Mal's gun by RIPWash

Initially I had every intention of buying it when I got my paycheck today. But over the last week or so I did a bit of research. The gun is based off of the Serenity gun, though that's not really that big of a deal. The one big thing I noticed, though, is that for as nice as the gun is with its metal dust and hand weathering and such, it looks to be entirely the wrong colour. It's that goldish colour, and every time I've seen the gun on-screen it's been more black than anything. What I ended up doing was going with the Mal's Pistol you can get on the Austin Browncoats' shop site. It's $57 as opposed to $150, and if it winds up not being what I'd like (It's from a kit, but they put it together and paint it and all for you), then I can save for the $150 and sell this one fairly easily on eBay. It's not so great going the other way 'round I'd imagine.

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Tuesday, May 5, 2009 7:09 PM

Mal pistols:

These are the three of the many available Mal pistols.

I own two of the resin models cast from the original Firefly screen-used versions.

The gold/brass replica is the officially licensed QMx version cast from the Serenity movie version.
If you liked this Mal pistol, which was considerably different from the Firefly version, this is the way to go.
The brighter, brass-ier finish is correct for the BDM "Serenity" pistol.
http://www.quantummechanix.com/stuntpistol.html
I would also note that support for officially licensed products is one measure of the viability of the Firefly/Serenity franchise.
Just sayin'....

The disassembled metal Mal pistol is the Sidkit version from Italy.
http://www.sidkit.com/mal-gun/metalgun.htm
I modified the barrel holding method with a shoulder bolt coming into the back of the barrel for support.
This method also gives me the means to have a dummy operating mechanism seen in the magazine well
when the clip is removed.

I also bought two sets of wood grips for my Mal pistols;
one set for the metal Mal and one set for one of the resin Firefly Mal's.
The only disappointment is that the wood used was oak,
which has a very different grain pattern than the walnut that was originally used.
I have the walnut, I just don't have the carving skills to do much with it.

Of the Mal pistols I don't own, the Arsenal Models/Coolmodels version is the WORST!

Badly proportioned, undersized and grossly inaccurate;
I recommend avoiding this version at all cost.

Wilco Models offers a Mal pistol kit made of resin in three pieces.
This is a fan-made effort that isn't accurate in the details,
but captures the essence of the original.

At forty bucks and easy to assemble, it is a good value for the fan who isn't wrapped up in the props from Firefly/Serenity,
but who just wants a pistol for costuming or casual display.

The best was a brass recreation with a working trigger and removable magazine,
known as the Model 47, that went for about a coupla grand.
You won't be seeing that one in my collection!
Below is a picture of one that a lucky collector did acquire.

I think there was a non-functioning brass version made, but I can't say for sure.

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Tuesday, May 5, 2009 8:12 PM

2 questions.

1. Is the Sid-kit one still available anywhere? The sid-kit site is gone I do believe - every link I've followed has been dead.

Also, what are some of the 'details' missing in the Wilco one? I couldn't see any real differences between it and the "Official" one other than colour (And the blackish is truer to the show) and the little Shoulder Strap hole, which the movie version doesn't have...

EDIT: 3rd question: Which one is the best? I know that's sorta what was asked above, but the gun I ordered is on back order, so there's time to cancel it and order a different. Is the "official" one the way to go?

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Tuesday, May 5, 2009 8:20 PM

I'm still waiting for some ingenious browncoat with a machine shop (and the proper licensing from the ATF, of course) to develop a working pistol of this design. I'd be first in line to get one.

Mercy is the mark of a great man.
Guess I'm just a good man.
Well, I'm alright.

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Wednesday, May 6, 2009 3:35 AM

BROWNCOAT1

May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one.

Quote:
Originally posted by AG05:
I'm still waiting for some ingenious browncoat with a machine shop (and the proper licensing from the ATF, of course) to develop a working pistol of this design. I'd be first in line to get one.

I'd be right behind you!

