Remember: short, controlled bursts
June 3, 2007 2:07 PM Subscribe
If you ever wanted to have an actual working M41-A Pulse Rifle (the preferred weapon of the Colonial Marines in the 1986 Documentary Aliens), then today is your lucky day. Many more sci-fi prop replica guides can be found here.
"After 18 months, a lot of help from Kip H. and Phil S., a bankrupt credit card, and a lot of flack from the wife"
FLAK. FLAK. JESUS H CHRIST ON A FUCKING POPSICLE STICK, IT'S FLAK.
/end rant
posted by mr_crash_davis at 2:17 PM on June 3, 2007 [1 favorite]
FLAK. FLAK. JESUS H CHRIST ON A FUCKING POPSICLE STICK, IT'S FLAK.
/end rant
posted by mr_crash_davis at 2:17 PM on June 3, 2007 [1 favorite]
Smart Dalek, ID4 is more of a dry satire about Apple products & their untapped potential.
posted by jonson at 2:21 PM on June 3, 2007
posted by jonson at 2:21 PM on June 3, 2007
FLAK. FLAK. JESUS H CHRIST ON A FUCKING POPSICLE STICK, IT'S FLAK.
Is that you, McCain?
posted by Justinian at 2:31 PM on June 3, 2007 [1 favorite]
Is that you, McCain?
posted by Justinian at 2:31 PM on June 3, 2007 [1 favorite]
TYVM, fandango_matt, I was just thinking of that one.
I always liked the MG42-on-a-Steadicam they used in Aliens -- it didn't look all that practical as an infantry weapon, but it sure was cool as hell.
posted by pax digita at 2:35 PM on June 3, 2007
I always liked the MG42-on-a-Steadicam they used in Aliens -- it didn't look all that practical as an infantry weapon, but it sure was cool as hell.
posted by pax digita at 2:35 PM on June 3, 2007
Although it is made like the filming props, all the firearms had been deactivated, and can never fire a live round again. As per BATF requirements.
Sadly this is all far too awesome to be true.
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 2:43 PM on June 3, 2007
Sadly this is all far too awesome to be true.
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 2:43 PM on June 3, 2007
I've long wanted a railgun (as seen in the movie Eraser).
posted by pruner at 2:58 PM on June 3, 2007
posted by pruner at 2:58 PM on June 3, 2007
Although it is made like the filming props, all the firearms had been deactivated, and can never fire a live round again. As per BATF requirements.
Anyone know what these "BATF requirements" are?
Is this because he cut-down the shotgun making it illegal? Or is there a more obscure rule that outlaws assembling multiple guns together?
posted by gruchall at 3:01 PM on June 3, 2007
Anyone know what these "BATF requirements" are?
Is this because he cut-down the shotgun making it illegal? Or is there a more obscure rule that outlaws assembling multiple guns together?
posted by gruchall at 3:01 PM on June 3, 2007
Damn you, BATF!
(Also, this is fucking awesome.)
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 3:02 PM on June 3, 2007
(Also, this is fucking awesome.)
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 3:02 PM on June 3, 2007
Wow, so many of my favorite firearm obsessions all in one thread. Ever since I noticed that Thompson SMGs were starting to show up in gun stores (currently being made by Kahr arms I believe) I've been thinking about building and actual firing M41-A, if for no other reason, I want everyone on the range to give me that WTF look.
And ever since discovering fandango_matt's link a couple of months ago, I've been seriously considering doing the same with a 2019.
It wouldn't be a difficult build and it would be so. cool. to have.
Currently I'm obsessing over the idea of building Blade's pistol from the first movie, though I haven't yet committed to being the kind of person who buys a Mac-10/ M11. I'm not sure I'm ready to be 'that guy'.
I always liked the MG42-on-a-Steadicam they used in Aliens
Oh yeah, so cool. Though personally I love the Browning 1919 as a plasma rifle in the first Terminator.
posted by quin at 3:08 PM on June 3, 2007
And ever since discovering fandango_matt's link a couple of months ago, I've been seriously considering doing the same with a 2019.
It wouldn't be a difficult build and it would be so. cool. to have.
Currently I'm obsessing over the idea of building Blade's pistol from the first movie, though I haven't yet committed to being the kind of person who buys a Mac-10/ M11. I'm not sure I'm ready to be 'that guy'.
I always liked the MG42-on-a-Steadicam they used in Aliens
Oh yeah, so cool. Though personally I love the Browning 1919 as a plasma rifle in the first Terminator.
posted by quin at 3:08 PM on June 3, 2007
Anyone know what these "BATF requirements" are?
It would likely count as a Class 3 weapon. Some combination of "Short barreled Rifle," "Short Barreled Shotgun," or "Any Other Weapon." It's hard to say for sure until you tried to register it with the BATF, they aren't always consistent with the rulings. That said you could probably build it as long as you do the paperwork, pay the tax and your state is ok with it. My state doesn't allow SBR's or SBS so it's a no go in Washington.
Though personally I love the Browning 1919 as a plasma rifle in the first Terminator.
