When people talk about 007 movies they typically mention the Bond girls. And let’s be real, whose mind isn’t satiated by the thought of Sophie Marceau? But we all know that the girls are more of a novelty in the films—a point of contention that the films have been heavily criticized for in the past. So what do the guys really come to the movies to see? Bond’s latest guns and gear, of course! The Aston Martin DB5, the BMW Z8, grappling-hook equipped Omega watches, speedboats and until recently, Walther handguns.

There was a small buzz in the shooting community this past week over a recently released promotional image for the new film, Spectre, in which Bond is holding a Heckler & Koch VP9. Rumors started circulating that Bond will be ditching his trusted Walther PPK for a VP9 in the upcoming film. Is this true? We’re not yet certain that Bond will be ditching the PPK entirely, as he usually uses it at some point in each movie alongside whatever new gun he is sporting (such as in Casino Royale, where he uses both the modern P99 and the classic PPK), but we are certain that there is a promotional image for the latest film that shows Bond holding a VP9.

Regardless of whether the rumor is true or not, it inspired me to write a post on Bond’s guns through the years. After all, there are three guns that can’t be mentioned without bringing to mind sentimental images of Bond carrying them: the Walther LP-53, the Walther PPK and the Walther P99.

Walther LP-53

Although not actually used by Sean Connery in any of the films, and not actually a “real gun,” many of us have the classic pictures of Connery holding one forever burned into our brains. Promotional images featuring the LP-53 were photographed in the 1960’s to promote early Bond films, and the images became iconic. So iconic that the actual LP-53 Sean Connery held sold at auction for $430,000 in 2010. The odd looking pistol is actually just a pellet gun, but I’m sure some of us wish Walther made this as a 9mm so that we could play Bond at the range.

Walther PPK

Definitely the best known Bond gun, the PPK is a classic of the 20th Century. It’s the gun that put German autoloaders on the map, and the gun Adolf Hitler used to kill himself at the end of World War II. Bond was gifted the Walther PPK by M in the first film, Dr. No (1962), and from there on it was history. The original model Bond carried was a .32 ACP, however he eventually upgraded to the .380 ACP version and then a PPK/S.

The PPK stands out for its timeless beauty—a gun for a gentleman with distinct taste. It’s metal frame brings back memories of a time before polymer handguns, when men carried guns in leather Galco holsters underneath suits. Today the PPK is up against a myriad of modern autoloaders, and is no longer considered a top-ranked handgun. It has been replaced by smaller, lighter guns with a lower price tag. Yet the PPK is still the choice for many firearms aficionados and concealed carriers that appreciate its construction, history, beauty and accuracy.

“Walther PPK. 7.65 mm, with a delivery like a brick through a plate glass window. Takes a Brausch silencer with very little reduction in muzzle velocity. The American CIA swear by them.” -Dr. No (1962)

Walther P99

The gun that replaced the PPK in The World Is Not Enough (1999), the P99 was Walther’s 9mm handgun for the 21st century. Released around the same time as the film, James Bond continued his Walther legacy by using the new striker-fired, polymer handgun to great effect. Perhaps the film spurned the gun’s popularity, as it became one of the most popular handguns on the market during the 2000’s and still remains known as one of Walther’s legacy guns to this day.

Several variations of the gun were released throughout the years since its release, including a .40 caliber version, a double action version and an “anti stress” version. Bond used the earliest version of the P99 in The World Is Not Enough which sports a “ski slope” trigger guard that distinguishes it from newer models. The gun is noted for its reliability and comfortable ergonomics which have led it to be a venerable competitor against other striker-fired handguns such as the Glock. Walther recently released a “newer” model of the P99, called the PPQ, but still continues production of the P99 as well.

Heckler & Koch VP9

Although not yet in the “Big Three” category of famous Bond guns, the VP9 may very well be the fourth, and it is worth mentioning. Rumored to be used by Bond in the newest film, Spectre, the VP9 is an extremely popular handgun as of late. People loved the fact that HK was making a striker-fired handgun, even though it isn’t the first to come from the company, and it isn’t the first time Bond has used an HK handgun either. The first striker-fired handgun to come from HK was the VP70 (released in 1970), and it was the first HK handgun that Bond ever used—in the novel For Special Services (1982).

It seems that HK has come full-circle with a return to its striker roots. Released last year, the VP9 was met with wild popularity and typical HK applause due to its trigger pull that rivals the Walther P99 & PPQ. When Spectre comes out we can only expect the VP9’s popularity to rise. Will it go down in history as a memorable Bond gun? Only time will tell.