__________________________________________
Holding the line since December '02!

Richmond, VA & surrounding area Firefly Fans:

http://www.richmondbrowncoats.org

Color Officer / Battalion O.I.C.

http://76thbattalion.homestead.com/index.html

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Wednesday, May 6, 2009 4:48 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Beatlesfan:
2 questions.

1. Is the Sid-kit one still available anywhere? The sid-kit site is gone I do believe - every link I've followed has been dead.

As far as I know, the owner of Sidkit recently passed away.
They sold new for $250 plus shipping and now go for $200 and up when you find them.
Ebay is a possible source and the RPF junkyard occasionally sees them come up for sale.
Sorry, I just copied and pasted the post from my collection thread here,
http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3541&sid=763e6c14e3876e56
1d8e6098d4d844a4

Quote:
Originally posted by Beatlesfan:

Also, what are some of the 'details' missing in the Wilco one? I couldn't see any real differences between it and the "Official" one other than colour (And the blackish is truer to the show) and the little Shoulder Strap hole, which the movie version doesn't have...

The contour of the grip is different than the original.
The Mal pistol grip has swoopier lines like a Colt percussion pistol.
To my eyes, the Wilco rendition loses some of the "grace" of the original Firefly-version of the Mal pistol.
The rear sight and hammer are not like the original; different enough that I don't care for it.
Because it is a fan interpretation and not scaled off an original, its not dimensionally perfect.
But like I said, the Wilco captures the essence of the Firefly Mal pistol.

Quote:
Originally posted by Beatlesfan:

EDIT: 3rd question: Which one is the best? I know that's sorta what was asked above, but the gun I ordered is on back order, so there's time to cancel it and order a different. Is the "official" one the way to go?

Define, "best".
They are all different.

The Wilco is the least expensive and the least accurate.

The Sidkit is metal, accurate, the most expensive and out of production.

The QMx is cast from the original movie version and is the best value IF YOU LIKE THE MOVIE VERSION.
I personally do not care for the attempt to turn the graceful old-west lines of the series pistol
into a bright, brassy Sci-Fi looking thing.
QMx only has the license to do props from the BDM.

The dark finish of the original series pistol was a plum-bluing over brass.
But to my eyes, the finish is secondary to the bulked up magazine and the changes that take away from the western look of the series pistol.

Mike

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Wednesday, May 6, 2009 4:52 AM

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Wednesday, May 6, 2009 5:56 AM

By 'best' I meant that I have enough to get the Quantum Mechanix one right now, but is it worth the extra money to get it over the Wilco one?

I hadn't seen those differences you pointed out looking at the pictures, but now that you've mentioned them, they kinda stand out. I KNOW I would have picked up on it when it got here.

I'm tryin' to find a Sidkit one since I have the money and it would be easier (I think) to fix the finish on that than to do so with the QMx one.

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Wednesday, May 6, 2009 6:14 AM

BLUESUNCOMPANYMAN

An excellent thread and well timed for me. I was chatting with a fellow about the fan film we're working on and one item of requirement has always been an Independent Army NCO sidearm.

aka: Mal's Pistol

My only point of frustration exists in the vein of many other issues: constant inconsistancies. The largest we have run into so far is "Independent Flag, star up or down? Black or Blue?" With Mal's pistol, new issues arise.

Those being that several different styles exist and to confuse the issue just a little more, the canon pistol of the show differs slightly from the canon pistol of the film. From what I see this relates to the Brass finish of the film that stands in contrast to the more "gun metal grey" of the show. I think I have a solid notion of what happened here: Just like the engine of the ship, the firearm was "improved" for a major motion picture. With the larger engine one could rationalize the change by proposing that Serenity recieved a much needed upgrade retrofit after the crew scored a great heist (Can you see the happy Kaylee now? No more broken compression coils!) but with a unique Independent Army war-relic...uh...change is kinda a problem.

