Blade Runner Blaster Functionality?

NorthernIndie

NorthernIndie

Jr Member
I'm sure there are already a whole litany of Blade Runner Threads here, (41 pages or so in this section under the "Blade Runner" Search) but has anyone actually tried to figure out the functionality of the Blade Runner Blaster?

031010_rg_BladeRunGun_01.jpg
(Pictured, I believe is Adam Savage's, because I like his)

Neat as it is, and it's really bloody neat, it seems a little all over the place. A bolt? Two triggers? A revolver-style cylinder? Apparently there's a magazine in the bottom?

My mind thrives on functionality, and everything having a place and a purpose.




In my way of thinking, that bolt is to clear jams? But being a revolver of sorts, would it jam? I shouldn't think so.

The Steyr Mannlicher SL .222 gives it that double set trigger, which depressing the rear would make the forward a "hair trigger." There are other ways the double set works, one making it almost like a safety (pull set trigger, to pull firing trigger). The advent of there being two sources of ammunition could mean a secondary fire? If that is the case, what is that second ammunition? (first is undoubtedly the rounds in the cylinder. And the second, energy rounds?)



Secondly, I know a lot of people have made up their own designation and model number for this piece, but was there ever an official name for it?




Any help in these is greatly appreciated. :)
 
I never cared much about Blade Runner or this prop until a few months ago. Now I'm in love with both. I've been wondering about these same questions!
 
I always assumed the bolt action part was to insert special ammunition as replicants can be hard to put down, especially if you have to drop some military grade combat model designed to take some serious damage. So specialized ammunition has always been my conclusion. That's what I always tell people who ask when they see one of my blasters.

I'm not sure the blaster has ever had an 'official' designation. I know the 'PKD Special' has been adopted by a lot of people including myself as an unofficial name. Presumably a nod to Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep author Philip K. Dick. I guess it really is up to each individual persons imagination unless some official document comes out describing the complete functionality of the pistol.
 
I like the "Rail Gun" aspect of it, it also makes that magazine on the bottom a bit more like a battery pack, which also helps explain the LED for me. (Light = good charge. No light = get a new one).

Not sure about the ejectable heat sink, though.

And the opening left by the lifted bolt seems too small/awkward to insert any ammunition, at least of any size that would deal with a combat model with any effectiveness.

Some things to ponder.
 
I actually like the rail gun explanation as well, it actually makes more sense than my alternate ammunition theory.
 
Maybe the bolt does a manual rotation of the cylinder in the event that it's stuck? Helps with cleaning? Manual cooling? (though a six shot revolver shouldn't get hot enough to warrant this feature, magnetized or not)



Perhaps it's a charging handle? Rather, if you're out of spare battery packs, and your current one has no charge, a quick couple pumps on the "bolt" will create enough static (due to some hidden internal features) to continue the rail gun feature for a couple shots.

Yes, I think that is what I believe today. :p
 
Pretty much can make up whatever you want, it's mostly non-sensical.

My take, revolver portion is pretty much normal revolver action.
bolt action is for special rounds, singly side loaded, taser, energy beam, non lethal or who knows what fancy sci-fi stuff.
The magazine which can't feed anything houses electronics for a holographic sight projected by
those green LEDs. only the operator can see it.

Or... whatever you would like it to be.
 
CessnaDriver said:
Pretty much can make up whatever you want, it's mostly non-sensical.

My take, revolver portion is pretty much normal revolver action.
bolt action is for special rounds, singly side loaded, taser, energy beam, non lethal or who knows what fancy sci-fi stuff.
The magazine which can't feed anything houses electronics for a holographic sight projected by
those green LEDs. only the operator can see it.

Or... whatever you would like it to be.
Click to expand...

(y)thumbsup
 
After seeing the VR video, the Heat sink bit makes a little more sense, but now I know what I should have known all along, that the bolt controls that sunken bit further down the Mannlicher's barrel (duh).

But I'm still not sold on it, but given the opening, it could be for cleaning.


