Guns of Pop Culture: Chris Pratt & the Beretta 1301

Here’s a weird connection to consider…

Amazon originals featuring Chris Pratt tend to have a costar that carries a Beretta 1301.

Both The Tomorrow War and the series The Terminal List feature what appear to be the same Beretta 1301 with some different features.

The same prop company served The Tomorrow War and The Terminal List, so I feel safe assuming they are the same shotgun.

So let’s take a look at the Beretta 1301 used for these Pratt-led features.

The Beretta 1301

The Beretta 1301 is a semi-automatic, gas-operated shotgun that features Beretta’s BLINK system.

Simply put, this system uses a gas piston that pulls double duty as a gasket. The result is a semi-auto shotgun that cycles 36% faster than other gas-operated guns. 

Beretta designed a very lightweight shotgun that’s super reliable, easy to shoot, and capable. It might be the best combat shotgun on the market, and I say “might” because the Benelli M4 is still bae. 

These two Beretta 1301 shotguns stand out because they are decked out.

A little company called Aridus Industries provides some of the best shotgun gear known to man, and they have a special eye on the 1301.

Part of that special eye was designing adapters to make the 1301 compatible with some Magpul goodies. Those goodies are the Magpul SGA stock and Zhukov AK handguard.

This makes the 1301 a very popular choice for high-end shotgun fanatics. The Magpul SGA stock allows for the easy adjustment of LOP, multiple sling points, and a very ergonomic design. 

When you want to attach accessories, the Zhukov handguard features M-LOK slots to mount all manner of accessories. This includes the Inforce WML weapon light. To give capacity an edge, a Nordic Comp magazine extension adds a couple of rounds. 

It’s not all about Magpul, though. Aridus Industries produces something called the Crom, with is a red dot mounting system backed by a rear ghost ring that co-witnesses perfectly.

In The Tomorrow War, a Primary Arms Microdot sits mounted to the gun. When we get to The Terminal List, it’s all iron sights. 

That said, in The Terminal List, we also see the Aridus Industries Q-DC carrier, my favorite side-saddle of all time. Aridus Industries also provides the charging handle we see in both the film and show. 

It’s the complete package and a shotgun I’ve got on my shortlist. 

Blasting Away 

The Terminal List and The Tomorrow War are two very different types of media. The Tomorrow War is a fun, somewhat silly, over-the-top Sci-fi action flick. With The Terminal List, things are more serious. 

In The Tomorrow War, the character Dorian wields a 1301, and he does so fairly well. He always aims, and is one of the more efficient past soldiers.  

However, it’s not a hyper-realistic flick that shows what a shotgun can do or really how one is used.

In The Terminal List, we see a sharp increase in serious weapon handling. Our character, Ben Edwards, wields the 1301 like Miles Davis played the trumpet. 

In episode four, we see him do work and do it well. I geeked out watching that scene. He’s constantly reloading. If he’s not shooting, he’s reloading. Ben reloads on the move, does quad loads, and more. 

He aims and makes his shots count. The actor, Taylor Kitsch, clearly trained his butt off to learn how to wield the weapon. In an interview with Military.com, Kitsch stated he practiced doing tac reloads at home, and it shows. 

In a scene that made me nearly jump out of my seat, he even does a slug select drill to take a well-aimed headshot at a bad guy holding a hostage. I would watch a show with Ben just shooting shotguns. 

Final Thoughts

The Beretta 1301 works in both film and TV series for different reasons.

In The Tomorrow War, it has a futuristic appearance that fits well with the film’s sci-fi setting, while in The Terminal List, the gun is the best shotgun on the market. It makes sense that a trained operator would choose it. 

It’s also a sweet flippin’ gun, and I love to see it get exposure. I also really love that Aridus Industries is getting some love in the film and show. Go check them out for all your shotgun needs. 

What do you think of the 1301? Let us know below. Want to learn more about the Beretta 1301, check out our full review. For more Guns of Pop Culture, head to our Fun Category!