My current plan is to carefully examine the films depection of the sidearm & cross-reference it to the sidearm from the show via frame freezes. Then I will compare them with the protrayal of the weapon in the comics Those Left Behind and Better Days to find some kind of a "best-fit" middle ground. At the moment I'd say I lean more towards gun-metal grey, but that's just because I'm more loyal to the TV show than the film.

Pennausamike: you seem to possess a wagonload of knowledge on this subject, perhaps you could help me? What would you recommend? The $2000 model is certainly out of my film budget price range but the others are all in line. I'm not planning to go cheap.

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Wednesday, May 6, 2009 6:19 AM

PIRATENEWS

John Lee, conspiracy therapist at Hollywood award-winner History Channel-mocked SNL-spoofed PirateNew.org wooHOO!!!!!!

Trivia question:

Does the Malgun eject each cartridge like a semiauto, to retain each shell like a revolver?

Or are we not supposed to ask such questions?

I never noticed any ejected shells.

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Wednesday, May 6, 2009 6:25 AM

I'm pretty sure it retains. As bloopers will attest, the entire magazine comes out as opposed to sliding out like a revolver :P

Also, I emailed the customer service from Whedonwares (I'd placed an order with them for the Wilco model and was gonna cancel it), and they emailed me back with some interesting news. They're sending me closeups of the Wilco and the QMx from their personal collection ("Beth" who says she works for QMx), and she says that both the Wilco AND the QMx were cast from original prop molds, with the Wilco coming from the TV one.

She also said that while it hasn't even begun production yet, they are still planning on making the all-metal gun which I'd all but forgotten about given the time it's taken.

I'm waiting for the pics, but I think I may stick with the Wilco.

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Wednesday, May 6, 2009 6:51 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by piratenews:
Trivia question:

Does the Malgun eject each cartridge like a semiauto, to retain each shell like a revolver?

Or are we not supposed to ask such questions?

I never noticed any ejected shells.

The real film gun is a revolver buried in a semi-auto looking frame; hence no ejection.
The "fictional" explanation would be the use of consumable case ammo.

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Wednesday, May 6, 2009 6:52 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bluesuncompanyman:

Pennausamike: you seem to possess a wagonload of knowledge on the subject, perhaps you could help me? What would you recommend? The $2000 model is certainly out of my film budget price range but the others are all in line. I'm not planning to go cheap.

Give me a day to find the comparison info for the film pistol versus the series pistol.

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Wednesday, May 6, 2009 9:07 AM

BLUESUNCOMPANYMAN

Quote:
Originally posted by pennausamike:
Give me a day to find the comparison info for the film pistol versus the series pistol.

Cool. I eagerly await.

There is a gunsmith near to where I dwell who I have a notion about approaching to inquire if he might retro-fit the model I choose with a proper wood stock grip. Beyond that, I painted warhammer figures for several years and retain the paints. A few hours of drybrushing Warhammer "Boltgun Metal" onto surface high points with some dark inking of the low areas may well yield the used grey-metal look I want.

Also I'm quite annoyed that Universal felt they had to stamp their involvement into the under side of the freaking barrel for the "offical" Serenity movie replica. I refer to image #14 in the gallery:

http://store.quantummechanix.com/Official-Malcolm-Reynolds-Stunt-Pisto
l-Replica_p_22.html

grr. Arg. Yea that's beautiful isn't it? A nice Universal Studios Copyright stamped right into the material. Certainly nothing a hand grinder + a little model patch can't solve I suppose.

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Friday, May 8, 2009 7:21 AM

BLUESUNCOMPANYMAN

*Bump*

Just trying to keep this thread higher for a little longer. Also, I thought I'd relate my comic book analysis of the sidearm.

First off: Better Days doesn't give us much angle on the weapon. You see it in Mal's hand a couple of times but you have to squint to see any detail, if there's any to be hand

But: Those Left Behind offers terrific panels of the pistol. Most importantly is at the very start of the story when Mal faces off with a competing thief over a heist. After giving up his goods to his foe, he's told to surrender the pistol itself because as the other fellow says "I have a thing for antiquities". We get three great panels showing color and surface detail of the sidearm after that.

