ANH Hero DL-44 Discussion - Three ANH Greeblies Found

[deadbolt]

This thread is to discuss the accuracy and details of the DL-44.

Any ideas, finds, reference, or any information at all is Welcome!

A HUGE Thanks to Everyone that has contributed to this Research, this Blaster is going to be understood better than ever by the time all of us are done with it!


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Major Update: Dummy Radial Cylinders, Pushrods & Rocker Covers Found!!
(Discoveries in post #1697 & #1704)

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Discussion Highlights So Far

Flat Bottomed Barrels make the rockin' world go round
(Discoveries in post #110 & #124)

The Barrel has now been Confirmed to have a Tapered Barrel and a Level, Milled Flat area on the underside of the barrel. Starting flush with the flat recess on the underside of the Mauser's upper receiver, and running outward towards the end of the barrel.

With the milled flat portion on the bottom of the barrel, it helps create the 'dropped down illusion' to the Flash Hider, even though the Flash Hider is mostly centered.

Sitting Target Scope & Mount Match
(Discoveries in post #443)

Additional taper to the Grill pieces, and an Offset top piece
(Discoveries in post #553)

Odd, unique lump on upper right side of the Hero DL-44, Merr Sonns and ESB stunts
(Discoveries in post #1534)

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Chicago Art Exhibit! 5/12/2018 - 6/9/2018
(More info in post #4091)

-Carson

 

[DL 44 Blaster]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Barrel Discussion

Wow...this is a tough call. On one hand I do see what you mean about a flat spot but, on the other hand I see only a shine from the obvious light source...probably a flash.

If I had to pick I'd say no, there is no milled flat surface and it is round all the way around.

Have any clearer pics of the Naked Runner gun surfaced that might help?

 

[kpax]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Barrel Discussion

Anyone ever study the pics below? I know some have posted #1, the side view with Sinatra but never saw the others on the RPF.

Seems the barrel may be the same barrel from ANH.
About the right length.
Has the bevel/chamfers

Also note the position of the scope mount. Possible Mystery Disk answer?

Don't think it's the same receiver due to the Safety. Has a hole in the knurled area. ANH does not.

Gonna try to get film on Netflix to see better. The last shot laying in the grass seems to be our best bet.

The little nitch at the end of the barrel to lock the other segments would be great to look for on the Solo blaster.

 

[kpax]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Barrel Discussion

look at this and tell me what you think.

Note the shadow line below the red line. Seems to be round?

 

[micdavis]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Barrel Discussion

Very, very, interesting.

 

[tango'd fett]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Barrel Discussion

My thoughts would be round too , i think the offset of the flash hider is caused by the grub screw pulling it down when it was tightened up.

 

[lonepigeon]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Barrel Discussion

Anyone ever study the pics below? I know some have posted #1, the side view with Sinatra but never saw the others on the RPF.

Seems the barrel may be the same barrel from ANH.
About the right length.
Has the bevel/chamfers

Also note the position of the scope mount. Possible Mystery Disk answer?

Don't think it's the same receiver due to the Safety. Has a hole in the knurled area. ANH does not.

Only the upper is from The Naked Runner. The lower body of the gun is a different Mauser.
Chris Reiff and I figured there was a flat bottom to the barrel when we blueprinted the gun for SW Blueprints: The Ultimate Collection a few years ago. It makes sense and it does make it easier to break down (and we know they switched the upper onto another body for ANH).

The Merr Sonn blasters are cast from the full Naked Runner gun (upper and lower). The lower was replaced later when Han's Hero blaster was finished.

All those Naked Runner pics are from my site The Parts of Star Wars:
The Naked Runner thumbnails

The info about the lower Mauser being replaced is on there too:
BlasTech DL-44

 

[DL 44 Blaster]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Barrel Discussion

Just when "everything" was thought to have been discussed about this prop, something new arises and a day's lesson is learned

In the one Naked Runner pic with the extreme close-up it looks to be milled on all sides....possibly octagonal. :confused

Why didn't the MR Han "EE" incorporate this into its design? Is this discovery that new?

