Galaxy of Terror Pistol - Found !

Harada357

Sr Member
RPF PREMIUM MEMBER
After YEARS of searching and researching - hours spent try to screen cap - enhance and guesstimate Size shape and features - one of the actual complete pistols from Galaxy of Terror showed up for auction. The price is already out of my range to bid. I would pay $ 3K for it - but I would be sleeping in the dog house. I loved the design and all the props from the B-Movie Roger Corman - Skotek Brothers film, The story was little cheezy but the visuals rocked.

I built one version in 1983. I built a better one in 1991. In 2016 I finally get to see where I had gone wrong. Since I can't afford the original - I will build this one someday.

AUCTION: https://www.screenused.com/?sectionID=item-detail&subsectionID=index.cfm&item_id=20078

Youtube video of the complete movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9Ogzl5kubY

I did not know anything still existed.

I have posted this thread for FYI and have no affiliation with the auction - owner - or any other reason except to provide info for those who might be interested in the fate of the prop. I have dreamed and searched for thirty five years for this prop. I was not sure where to post this thread on the RPF. A thread about a real prop I wished I owned. (Mods where does that fall on the RPF? )
 

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The prop was made by a friend od mine...Bob Short, who has probably the largest collection of original The Man From U.N.C.L.E. props. --Ed

Bob Short is Brilliant. I would love to see him post pics and stories about the making of Galaxy of Terror props! Bob please tell the story !! I am tempted to bid the max of my budget - but My wife would kill me. Kill Me. I wanted that thing for thirty five years.
 
Well, I tried to pick the prop up. Posted my nighest possible bid for budget and was immediately outbid. I tried during the auction to convince my wife I really wanted this prop and 3K with a payment plan would be doable - She said that I had to factor in the legal cost of a divorce if I placed that bid. I had to consider 21yrs of marriage vs one of the Original Galaxy of Terror weapons props. My wife said she would not have been happy - but would have adjusted to the thought of my first Bid. The second bid would be the END of life as we know it. I am sick that I missed it.
 
Getting that close to a "holy grail" prop and then losing it... wow, that must hurt a bit.

I'm ashamed to say that I still haven't had a chance to see Galaxy of Terror despite Corman's movies being inspiration for some of my favorite films. (Can I still keep my scifi geek membership?) It's one of those that "I really need to get to seeing" but just never get around to it. But I will!

What about having it modeled and 3d printed? Maybe that'd be tantamount to insult on a prop that was made with purely old-school methods, but I've been on a kick lately doing more obscure firearm props from movies like Split Second, Spacehunter, Trancers and so forth. This gun looks cool enough that I might like to have a go at it...
 
Man I am sick about missing this prop. I was hoping that maybe the number one bidder might not follow through (as they sometimes do not) then the auction might fall to the second highest bidder - Maybe me. But that is just wishful thinking. Had I known it existed and the price - I would have sold some of my collection to fund the purchase. I did not have time for that.

Having said that - I will have a go at a scratch build. Old school - blood sweat and tears. Since I want more than one - I will cast the main parts for duplicates and since I had a budget to buy - I might have the metal barrel custom machined. At least two kits. But it will NEVER be the original. I am in mourning.
 
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How much did this sell for? Is this known, since I don't really see this at the auction page? (Or did I miss it?)
 
I am not an expert on this prop, but I can say without a doubt that I see the receiver and barrel nut of a .22 cal. AR-7 Explorer Survival Rifle at it's core.

Very good catch! (I know zero about AR-7s but after looking them up it's pretty clear that you're dead-on correct.) Been a while since the RPF had a proper (i.e. not too easy) old-school parts search. Groovy. : )
 
Very good catch! (I know zero about AR-7s but after looking them up it's pretty clear that you're dead-on correct.) Been a while since the RPF had a proper (i.e. not too easy) old-school parts search. Groovy. : )

A survival rifle. Originally built by Armalite and then various other companies throughout the years. The rifle packs down and fits into the stock.

These are still made today, currently by Henry Rifles. And older models are not hard to find. So there is a realistic chance at acquiring the "found" make/model.

http://www.henryrifles.com/rifles/u-s-survival-ar-7/
 
Heard back from Bob Short yesterday. He confirmed the AR-7 as the base gun.

"The AR-7 was the easiest mechanism to adapt to this. Inspired by Matt Helm and James Bond I guess.. You can confirm that info on the site.
Also if you can get contact info for that guy it would be a good thing……..just in case I turn up anything of interest.Thanks, Bob"
 
I know this thread is Seven years old - but this is the best update ever. OMG - I finally obtained the unobtainable. !!!! So after Seven years - I finally bought one of the original props from Heritage at the Greg Jein Auction 10-7-2023. Finally - my GRAIL prop. This was a screen cap of the listing before the live bid. It arrived Saturday. Someone dropped it and smashed the the barrel over the years. But not a hard fix. It is resin with a wire metal core. It is heavier than it looks. It was made sometime in 1980. it is great shape for 43yrs old. And it is built on an AR-7 core base. Looks like wooden and polystyrene original construction. Kind of an ANIME crossed with a Star Wars Blaster. Bob Short was brilliant with the original build and look. I guess sometime over the years Greg Jein bought this or obtained it for his personal collection. I could not be happier.
Screenshot 2023-10-04 184125.jpg
 

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Congratulations. I've always been fond of Galaxy of Terror. Despite the budget I thought they did a great job creating the world, and the cast was very entertaining. I read somewhere that James Cameron was in charge of the art direction, and Bill Paxton worked on the film as a carpenter.
 

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