Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons has just released his latest video, in which he examines the firearms used in the original Star Wars movie, released in 1977. They were based on real firearms, but embellished with add-on components and props to look more like science fiction weapons.
I found the presence of an OEG (occluded eye gunsight) particularly interesting, because this was originally developed in South Africa (a few years after Star Wars came out). I used one of the first models to be produced there, and found it intriguing. Basically, one doesn't look through the sight at all: it's a solid object that can't be seen through. One keeps both eyes open, so that with one eye one sees the target, and with the other the red dot image in the otherwise blank sight. One's brain superimposes the dot on the target, making it relatively easy to hit what one's aiming at.
I must admit, though, I prefer today's red dot sights, where I can see the target through the sight.
Peter
8 comments:
But recall, for the young'uns and Baby Ducks, that while the red dot is a great improvement over the OEG, the OEG was a vast improvement over closing one eye and using iron sights, because it forced you to shoot with both eyes open, and made right- or left-eye dominanace and which hand you shot with a complete non-issue compared to irons, while improving your situational awareness by 50%.
Evolutionary, not revolutionary, is ever the rule.
I still have an OEG around here somewhere, specifically for the Han Solo Broomhandle Mauser Project, when I get one of the non-shooting ones just for that.
Apropos of nothing, but but I just discovered that Aldi's is now carrying biltong, to the concept of which we (or at least I) were/was introduced in these pages. And at a not unreasonable price. I have tried the plain and the teriyaki. It's OK, but I prefer jerky. I s'pose it's just a matter of with what one is familiar.
Ian, aka "Gun Jesus", has a great channel on YouTube. And he's a mellow guy that doesn't curse, one should see the video on the Stoner 63 to see him get excited.
Personally, I'm holding out for a Reverberating Carbonizer with Mutate Capability. Hey, if unlicensed Cephalapods can have them, a Texican certainly should.
Tommy Lee Jones in "Men in Black"
I have the Calico M100P and R guns. Both types were used in Spaceballs.
Interesting video :-)
Maybe some enterprising company could start making replicas (in modern calibers) of some of the cool old-timey guns, using modern technology (CNC, MIM, metal 3D printing, etc.) to keep tooling costs down for short runs of intricate parts. Make money and protect the originals from mutilation!
Eric, as soon as the polymers are sturdy enough, gunnies will be able to print them out themselves.
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