QMx Mal gun preview
- Thread starter moffeaton
- Start date
SD Studios
Well-Known Member
We received the confirmed, finalized shipping costs from Fedex late yesterday afternoon and the overseas shipping prices and terms and conditions should be posted on the site and operational by mid-next week.
Don't worry, we will make sure that we have enough replicas for our international customers. If we have to, we will pull them from our wholesale allotment and hold them for you guys. We got your backs.
Alaska, Hawaii, and APO adresses are being worked on next. It is actually a lot more complicated that you might think.
With the discounted rates we have negotiated with Fedex, even with our shipping and handling fees and slight overhead markup, we are still quite a bit less than the "straight" Fedex rates. That's a good thing...
About the Mal pistol: No...there are no "operational" features. We wanted to spend the money on making it look beautiful (with a real metal finish) and have a nice, substantial "heft" (about 2 1/2 pounds). The hand-finished walnut grips were a huge part of the cost, and we wanted those more than a working trigger and/or hammer. Adding operational parts increased the cost and production time of the replicas substantially, and we felt that would put it out of the range of most customers. For the $249 price, the customer is getting a heck of a replica already.
We HAVE been working for MONTHS on obtaining a Mal signature edition, but getting the various agents and talent to work together and call us back has been excruciating. So, there is NO signature edition planned. If something miraculous happens, we will certainly inform everyone immediately.
Our replica is molded directly off a stunt pistol (which, we were told, was used 90% of the time that the gun was seen on-screen). The metal hero pistol was ONLY used when the gun absolutely HAD to be fired. (Due to the need to have a paid "gun wrangler" on set whenever the furing hero was being handled). The property master also told us that the heavy weight of the hero pistol kept pulling the costume holster down and Nathan Fillion kept banging it against various set pieces, which became pretty annoying. This was another reason why the hero was rarely used on-set.
This and other cool factoids will be seen in our video interviews to be featured on our website soon.
Stay tuned.
Don't worry, we will make sure that we have enough replicas for our international customers. If we have to, we will pull them from our wholesale allotment and hold them for you guys. We got your backs.
Alaska, Hawaii, and APO adresses are being worked on next. It is actually a lot more complicated that you might think.
With the discounted rates we have negotiated with Fedex, even with our shipping and handling fees and slight overhead markup, we are still quite a bit less than the "straight" Fedex rates. That's a good thing...
About the Mal pistol: No...there are no "operational" features. We wanted to spend the money on making it look beautiful (with a real metal finish) and have a nice, substantial "heft" (about 2 1/2 pounds). The hand-finished walnut grips were a huge part of the cost, and we wanted those more than a working trigger and/or hammer. Adding operational parts increased the cost and production time of the replicas substantially, and we felt that would put it out of the range of most customers. For the $249 price, the customer is getting a heck of a replica already.
We HAVE been working for MONTHS on obtaining a Mal signature edition, but getting the various agents and talent to work together and call us back has been excruciating. So, there is NO signature edition planned. If something miraculous happens, we will certainly inform everyone immediately.
Our replica is molded directly off a stunt pistol (which, we were told, was used 90% of the time that the gun was seen on-screen). The metal hero pistol was ONLY used when the gun absolutely HAD to be fired. (Due to the need to have a paid "gun wrangler" on set whenever the furing hero was being handled). The property master also told us that the heavy weight of the hero pistol kept pulling the costume holster down and Nathan Fillion kept banging it against various set pieces, which became pretty annoying. This was another reason why the hero was rarely used on-set.
This and other cool factoids will be seen in our video interviews to be featured on our website soon.
Stay tuned.
I am really looking forward to this piece. To finally get a prop replica from Serenity is just awesome. I usually don't go for the non-functional pieces (trigger/hammer), but this will be an exception.
I'm also looking forward to all of the behind the scenes info you guys will have on your website. That's the stuff that really interests me the most. Sometimes more than the props themselves.
