Bat Magnet gun parts

[Chuck Williams]

Hi All,
Someone was asking if the donor parts of the Bat-Magnet gun had been identified.
I couldn't recall if they were or not so I thought I'd ask.

Thanks in advance for any insight!
Chuck...

[BiffPow]

The two springs could be from anything, but the length and spacing of the coils immediately reminded me of the old spring-loaded mole traps we used on the farm in my youth.

[SteveA]

Hi All,
Someone was asking if the donor parts of the Bat-Magnet gun had been identified.
I couldn't recall if they were or not so I thought I'd ask.

Thanks in advance for any insight!
Chuck...

From the looks of things just different gauges of brass wire. The site has weld spots so it ;looks like just brass wire formed and welded. The coiled wires could be from: a toaster Oven, toaster, or waffle grill, all common back in the 60's. The magnet and the plates just carved and cut wood. The gray wire? Some gauge of electrical wire tightly wrapped. The real question would be the make and model of he gun used. My best guess would be a toy air gun model unknown.

[rsaffle]

[/quote]

From the looks of things just different gauges of brass wire. The site has weld spots so it ;looks like just brass wire formed and welded. The coiled wires could be from: a toaster Oven, toaster, or waffle grill, all common back in the 60's. The magnet and the plates just carved and cut wood. The gray wire? Some gauge of electrical wire tightly wrapped. The real question would be the make and model of he gun used. My best guess would be a toy air gun model unknown.
[/quote]

I agree with SteveA. This prop looks to be more "handmade" from wood and wire than most of the other props that used donor parts. I will see if I can lighten up some images and see the rifle part better.

[SteveA]

I agree with SteveA. This prop looks to be more "handmade" from wood and wire than most of the other props that used donor parts. I will see if I can lighten up some images and see the rifle part better.

I have not been able to determine the model of the gun used. I've seen a few photos of Robin handing Batman the gun, those have been the best unobstructed shots of the gun. Batman seems to block it while he's holding it. I'm thinking, from the size and all it is either a BB or air gun. I just have not been able to match it with any toy gun as of yet. It's possible, it's a real gun but they had a track record of using store bought toy guns for props.

[rsaffle]

I didnt have my Photoshop available but I did find these images and lightened them best I could.

The trigger guard doesn't have a pump extension like the popular bb guns from the 60s had. It looks rather flimsy. The other interesting thing I noticed is the bulge above the trigger is low and not in line with the barrel. Should be easy to spot since its so unusual looking.

Also, it looks man sized in West hands and not little like a toy. My guess is its a real rifle of some type.

[BiffPow]

Great enhancement job! From Randy’s photo, it looks like it’s a double barrel shotgun (despite what looks to be a single trigger) going INTO the spool, and comes out as a single barrel. The mid-rib center of the double barrel would provide a place for mounting the crosshair “site.”

Maybe something like this, but without the “engraving”:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/306629242591

[SteveA]

i found the same photos you did Randy. I don't see any chamber to load a round. maybe a real Gun and maybe the spool hides the pump action for an air rifle. Also the stock looks plastic, why I thought in might be an air gun and from the shotguns I've used it still seems a little small to me to be a real gun, I don't know. I'm just looking at the per portions, Adam to gun. Also in Hollywood they would rent guns from a prop house to use and I don't think they would allow modifications. It would be cheaper to buy a BB Gun or Air rifle and as I said they did use a lot of toy guns for props in the show. Also just another thought on the props, They seem to use store bought items and modify them, seems they had a great prop department Just my thoughts.
This is a tough one to figure. Chuck you opened a worm hole....
I did a quick browse on eBay and found these BB / Air Guns. Just some examples.

[Chuck Williams]

WOW! Thanks Guys!!!
Fantastic images!! Yeah, that rifle stock is the missing link.
The fabricated parts are easy to see and copy but the stock is the mystery alright.

Thanks so much for your help in this mystery!!
It's appreciated!!

[BiffPow]

Signs it starts as a double barrel shotgun:

1. From the B&W photos, you can see as it enters the spool that this is not a single barrel, but two barrels separated by the mid-rib;

2. The rounded bulge (actually, the right barrel) on the side of the gun is classic hammerless break action (as opposed to semi automatic) double barrel shotgun (see, for example, the antique Stevens double barrel shotgun pics). In fact, if you look closely, there is a slight color change where the break action (where the barrels would open and the two shells would be inserted) is, so it is definitely a double barrel shotgun. Question is: real, toy or movie prop? All three were used in Hollywood.

[BiffPow]

This 1960s double barrel toy dart gun is a possibility. This one is by an unknown maker, but both Marx and Mattel made similar toys in the late 50s or early 60s. I’m sure there were other other companies making toy double barrel shotguns.

From the color video of the episode, it looks like the stock may have been painted blue, which would be no surprise.

[rsaffle]

Great detective work but I'm still not sure it's a double barrel. The bulge is on the bottom near the trigger guard. The examples you show the barrel bulges are at the top. Also, the barrel on the prop you do see is a single. Granted they could have cut it and replaced it with a single, but I don't think so. This rear view also looks like the bulge is at the bottom. I'm thinking the bulge is just a molded in hand grip and it's a single barrel. The trigger guard also looks to be screwed on at the front. I found similar stuff on vintage pop guns. I looked for a good long while and didn't find anything that looks like this though.

[BiffPow]

Valid points, Randy. I think you’re right about the bulge being molded into the gun. That makes me think that, if it’s not a custom prop, it is likely a toy, possibly pressed tin.

I also agree that the trigger guard is just screwed on. It looks like just a strip of metal, and not original to whatever the firearm is.

Where it enters into the back of that spool is definitely wider than a single barrel. That’s what convinced me it was a double barrel, just looking at the shape of that, but I think you’re right that it isn’t.

I was even considering that it was something like this vintage tin Japanese skeet shoot double barrel toy - with the barrels being molded into the side, but it still doesn’t quite fit the profile. The piece on top would’ve even partly explained the weird shape of the entrance into the back of the spool.

[BiffPow]

Randy, the more I look at this portion of the photo you supplied, the more I think there is a separate barrel mounted to the top of whatever the rest of the firearm is. That is, I think it’s two different pieces, and that barrel is not original to the rest of the firearm. That’s the barrel we see protrude all the way through the spool.

Notice the barrel is not parallel to the rest of the gun as it enters the spool. That weird angle suggest to me that it is an add-on.

POST SCRIPT: I’ll leave the above posted, but I’m changing my mind on it. From the other photos, it doesn’t look like anything has been added to it. It all looks seamless, so maybe that weird angle is just created by a shadow and it’s all parallel. But that bulge down the side is very wide. Just can’t figure that out.

[SteveA]

At this point I'm exhausted..... Why could they not have just used a Red Ryder. I'm convinced it's either a BB or Air rifle at this point. But it must be an awful obscure one. The bulges on the gun that Biff called out could be to house the air gun bladder or cocking mechanics. At this point it would take a Gun expert or BB , Air Rifle collector to identify it. I've looked at hundreds of guns and just found the one that uses the same trigger guard, (Pointed out in the photo). I think the spool hides the break / cocking of the gun. Finding a donor gun at this point would be a stroke of luck and happenstance . Good Luck.