A Collective Thread for All Them Guns Pt. II

[Steampunk Away]

Real firearms, or anything that is based on what was once a real firearm are normally banned at conventions. Look alikes, in America for the most part, often have an orange tip or the like. For true replicas (non-firing, sometimes a cap gun, no orange tip, historically/movie accurate), I have never seen anyone run into trouble. Persknal experience however.

[Gunslinger67]

The artistry and ingenuity displayed by these implements of defense and destruction is truly remarkable. I was wondering, however, whether any of the bearers of same have run afoul of the local constabulary when wearing them to conventions; particularly those items built on, modeled after, or appearing like real firearms, especially in jurisdictions that frown upon firearms in private hands.

I cant say Ive ever heard of an issue , but I wouldn't be surprised to hear a few that had . I'd imagine it's turned up at one time or another ....orange-tips or not   I'd bet there were a few instances of some kid going at great grandpa's dusty old flintlock with a glue gun  



I need to get back on the 'Boiler Buster' anti-material rifle that's collecting dust in my shop. . . .

< evil laugh >

[Prof Marvel]

The artistry and ingenuity displayed by these implements of defense and destruction is truly remarkable. I was wondering, however, whether any of the bearers of same have run afoul of the local constabulary when wearing them to conventions; particularly those items built on, modeled after, or appearing like real firearms, especially in jurisdictions that frown upon firearms in private hands.

My Good Mik -
I can only speak to my somewhat dated experiences in the continental U.S. ; howsomeever back in the day the local Con Committee would make a point of reaching out to and alerting the constabulary and all venue personel ( ie hotel/building staff) vis-a-vis interesting folks soon to arrive in a variety of unpredictable costumes, a variety of simulated and very-nearly live weaponry, and the fact that the Con was willing and able to police themselves up to the point of needing official intervention at which time the Con Committe would often have arranged a specific liason officer to contact. We regularly instituded safety rules in accordnace with local laws and customs that were published long before ( and during the event via posters) and basically policed ourselves.

In some cases we set up special large rooms for supervised CosPlay activities such as choreographed sword/staff/etc fights, laser-based weapons, and  Über-Cool special-effects weapons. Everything was inspeected prior to use, lasers were especially controlled ( you could put an eye out!) . Safety First.

I recall one specific event at which a fellow arrived at the hotel blisfully unaware of the event, but having discovered it threw himself full into the swing of things immediately - purchased a full weekend badge, and ran up to his room to re-equip himslef with combat boots, duty belt, a large Buck Bowie Knife, and S&W service pistol and holster! I spotted him (and his arms) arriving at the ConSuite and arranged a friendly to engage him in conversation whilst several of us enagaged from the rear and sides "just in case" ( and one phoned Hotel Security to stand by). The end result was a lovely conversation, handing around the Buck Knife and (empty) S&W Mod19 for Show-And-Tell, beers all around, a grand laff, and the lad headed back to put his revolver away and "peace-bond" his Buck Knife.

Amusingly at the same venue, differrent year, a drunken local about 7feet tall and 20 Stone tried to crash the Con and attacked a Mad Scientist and a Robot.

I myself  (tricked out in full dress Kilts (Rob Roy), Bonnet, sporran, stockings, slippers, dirk and sword) engaged the fellow in a witty conversation that lasted nearly 10 minutes:
Him: I can beat any Mother-F in the Place !
Me: Why I believe you can!
Him: I AM GOD and that ROBOT is THE DEVIL!
Me: When you're right , you're right!
HIM: I can BEAT YOU into the Ground!
Me: You sure could! You must be very strong!
rinse. repeat. rinse. repeat.

Whilst my partner, Party the Second ( ie the gent on the phone) called up the constabulary & hotel security.

All this time my poor little grey cells were frantically seeing tommorrows headlines:
possibility 1: Mad Scotsman Goes Beserk Hacks local Drunk To Death
possibility 2: Local Drunk Beats Scotsman To Death With His Own Sword
possibilty 3: Police Arrest Local Drunk and Crazy Scotsman - both placed in holding cell....

