Rare Ray Gun

[dratomic]

Just snagged a very rare rifle. It's made of pressed steel and wood -- wood! -- and is a whopping 25 inches long. I have no idea who made it, or when it was produced (I'm guessing late-40s, though really I have no idea). I've only seen two others, and actually, I think one of those two might have been this one.

 

 

Actually, Toymemories -- have you ever seen anything like this rifle before?

[klotzm1]

Hi Doc, I was in on that auction too (Mr. Flash). It was advertised as not working, so does it work now? It looks much better in your picture than it did on eBay. I am assuming that this guy comes apart with screws and is not glued - I'd like to know for future reference. I'll snag one of those someday.

[dratomic]

Actually, it's glued at the ears and the dome, so taking it apart isn't easy -- the screws under the battery box come out, but I can't figure out a way to get past those glued bits, and they hold it together pretty tightly. However, I was able to get it to work by fussing with the switch a bit to help re-establish the connection between it and the battery. It's not a perfect fix, but it does the job -- well enough to see it in operation, and certainly well enough for a toy that spends most of its days living on my shelf.

[Blechroboter]

The rifle is bodacious Doc. Looks like an "Ofenrohr".

I also would say it´s from the late 40s or early 50s. What´s the function?

[dratomic]

The lever under the gun cocks forward and then the toy makes a popping noise. It looks as if it might have fired something -- maybe some type of ball? There's a smaller hole inside the barrel -- it could be for air, or it could be for some sort of dart or cork or something. Can't quite tell...

...This gun is full of mysteries...

[Blechroboter]

Looking at all the scratches on the rifle - will you restore it? I personally think it´s a difficult decision.

[dratomic]

To me, the gun feels like something out of an alternate universe, one where Gramps fought to hold back the Venusians when they decided that Earthlings done make a nice tasty morsel.

Yep, them bug-eyed frightful cads swarmed down from the sky one hot summer night, layin' waste to the farm and everything on it. Ol' Bessie, the milkin' cow, got herself skinned alive by alien's Skin-O-Matic machines. Don't like to think too hard on what they done did to the pigs.

But then Gramps came out, looked those orange-skinned invaders right in the eye -- the middle eye, on accountin' they had five of 'em -- and snarled a mess o' cusses like to bring a blush to Satan himself.

'Course, the Venusians didn't speak no English, so Gramps just shot a hole clean through 'im.

Well, I tell ya, suddenly those aliens sons of bitches understood exactly what Gramps was sayin'! Which might be why they done strung 'im up, planted alien gut-sucking spoors in his belly, and left him to the kind of torment you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. Gramps always did have a way with folk.

But y'all know we done won the day, herdin' those Venusians right back to their hell-hole planet, and then blowin' that planet out o' the night sky.

And Gramps' gun, ol' Matilda, got handed down to his son and then handed down to me, where I keep it loaded and ready to go. Because, dang it, those Martian's been mixin' up a batch o' their famous barbecue sauce while lookin' a might too close at our women....

---

Anyway, yeah, that's what the gun makes me think of...

[dratomic]

Looking at all the scratches on the rifle - will you restore it? I personally think it´s a difficult decision.

Nope -- no restoration. I don't mind it showing off its age... I think restoration would steal the toy's soul, if you know what I mean.

[Phil R]

Brian, great pickups on both counts. One of my favorite plastic bots. The gun was on my watch list and I was very, very tempted to bid. I forgot what it went for and I'm glad you got it. I sure would like to know the history on it. it looks homemade. Have you checked with the seller on origin? I've never seen this gun before this auction. Congratulations! By the way, love your story!

[Blechroboter]

Nope -- no restoration. I don't mind it showing off its age... I think restoration would steal the toy's soul, if you know what I mean.

I think you´re right. The rifle will lost its soul and Gramps story too :lol:

[dratomic]

Definitely NOT handmade, Phil. Like I said, I've seen at least one other, and I spoke to someone who's independently verified the existence of at least one more.

Unfortunately, no one knows anything about it. I've heard "Buck Rogers" bandied about, but I doubt there's any connection. All the character-based toys were branded as such. This has no names or symbols on it anywhere.

Seller doesn't know anything about it, though he'd heard it was some sort of Buck Rogers gun, too.

[Electric Robot and Son]

Brian,

Congrats again on the rifle. It does look cooler in your pics. Its hard to believe that nobody has any info on this rifle. That alone makes it a rare item.