Based on those images I'm inclined to further lean toward the pistol as it's depected in the show rather than the film. It's drawn in an obvious "gun-metal grey" color to match what we see in Firefly and not the bronze coloring of the offical Serenity replica. Most confusing to me is that the comic was drawn after the film, not before.

I guess the overall answer for my film is that the pistol can be whatever fans what it to be. That's too bad because I really wanted a solid "This is what it is" conclusion. One nice thing that came from the comic however was the statement "I have a thing for antiquites" which proves my belief that the pistol is a relic no longer manufactured. I had been told 3 years ago that it was a standard issue sidearm to all Independent NCO's and that many of the pieces were lost during the war thus leading to it's rarity. I'm not sure that jives with the paperwork that accompanies the $149 Universal Studio's replica which implies a private ownership sale.

I'm hoping someone can shed some light.

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Friday, May 8, 2009 7:14 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by piratenews:
Trivia question:

Does the Malgun eject each cartridge like a semiauto, to retain each shell like a revolver?

Or are we not supposed to ask such questions?

I never noticed any ejected shells.

As others have said, I assumed it was a semi-auto firing caseless ammunition.

As a firearms enthusiast, I keep praying that someone will manufacture a working semi-auto that replicates this design. Of course, the closer I look at it, the more complicated the design gets.

Starting with the magazine. A single (or even double stack magazine of the size udes in Mal's gun would hold 3, maybe 4 rounds of .30 cal carbine ammo. (I picked .30 carbine because it's the smallest viable round I can think of at the moment), one you factor in space for the follower and spring. However, a detachable Mannlicher-type rotary magazine (think a scaled up 10/22 mag) might hold 6 rounds in the same vertical space. Of course, this magazine would be quite a bit wider than the single-stacks shown in the photos.

Next problem: the slide.

This is where caseless ammo would come in handy. In a semi-auto weapon, the rounds feed up and forward from the magazine to the chamber. This means that everything from the magazine to the hammer consists of the extractor, firing pin, and a shitload of reciprocating metal. For the sake of arguement, I'm imagining the little T-shaped indentations of the prop guns (above the mag) to be roughly where the ejection port goes. The firing pin itself is a cause for concern. Assuming the pin runs from the hammer, all the way to the rear of the chamber, you're looking at a firing pin about 5 inches long. Damned fragile.

The recoil springs are, I assume, located on the 2 rods the extend on either side of the mag, but they seem to me on backwards (that is, if they are there to serve a guide rods, the recoil springs should be fixed to the front of the rods, so as to compress the springs when the slide moves back under recoil).

Finally, grip angle: I'm not entirely sure which bits of this gun are supposed to reciprocate during cycling, but wouldn't want the webbing of my hand in the way when they did. That old west revolver grip angle just seems too shallow for safe operation. Not to mention that this gun would be all kinds of muzzle-heavy.

I'm sorry if this post reeked of gun-nerd. But I'd love to be able to take a real-life Browncoat pistol to the range one day. Right now the closest thing out there is the Ruger Charger, which I'd love to get my hands on to try and create a reasonable Mal pistol facsimilie.

Mercy is the mark of a great man.
Guess I'm just a good man.
Well, I'm alright.

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Saturday, May 9, 2009 4:09 AM

TDBROWN

In the Firefly Visual Companion, Vol 1, pp 78-79, there is a nice little article about the p[istol and how it was made. There are photos of the actual gun it is wrapped around (a snub-nose revolver), and a photo of the semi-assembled gun. If you're dreaming of making your own working model, this might be the place to start; a template, if you would.

"Might have been the losing side, still not convinced it was the wrong one." -Mal

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Saturday, May 9, 2009 4:44 AM

Yes, but a gussied-up revolver is just that: a revolver. A functional magazine fed semi auto is a whole different kettle of beasts. Or something.