 

[deadbolt]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Barrel Discussion

Just the thing I was curious about too :thumbsup

Why didn't the MR Han "EE" incorporate this into its design? Is this discovery that new?

After years of seeing numerous DL-44 discussions and replicas, I've never really seen this one detail discussed or incorporated into many replicas.

It just seems too Perfect of an explanation to NOT be there. If only we had better references to work with..:unsure

-Carson

 

[kpax]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Barrel Discussion

here are some more images and drawings to ponder.

The barrel in my opinion not octagonal as seen in the HERO pics below. I think it looked that way in the extreme CU due to the poor quality screen capture of the image and by blowing it up so big- it simply got distorted.

 

[kpax]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Barrel Discussion

Only the upper is from The Naked Runner. The lower body of the gun is a different Mauser.
Chris Reiff and I figured there was a flat bottom to the barrel when we blueprinted the gun for SW Blueprints: The Ultimate Collection a few years ago. It makes sense and it does make it easier to break down (and we know they switched the upper onto another body for ANH).

The Merr Sonn blasters are cast from the full Naked Runner gun (upper and lower). The lower was replaced later when Han's Hero blaster was finished.

All those Naked Runner pics are from my site The Parts of Star Wars:
The Naked Runner thumbnails

The info about the lower Mauser being replaced is on there too:
BlasTech DL-44

Hi Chris,

I tried to email you from your Parts of Star Wars site but the mail couldn't be delivered. I was asking if you had any HD versions of the images from Naked Runner to review. I hope you don't mind me posting the pics. I'm new here, not sure if I'm supposed to post your link or not.

As for your observations, it does seem they used the upper receiver from the Naked Runner for the DL44 including barrel.

How did you find out about the switching of the lower receiver if you don't mind me asking? Did you ( do you still) have contact with the production people?

The lower receiver is definitely different, but the ANH version still seems to have the DISK area exactly where the front mount is on the Naked Runner frame AND in the Silent Target frame (see below) has the mount (although this Mauser is the Schnellfeuer version.) in the same place. Interesting.

Although the FLAT bottom idea seems reasonable I don't think it is accurate. The idea that it would make it easier to "break down " is only applicable if the bull barrel actually came off. I have not seen the film. Did it come off in the film?

From what I know about real guns ( I have built and customized my own custom guns including a .45 race gun for IPSC competition) the barrels are screwed on in revolvers. The c96 Mauser is forged as one piece with the receiver which is why the bull barrel is so unusual.

To remove the barrels you use a barrel wrench and secure the frame in a vise etc. Some more modern guns use screw on barrels including some rifles but the ANH gun seems to be attached permanently otherwise why not just unscrew it and fit something better to match the flash hider? It was said that the flash hider, as evidenced in some photos, was "stuffed" to make the barrel sit in the hider centered which is why the flash hider is off kilter in some pics.

The "set screw" is only used here to secure the end of the barrel. Not sure if they threaded the barrel or the MG81 hole to do this.

Not sure if everyone knows, but the REAL MG81 boosters do not use set screws. The holes in the flash hider, which if you notice goes through top and bottom, as to aid in screwing the booster on and off the end of the machine gun barrel. You would put a rod through the holes to get more leverage. You can imagine the vibration the machine gun would exhibit. If the booster wasn't tight it would just fly off.

See below:

I don't think ONE flat side would aid the break down of the gun very much. IF they were going to go through the trouble of milling a flat on the bottom, why not on the top too? Or profile the top to match the angled contours of the receiver instead of just chamfering the little areas?

I tried to show in the following drawing below the profile and contours I think are accurate in a real Mauser c96. I used the cleanest and best side view I could find and laid out the bore axis and receiver as best I could. It (seems) that there is enough difference in height to allow the full round barrel contour as modeled in all the reproductions.

