Wild Wild west/Taxi Driver gun device

[ryans63]

This is a bit off topic but I’ve always had wicked good luck/help on here and that is why I ask on here, plus who else would I talk to about it anyway, besides movie prop guys. Does anyone remember the device that was in the old Wild Wild West tv show and in the movie Taxi Driver that was mounted on the forearm covered up by a shirt/jacket, that when triggered it would spring forward and put a gun right in your hand? It is also used in a lot of other movies also. I always thought it was cool as hell and would be a wicked fun/conversation piece. I've seen it called a "sleeve Gun" but can't find any information on it using sleeve gun as a keyword? Maybe called something else? I always wanted to make one a a novelty piece but can’t work out the “trigger” for it too spring forward. It is “triggered” by moving your hand in a certain direction but I can’t figure out how to make it triggered like that because it would accidentally pop out when you didn’t want too because you moved your hand so that would never work or if you did it that way you could never move your hand in that certain way which would limit you ability on how you can move. Anyone have any ideas on how to make this device, the whole device not just the trigger, or if you have any ideas on just how to make the trigger? Anyone already make it? Its not illegal to make or own it either because if you don't have a permit to carry a weapon its illegal to carry one at all. If you have a permit you could wear it because it doesn't matter if your gun is concealed by it or a holster, no permit its always illegal to carry but with a permit a concealed gun is a concealed gun so it wouldnt be illegal. Here is a picture of it I found, but it isn't practical at all because you can see it is triggered by moving you hand down, which would either limit your movement, meaning never move your hand down unless you wanted to trigger it, or you would be triggering it accidentally all the time, which is a problem.

 

[RKBABob]

If you start making these, I want to put in an order for 2 of them!

In the movies it always seemed to pop out a gun when the character willed it to do so. If your powers of phychokinesis aren't quite up to that level, you'll need a release catch.

Here's how it works in real life: That lever sticking out of the rear of the device, near the elbow, is the trigger. The forward part, sticking out near the person's hand, is slid rearward to 'cock' the device. If you look closely you'll see that there is a little hole or impression in the forward sliding part (near the two screws)... the trigger (elbow lever) hooks into this hole.

The slender black things on either side of the main body are "bungie" cord elastic. They are attached to brass studs in the rear, looped over tiny little pulleys in the front, and finally attached to brass studs on the forward slide. Pulling the slide rearward to cock the device stretched the bungies in two directions. The force at which the gun will propel forward can be adjusted by changing out the bungies.

When you want your gun, just press or strike your elbow into your side. The latch will release, the bungies will rapidly contract, and the slide will shoot forward, presenting the gun right at the area of your hand.


I'm not an engineer... I just play one on the internet!

 

[jefnvk]

Looks uncomfortable.

 

[RKBABob]

This was originally made by a special effects guy by the name of Jim Smyth. I looked online, and saw his name mentioned in a number of forums. Apparently he made replicas of the sleeve gun, and sold them at his website a while back. Recently, however, members of those forums have been complaining that this guy is nowhere to be found... even people who corresponded with him regularly have been unable to contact him. He apparently has vanished from the face of the earth.

 

[george29]

Looks really comfortable and practical if you are a professional gambler that needs to shoot people for cheating.

 

[grimjaw]

Leaving aside the legal issues for a moment, a couple of problems I see.

- As previously noted, the trigger for such a device will limit arm movement. So carrying this all day doesn't seem practical. It seems to be purpose-built to deploy the gun after a short time.
- I don't see how the long protrusion into the palm is going to let you get a proper grip on the handle of the handgun, unless it somehow retracts afterwards.

If the goal was just to carry concealed, there are more convenient, and probably less expensive, ways to do it. If you just wanted to have a very small gun easy to get to, seems like you'd be better off practicing sleight of hand with a Baby Browning.

Thanks for sharing the picture and idea.

jm

 

[RKBABob]

grmjaw said: - I don't see how the long protrusion into the palm is going to let you get a proper grip on the handle of the handgun, unless it somehow retracts afterwards.

No, it doesn't retract. In fact, the grip is clamped between two metal straps/plates at the end of the arm. Perhaps a version just for Glocks could be made to plug into the little hollow area behind the mag well, otherwise a minor modification of your normal grip would definately be in order. It probably wouldn't be as bad as those "pocket slipper" lasers for the pocket autos, though... I don't know how anyone can use those.

 

[foghornl]

I always thought it was waaaayyy cool when "Jim West" could pop that derringer into his hand...then most often used it to launch a hook into a wall accross the way that that he could 'slide' to safety on a cable/pulley thingy.

If you could make something like that yeah, way cool, but I don't see it as an 'every day' kind of accessory.

Although, at a traffic stop, and the LEO wants you to show him your CCW piece...EEEEEEK! ! ! !