Personally, I'd love to get a LeMat replica with an accessory rail on the barrel and a nickle-plated shotgun barrel underneath. Like Jayne's.

Mercy is the mark of a great man.
Guess I'm just a good man.
Well, I'm alright.

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Tuesday, May 19, 2009 4:53 PM

Okay revival time. I've managed to find a Sidkit one, unassembled, for $250. How much did these things run before? I could cancel the order I have for the preassembled Wilco one which would give me $63 towards it. Supposedly QMx is making a Metal one but production hasn't even begun. I'm kinda afraid to miss this opportunity.

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Tuesday, May 19, 2009 5:20 PM

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)

BSCM: The differences in the Mal's pistol could be easily explained by the idea of him loving his service sidearm and being very comfortable using it, but having picked up a newer (later-model) version in better condition somewhere in his travels. It would be everything he loved and trusted in his old sidearm, but would be in better shape. And prettier.

Just a thought.

Also, if it's a semi-auto of any kind (as the magazine would suggest), it would need to eject the shells, unless it fires shell-less rounds (think of a kind of a shell which uses some kind of rocket-type solid propellent out the back as the whole cartridge leaves the weapon.

The magazine type shown with the weapon is a stacked magazine, which means the cartridge HAS TO go somewhere once fired, or the next one in the stack can't load into the breech. If you've ever fired a semi-auto, the expended cartridges are expelled rather quickly, and you won't always see them.

Just a few things to help move stuff along for y'all...

Hey, maybe if we're allowed to manufacture weapons that stay in our own state without all the ATF hassles (and good luck to anyone who wants to try!), someone here in Texas could figure out how to make a WORKING version of Mal's gun. 'Course, y'all outside of Texas would be SOL...

Mike

Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day...
Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.

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Tuesday, May 19, 2009 5:31 PM

Quote:

Finally, grip angle: I'm not entirely sure which bits of this gun are supposed to reciprocate during cycling, but wouldn't want the webbing of my hand in the way when they did. That old west revolver grip angle just seems too shallow for safe operation. Not to mention that this gun would be all kinds of muzzle-heavy.

I'm sorry if this post reeked of gun-nerd. But I'd love to be able to take a real-life Browncoat pistol to the range one day. Right now the closest thing out there is the Ruger Charger, which I'd love to get my hands on to try and create a reasonable Mal pistol facsimilie.

As another gun-nerd, I loved that post, because I had many of the same thoughts and reservations - especially that super-shallow grip angle shown on one of the models (all look too shallow to be readily accurate or comfortable, forcing too much wrist angle for the shooter). It looks at the very least like it would be damned uncomfortable to shoot.

As for reciprocating mass, if it were designed somewhat along the lines of a Kalashnikov, the moving parts would remain within the enclosed parts of the gun. But that brings another problem, as there's no obvious gas tube for using discharged gases to cycle the weapon's action.

I think at some point, we just kind of have to look at it and say, "It's a movie and a TV show - it doesn't HAVE to work or make sense."

But I'd still love to have a working model to take to the range...

Mike

Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day...
Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.

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Tuesday, May 19, 2009 5:34 PM

Quote:

Personally, I'd love to get a LeMat replica with an accessory rail on the barrel and a nickle-plated shotgun barrel underneath. Like Jayne's.

Your wish is my command...

http://www.aurorahistoryboutique.com/C000093.htm

$63.00

Schweet.

Mike

Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day...
Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.

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Tuesday, May 19, 2009 7:01 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Kwicko:
Quote:

Personally, I'd love to get a LeMat replica with an accessory rail on the barrel and a nickle-plated shotgun barrel underneath. Like Jayne's.

Your wish is my command...

http://www.aurorahistoryboutique.com/C000093.htm

$63.00

Schweet.

Mike

Shit. I said "replica" when I meant "reproduction." Cheapest repro Le Mat I've seen is in the $900 range. Too rich for my blood.