I don't remember a converted 1919/Plasma rifle in Terminator, I do remember one in Terminator 3 but it was just modded so he could shoot it from the hip. But it still fired bullets. If you've got any pictures I'd be interested, I have my own 1919 as well as a couple de-milled part kits it would be a fun project to rebuild one as the movie prop.
posted by Tenuki at 3:30 PM on June 3, 2007
It would likely count as a Class 3 weapon. Some combination of "Short barreled Rifle," "Short Barreled Shotgun," or "Any Other Weapon." It's hard to say for sure until you tried to register it with the BATF, they aren't always consistent with the rulings. That said you could probably build it as long as you do the paperwork, pay the tax and your state is ok with it. My state doesn't allow SBR's or SBS so it's a no go in Washington.
Though personally I love the Browning 1919 as a plasma rifle in the first Terminator.
I don't remember a converted 1919/Plasma rifle in Terminator, I do remember one in Terminator 3 but it was just modded so he could shoot it from the hip. But it still fired bullets. If you've got any pictures I'd be interested, I have my own 1919 as well as a couple de-milled part kits it would be a fun project to rebuild one as the movie prop.
posted by Tenuki at 3:30 PM on June 3, 2007
That's nothing. With a few minor modifications, you can turn one gun into five guns.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 3:37 PM on June 3, 2007
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 3:37 PM on June 3, 2007
Tenuki, I'm just stepping out and don't have a screen shot handy, but the scene I'm thinking of is one of the ones in the future. It happens when Connor and Reese are sleeping in a tunnel/ overpass and immediate precedes Connor saying 'I was dreaming about dogs'.
It's a scene which shows Reese making his way past a blockade, and sitting down to rest, when a terminator breaks through and starts firing. I'm pretty sure what it's using is a 1919, but the scene goes by pretty quick. It just looks really cool.
If I recall, the scene ends with the photo of Connor burning.
I'll see if I can find a screen capture when I get back.
posted by quin at 4:03 PM on June 3, 2007
It's a scene which shows Reese making his way past a blockade, and sitting down to rest, when a terminator breaks through and starts firing. I'm pretty sure what it's using is a 1919, but the scene goes by pretty quick. It just looks really cool.
If I recall, the scene ends with the photo of Connor burning.
I'll see if I can find a screen capture when I get back.
posted by quin at 4:03 PM on June 3, 2007
And while you can't actually see the gun all, at 1:19 is a clip from the scene I'm thinking of.
posted by quin at 4:13 PM on June 3, 2007
posted by quin at 4:13 PM on June 3, 2007
I should really just remove BoingBoing from my bookmarks.
We end up posting the same stuff, but they don't have any good discussion about it. Plus they have Doctorow.
I thought this was really cool, but I'm confused: does this thing REALLY shoot? And if so, why isn't there a video of it in action?
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 4:16 PM on June 3, 2007
We end up posting the same stuff, but they don't have any good discussion about it. Plus they have Doctorow.
I thought this was really cool, but I'm confused: does this thing REALLY shoot? And if so, why isn't there a video of it in action?
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 4:16 PM on June 3, 2007
Oh crap, and that wasn't a snark about the boingboing thing.
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 4:17 PM on June 3, 2007
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 4:17 PM on June 3, 2007
One of my friends made one of these out of an Airsoft rifle.
The funny thing is that the airsoft rifle costs more than these real guns...
posted by Iax at 4:30 PM on June 3, 2007
The funny thing is that the airsoft rifle costs more than these real guns...
posted by Iax at 4:30 PM on June 3, 2007
FLAK. FLAK. JESUS H CHRIST ON A FUCKING POPSICLE STICK, IT'S FLAK.
"Flack" is an accepted variant, according to M-W.
Is this because he cut-down the shotgun making it illegal?
That's enough, although there may have been additional reasons.
posted by me & my monkey at 4:45 PM on June 3, 2007
"Flack" is an accepted variant, according to M-W.
Is this because he cut-down the shotgun making it illegal?
That's enough, although there may have been additional reasons.
posted by me & my monkey at 4:45 PM on June 3, 2007
CitrusFreak12 - no, due to firearms laws, this cannot actually fire bullets.
I'm not sure if it'll fire blanks, though (and since it can't fire live ammunition, you probably won't be able to see muzzle flash).
You can get airsoft M41-A's but they look pretty weak.
On preview; Iax - did your friend's airsoft kit look/feel reasonable or was it mostly plastic?
posted by porpoise at 4:48 PM on June 3, 2007
I'm not sure if it'll fire blanks, though (and since it can't fire live ammunition, you probably won't be able to see muzzle flash).
You can get airsoft M41-A's but they look pretty weak.
