10 Times Movies Got Weapons Wrong

On paper, a nail gun seems like one of the simplest and most efficient weapons possible. Even the most rudimentary nail gun can fire at least 40 nails per minute and hold at least 400 at a time. Although these appliances have been depicted as deadly weapons in Final Destination 3, Casino Royale, and Lethal Weapon 2, probably the most iconic depiction is in The Equaliser when Denzel Washington's character, Robert McCall, kills the main villain with a tap nailer.

But if nail guns are so effective, how come nobody uses them as weapons in real life?

Despite what we've seen in movies, nail guns can't fire nails like bullets. Whether the tool is pneumatic, solenoid, powder-actuated, or combustion-powered, there is a built-in safety mechanism so it can only fire nails while being pressed against a hard, flat surface. Because nail guns are a universal tool for builders, it would be irresponsible and unsafe for them to be designed any other way.

If nail guns were effective as is depicted in cinema, they would probably be used more often as a firearm than a handgun.