Re: your earlier post: It COULD be possible that the cycling parts are completely enclosed within the gun. Thats the way a Ruger 10/22, or the Charger I mentioned, operate. And they are recoil-operated. Granted, they're .22's but the idea is sound. That also solves the problem of slide bite with the revolver grip angle. Nice thinking!

Of course, the firing pin thing is still an issue.

Mercy is the mark of a great man.
Guess I'm just a good man.
Well, I'm alright.

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Wednesday, May 20, 2009 1:55 PM

Quote:
Of course, the firing pin thing is still an issue.

Probably so. Although the firing pin on my AK clones is in the neighborhood of 3-3.5" long, and they don't seem to suffer too much. Heck, an AK is so damned rugged you can run over it with a tank and it'll still fire - and I've seen video of some Russians doing exactly that!

I wish they'd have given a bit more thought to the "HOW" of Mal's gun, but it seems pretty clear they wanted something that would evoke Civil War-era weaponry while still having a bit of a "techie" kind of edge to it, so we got something that looks flash, but isn't really workable. 'Course, most viewers don't notice that...

Mike

Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day...
Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.

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Wednesday, May 20, 2009 4:30 PM

Still, it was damned irresponsible of them to create a wholly new projectile firearm in a verse populated by literally every firearms design since 1860, then not contract with a manufacturer to produce working examples of said firearm. The lack of foresight is staggering.

Back to the design: If the operating group (bolt, extractor/ejector, firing pin, etc.) are completely enclosed, the firing pin wouldn't need to be that all that long. However, there would be no way to use the exposed hammer. I think that we would have to choose between having an internal operating group, and an external hammer.

Mercy is the mark of a great man.
Guess I'm just a good man.
Well, I'm alright.

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Wednesday, May 20, 2009 4:42 PM

YELLOWJACKET

Here are some very high resolution images of some guns from Firefly/Serenity. Enjoy.

http://wildzero.de/Firefly/guns/

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Wednesday, May 20, 2009 6:02 PM

Holy crap YJ thats awesome!!!

EDIT: Now, that 1911-based job at #51, THAT looks doable.

Mercy is the mark of a great man.
Guess I'm just a good man.
Well, I'm alright.

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Wednesday, May 20, 2009 7:25 PM

PROTOTYPE7

Quote:
Originally posted by Beatlesfan:
Okay revival time. I've managed to find a Sidkit one, unassembled, for $250. How much did these things run before? I could cancel the order I have for the preassembled Wilco one which would give me $63 towards it. Supposedly QMx is making a Metal one but production hasn't even begun. I'm kinda afraid to miss this opportunity.

Beatlesfan... if you've indeed found a sidkit for that price and there is nothing wrong with it JUMP ON IT! Sidkit did pass away recently which was a huge hit to the community that love and respect him. He really was an excellent craftsman and a great guy! A few warnings I'll give you though. This sidkit is just that... a kit! If the previous owner didn't put it together you're going to have to. While it's not super hard it's not all that easy either. It also will come to you unfinished and made out of something called pot-metal. It's soft! Kinda like lead... you can scratch it, marr it... you gotta treat this thing with respect. It will be silver and you'll either have to paint it or pay for someone to plate it.
There's also the issue of instructions... since his site isn't up anymore you'll have to track those down. If you do get this pistol let me know and I'll find them for you. And trust me YOU WILL NEED THE INSTRUCTIONS!
If you decide to pass on this let me know please... I might be the next guy in line.

Also, a cool note about one of the models mentioned above... the Model 47. Easily the BEST fan replica out there. Our own captian Nathan Fillion is now the proud owner of one of the Model 47 pistols! I think that's pretty cool myself!

Also, a note on the Wilco... I have one... it's the most affordable of the bunch. The only other thing... IT IS MISSING THE SAFETY LEVER! They never show you that side of the gun. Not saying I have a problem with it. I bought one. It's in my collection as we speak. Sometimes I like to hold it while I watch the dvds. I am super geek!