But hey...I could be completely wrong!

Let me know what you think.

Also a quick Q about the Flash hider. I saw that on The Parts of Star Wars site a 1972 Fire Extinguisher Dispersion Nozzle as the flash hider. That fire extinguisher nozzle looks very much like the MG81 part. Do you have any more info on the nozzle? Anybody?

 

[lonepigeon]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Barrel Discussion

Hi Chris,

I tried to email you from your Parts of Star Wars site but the mail couldn't be delivered. I was asking if you had any HD versions of the images from Naked Runner to review. I hope you don't mind me posting the pics. I'm new here, not sure if I'm supposed to post your link or not.

Not sure why your email didn't come through. The email link should be correct on the site. Naked Runner isn't available in HD or even DVD last I checked. Those screencaps are from the VHS.

How did you find out about the switching of the lower receiver if you don't mind me asking? Did you ( do you still) have contact with the production people?

No, I haven't talked to the production people. All my research has been done from hi res photos. Early preproduction photos of Han's blaster clearly show it was built from a clean lower (no holes). The "mystery disc" only shows up in later pics. It seems to be a mark from a piece removed. The circle is slightly recessed (might just be paint thickness).
The Merr Sonn blasters have discs from where the Naked Runner mount was cut off (probably cut from the resin copies not the actual gun). They also have the same hammer as the Naked Runner gun, not the final Han blaster.

Although the FLAT bottom idea seems reasonable I don't think it is accurate. The idea that it would make it easier to "break down " is only applicable if the bull barrel actually came off. I have not seen the film. Did it come off in the film?

I think by break down people mean easier to slide the upper off.
No, the barrel did not come off in Naked Runner.
The flat also just looks better since it matches up with the gun body.

Also a quick Q about the Flash hider. I saw that on The Parts of Star Wars site a 1972 Fire Extinguisher Dispersion Nozzle as the flash hider. That fire extinguisher nozzle looks very much like the MG81 part. Do you have any more info on the nozzle? Anybody?

The Parts of Star Wars needs to be updated (I know, I know - it's been MANY years). I work nearly full-time on official Star Wars work and just don't have the time to work on the site.

That "fire extinguisher nozzle" pic came from an old member of the RPF who swore he found the correct prop part. It wasn't until years later that the MG81 hider was found and we knew he was lying. I have no idea of the actual origins of that pic. It could be a war relic found on a battlefield, but he swore it came from a pile of old extinguisher parts from a fire house.

 

[Dann]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Barrel Discussion

I agree with everything kpax has said.

I don't quite understand what you mean by having the flat in the barrel that the upper would slide off easier. Doesn't the upper slide forward (toward the muzzle) when you take the gun down? What would be the reason to have the flat at the "bottom of the barrel"? :lol

Anyway, I dunno, I'm not convinced either way 100% about the flat, but it looks round to me at the moment, always has.

 

[kurtyboy]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Barrel Discussion

Pretty sure they slide back. The MGC does anyway. Pretty much like most hand guns.

I agree with everything kpax has said.

I don't quite understand what you mean by having the flat in the barrel that the upper would slide off easier. Doesn't the upper slide forward (toward the muzzle) when you take the gun down? What would be the reason to have the flat at the "bottom of the barrel"? :lol

Anyway, I dunno, I'm not convinced either way 100% about the flat, but it looks round to me at the moment, always has.

 

[kpax]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Barrel Discussion

If the upper receiver slid off to the rear it would be important the barrel did'nt stick below the frame.

See below and link for break down info.

The Mauser model 1896 Broomhandle Pistol

quote:
[SIZE=-1]Cock the hammer and lift the lock frame stop lever (take down latch) upwards. Slide the receiver foreward, it should be toward the barrel, slowly, as the lock frame may pop loose from the bolt locking block. If the locking frame does not pop loose then firmly pull the lock frame downward and away from the the barrel.
[/SIZE]

Unless it's a different model this seems correct. The upper slides Forward so no "need" for the flat.