On preview; Iax - did your friend's airsoft kit look/feel reasonable or was it mostly plastic?
posted by porpoise at 4:48 PM on June 3, 2007
Ack. Since I never go to BoingBoing I didn't notice that this was posted there already. Crap, I hate posting stuff here that's already been there, it seems so redundant.
posted by jonson at 6:27 PM on June 3, 2007
posted by jonson at 6:27 PM on June 3, 2007
I love the fact that you called Aliens a documentary. so. right. on.
posted by wolfewarrior at 7:24 PM on June 3, 2007 [2 favorites]
posted by wolfewarrior at 7:24 PM on June 3, 2007 [2 favorites]
For the record, the M41-a was the weapon that made me fall in love with Hollywood props. As as I indicated above, I've seriously looked into attempting to put together a real version of it.
But for who are not so gun obsessed as myself, you might be interested in the fact that clearly, there are geeks in the arms industry. Because the H&K G36c is a veritable dead ringer for the M41-a, especially when you add in the grenade launcher they also produce.
Admittedly, the grenade launcher isn't pump-action, but give it time. The OICW project made grenades that could actually be pump-fed. (and 20mm is not that far of the 12 ga. of the prop in the movie.)
posted by quin at 10:09 PM on June 3, 2007
But for who are not so gun obsessed as myself, you might be interested in the fact that clearly, there are geeks in the arms industry. Because the H&K G36c is a veritable dead ringer for the M41-a, especially when you add in the grenade launcher they also produce.
Admittedly, the grenade launcher isn't pump-action, but give it time. The OICW project made grenades that could actually be pump-fed. (and 20mm is not that far of the 12 ga. of the prop in the movie.)
posted by quin at 10:09 PM on June 3, 2007
Remember: short, controlled bursts.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 3:02 AM on June 4, 2007
posted by EndsOfInvention at 3:02 AM on June 4, 2007
me & my monkey, it’s an acronym for Flugabwehrkanone, ‘anti-aircraft artillery.’ People tend to spell it ‘flack’ when they’ve no idea of the word’s origins, and isn’t artillery shells exploding around you as you fly over enemy territory a very evocative image for what the word communicates, and an image worth keeping around in people’s minds? ‘Flack’ just looks like one more boring historically English word, and loses that, I think.
posted by Aidan Kehoe at 3:19 AM on June 4, 2007 [2 favorites]
posted by Aidan Kehoe at 3:19 AM on June 4, 2007 [2 favorites]
Get away from her, you BITCH!
posted by hermitosis at 7:31 AM on June 4, 2007
posted by hermitosis at 7:31 AM on June 4, 2007
Ha! I didn't realise that quote had already been used in the title.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 7:56 AM on June 4, 2007
posted by EndsOfInvention at 7:56 AM on June 4, 2007
porpoise: It was plasticy. He made it because he had droped and broken the caseing on his M4A1(i think) and didnt want to have to pay to fix it.
There are metal full body mods for airsoft but they are expensive and making the alien gun in metal would have been alot more work aswell.
posted by Iax at 9:45 AM on June 4, 2007
There are metal full body mods for airsoft but they are expensive and making the alien gun in metal would have been alot more work aswell.
posted by Iax at 9:45 AM on June 4, 2007
We got sonic electronic ball-breakers!
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:53 AM on June 4, 2007
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:53 AM on June 4, 2007
If you want a firing replica of the Colonial Marines' side arm get yourself a H&K VP70z, plan on glueing some stuff to it, never get around to it, and then have the director tell you it's perfect.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 12:21 PM on June 4, 2007
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 12:21 PM on June 4, 2007
CitrusFreak12 - no, due to firearms laws, this cannot actually fire bullets.
What laws? The law against firing epic weapons? Or is it because it's a combination of two guns?
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 1:10 PM on June 4, 2007
What laws? The law against firing epic weapons? Or is it because it's a combination of two guns?
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 1:10 PM on June 4, 2007
Iax - ah, thanks. You've probably saved me from making a bunch of impulse purchases. I've seen some metal-based airsoft guns and they're almost as expensive as the real things =(
CitrusFreak12 - short barrels = easy to conceal hence sawed-off shotguns are illegal to possess in most jurisdictions. Not that I agree with the premise or anything, but the M41-A is constructed with a sawed off rifle and a sawed off shotgun.
Hmm, I wonder if the Bladerunner blaster (essentially a sawed off Mannlicher with additional parts) is still considered a rifle (since it's got the receiver - the gun part - of a Mannlicher rifle) or if it could be considered a handgun (like the Desert Eagle's receiver which resembles a rifle more than a handgun).
posted by porpoise at 3:44 PM on June 4, 2007
CitrusFreak12 - short barrels = easy to conceal hence sawed-off shotguns are illegal to possess in most jurisdictions. Not that I agree with the premise or anything, but the M41-A is constructed with a sawed off rifle and a sawed off shotgun.
Hmm, I wonder if the Bladerunner blaster (essentially a sawed off Mannlicher with additional parts) is still considered a rifle (since it's got the receiver - the gun part - of a Mannlicher rifle) or if it could be considered a handgun (like the Desert Eagle's receiver which resembles a rifle more than a handgun).
posted by porpoise at 3:44 PM on June 4, 2007
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posted by Smart Dalek at 2:11 PM on June 3, 2007