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Thursday, May 21, 2009 2:33 AM

Hah, thanks for the advice. I didn't realize it was so fragile, but I'll definitely be careful with it. I actually thought of instructions and Google searched yesterday. Found someone who archived the instructions page off the original Sidkit site. Oddly enough, they archived the page for the gun itself, and if you click the "buy now" button you can actually pay for it...hope no one has actually tried it D:

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Thursday, May 21, 2009 11:06 AM

Update:

I just paid for it. With shipping it was just short of $280. Not bad considering I just made $65 on eBay, got paid $100 for a sound tech job that lasted 45 minutes, and will be getting another $65 when I send back the Wilco Mal pistol model I ordered that's taken almost a month to get here >:O

I'm kind of excited.

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Friday, May 22, 2009 12:51 PM

Also, he just listed one more:

http://www.ioffer.com/i/102244249?from_buyer=1

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Sunday, May 24, 2009 9:50 AM

SLEVIN7

Hey does any one have the link to mal's gun the one that has a movebable (sorry I not the best speller) triger. I think it called model 47. I really want to see how much it cost and if I could buy it. Thanks

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Sunday, May 24, 2009 10:34 AM

LEMMING

Pennausamike wrote:
"I think there was a non-functioning brass version made, but I can't say for sure."

I can. It does exist because I handled one yesterday :-)

It is not a type 47 (as far as I know) as it did not come with the case, holster and fake rounds, but in all other respects is damn near identical and as close to the actual "hero" prop from Firefly as possible. This is because it is hand made by the guy that is lucky enough to own the original "hero" prop. It is correctly weighted and balanced, has the removable magazine (With fake rounds within (not removable I think), a moving (but not "action") trigger and moving (but not "action") safety. It is a very serious piece of sh....iny goodness :-)

While I really like my QMX replica, this one is something else and with all due respect, makes the QMX one look and feel inferior in direct comparison. But the QMX one is official, much more affordable and certainly more readily available. It's probably the best of the Serenity pistol replicas (until they eventually do the metal "hero" replica that's been rumored for ages) and is very nice in itself.(This brass Firefly one is very rare and was not generally available as far as I know)

It's gorgeous.

We actually featured a very technical article about Mal's gun from a knowlegable fan back at the start of season 4 of The Signal.

Nick

The Signal ( www.serenityfirefly.com)

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Sunday, May 24, 2009 1:50 PM

KEELHAULER

"Heard tell they used to keelhaul traitors back in the day" ~ Malcolm Reynolds

Quote:
Originally posted by Slevin7:
Hey does any one have the link to mal's gun the one that has a movebable (sorry I not the best speller) triger. I think it called model 47. I really want to see how much it cost and if I could buy it. Thanks

The Model 47 is no longer being made, as far as I know. The last one that was sold between collectors went for over $1,000. I've heard rumors, though, of a Model 47a being produced. It will be cast in fewer pieces and therefore will cost less, maybe around $600-700. But who knows......

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Sunday, May 24, 2009 5:04 PM

SLEVIN7

dang I really want mal's gun but I want the trigger to be movebable like a real gun

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Sunday, May 24, 2009 5:08 PM

KEELHAULER

"Heard tell they used to keelhaul traitors back in the day" ~ Malcolm Reynolds

Quote:
Originally posted by Slevin7:
dang I really want mal's gun but I want the trigger to be movebable like a real gun

If you want to assemble and paint the gun yourself, you could go with the Sidkit Mal pistol. It runs about $250. There are some for sale on iOffer right now. Just search for "Firefly gun" and it should show up.

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Sunday, May 24, 2009 6:01 PM

SLEVIN7

is it metal and as heavy as the all metal one that requires no assembly? But I also dont think i can paint it correctly or assemble it correctly

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Tuesday, May 26, 2009 5:40 PM

I ordered the Sidkit one and am expecting it by the end of next week. The instructions that I have are VERY thorough with pictures and everything - I'll let you know how complicated it is - I'm not crafty at all, but I think I can do this one.

