Weapons
About the Film
Portman's rifle.
Portman's rifle is an extensively modified version of the Reaper rifle which had to be retooled for Richard Brake because he was left-handed. Of the run of rifles, three have been accounted for, and that used by Richard Brake as 'Portman' was manufactured shroud Numbers 1. The accounted-for unmodified original shrouds intended for a right hander, Numbers 3 and 4, were used by Razaaq Adoti as Duke.
This weapon was used by Richard Brake as Corporal Dean Portman throughout the Doom movie as well as by Al Weaver as 'The Kid' following Portman's demise - both left-handed. The shroud is the first of a presumed four to be made for the movie, indicated by markings inside. It can be confirmed as made for use by Richard Brake by the lack of evidence of handguards on the right hand side of the rifle and the added sling swivel, also on the right hand side - those used by Razaaq Adoti do not have this in place.
The heavy blast marks from the heat generated by the rifle inside the shroud show this to have been a live-fire example. This is confirmed by screen matches throughout the film, several featuring rifle fire.
The weapon is made up of 5 seperate assemblies:
The buttstock, made of either rubber or in other examples, hard polyurethane foam/resin mix, which replaces the original G36C folding stock.
The G36C rifle, which has a double-optic carry handle and its flash hider removed, replaced by a steel barrel extension. Its magazine has side covers added to change its appearance, and the pistol grip has a rubber 'fingerprint reader' stuck to it.
The side pieces, made of aluminium and fitted with full electronics to activate the lights and display panel, which were powered by a 9V battery. As previously mentioned the Portman rifles are distinguishable from the Duke rifles by the right-side custom sling swivel, hastily added in the Czech Republic after realising Richard was left handed. Unlike the Duke and Reaper rifles, the Portman rifles did not have a handguard fitted. While handguards were made out of thin sheet aluminium on location, they were never eventually used.
The fore-end assembly, which is made of folded sheet aluminium with an internal frame that fits around the G36 and offers up a RIS rail for attaching the tactical light to. Inside this is a Surefire Millennium M3 tactical light with a remote pressure switch. Portman's rifle also has a re-drilled hole for his M3 pressure switch, which is on the right hand side to cater for his being left handed.
The battery holder, an interconnecting component that holds the body onto the fore-end and helps shield the operator from backblast from the barrel extension.
Thanks go to Gary from Sci Fi Guns for his assistance with my Portman rifle restoration project.
