A real Callahan Fullbore Autolock AKA 'Vera'

POSTED BY: CallahanArms
UPDATED: Sunday, February 23, 2014 01:32
VIEWED: 45530
PAGE 1 of 1

CALLAHANARMS

Wednesday, August 6, 2008 8:42 PM

Well too bad I can't seem to post pics on this forum but check out these for updates to my.

Fully functional "Vera"

http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?showtopic=51001&pid=475824&st=0&#e
ntry475824

FREEBROWNCOAT

Thursday, August 7, 2008 6:29 AM

Definitely cool!

Certainly comes to a middle.

TWO

Thursday, August 7, 2008 11:30 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by CallahanArms:
Well too bad I can't seem to post pics on this forum but check out these for updates to my
Fully functional "Vera"

I own a small gunsmithing business called Cobras Custom. I have quite a bit of equipment including a mill and a lathe. So the project is alive more than ever.

Check it out.
http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?showtopic=51001&view=findpost&p=47
5797

The pictures of CallahanArms

PENGUIN

Thursday, August 7, 2008 12:08 PM

How to post images...

http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.asp?b=5&t=29479

King of the Mythical Land that is Iowa

JOATRASH

Monday, August 11, 2008 11:57 AM

Heya!

Just wanted to wish you good luck with your project. Be prepared to spend some major $ unless you're good friends with a machinist! (Taking a wild guess I'd say a few grand or so.) The parts are a lot more intricate than you might think at first glance.

My non-working replica has been underway for over a year now and can be found here:

http://www.urbanchant.com/alice_

Cheers,
/Joe

CALLAHANARMS

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 3:02 AM

A year and a half later.

I was in Iraq for a year so that put Vera on hold.

The good news. I own a small gunsmithing business called Cobras Custom. I have quite a bit of equipment including a mill and a lathe. So the project is alive more than ever.

Check it out.

http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?showtopic=51001&pid=475824&st=0&#e
ntry475824

OUT2THEBLACK

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 3:19 AM

If I had that , I'm pretty sure it would become my very favorite gun...

I'd get 'er dressed up and take her out someplace nice...

KWICKO

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 3:42 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by out2theblack:
If I had that , I'm pretty sure it would become my very favorite gun...

I'd get 'er dressed up and take her out someplace nice...

If I had that, I'm pretty sure I'd get in trouble... :)

Callahan, there are a few of us Saiga owners hanging out around here. Fremdfirma is another Saiga12 lover; I'm sticking with my trusty old 7.62x39mm Saiga. Thousands of rounds through her, and only one failure to feed, ever. She is my very favorite gun. :)

Mike

Work is the curse of the Drinking Class.
- Oscar Wilde

VERASAMUELS

Wednesday, February 24, 2010 1:31 PM

WANT!!!

Devout Keeper of Jayne's Lunchbox

PIRATENEWS

Wednesday, February 24, 2010 3:04 PM

Hero will be sending the ATF SWAT to visit you very soon. Or a Predator Reaper drone.

RAHLMACLAREN

Wednesday, February 24, 2010 4:20 PM

Quote:

*in Cespenar voice* Ooo, shiny ones!

--------------------------------------------------
Find here the Serenity you seek. -Tara Maclay

BROWNCOAT1

Friday, February 26, 2010 3:48 PM

Glad to see the project is still alive and well.

Sure would love to own me one of those beauties.

__________________________________________
Holding the line since December '02!

Richmond, VA & surrounding area Firefly Fans:

http://www.richmondbrowncoats.org

X.O. / Battalion O.I.C.

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

http://76thbattalion.proboards.com

CALLAHANARMS

Tuesday, March 2, 2010 8:10 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by piratenews:
Hero will be sending the ATF SWAT to visit you very soon. Or a Predator Reaper drone.

Actually I called the ATF and asked about the barrel folding system and a mechanism that prevents it from firing while folded.

In short, since the mechanism could be disabled easily I'm better off registering it as a SBS.

I'm planning on making a few sets of parts and selling them as kits.

More info here. Let me know how many kits I should make.

http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?showtopic=51001&st=0

PENNAUSAMIKE

Tuesday, March 2, 2010 3:10 PM

Quote:

Actually I called the ATF and asked about the barrel folding system
and a mechanism that prevents it from firing while folded.

Why make the barrel fold at all?
The optics mounted on Vera made it impossible to fold the barrel.
That feature was from the movie "Showtime" and not a part of Vera's characteristics.

