Rubber Rifle
Moderator: 45govt
-
Dick Hosmer
- Posts: 544
- Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2023 7:05 pm
- Location: Northern CA
Rubber Rifle
I have an 1873 TD (250000 range) cast from some sort of black epoxy/resin/goo/whatever, marked "Ft. Benning GA", so NOT a movie gun. AMAZING detail - the only part poorly done is the hammer, and that may represent damage. Thinking of selling it to the "collector who has everything". Wonder what it would be worth? My apologies if I posted this before . . .
Re: Rubber Rifle
Photos?
Army TASCs (Training Aid Support Centers) have been making rubber (or some sort of hard rubber material) replica weapons for at least 40 years. These are for training to avoid the need for security for them, and to avoid damage to service weapons when they can beat up something cheaper instead. (Like they did making making trapdoor rifles into fencing muskets to take the place of their nice M1903 Springfields.
Most the TASC made items are marked with the name of the facility making them, and some have the supply or stock number molded in with the place name. They pick up all the details of the original, including most of the original markings, such as serial numbers, so there can be hundreds or even thousands of "rubber duck" M16 rifles all showing the same original serial number from the gun that was used as the pattern.
Most are all rubber, but some include original parts like the barrels in the M16 rubber ducks, and most include something internal to approximate the weight and balance of the original.
I have seen M16 and M14 rifles, also AK-47s, RPGs, M9 pistols, and dummy tank rounds for 105mm and 120mm guns, but they have multi page catalogs listing all sorts of stuff, including IEDs, costumes for various insurgent groups, etc, etc.
Few terrorists are using trapdoors, so if this is an Army TASC made trapdoor, it was likely for some other use. Perhaps a historical time line seni-theatrical or living history event. Or, I think the trapdoor is part of the official original Combat Infantryman Badge, and one Army post I visited has a CIB made full size with a trapdoor replica as part of it. (Carved wood, IIRC).
I might be interested in this oddity, since I am all about oddities.
Army TASCs (Training Aid Support Centers) have been making rubber (or some sort of hard rubber material) replica weapons for at least 40 years. These are for training to avoid the need for security for them, and to avoid damage to service weapons when they can beat up something cheaper instead. (Like they did making making trapdoor rifles into fencing muskets to take the place of their nice M1903 Springfields.
Most the TASC made items are marked with the name of the facility making them, and some have the supply or stock number molded in with the place name. They pick up all the details of the original, including most of the original markings, such as serial numbers, so there can be hundreds or even thousands of "rubber duck" M16 rifles all showing the same original serial number from the gun that was used as the pattern.
Most are all rubber, but some include original parts like the barrels in the M16 rubber ducks, and most include something internal to approximate the weight and balance of the original.
I have seen M16 and M14 rifles, also AK-47s, RPGs, M9 pistols, and dummy tank rounds for 105mm and 120mm guns, but they have multi page catalogs listing all sorts of stuff, including IEDs, costumes for various insurgent groups, etc, etc.
Few terrorists are using trapdoors, so if this is an Army TASC made trapdoor, it was likely for some other use. Perhaps a historical time line seni-theatrical or living history event. Or, I think the trapdoor is part of the official original Combat Infantryman Badge, and one Army post I visited has a CIB made full size with a trapdoor replica as part of it. (Carved wood, IIRC).
I might be interested in this oddity, since I am all about oddities.
-
Dick Hosmer
- Posts: 544
- Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2023 7:05 pm
- Location: Northern CA
Re: Rubber Rifle
I'll post some pictures - all I have to do is find it. PPP (poor prior planning)! 