BUT... you never know.

Great info from Chris. Thanks for the explanations!

I think we have now proven that there could be a flat... but my depiction of the cross section of the barrel and receiver/bore lay out shows it could be done without a flat.

Glad that's settled.
One more thing to consider:

All depends on the actual position of the bore.
The search goes on.

 

[kpax]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Barrel Discussion

Just for reference.

A lot of variation in Mausers from what I have seen.

 

[kpax]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Barrel Discussion

Pretty sure they slide back. The MGC does anyway. Pretty much like most hand guns.

Hi Kurtyboy,

Most autoloaders like the 1911 and Glock disassemble with the slides moving to the front after removing or unlocking the slide pin.

1911
YouTube - ‪1911 Takedown Video 1‬‏

Glock:
YouTube - ‪Glock Disassembly / Field Strip‬‏


The Mauser does not use a slide per se, it uses an internal bolt assembly similar to a Ruger Mark 2.

Ruger:
YouTube - ‪Ruger MK II & III Disassembly/Reassembly EASY (part 1 of 2)‬‏

BUT as Kurtyboy said, the c96 upper receiver does indeed disassemble to the rear!

I found this:
Mauser:
YouTube - ‪C96 disassembly and reassembly‬‏


So the first link I posted with disassembly instructions is incorrect information or just written poorly.

Seeing is believing.. .except in still shots and bad angles, or over exposures or anything to do with props and movies.

Still doesn't help answer the flat barrel question, can still work either way.

Is this question analogous to the Flat Earth vs round Earth question?

Maybe we should try to answer that one, ...Easier I think.

 

[kurtyboy]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Barrel Discussion

Sorry for my ignorance with guns but we just don't have 'em here!

I just know that you can slide the upper receiver back on the Mauser which cocks the hammer back, and I can do the same on a replica 1911 I have. :$

Hi Kurtyboy,

Most autoloaders like the 1911 and Glock disassemble with the slides moving to the front after removing or unlocking the slide pin.

1911
YouTube - ‪1911 Takedown Video 1‬‏

Glock:
YouTube - ‪Glock Disassembly / Field Strip‬‏


The Mauser does not use a slide per se, it uses an internal bolt assembly similar to a Ruger Mark 2.

Ruger:
YouTube - ‪Ruger MK II & III Disassembly/Reassembly EASY (part 1 of 2)‬‏

BUT as Kurtyboy said, the c96 upper receiver does indeed disassemble to the rear!

I found this:
Mauser:
YouTube - ‪C96 disassembly and reassembly‬‏


So the first link I posted with disassembly instructions is incorrect information or just written poorly.

Seeing is believing.. .except in still shots and bad angles, or over exposures or anything to do with props and movies.

Still doesn't help answer the flat barrel question, can still work either way.

Is this question analogous to the Flat Earth vs round Earth question?

Maybe we should try to answer that one, ...Easier I think.

 

[kpax]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Barrel Discussion

Hi Kurtyboy,

Sorry if my reply sounded offensive, wasn't trying to jab at you at all. Just answering.

The Slides and or bolts do pull back to "rack" the hammer.

And you were correct about the Mauser receiver being disassembled to the rear. Have a look at the videos. Pretty cool.

 

[wuher da brewer]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Barrel Discussion

I've disassembled the MGC a dozen times in the last week or so, it's very cool it breaks down in the exact same manner as the real Mauser broomhandle. I even built my GK MGC disassembled so I knew I could get it to reassemble and disassemble any time I want.

I'm leaning towards flat milled based on the reasoning behind disassembly/reassembly and the pictorial evidence.

Are we here to discuss any other aspects of the blaster like the barrel greeblies in evidence in the second and fifth pictures in post 1? Or has that all been well sorted? Maybe a refresher for those of us who enjoy talking blasters.