Then MY FRIEND FOR LIFE Scott xxxxx ( 6' 4" and 15 stone) showed up in a tie-dyed Dashiki and hollared:
HEY F****, YAH WANNA FIGHT? COME ON THIS WAY!

And Scott My Saviour led the Drunk on a merry chase down some stairs and out to the sidewalk into the waiting arms of
Seargant Mcleary ( my other new friend for life, 5'4", and 11 stone) who completely bested the Drunk using Mind Control and The Voice.

does this help?
yhs
prof ( getting too old for this) mad marvel

[CloudWolf]

rather amusing prof marvel :0 appreciate the sharing

[Gunslinger67]

That's pretty funny, Prof . . . . I'd love to have seen that all go down .

[Mik Swemsian]

Thanks, Prof, for relating your experiences. Someone should publish a book: "Chronicles from the Con".

Looking at the photos on this thread I see nary an orange tip among them (as was suggested earlier), and it's perfectly understandable to me why there would not be. Who would want to desecrate these wonderful creations by slapping on orange paint to ease the fears of the perpetually fearful? I'm reminded of the instance in Massachusetts (USA) where a group demanded that trigger locks be placed on clearly non-functional 18th century flintlocks hanging on display in the State House. Cooler heads eventually prevailed.

Here's what prompted my inquiry (headline from Pennsylvania, USA; from January, 2015):

"Toy weapons banned from 2015 Arts Fest Children and Youth Day"

A press release explained: "We live in especially violent times. Banning the sale of weapons at the Children and Youth Sidewalk Sale might not be a giant step in making our society less violent, but it's a step that we can take."

Granted, that event was directed at "Children and Youth"; however, don't think that SP is immune from such thinking.

[RJBowman]

I recently received notification that I was no longer allowed to sell day-glow orange and pink plastic revolver pistols on Amazon, due to a new rule prompted by pressure from the New York state attorney general.

It seems that one of New York's finest shot and killed a thirteen year old boy that failed to respond to an order to drop a realistic airsoft pistol. This set of an anti-toy-gun hysteria in the New York metropolitan area, resulting in many phone calls and letters to lawmakers demanding the ban of anything vaguely resembling a gun.

And it seems that word has reached other jurisdictions, resulting in actions by schools and other agencies governed by lawsuit-weary cover-your-assist administrators.

[CloudWolf]

yikes, political correctness gone mad? (again)

[Kieranfoy]

Sigh.

And this was the solution? A child is allowed by his parents to wave around a realistic gun, so ban the bright plastic guns? Educating parents on good gun safety and making the law regarding realistic firearms and police policies regarding perceived threats... too difficult?

What next, ban cars when a child runs out in front of one? This is the fault of lazy parenting.

[Mik Swemsian]

"Educating parents on good gun safety" -- good luck with that! In many jurisdictions in the US parents have become convincd that guns are so inherently eeeevil and possess such mind-controlling power that they will either (1) jump up from a table of their own accord, load themselves, and begin firing; or, (2) infuse a possessor with their innate evil so that Clark Kent turns instantly into General Zod. Or both.

Do an internet search for zero tolerance and you'll come across, among other sad tales, the story of a 7-year old kid who was suspended from school for chewing his breakfast pastry into the shape of a gun and saying "bang".

[Mme. Ratchet]

So Im imagining my not safe to fire ever antique rifle is probably out of the question, then?

Anywho, came here for pointers on steampunking this Buzz Bee Toys Air Warriors Predator. Any ideas for me? The design is already halfway there. Its a single shot bolt action. I do know it could use a somewhat longer stock and a longer foreend (or some sort of vertical grip. And maybe a more period-looking optic?

[jimbits]

Here's a pic of the blaster you're talking about...

[Mme. Ratchet]

Thats the one. Sorry im here via phone and still learning. Bear with me.

[Wormster]

I HAVE to ask:

WHY put a good optic on a $hitebox plastic nerfgun?

I can see the merits of good optics, ((I have them on my own "Grey Squirrel Eradicator" .22 PCP carbine, that has numerous "kills", but that's not for this convo, rules et al...)) but not on that particular "plastic fantastic".