Far as barrel length, tho' less accurate, I'd opt for the 18" barrel to avoid BATFE involvement.
But, long barrel or short, the machined foregrip parts could be made to fit over the standard barrel.
Not messing with the un-used folding barrel simplifies construction and keeps costs down.

Right now there are three "Vera's" in the world.
The original is owned by Karl Derrick of the Firefly Archive.
http://www.fireflyarchive.com/

The second is "Alice", built around a non-functioning Denix AK-47 receiver by a gentleman in Sweden.
http://www.urbanchant.com/alice_/

The third is built from a rubber stunt model from the movie, "Showtime", by another English owner.
http://www.fireflyprops.net/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=328

If machined even close to accurate to the show,
the add-on parts should run around a coupla grand.
Buying the optics in airsoft equivalent will add another few hundred dollars to the bill.
Definitely not a project for the weak of heart or pocketbook!

Mike

LERXST

Wednesday, March 3, 2010 7:58 AM

Very cool "toys", indeed. This one here is no Vera, but has guested on quite a few sci-fi shows (and is my very favorite gun)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:FN-P90.JPG

______________________________________________________
"So, you're proposing that we go back in time, find some Humpback whales, bring them back here, and hope they can tell this "probe" what to go do with itself??"
"That's the general idea."
"THAT'S CRAZY!"

CALLAHANARMS

Friday, March 5, 2010 10:23 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by pennausamike:
Quote:

Actually I called the ATF and asked about the barrel folding system
and a mechanism that prevents it from firing while folded.

Why make the barrel fold at all?
The optics mounted on Vera made it impossible to fold the barrel.
That feature was from the movie "Showtime" and not a part of Vera's characteristics.

Far as barrel length, tho' less accurate, I'd opt for the 18" barrel to avoid BATFE involvement.
But, long barrel or short, the machined foregrip parts could be made to fit over the standard barrel.
Not messing with the un-used folding barrel simplifies construction and keeps costs down.

Right now there are three "Vera's" in the world.
The original is owned by Karl Derrick of the Firefly Archive.
http://www.fireflyarchive.com/

The second is "Alice", built around a non-functioning Denix AK-47 receiver by a gentleman in Sweden.
http://www.urbanchant.com/alice_/

The third is built from a rubber stunt model from the movie, "Showtime", by another English owner.
http://www.fireflyprops.net/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=328

If machined even close to accurate to the show,
the add-on parts should run around a coupla grand.
Buying the optics in airsoft equivalent will add another few hundred dollars to the bill.
Definitely not a project for the weak of heart or pocketbook!

Mike

It is often shown folded on the rack above Jaynes bed.

I have a lathe, mill and a drill press. Other than a few blocks of steel and brass barstock it will only cost me time.

I ask about kits as it takes more time to set up the machine than to do the cut. If I cut 10 of the same part it saves me a lot of set up time.

I should be able to sell a user installable kit for under $750. Optics not included.

PENNAUSAMIKE

Friday, March 5, 2010 4:07 PM

It is my understanding that the optics prevented the barrel from folding.
I'd be curious to see a screencap of Vera with the barrel folded to see how that is possible.

Far as the machining, yeah, if you're doing it yourself; that cuts the most expensive part, which is the labor.
I've done a few projects like that, myself:

http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3541

Mike

CHRISISALL

Sunday, March 7, 2010 5:04 AM

Dirty Harry could have used one of those...

The laughing Chrisisall

"I only do it to to remind you that I'm right and that deep down, you know I'm right, you want me to be right, you need me to be right." - The Imperial Hero Strikes Back, 2010

CALLAHANARMS

Sunday, March 7, 2010 9:09 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by pennausamike:
It is my understanding that the optics prevented the barrel from folding.
I'd be curious to see a screencap of Vera with the barrel folded to see how that is possible.

Far as the machining, yeah, if you're doing it yourself; that cuts the most expensive part, which is the labor.
I've done a few projects like that, myself:

http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3541

Mike

You are correct the optics were removed to facilitate folding.

BROWNCOATE3

Friday, February 21, 2014 9:52 PM

If you come up with an extra kit let me know, I know this thread is long since dead but I would love to turn my saiga into a "Vera".

Oh my god, it's grotesque! Oh, and there's something in a jar.

VERASAMUELS

Sunday, February 23, 2014 1:32 AM

There's a fourth Vera = one I customised from a plastic AK47!

Devout Keeper of Jayne's Lunchbox