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Monday, June 8, 2009 1:41 PM

Update:

It arrived, and it's done! It actually came mostly put together, which was kind of nice. I had to take off the sight to pop out the orange stopper, and it was a real pain getting it back on. Had to put in the cartridge, the back pieces with the safety, and the "special buttons" as the directions called them. Also had to put the barrel and sliding sight in. MAN is it heavier than I thought it would be! Anyway, here she be!

ONE SIDE

OTHER SIDE

FRONT

BACK

BWAH

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Monday, June 8, 2009 2:06 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Beatlesfan:
Update:

It arrived, and it's done! It actually came mostly put together, which was kind of nice. SNIP
Had to put in the cartridge.....

AHHHHH!!!!!
The same non-gun-guy mis-naming of the ammunition holding "MAGAZINE" as Joss uses!

A "cartridge" is the individual brass-primer-powder-bullet combo that loads into the chamber to fire the bullet.

Some people call the magazine a "clip" which isn't exactly right either, but it is closer to correct and sort of accepted to mean the same as "box magazine".

Joss even corrupted Canadian non-gun-guy Nathan Fillion, who said in the blooper reel, "My cartridge fell out of my gun."

So there is the info for the day;
the device that holds the ammunition is the magazine, whether it's a box or a tube.

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Monday, June 8, 2009 2:10 PM

I actually called it a cartridge because of the blooper :P "The cartridge fell out of my gun..."

Still, it's not fallin' out of this one. Hopefully. I used practically half a tube of super glue D:

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Tuesday, June 9, 2009 5:04 AM

RIPWASH

I is officialy jealous.

No way I can come up with near enough that amount of cashie money anytime in the near future. Dangit.

Ah well . . . congrats on your purchase Beatlesfan! Shiny!

Does the kit come with recomendations of what paint to use? If not, does anyone know that information?

*********************************************

"It's okay! I'm a leaf on the wind!!!"
"What does that mean?!?!?!"

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Tuesday, June 9, 2009 5:09 AM

It said to use Bluing agent like Blue Wonder. I ordered the Blacking agent to try to give it the look from Firefly. When I got it, it was already partially weathered, and I liked the look so I decided to keep it like it is.

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Tuesday, June 9, 2009 6:24 AM

WASHNWEAR

Quote:
Originally posted by Beatlesfan:

Whoa! - watch where you're pointing that thing!

Man, that is cool - congrats, BeatlesFan! Canon or not, "hero" or not, official or not, that's one shiny sidearm. Thanks for the photos...not that I was in serious danger of running out of things to covet...

EDIT: 'Cause I just can't seem not to...

donttalkbackjustdrivethecarshutyourmouthiknowwhatyouaredontsaynothinkeepyourhandsonthewheeldontturnaroundthisisforreal

Still...what would Rorschach do?

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Tuesday, June 9, 2009 3:59 PM

It's the series gun, which is my preference. It has that not-cartridge in it that's not in the movie one. That threw me off for a while when I hadn't seen the movie yet :P

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Tuesday, June 9, 2009 4:14 PM

GOODWOLF

Quote:
Originally posted by Beatlesfan:
It said to use Bluing agent like Blue Wonder. I ordered the Blacking agent to try to give it the look from Firefly. When I got it, it was already partially weathered, and I liked the look so I decided to keep it like it is.

One of the things I had thought of doing, and haven't given up on entirely, is to get a sidkit, keep it silver and add white "ivory" grips perhaps with an inlaid Independents triangle design.

Call it the Officer's Model. :)

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Tuesday, June 9, 2009 4:18 PM

Ooo I like the sound of that. I thought of doing something "different" to this one, but in the end I'm just way too much of a traditionalist. Maybe I should grow a big black mustache...

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Wednesday, June 10, 2009 4:32 AM