10-Hole Hero:
Firing the Pulse Rifle
THE 10-HOLE HERO PULSE RIFLE WAS FULLY FUNCTIONAL
It has been asked whether the 10-Hole Hero Pulse Rifle was only used for the "Hero" shots in the movie, in order to keep it pristine. However, that is not the case. In fact, both the Thompson M1A1 as well as the Remington 870 of the 10-Hole Hero Pulse Rifle were functional and used on screen. Here are images that prove this:
Please note: All time stamps refer to the Aliens director's cut version.
fig. 1: At 1:57:05 in the movie, Vasquez is seen holding the 10-Hole Hero Pulse Rifle. Notice that the 10-hole barrel vent is bent outward on the front (that is because the 10-Hole vent had no sling loop, the sling was attached to the vent itself and it was probably bent out because of this over time).
fig. 2: At 1:57:44 in the movie, just before Vasquez fires grenade launcher, Notice that the "triangle" at the front of the barrel vent does not have the sharp triangle outline of the 8-hole Hero Pulse Rifles, but the typical bend with a curve of the 10-Hole Hero Pulse Rifle. This proves the Thompson M1A1 of the 10-Hole Hero Pulse Rifle was functional. Also, just one frame before this shot (not pictured), you can see the trigger guard of the Remington 870, further proving it's the 10-Hole Hero Pulse Rifle.
fig. 3: At 1:57:47 in the movie, which is still the same scene as fig. 2, Vasquez is preparing to shoot the grenade launcher. Notice again the bent-out pat of the 10-Hole Hero barrel vent, confirming that fig. 2 and 3 both show the 10-Hole Hero Pulse Rifle.
fig. 4: At 1:57:48 in the movie, i.e. still the same scene as fig. 2 and 3, Vasquez fires the grenade launcher. This proves that the Remington 870 of the 10-Hole Hero Pulse Rifle was functional as well.
fig. 5: At 1:57:49 in the movie, one second after the grenade launcher was fired. There is a very short shot of the grenade exploding in between, but I believe this is still the same scene and the shot of the grenade exploding was inserted later. This shows the trigger guard of the Remington 870, in case you were still doubting that this was the 10-Hole Hero Pulse Rifle.
fig. 6: Just in case: This is the 10-Hole Hero Pulse Rifle fired by Ellen Ripley in the egg chamber sequence, showing not only the 10-hole vent, but also the distinct front block and the trigger guard. This again proves that the 10-Hole Hero Pulse Rifle had a firing Thompson M1A1.
Interestingly, every single shot of the grenade launcher / Remington 870 in the movie is fired from the 10-Hole Hero Pulse Rifle. In the egg chamber scene, they used a Pulse Rifle without Remington 870 in the scenes where the grenade launcher is racked (noticeable by the fact that the pump grip goes much much farther back than would be possible with a real Remington 870), but when the Remington 870 is actually fired, it's always the 10-Hole Hero Pulse Rifle.
​
Here's a movie still of each fired shot with a movie still either one or two frames before or after so that you can identify the Pulse Rifle:
​
​​
First shot:
fig. 3: At 1:57:47 in the movie, Vasquez is preparing to shoot the grenade launcher. Notice the bent-out pat of the 10-Hole Hero barrel vent, confirming that fig. 2 and 3 both show the 10-Hole Hero Pulse Rifle. See more info above for fig. 2 and 3.
fig. 4: At 1:57:48 in the movie, still the same scene as fig. 2 and 3, Vasquez fires the grenade launcher. This proves that the Remington 870 of the 10-Hole Hero Pulse Rifle was functional.
Second shot:
fig. 7: At 1:57:52 in the movie. It still seems to be the same scene as fig. 2, 3 and 4, although there are two very short cuts showing the explosion of the first grenade, but these seem to have been inserted later. You can still see the barrel vent being bent outward, hence it's the 10-Hole Hero Pulse Rifle.
fig. 8: At 1:57:52 in the movie: the second shot fired with the grenade launcher.
Third shot:
fig. 9: At 2:16:34 in the movie: one frame before Ripley fires her first grenade in the egg chamber. Note the distinct 10-Hole Hero front block, as well as the visible Remington 870 trigger guard. It's the 10-Hole Hero Pulse Rifle.
fig. 10: At 2:16:34 in the movie: one frame after Ripley fires the first grenade in the egg chamber. The actual shot is too bright to see anything, but this frame shows that the Remington 870 really was fired.
Fourth shot:
fig. 11: At 2:16:38 in the movie: two frames before Ripley fires her second grenade in the egg chamber. The Remington 870 trigger guard is visible again in this image just right to Ripley's index finger (image zoomed and slightly edited to brighten it), showing that it's the 10-Hole Hero Pulse Rifle.
fig. 12: At 2:16:38 in the movie: one frame after Ripley fires the second grenade in the egg chamber. The actual shot only shows a muzzle flash, but this frame shows that the Remington 870 was fired.
Fifth shot:
fig. 13: At 2:16:41 in the movie: five frames before Ripley fires her third grenade in the egg chamber. The distinct front block with the three circles is visible, as well as the more curved triangle of the barrel vent, thus confirming the 10-Hole Hero Pulse Rifle. The curved triangle is even better visible two frames before the grenade is fired.
fig. 14: At 2:16:41 in the movie: it is still the 10-Hole Hero Rifle that fires the "grenade".
Sixth shot:
fig. 15: At 2:16:46 in the movie: six frames before Ripley fires the final grenade in the egg chamber. All distinct features are visible: front block with the three circles, the more curved triangle of the barrel vent, Remington 870 trigger guard... it's the 10-Hole Hero Pulse Rifle.
fig. 16: At 2:16:46 in the movie: it is still the 10-Hole Hero Rifle that fires the "grenade".
So there you have it... each shot of the "grenade launcher" (Remington 870) visible in the movie was fired from the 10-Hole Hero Pulse Rifle.
​
Also note that in the scene where Ripley loads the grenades directly into the Remington 870, it's the 10-Hole Hero Pulse Rifle. The same when Frost racks the Pulse Rifle in the armory. It seems whenever they needed a real Remington 870, they used the 10-Hole Hero Pulse Rifle.
​
While this is not conclusive proof that there wasn't another Pulse Rifle with a Remington 870 installed, there certainly is no evidence of that in the movie. Couple that with the Delta Pulse Rifle theory and the likely identical serial numbers, my guess is that only he 10-Hole Hero Pulse Rifle was equipped with a Remington 870 during filming.