spaghetti western, or the more modern TV series, Westworld. It’s got decent power and long range, but you can’t fit an optical attachment, which means it’s wonky ironsights all the way. Also, only available on the thematically appropriate Miramar desert map.

Bows

• Crossbow
  • Great for living our your Daryl Dixon fantasies, but not for much else. The crossbow is silent and insta-kills on headshots – which means if someone doesn’t know where you are you can get the drop on them – but if they find you, and you don’t have any other weapons? You’re screwed. The reload time on the crossbow is unbearable.

Melee Weapons

• Crowbar
  • Standard issue long metal pry bar, just like Gordon Freeman carries in Half-Life.
• Machete
  • A machete, obviously. Usually for chopping a path in dense jungle, but can be used for chopping a path through dense players in a pinch.
• Sickle
  • A short-handled grain scythe, specifically included in PUBG as a nod to the Japanese movie that inspired the game, Battle Royale.
• Pan
  • A cast iron frying pan or skillet, also supposed to be a callback to Battle Royale (though in the movie Shuya receives a pan lid, not the pan itself). The pan does slightly more damage than the other melee weapons, and as an added bonus – and happy accident – can also deflect bullets. It’s heavy duty enough to stop rifle fire, so probably a good brand, like Le Creuset.

Grenades

• Frag Grenade
  • A standard fragmentation grenade. Bouncy, explosive, dangerous. Can also be used to overturn flipped vehicles.
• Smoke Grenade
  • Produces a plume of smoke to cause confusion in a confined space, or obscure the view when crossing open areas. The smoke is directional, from the top of the can, and you can’t decide which way it’s going to fall. Also, takes up a surprising amount of inventory space.
• Stun Grenade
  • Otherwise known as a flash-bang grenade, the stun grenade is used to temporarily incapacitate or disorientate enemy combatants, with a defeaning bang and blinding light. Works best in confined spaces, just like real life.
• Molotov Cocktail
  • A bottle filled with an unspecified explosive/flammable liquid, and a rag poking out the top. Light the rag of this improvised incendiary, throw the bottle, and watch the flames spread.

Armour and Apparel

Vests

• Level 1 – Police Vest
  • This is basically the standard issue vest that’s given to beat cops. Minor stopping power, but probably designed more with repelling knife blades than high-calibre rounds in mind.
• Level 2 – Police Vest
  • The level 2 vest is darker in colour, which suggests it’s more likely the type of vest used by police armed response units, SWAT teams and the like. Better stopping power, and more room to store your nicknacks.
• Level 3 – Military Vest
  • The third vest in PUBG is the best, by some stretch. It offers the most protection and a tonne of extra storage space – just look at all those pockets!

Helmets

• Level 1 – Motorcycle Helmet
  • A sixties, mod-style motorcycle helmet. Not the most practical battle apparel, but this old tin hat is probably better at stopping bullets than a modern polycarbonate motorcycle helmet, at least. Look for the matte variant to reduce bonce glint in the sun.
• Level 2 – Military Helmet
  • This is a standard issue military helmet, the sort of thing you might have seen general infantry shoving cards and cigarette packets into the mesh of during the Vietnam and Korean wars. The technology largely remains the same, and it comes in both desert and foliage camouflage variants.
• Level 3 – Spetsnaz Helmet
  • Based on the K6–3 and the Altyn helmets used by Russian special forces – the Spetsnaz – this might look like a welding visor, but it actually offers massive ballistic protection (and no optical protection against bright lights, sorry). Plus it makes you look like a terrifying robot badass soldier; something that’s particularly useful if you’re actually in the special forces.

Rucksacks

• Level 1 – Backpack
  • This is a fairly standard rucksack. The kind of thing your little brother or sister takes to school, but with fewer Pokémon patches sewn on.
• Level 2 – Rucksack
  • You might think that backpack and rucksack are interchangeable terms, but rucksacks are typically larger and more ‘outdoorsy’ in their focus than backpacks. The same is true with the bags in PUBG.
• Level 3 – Bergen
  • This super-large, military issue rucksack – known as a bergen – can carry a lot. If you want to be in the military, you have to be used to yomping one of these around the countryside with 80kg in it during training. They’re also relatively camouflaged, but their large, protruding size can make you easier to spot while laying prone in the grass.

Bonus

• Pan
  • Not technically apparel, but it will literally save your ass from incoming rounds while you hang it from your waist. If you’re really sharp – or an absolute smart arse – you can bat away incoming grenades and even bullets, like Kyle Katarn with a lightsaber.

Vehicles

Land

• Buggy – Beach Buggy
  • A metal-framed off-road buggy, similar to the custom models people build from the chassis and engine of original Volkswagen Beetles.
• Dacia – Dacia 1300
  • The Dacia is included because Brendan ‘PlayerUnknown’ Greene is a fan of Top Gear, and for several years, James May tried to talk about the Dacia Sandero before being drowned out by his boorish co-hosts as a recurring gag. This feels every bit like its real-life counterpart, the ‘discount’ version of the Renault 12 (an already terrible and inexpensive car).
• Motorcycle
  • It’s unclear exactly what the motorcycle is in PUBG, other than very fast and very dangerous.
• Sidecar Motorcycle
  • The sidecar motorcycle looks old and military in style, but like the regular motorcycle, we can’t tell you exactly what it is. Well, other than the fact it’s more uncontrollable and more dangerous than the regular motorcycle. Worst. Vehicle. Ever.
• Pickup – Ford Bronco
  • The pickup truck – exclusive to the Miramar desert map, seemingly a replacement for the UAZ jeep – is an approximation of the late seventies, second generation Ford Bronco pickup truck. It also feels just right in the new desert setting.
• UAZ – UAZ-469
  • UAZ – named Ulyanovsky Avtomobilny Zavod, literally the ‘Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant’ – began producing vehicles as part of the Soviet’s World War II efforts in 1941. The UAZ-469, its most popular model, is the Soviet equivalent of the Willys MB jeep, and in PUBG it comes in hard, soft, and open-top variants.
• Van – VW Camper
  • Like the pickup truck, the van is exclusive to the Miramar map, and seems to replace the Dacia. It seats six and – like its real-life counterpart, the original VW Camper – is a low-powered fun bus that can’t help but put a smile on your face.

Sea

• PG-117 – PG-117 Soviet ‘Fast Boat’
  • The standard boat in PUBG is a rickety old Soviet tub from World War II, but it can shift across large bodies of water when you need it to. Just keep an eye on fuel: it absolutely devours the stuff when you’re boosting.
• Aquarail
  • The Aquarail is a retro wooden jet ski that kind of looks like a giant clog. We’re not entirely sure what this one’s based on – something of a generic jet ski design, we reckon – but even though it was introduced with the new desert map, it will be found in both Miramar and Erangel following the release of version 1.0.

Air

• Plane – Lockheed C-130 Hercules
  • The plane in PUBG – a four-prop Lockheed C-130 Hercules, with a two-row personnel configuration – flies over the map and throws you out into the battle. You can also se them dropping supply crates, and the wreckage of a number of crashed C-130s can be found around the map.
• Parachute
  • A standard, military-issue, drab green parachute, that stops you dying when you jump out of the plane (and makes you die if you snag it up on a tree, building, or telegraph wire).

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