Anyway, good luck with QMx, keep up the good work, and just remember not to pull an MR and promise continuing website updates, and then never do them...
I'm also looking forward to all of the behind the scenes info you guys will have on your website. That's the stuff that really interests me the most. Sometimes more than the props themselves.
Anyway, good luck with QMx, keep up the good work, and just remember not to pull an MR and promise continuing website updates, and then never do them...
DrStranglove
Sr Member
I dont know anything about this but it seems to me that a working trigger would not have been too hard to do.
That said, its a pretty cool site..
That said, its a pretty cool site..
DuneMuadDib
Sr Member
<div class='quotetop'>(DrStranglove @ Oct 1 2006, 01:34 PM) [snapback]1330040[/snapback]</div>
It would have had to be a three piece mold for the gun instead of a one piece mold (not counting the wood grips). That in itself significantly adds to construction time and cost.
It would have had to be a three piece mold for the gun instead of a one piece mold (not counting the wood grips). That in itself significantly adds to construction time and cost.
Gman666
Well-Known Member
<div class='quotetop'>(DuneMuadDib @ Oct 1 2006, 04:10 PM) [snapback]1330055[/snapback]</div>
It would have had to be a three piece mold for the gun instead of a one piece mold (not counting the wood grips). That in itself significantly adds to construction time and cost.
[/b][/quote]
Significantly adds to the time and cost. I know when we quote products every little extra adds up. What turned from a simple one piece now has additional suppliers for hardware, shipping/logistics, stores space, conveyance, and added labor to name a few. A working trigger would have been nice but totally understandable why not. Not snapping at you Doc just trying to show where the added costs would come from.
Greg
Very cool and I like the take you are showing with the new company. There will always be naysayers but I say great job. Buffy items coming?
It would have had to be a three piece mold for the gun instead of a one piece mold (not counting the wood grips). That in itself significantly adds to construction time and cost.
[/b][/quote]
Significantly adds to the time and cost. I know when we quote products every little extra adds up. What turned from a simple one piece now has additional suppliers for hardware, shipping/logistics, stores space, conveyance, and added labor to name a few. A working trigger would have been nice but totally understandable why not. Not snapping at you Doc just trying to show where the added costs would come from.
Greg
Very cool and I like the take you are showing with the new company. There will always be naysayers but I say great job. Buffy items coming?
DrStranglove
Sr Member
Thanks guys.
A working trigger and removeable mag would have been nice....REALLY NICE.
The hammer on Mal's gun doesn't move anyway.
Either way, I'm excited to get it. Hopefully, someone will get the rights to the Firefly version of Mal's pistol soon, and release that one as well. It was far better looking IMHO with the extra scrolling on the magazine, and the darker finish.
The hammer on Mal's gun doesn't move anyway.
Either way, I'm excited to get it. Hopefully, someone will get the rights to the Firefly version of Mal's pistol soon, and release that one as well. It was far better looking IMHO with the extra scrolling on the magazine, and the darker finish.
Don't count on anyone getting the Firefly license. Fox don't want to give it out. (QMX tried if I recall correctly.) Not enough potential profit to engage their legal department on it. So unless, a crazy billionair Firefly fan buys the network... it will not happen.
<div class='quotetop'>(joatrash @ Oct 3 2006, 06:06 PM) [snapback]1331385[/snapback]</div>
Crazy billionaire?. Damn, where's Ross Perot when we REALLY need him...
Crazy billionaire?. Damn, where's Ross Perot when we REALLY need him...
Noeland
Master Member
I gotta say, I like them both for different reasons. They sort of fit the stories they are in. The series was more stylistic, more of a western, and the series gun looks more like a western gun to me.
The Serenity gun is sleeker, more streamlined, and more "to the point" (quoting Joss in the commentary saying the film had to "get to the point") The film design is more scif-fi looking, less westernish. I think Serenity felt much more like a sci-fi film than a western set in space.
Steve had mentioned in the audio interview that they cast the magazine for him on the spot, is this component going to be made available? I think it would look cool sitting next to the gun in a display case.
