Guns of all kinds were a regular staple as a kid in the sixties, the proliferation of spy and war themed shows and films and the ongoing Vietnam War made sure that they were high on the agenda. War was a different beast back then, a remote campaign of heroes and dastardly enemies, which kids could re-enact with a Johnny Seven in the back garden. Looking back at toy catalogues from the period, whole sections were devoted to arms of all kinds, from space rayguns to the humble bow and arrow. Heres a selection of classics, how many were in your toybox?
We had plenty of toy guns when young.
ReplyDeleteOf the ones shown in that catalogue, I had the Jungle Jack set. Remember the ginormous display box in the window of our local toyshop, and the enormous delight in getting it for my birthday. The rifle was pretty lifelike, to the unfortunate point that it got confiscated by a schoolteacher during a fancy-dress party... The .45 I later painted gun-metal grey when Humbrol introduced that colour, and it survived a lot longer, displayed next to cartridge cases we'd picked up from the police shooting range in the dunes. :)
Later in life I picked up the Dan Dare version of the Stingray gun in your fifth pic. Needs new paint - after I find it again in whatever box it's in...
What I've never seen since is a spring-loaded Johnny Seven-esque rifle Dad brought back from Brazil. Even more projectiles than the J7 item, but that's all I recall.
Best -- Paul
Being a child of the '50s, Westerns were the biggest craze and I had my share of Roy Rogers six-shooters with holsters along with a couple of derringers. I also had a Civil War uniform with musket. In the '60s I do remmember haveg a 45mm and Remco bazooka. The Johnny 7 always just seemed too much - just overkill as it were and it was never on my list of favorites.
ReplyDeleteI had a nifty replica of a British army FN rifle. It had a removable bayonet and fired plastic ammo from a magazine.
DeleteHad the supersonic space gun too.
Like you guys I grew up with toy guns. My older brothers patrolled the house with Sekidens blasting me with small hard balls whenever I came into view! Only my Secret Sam Attache Case Rifle or Johnny Seven, which both had plastic bullets, could send them running behind the settee! I've often wondered if all these toy guns were a bad thing? I enjoyed it all immensely though!
ReplyDeleteI had the 1100 winchester 72 repeater rifle, wow was it one of my favourite toys ever! I hot it one Christmas, along with a lovely little Deringer pistol with lovely little orange inlays on the handle.
ReplyDeleteI loved playing "Westerns" with them!
I had a little Wigwam too so played both sides!
I so lusted after a Secret Sam.
I also make quite a few decent "Johnny Seven" type guns with my lego...lego was always a good thing for trying to make those toys you wanted but never had!
I had the James Bond 007 pistol an and like KevinD had the FN Rifle. That was made by Airfix and I remember the barrel kept breaking! I also had the Airfix Tommy Gun, and loads of Cowboy cap pistols. Fascinating to see the advert for the Tiger Joe tank, the running gear of which was used in Thunderbirds/Scarlet/Joe 90 and UFO. I think in the Thunderbirds episode 'The Imposters' they even used the whole tank.
ReplyDelete