The DS Flamegun of Sandmens is - rare thing - at this time and today, a functionnal prop. It's made a real Flame. It's not a Star-Trek "phasers" with laser rays made by somes specials effects. This Gun is so great, that I was decided to made a part just for it. But beginning by the original. It's for the movie of 1976 that was be created the first functionnal flamegun, that here is :
How it working on ??? Please made us a few chimistry !!! In the Gas Tank (Back part of the Gun !!!) we put some Calcium Carbide in dust or little stones (you know the product for to eliminate the moles in your garden or the product used for the lamps of miners) and we add some water, after he must to be very speed. A chronometer beginning !!! In fact, the mixing of the two substances made a very very inflammable gas called "Acetylene". So when you pull the trigger, this made a spark (it's for it that a battery is necessary) who burn the Acetylene in the same time who the gas it's expulse in outside and made a great flame :
When the Flamegun is full in water and carbide calcium, we can shooting 2 or 3 times, after it's necessary to reload the gun, and perhaps to change the battery. You must to be very careful when you made the mixing of carbide calcium with the water, and with the flame that the Gun made, because it's very hot (approx. 5500 Fahrenheit). The original DS Flamegun of the movie was estimated too dangerous for the Tv Serie, and was be modified for to made a better security, it's a little different gun and here is :
See the Flate grip and the different trigger of movie Gun version (I like very much this Tv Serie Gun model !). For the ultimates fans, it's not very reasonable to use a original Gun : because the gun are 25 years old and I think that the mechanic must be very damaged. And, somes propmakers who made somes functionnal replicas of the gun, explain that the original valve and the orginal system is not very sure, and was again modified the mechanic for to made again more security !!! If you want made a DS Gun, find this Blueprint :
The functionnals replicas of DS Flamegun : In USA, after the broadcost of movie and Tv Serie, many many people was made somes functionnals replicas of the Gun. At this time, all the gun was selled very good and the price was approx. of 500$ !!! At now, we can find again (but it's very very hard !) somes functionnals replicas of the gun... The pirce is now between 1000 and 1500$ !!! It, it's the inflation (perhaps the cost of materials used ?) !!! But I think that the replica is the better, because you have a new gun with a new mechanich inside, here is a functionnal gun :
The Replica of John C. : big fan of the DS Flamegun who live (always ?) in Australia, with the help of a original Flamegun of one his friends, he made himslef a functionnal replica in 4 weeks !!! During a period of time, he made many many guns for the fans who buyed him his guns. Others propmaker was sayed that his replica was very very great (Dave T. for example) !!! And it was a true dream : he made and sells the gun at : 900$ (approx : 800 Euros - 5200FF.), for somes person it's perhaps expensive, but in US a same replica cost approx. 1200 - 1500$ (1080 a 1350 Euros - 8000FF.), it's was a great deal !!! He was made 50 Guns for a command of Paul (webmaster of website "logansrun.com") and one day, without explain what and without say something to someone : pffuuuu !!! He go and stop to made the Gun of Logan's Run, somes buyers was never receipt theirs flameguns !!! John the webmaster of website "World of Logan's Run" was very surprised same me !!! It's not a very cool attitude... Personnally, I was asked him a "special command" for he made me a replica of Tv Serie model Gun (picture on above), but the time that I have the money, it's was finished and I was never had my gun. Today it's very very hard to find someone who made somes functionnal replicas with the quality of John C. and with a reasonable price. But try on Ebay, sometime one Gun is on bidding, for use Europeans buyers : 2004 - 2005 are a good years for us, because the dollard is more weak that Euro, and we can made somes greats deals !!!
Dave T. Replica : Dave was a first man to made a functionnal replica of the DS flamegun. He was made himself his functionnal flamegun (with the help of a original Gun of movie from one of his friends) and can to help you if you want to made yourself your functionnal flamegun, he give somes counsels, informations, etc. for you can made your gun. Look his great gun, it's really a beautiful working... So you know who to contact for to help you, but for us French Fans, it's very difficult because the valve : main piece in the building of Gun is very hard to find in USA, so in France, I think that it's impossible !!! Here is the gun of Dave T. :
Aztec FX Replica : After, we have a other functionnal replica who are very beautiful and made by Aztec FX that I like very much. Look the Grip of movie version Gun (really I prefer the grip of Tv Serie version !!!) and the general design very faithful at the original gun. But on the picture I estimate that the flame is not very very big (we're so far of the flame from the gun of Dave T.), but the author say me by email that it's just the picture effect. That fulled loaded, the Gun made a flame same the gun of Dave T. It's really a very fabulous working !!! The finition appear excellent, nothing to say !!! It's again here a very great functionnal replica of the Sandmen's Pistols...
And for to finish the functionnal replicas we had again one Gun. I was found it by chance when I was made somes seach on the web, I was arrived to contact the webmaster who send me this picture (on under), I was asked him the price (+ de 1500$) and to keep me the gun the time I have the money... But I was never receipt a answer since more 3 months... Damage !!! This replica appear very beautiful, and I wanted to show you others pictures fot o see how this gun worked !!! Perhaps one day, but now it's since one year that I not have somes news...
In the functionnals replicas of Guns, you have a other model : the gun who working with the Flash-Paper. I don't have pictures of a replica of this type. It's not a gun in metal, but in resin who resist at hight temperature. The big problem is the trigger who is very breakable !!! It's always break, and you must to stick together again at each time you use the gun. And the system is not very convenient : You can shoot just one time at each using, because after you must to reload the gun with a bullet of Flash Paper. And more you must to place very good the bullet of paper, if not, not functionnal !!! Because it's a electric resistance who burn the flash-paper (a paper cover up with sulfur, I think !), and the battery is quickly empty. But the effect of the flame is great, and it's nearly that the gun with a gas system !!! I was impressed when I was used the mine (I was selled it quickly)... We had with this gun a very great flame !!! So, for the fans who don't find the replica with gas system (or not have the money for to buy one !) you can search this model. It's can be a good alternative. No-Functionnal Replicas of DS Flamegun : I begin by a replica made directly from the functionnal gun of Richard A Coyle, so you can see the design very trim and made in polyurethane plastic, A light replace the flame of the functionnal gun. You can see that it's a good working, and it's movie's Gun model.
The second replica, I was found it on a German website and now it's not available. Damage, because this gun appear with a good working on finition, it's a Tv Serie model and it's all in metal !!! Of Course, same all no-functionnal replicas, it's a light who replace the flame of the functionnal gun. You can see the flate grip (very great !!!), and I think that it's a good gun. But I think that the barrel is too littlle !!! And if it's make longer so it's will be more harmonious. But if you foudn it, let's go !!! Unfortunatly, for this replica I have just this picture too :
After it, I was found again a other no-functionnal replica gun in all metal. You can see on the pictures, that it's a movie's Gun model. Same all others replicas, it's always a light (green this time !) who replace the flame of the functionnal gun. This replica appear be a good working.
I finish by the more bad replica, but it's not expensive. And I don't put the others very bad replicas made from replicas !!! I was see somes models on ebay : for example, it's not enough make a longer and it made a very strange effect, the plastic used is very very bad, and others models : scale models very bad made, who don't respect the details, the proportions and made already from a bad replica : you can imagine the final result : so I don't put theses replicas on this part of my website, but if you want, you can to buy them with the links of the shops that I put on other part of my website... So same all others replicas no-functionnal, you have a light who replace the flame :
Inside
the DS Flamegun :
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Thanks
to JOHN
C. for the authorization to use theses pictures