But my static charging handle idea is soooooo cool. But with the opening further down the top barrel, would that even work?




And while I realize that without "official" say-so, this is all up to us, I like hearing everyone's interpretation of things like this (those with no "official cannon" to speak of), and discuss accordingly until I've found what satisfies my need for function/implied history (where appropriate).
 
One of my friends has a 3D printer, and he said he's up for trying out making one (or a few) of these. I'll let you guys know how it turns out.
 
Nth said:
I know the 'PKD Special' has been adopted by a lot of people including myself as an unofficial name. Presumably a nod to Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep author Philip K. Dick.
Click to expand...
That moniker was first applied to the Blade Runner pistol by Rick Ross back in the mid to late 1990s when he produced his first resin garage kit of the gun - he dubbed it the "Pflager-Katsumata Series D" blaster, and yes, it was an homage to Philip K. Dick. After that, people just started referring to ALL versions of the Blade Runner blaster as the "PKD" :unsure
 
I always pictured the (now i don't know what most people call it) thing on the side, with the green LEDs at each end.... Sight Rod?

I imagined that as a laser sight, much like we have these days, but green (because green LEDs) while invisible, it puts a green dot on the target.


Upper Barrel being the standard ammunition revolver.
Lower Barrel some form of /Energy discharge shot (with the under barrel magazine pack charge changer)

Have no explanation for the Bolt....
 
Ditch the idea that the gun is both a revolver and a bolt action. It's only a revolver in a practical sense to make a live fire prop. In Deckard's world he was never shown reloading it like you would a revolver and in the 2049 film K fires it well more than 5 times without any pause for a reload. Likewise the Steyr bits. The bolt was never cycled and from what I read Ridley Scott just liked the look of it and on it went. The 2nd trigger is, in the gun world called a set trigger and is pulled to give the actual firing trigger a ridiculously light pull sort of like cocking the hammer on a double action handgun.

Edit:
About the "laser", I see it more as an occluded eye gunsight or OEG. It's an oldschool aiming technology before red dot sights but work more or less the same way. Basically you use both eyes and superimpose the green dot over the target. As to why there is also a green bulb up front is anyone's guess but I imagine it to be the function of the front sight and you actually see through the rear bulb so your perceived reticle when aiming is a green dot in the middle surrounded by a light green fuzz. Centering the dot in the fuzz gets you your zero.
 
Last edited:
I thought we see Deckard try to reload the revolver as such in his fight with Batty (with broken fingers, he doesn't manage this very well, or does so with great effort).

Regardless, the real prop retains the cylinder, so that's what I'll be going with.



I think that most of us know that it's just an interesting looking prop, kitbashed together from at least two guns and assorted other bits, but I find great fun in trying to figure out these things. (Like what that bordering nonsensical bolt is supposed to do).


Now, regarding 2049, I haven't seen it, so I can't try to explain K's firing of it, except that Hollywood has always taken liberties with the capacities of firearms. My favorite example of this is in the movie Tombstone, Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer) fires a double barreled shotgun three times before reloading. But as I said, I don't know how many times K fired the piece, so I don't know if my explanation covers it.
 
I don't think that was an attempt to reload in the scene after his fingers were dislocated but trying to pop his knuckles back in if not just assessing the damage done. Reloading the blaster as the live fire prop was made is actually relatively difficult as key elements of the revolver are removed. You can't push the cylinder out from the right because it's blocked so you have to pry it open all from the left. The ejector rod is cut so short to the point it can't actually be used so you need to poke spent cartridges out with a stick when the case has expanded or there's a little soot preventing the cases from falling out on their own.

Edit: K was in possession of the gun from picking it up so had no access to reloads except ones for his own blaster, assuming that even takes bullets.
 
Allegedly there was a scene shot which shows Deckard reloading during his fight with Batty, but it was cut and has never been shown at least to my knowledge. I would tend to agree with the rail-gun idea, answers a lot of questions; i.e. second trigger, upper receiver, lower ammo housing. Now, whether or not there's a revolver hiding under the side panels is something I think is up for debate.
 
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