((((Cogling *2 wants me to make a French .50 caliber snipers rifle for her, summat to do with animee cospla, I don't mind, if its not in my period, ITS prop building! I can see teh vision of a teenager - "WALK SOFTLY AND CARRY A BIG GUN!))))

[Mme. Ratchet]

Who said anything about good? I just said something more period correct. Its a prop. There is no requirement for it to work...

[Otto Von Pifka]

it's a piece of plastic added at the factory, not a real scope by a long shot... although it's a little too realistic looking, but you could do a lot with it by cutting the forward bell off and adding your length of pipe to make it old fashioned looking. the short buttstock you could add some sort of recoil springs and another buttplate to that. a good paint job will make the base gun look much better, I've used one for the base of a jawa droid blaster and it was a breeze to make it. just some pieces of pvc pipe and a paint job!

go to the thrift shop and pick up an old leather belt for the rifle sling, cheap and will gussy it up nicely.

[Ulfrsson]

Something I designed in Flash a ways back; toggle-locking/short-recoil mutant for the action, uses a 12.5mm bottlenecked cartridge. Hows' it rate on the "Victorian Dakka Scale" to you folks?

[Will Howard]

Something I designed in Flash a ways back; toggle-locking/short-recoil mutant for the action, uses a 12.5mm bottlenecked cartridge. Hows' it rate on the "Victorian Dakka Scale" to you folks?

Looks like you have taken Georg Luger's Parabellum action & put it on a frame resembling the Mauser.  Nice combination.  Quick change high capacity magazines, I trust.

[Ulfrsson]

Something I designed in Flash a ways back; toggle-locking/short-recoil mutant for the action, uses a 12.5mm bottlenecked cartridge. Hows' it rate on the "Victorian Dakka Scale" to you folks?

Looks like you have taken Georg Luger's Parabellum action & put it on a frame resembling the Mauser.  Nice combination.  Quick change high capacity magazines, I trust.

Yes indeed; and of course, staggered row ten round magazines.

[GrantS]

 

Not the best job, but I didn't want to permanently mod my only cap-and-ball revolver 

Of course this was in Billings MT, but there were tons of cap-and-ball revolvers at our first steampunk expo, along with nerf guns.  Concealed Carry was allowed as as well as long as one had a permit.   

My problem is I am semi-"hard" steampunk.....if I ever did use a nerf gun I'd have to fill it with a weight of some kind no need having a huge gun that only weighs 8 ounces   

   Currently modding an older 80's vintage bolt-action paintball gun into a steampunk sidearm.

[Kieranfoy]

Why mod it at all? It'd look more steampunk to me left as is!

[GrantS]

  That's the plan next year     This year until I saw the crowd, I for-sure wanted to differentiate it from a firing gun.

Billings is in MT, but it's still very Urban compared to the town I come from 

[Ulfrsson]

Not the best job, but I didn't want to permanently mod my only cap-and-ball revolver 

Of course this was in Billings MT, but there were tons of cap-and-ball revolvers at our first steampunk expo, along with nerf guns.  Concealed Carry was allowed as as well as long as one had a permit.   

My problem is I am semi-"hard" steampunk.....if I ever did use a nerf gun I'd have to fill it with a weight of some kind no need having a huge gun that only weighs 8 ounces   

   Currently modding an older 80's vintage bolt-action paintball gun into a steampunk sidearm.

For that revolver, maybe give it some form of brass barrel shroud of sorts that "clicks on" with the rest of the accoutrements you designed for non-permanent modification? Maybe even some other elements that just "click" into place for a somewhat heavier clockwork modification vibe?

[GrantS]

   Sortof the direction I am going, truth be told I may not even modify it next time, it looks somewhat steamed as it is        Thinking of a way to make a barrel clamp that will sortof "snap" together, possibly in conjunction with a barrel plug.

 

[jimbits]

This may be the wrong group to ask if something is over the top   :^ )    but, is this barrel too much?  It's truly antique brass (part of an old pump).  It's simply step 1 of punking this weapon.  Much more will happen on the original body.