Many years ago there was a company (LS I think) that made 1 to 1 scale plastic kits of firearms. I built a few of these when I was a teenager/young adult and then they disappeared (I think I remember someone saying they were made illegal due to safety concerns from police).

Any idea if any companies currently make anything like these? Or if these ever appear on Ebay for example?

Just curious. I would love to collect a few of these to build/display.

Hey Rob, if I am not mistaken LS went out of business in the late '80. Their plastic gun models are extremely rare now. I think you would be very lucky to get your hands on one of those.

I am not sure these guns were actually made illegal but they certainly were not very popular with police.

I too wish I could get my hands on some of these models. Perhaps someone will again start manufacturing them.

I have one. This is M-16A1 with M203 from Academy. Very bad kit I must say, some screws missing et al. The spring power ain't that good either. Believe me, a BB bullet can only go up to 10 feet! The Grenade Launcher is also a crap. 5 feet of range.

Link to Photo

I had some too, i remember the quality as good, if nothing else i learned something about hov handguns worked.

I had the S&W model 29 (Dirty Harry), a P38 and a P08.

I could be fun making one of those as a earthfound relic

There are a few companies, such as Airsoft, that make replica guns. They are not true models, but are very accurate, sturdy, life size renditions. Some do require minor assembly and paint.

Most of them function/field strip like the real thing.

Here is one of the many retail sales websites:

http://shortyusa.com/index.html

Yeah I believe that LS was the company...I remember having the SW M29.....like the Dirty Harry gun....it had metal shells with a plastic insert that you could put blanks in, they were a special blank that were only used with the shells. Could never find them.

The kit went together pretty well, looked and worked like the real thing other that it didn't fire any live rounds.

I agree with an above post....I think the police frowned on them enough, as they looked just like the real thing, that it probably put them out of business. Think I may still have mine here somewhere.

I recently sold one of them on ebay for $90 or so, a SW .44 magnum. I wish they still made them, or at leas wish someone would make NEW ones. Even 1/2 scale would be great.

Unfortunately they are politically incorrect, thanks to our knuckle wringing sheeple-types in government (don't get me started, trying real hard not to spiral into political rantings.....)

Anyway, it is unlikely any of the model companies will touch that subject, at least for shipment to the US and Canada where we have shyster lawyers to sue anyone that has a gun, even if it IS a model.

How come they are so scared of guns and still send troops to other countries? its a little contradiction......anyway does anyone know an airsoft version of the MP40? how about the MG42? am I asking too much?

Tokyo Marui does have an MP40 and so an MG-42. Sorry, but could not find the site but I saw one before. Dunno if it's just a static model or a firing one.

Shonen,

I think you are incorrect on both accounts.

The MP40 is from Marushin it's a kit cap gun. very nicely made. same level as the academy M16 series that you have. With skills and patience can be made into nice model.

The MG42 on the other hand, is from another maker, could be Marushin, I can't remember. though, but definitly note Mauri. The only WW II Mauri airsoft they had done was the Thompson. The MG42 is electro-driven airsoft.

Hi Rob,
I love these kits too. I almost bid on one on ebay (the 9mm Mauser) but on the last day the price went through the roof.
I did manage to get the artillery barrel Luger a few years ago. Looked very good, very realistic.
here's a picture of mine...



As others have said, I think they stopped producing them due to liability issues (just my opinion, no facts to back it up ).

I'd love to get my hands on a few of these kits.
Craig

A little But anyone got a review on the Academy L-85A1/ SA-80?

Here's the link
http://www.redwolfairsoft.com/redwolf/product/product_detail.jsp?prodID=15062

Looks good for my wallet. For $100 USD, this is a steal compared to Tokyo Marui M4's and M-16's which costs $200-300 USD. The stopping power is 260 fps - can match any expensive BB guns out there. But I want to know about the scope if it really does work.

Nice to see I am not alone in missing those kits. I will probably eventually get an airsoft gun for kicks.

What I really want some day is a non firing (ie; not requiring registration) Canadian FN C1. I know gunsmiths can render these weapons non firing I just have no idea where to locate such a beast.

My reason for that particular rifle stems from my service in the Canadian Militia for almost 6 years.

Thats a nice Luger Craig

Keep watch on gun auction sites for C1 kits (well, they will be L1A1s or other FAL variants that you can alter to the Canadian standards). I don't know what the laws are in Canada, but the regulated part of the rifle in the US is the receiver, so you can use a dummy recevier (solid) and build the gun kit on that. Parts kits and parts can be had from www.tapco.com

Here's a 1:1 scale L1A1, it actually functions, but I have often considered making castings and selling kits but the resin cost would be astronomical...



Also would be cool to make kits of weapons like grenades and rockets and such.

Nice Fal GunNut.

Actually I am in the USA (have been working here since 94) so it's US law that applies. The FN in Canada is I think on the prohibited list because of the fact you can convert one to full auto in about 10 seconds.

Thanks for the tip on the auctions I will have to start doing some serious research.

Rob

Well, over here, it seems that some people who are not operating on all brain cells, would pull out a toy gun, then get shot to death by the police who carry real, bullet shootin guns, then their mommies and daddies would get all upset blaming the police for shooting the little moron that they failed to teach, that only a moron would pull a toy gun on someone with a real gun.

So in many states it is illegal to sell any toy guns that look like real guns. They need to be in some rather strange colors, and can not look like the real thing.

oh...sometimes I forget there is people who ruin everything sooner or later...... :-)