Mal Reynold's Pistol - What's available?

[tcsmit29]

Hi everyone. I would like a good quality replica of Mal Reynold's pistol. My problem is nothing seems to be available anymore. I searched the forum and found lots of older threads, but I would like to know what is available currently.

I know that QMX made a good metal version. Sold out no longer available.

I found reference to a member here who offered a resin version. Philipes or something like that. Not sure of correct spelling. Have seen it spelled many ways in threads. That thread was from 2006. Not sure if he is active here still or if he still offers these.

I found a kit on Ebay. Price was good. Any reviews? Is this a decent kit or should I stay away.

Will someone please give me a run down on what options are out there now?

I am going to Dragoncon next weekend so I plan on scrounging the dealer tables there. Help!!?!

 

[Stuntman Mike]

Hi everyone. I would like a good quality replica of Mal Reynold's pistol. My problem is nothing seems to be available anymore. I searched the forum and found lots of older threads, but I would like to know what is available currently.

I know that QMX made a good metal version. Sold out no longer available.

I found reference to a member here who offered a resin version. Philipes or something like that. Not sure of correct spelling. Have seen it spelled many ways in threads. That thread was from 2006. Not sure if he is active here still or if he still offers these.

I found a kit on Ebay. Price was good. Any reviews? Is this a decent kit or should I stay away.

Will someone please give me a run down on what options are out there now?

I am going to Dragoncon next weekend so I plan on scrounging the dealer tables there. Help!!?!

Unless I am missing something, QMx has yet to offer a metal Mal pistol. They currently still sell a resin stunt version of Mal's pistol from Serenity.

Unfortunately I don't know of anyone else offering any resin or metal versions currently, but hopefully the folks here can point you in the right direction.

 

[tcsmit29]

Unless I am missing something, QMx has yet to offer a metal Mal pistol. They currently still sell a resin stunt version of Mal's pistol from Serenity.

Ok, I must have misunderstood in the thread that I was reading. I thought there was a metal one available for about $250 and a resin one in the $150 range. Maybe it was only the resin one. There website definitely shows that they are sold out now. Thanks!

 

[Too Much Garlic]

They originally planned a metal version, iirc... but that never happened.

When you get access to the junkyard, you may be able to find what you are looking for there.

 

[CeSquared]

I am definitely not the foremost expert on this, but I've got a 47a coming and it's going to be the Mal pistol of all Mal pistols as far as I'm concerned. NOT cheap by any means but as nice as they are going to come.

http://www.therpf.com/f9/47a-firefly-mals-pistol-90611/

 

[robstyle]

The 47A was a very limited run thats been completed, done and done. There was a Model 47 a good time before that which is also done and done. The Captain himself owns one.

The Phil casting was from the original tv series mold done in white resin.

The other metal version your talking of is probly the pot metal SidKit.

QMX has licensed Mal Serenity movie resin pistols, pretty cost effective.


Here is my painted Phil casting.

 

[Goodwolf]

I am definitely not the foremost expert on this, but I've got a 47a coming and it's going to be the Mal pistol of all Mal pistols as far as I'm concerned. NOT cheap by any means but as nice as they are going to come.

http://www.therpf.com/f9/47a-firefly-mals-pistol-90611/

It's also worth noting that the run is closed.

You can sometimes find a pretty decent kit by Sidkit. Try searching for Sidkit to see what I mean, but even those are getting hard to find since Siderio passed away.

Also, QMx has the Firefly license now in addition to the Serenity license, so it's not entirely out of the question that they will do a metal repro at some point.

Edit to add: I see Rob is slightly quicker than I...

 

[pennausamike]

I have some info on Mal pistols in my Firefly weapons thread here:
SerenityMovie.net :: View topic - Firefly/Serenity Weapons Collection

From page two:

Mal pistols:
These are the three of the many available Mal pistols.

I owned two of the resin models cast from the original Firefly screen-used versions.
These were the phillipes version.
The gold/brass replica is the officially licensed QMx version cast from the Serenity movie version.
If you liked this Mal pistol, which was considerably different from the Firefly version, this is the way to go.
Quantum Mechanix
I would also note that support for officially licensed products is one measure of the viability of the Firefly/Serenity franchise.
Just sayin'....
The disassembled metal Mal pistol is the Sidkit version from Italy.
sidkit.com
I modified the barrel holding method with a shoulder bolt coming into the back of the barrel for support.
This method also gives me the means to have a dummy operating mechanism seen in the magazine well
when the clip is removed.
I also bought two sets of wood grips for my Mal pistols;
one set for the metal Mal and one set for one of the resin Firefly Mal's.
The only disappointment is that the wood used was oak,
which has a very different grain pattern than the walnut that was originally used.
I have the walnut grips, now.

Of the Mal pistols I don't own, the Arsenal Models/Coolmodels version is the WORST!

Badly proportioned, undersized and grossly inaccurate;
I recommend avoiding this version at all cost.

Wilco Models offers a Mal pistol kit made of resin in three pieces.
This is a fan-made effort that isn't accurate in the details,
but captures the essence of the original.

At forty bucks and easy to assemble, it is a good value for the fan who isn't wrapped up in the props from Firefly/Serenity,
but who just wants a pistol for costuming or casual display.

