Original film gun in display case

[propsjonnyb]

I agree with Joberg, I don't think this is the 'second gun' either , granted it seems to have used 'real' parts and it's definitely crafted together - so a gunsmith or professional propmaker made this , machining cold steel is hard work - I've only ever done it twice, and it was hell - believe me - having said that it still doesn't look 'right' to me .

[DeckB26354]

I have to admit I am going to remain "open minded" about this one. There are still details on the gun that I am seriously impressed by. I mean if this is a replica ( and it may well be) it is truly the most accomplished I have ever seen.

I also think some of us (and that includes me) may have been a little naive about a second or back up Hero. I still have to agree with the prop makers on this one; I don't see any serious director taking a huge risk on only one. Also, it dawned on me the other day that we are staring proof of this in the face!

We already know that there was a spare ammo housing with LED's fitted and no switch and when the hero was sold there , in the case, was a spare ammo housing and barrel (with screw holes)! See pics Now, both these original Steyr parts are not available seperately, so we can conclude that more than one Steyr was dissassembled for parts. What we be the point of not building another as back up when you have a least one more Steyr receiver? I doesn't make sense, even if you get an assistant prop maker to copy what had originally been built?

[andy]

Those Steyr parts used to be available from many companies and catalogs, for both the Housing and Clip, pretty cheaply actually. I know of several people who purchased them seperately from the gun. The gun was still being made back in 82, so spare parts were easy to obtain then. The receiver was the expensive part, and I also believe the wood stocks often were hand done individually for these, for a custom fit. Also being plastic these parts needed to be replaced more often, therefore many more spares were made. If the plastic trigger guard broke (which was one piece with the housing) you could take out the whole assembly with two screws and replace it easily.

Andy

[joberg]

Andy's right about that one (again ) spare parts were available way beyond '82 (I know that in Belgium, they'll pop up from time to time in Conventions)...that said and knowing that these plastic parts could be damaged during shooting, it's only logical that the gun/prop handler bought spares of other parts just in case.

[DeckB26354]

Cool, well the next time you come across one at a convension please pick one up for me!

What I wouldn't give to see the other side of that gun.......

[propsjonnyb]

I still say the evidence for a second gun is clear , yes I completely agree spare parts were available for the Styer, but as Rich and I have both pointed out - it would require a lot of work just to produce spares and the second barrel? I believe that and the other bits of detail , plus knowledge of filming props and providing ' live' guns for filming on camera , makes a reasonable case for a second backup gun , especially when we look at production costs for this item which were extemsive, it would have been the single most expensive 'prop' "one off" ever produced .