NJc----------------------
The Serenity gun is sleeker, more streamlined, and more "to the point" (quoting Joss in the commentary saying the film had to "get to the point") The film design is more scif-fi looking, less westernish. I think Serenity felt much more like a sci-fi film than a western set in space.
Steve had mentioned in the audio interview that they cast the magazine for him on the spot, is this component going to be made available? I think it would look cool sitting next to the gun in a display case.
NJc----------------------
I just want to thank you guys at QMX for doing this. It looks wonderful, and I hope to be one of the 1500 to get my hands on this. I am more a fan of the Firefly version, but this one is growing on me bit by bit...besides, it's a copy of Mal's gun...what else could be better.
Thank you guys again for doing this.
Tristan
Thank you guys again for doing this.
Tristan
tonkatroopa
New Member
International ordering still not available?
Hey QMX guys,
How 'bout an update on the international shipping thing? I'm already paid up for US shipping but I need to know the difference to Sweden so that I can pay up in full. I've been trying to contact you like crazy and I know you're really busy with the startup and all but I need to know what my "prop budget" is going to look like in the next couple of months.
Thanks.
/Joe F
<div class='quotetop'>(tonkatroopa @ Oct 4 2006, 09:23 PM) [snapback]1331962[/snapback]</div>
How 'bout an update on the international shipping thing? I'm already paid up for US shipping but I need to know the difference to Sweden so that I can pay up in full. I've been trying to contact you like crazy and I know you're really busy with the startup and all but I need to know what my "prop budget" is going to look like in the next couple of months.
Thanks.
/Joe F
<div class='quotetop'>(tonkatroopa @ Oct 4 2006, 09:23 PM) [snapback]1331962[/snapback]</div>
imaginager
Sr Member
I'm in the United States and submitted a question to the QMx customer service form online. They responded quite quickly and I thought I'd share the information I got about the Serenity Money Packs and the Mal Pistol.
---------------
The money packs were printed last week and are being collated and assembled right now. They will be sent to our fulfillment center is South SF in about a week or so.
It will take a few days from there to get all of the orders processed and shipped.
And then two days for Fedex to deliver. (via Fedex two-day delivery ;-)
So, not much longer...
The Mal pistols are in production and the first wave is now scheduled to start shipping in mid- to late-Dec. We made some in-process improvements to the replicas (added several machined metal detail parts in place of parts that were previously designed as cast-resin) and that delayed them a bit and also added some production cost (which we are absorbing), but we think they will be a lot better now...
-----------------
Sounds like the Mal pistols are going to be really purty.
---------------
The money packs were printed last week and are being collated and assembled right now. They will be sent to our fulfillment center is South SF in about a week or so.
It will take a few days from there to get all of the orders processed and shipped.
And then two days for Fedex to deliver. (via Fedex two-day delivery ;-)
So, not much longer...
The Mal pistols are in production and the first wave is now scheduled to start shipping in mid- to late-Dec. We made some in-process improvements to the replicas (added several machined metal detail parts in place of parts that were previously designed as cast-resin) and that delayed them a bit and also added some production cost (which we are absorbing), but we think they will be a lot better now...
-----------------
Sounds like the Mal pistols are going to be really purty.
Are the money packs still available?
I placed my order, paid with paypal, then the next day, paypal refunded my money. :unsure
I placed my order, paid with paypal, then the next day, paypal refunded my money. :unsure
"Mind you, the only difference between the two guns is the colour and the shape of the magazine. If I recall correctly, the gun from the series was altered into the gun from the movie."
Actually there are more differences in the screws, and the gun has different details on the right side. We'll talk more about this, and the interviews we conducted with the prop people, when the website expands. Look for all this stuff to hit the QMx site after the holidays.
Actually there are more differences in the screws, and the gun has different details on the right side. We'll talk more about this, and the interviews we conducted with the prop people, when the website expands. Look for all this stuff to hit the QMx site after the holidays.
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