The best was a brass recreation with a working trigger and removable magazine,
known as the Model 47, that went for about a coupla grand.
You won't be seeing that one in my collection!
Below is a picture of one that a lucky collector did acquire.

I think there was a non-functioning brass version made, but I can't say for sure.

And, as mentioned, the now complete run of the 47a.
Your only hope there is that someone who ordered the 47a is no longer interested in Firefly
in proportion to the $900-ish buy in price and they would be willing to sell.

I also have info on my sidkit build ups on page three.

Mike

 

[Nicksdad]

Mike, you are the man when it comes to Firefly stuff. I have a Sidkit that I had brass plated but haven't decided on the best way to age/finish it.

 

[gyoung2993]

I just got one from Monsters in Motion ordered ,it came in ,real clean white resin ,pretty clean and it looks great for 39.00 , I always wanted the real one ,but thats impossible ,the real replicas went for 750.00...... quite expensive but limited top quality ,no doubt.....havent started working on mine yet ,still running thru ideas......

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Monsters in Motion are notorious recasters. Just saying.

Though, it looks like they are just selling the Wilco kit.

 

[gyoung2993]

Monsters in Motion are notorious recasters. Just saying.

Though, it looks like they are just selling the Wilco kit.

I was not aware of that .....I always wanted a Mals pistol .....I seen some on Ebay and was not sure if those were ,so I chose to go the MIM route ,because you know some folks will sell recasts on their ,from some of the horror stories I have heard .....thanks for the info....I guess I will not be buying anymore from MIM....I assumed they were legit....I never try to get recasts for the reason ,they try to take credit for something another company makes ......Appreciate it thanks......

 

[pennausamike]

I just got one from Monsters in Motion ordered ,it came in ,real clean white resin ,pretty clean and it looks great for 39.00 ,
SNIP

I'd be curious to see a picture of the rough casting.
I don't follow the Firefly prop market like I used to,
but recently I saw what looked like recasts of the QMx pistols listed on eBay as "prototypes" for wildly varying prices (from the same seller).

Hopefully you didn't get a recast of the Coolmodels recast!

Mike

 

[tcsmit29]

Thanks for the summary with the pictures Pennausamike! Thanks to everyone else as well. It was the exact info I needed. I think I might start out with the Wilco kit and then progress from there. I will keep my eyes open for a used sidkit or QMX on the second hand market. The 47 and 47a are more than I would be willing to pay for a replica firearm. If it really fired, I might consider it. I may consider making my own. I have a friend with some metal working tools (mill, lathe, ect.). But for now, the Wilco will have to do. Thanks again!

 

[robstyle]

If I recall, the cost for a single production hero Mal gun was over $10,000, again, for one. Both the hero guns fell apart on a regular basis, clanged with loose fit parts, were a bear to reload and I know of at least one clip/magazine that is still somewhere in a river bed that just fell out while being handled.

Both guns were modified for durability, safety and ease of use for the film Serenity. It can now be opened, fully loaded, closed up, shoot all five rounds, reopened and unloaded in less than a minute. Its a safe bet to say an extra $10,000 was spent in this work.

For the amount of work, travel, people and cost involved, the price of either the 47 or 47A is a bargain in comparison

If your planning on trying to make a live fire replica, be safe. Ive seen things like that explode in a persons hand and its not pretty. Be safe.

 

[pennausamike]

SNIP
The Phil casting was from the original tv series mold done in white resin.
SNIP

Heyo Rob:

Question on the original film props:
I was under the impression that a cast resin stand-in or "stunt" pistol version
of the Mal pistols was never made and screen-used;
that only the two hero pistols were ever used on screen in both the series and the BDM Serenity.
Is that right?
Or are there original screen-used resin or hyperfirm stunt pistols out there somewhere?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[tcsmit29]

For the amount of work, travel, people and cost involved, the price of either the 47 or 47A is a bargain in comparison

If your planning on trying to make a live fire replica, be safe. Ive seen things like that explode in a persons hand and its not pretty. Be safe.

I am not trying to make a live fire replica, just a metal replica similar to the sidkit or 47. Not saying that the 47 or 47a isn't worth the money. I just couldn't spend that much in good conscience. For that price, I could have several real working firearms, although none of them would be a Mal.:cry

 

[robstyle]

tcsmit29,
Id love to keep up with the progress of that build, in brass, from scratch


Mike,
indeed molds were made of every Firefly hero side arm, Mal, Zoe and Jayne. The rubber Mal guns were painted like ****. I believe Nathan still has one. On set, they had a sort of gun ho attitude always wanting to handle/holster the real gun, until a few weeks or so into it. I doubt a rubber Mal stunt was ever seen out of the holster but its safe to say they warmed it often.

For the film,
same thing, BUT, you see the rubber guns more than you think.

 

[tcsmit29]

Ok Dragoncon is over. The only Mal Pistol I saw for sale there was the Arsenal models kit. It was pretty awful looking. I also see another thread here labeling them as recasters. So I am glad I didn't buy it. But then again it looked like crap so I wasn't going to buy it anyway.

 

[rawrtigerrawr]

ive been all over this site and im still having a hard time figuring out who i talk to to get help on my captain mal gun. it doesnʻt help that a lot of the threads are old and the replicas out here are either super rare or kinda crappy