 

[Prince Yamato]

Wouldn't the whole device be considered a retractable stock by the ATF and thus the "pistol" be an unregistered AOW?

 

[RKBABob]

Wouldn't the whole device be considered a retractable stock by the ATF and thus the "pistol" be an unregistered AOW?

OK... I will not be building a prototype in my basement! I thought of it as a kind of tether... but who knows what Unkle Satan would think?

 

[george29]

Wouldn't the whole device be considered a retractable stock by the ATF and thus the "pistol" be an unregistered AOW?

Yikes, never would have thought of that!

 

[CZ223]

I can't remember the name of the Movie

but I seemtoremember one of theses devices majically producing a COP Derringer. I believe the actor was Lou Diamond Philips but for the life of me I cannot remeber the film. I REALY wish I had bought a COP when I had the chance to. Aside from being very cool they are worth about 3 or 4 times what I could have bought one for 15 years ago.

 

[1911Tuner]

I REALY wish I had bought a COP when I had the chance to.

Ever shot one? Imagine a too-small grip,and a gritty 25-pound trigger.
That's about as close as I can get to a description...Except that gawdawful fireball if ya shoot .357 Mag ammo in it. It'd probably set both parties on fire...

 

[Prince Yamato]

Actually, let me correct myself; it would probably be an SBR.

 

[ewb45acp]

I always thought the best demonstration of this device was in the movie "The Adventures of Ford Fairlane" starring Andrew (dice man) Clay.
In a crowded nightclub, confronted by superior numbers, our hero took a traditional tough guy stance, made some witty comment, and with a flick of his wrist a snubby .38 sprang from his shirt sleeve and went bouncing across the dance floor.

 

[Bezoar]

a few drawbacks, to many ways for it to malfunction and hang up in your shirt sleeve. The only way gimmicks like that survived the year 1900 is through hollywood.

 

[zoom6zoom]

He apparently has vanished from the face of the earth.

Or maybe he's just stuck up someone's sleeve, and he'll pop out at the right time.

 

[damien]

Rally Vincent had one in the Gunsmith Cats animation also.

 

[PaladinX13]

If we're citing movies... Desperado and Equilibrium... the latter taking it one step further and including sleeve-mounted reloads!


(Couldn't find an animation from the movie but a fan-made recreation)

I think it's a mistake to go with a "hard" spring activated rig... I've seen some very plausible "soft" rigs which I'll describe when I have time.

 

[CleverNickname]

Actually, let me correct myself; it would probably be an SBR.

I don't think so, as the wording in the law for defining a rifle says:

"The term 'rifle' means a weapon designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder and designed or redesigned and made or remade to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed cartridge to fire only a single projectile through a rifled bore for each single pull of the trigger, and shall include any such weapon which may be readily restored to fire a fixed cartridge."

It doesn't say "stock" anywhere in that section, but instead says "intended to be fired from the shoulder", which only implies a shoulder stock, not any other sort of stock which is not designed to be fired from the shoulder.

I'll agree that the whole spring-loaded arm contraption is a stupid gimmick though.

 

[Prince Yamato]

I don't think so, as the wording in the law for defining a rifle says:

"The term 'rifle' means a weapon designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder and designed or redesigned and made or remade to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed cartridge to fire only a single projectile through a rifled bore for each single pull of the trigger, and shall include any such weapon which may be readily restored to fire a fixed cartridge."

Probably an AOW then... best not to second guess myself... I guess... .

I'd hedge my bets on it being an NFA item like the Kel-Tec pocket holsters that have a hole cut so that you can shoot the gun in the holster.

 

[BuntlineSpecial]

I think the device used in the fourth Aliens movie might also be worth a look, it seemed to be hydraulic in nature, in that when the actor extended his arms, the pistols seemed to move with him.
Don't know if it would be considered a "stock" or AOW by the Fed, but if it does turn out to be legal, it would be a fun thing to play with. Put me down for one! Might work well of the extending arm were cast to take the place of a grip pannel on a small automatic, or a J-frame revolver, to give a couple examples, or the plug in a Glock pocket rocket.

 

[MASTEROFMALICE]

Were I to design something like that I would actually rather develop a two or three shot deisgn that mounts to the BACK of my forearm. Trigger actuation could be a button-type.

Aiming wouldn't be Olympic-level but something like that doesn't have to be. It could easily be concealed and out of the way.

The two biggest problems would be keeping your hand down so you don't put holes through it and muzzling EVERYTHING you point at all day. If you were to make it in 9mm or so the recoil wouldn't be bad at all.

If anyone here bowhunts the design could be like the forearm protectors we wear, only on the other side of the forearm. It'd be a great hidden weapon, no criminal would ever see it coming.

 

[SkaerE]

well ****, while you guys are busy building these someone make me up a set of these babies from predator.

 

[REOIV]

The one from Taxi Driver was made from a rail off of the side of a drawer. The rail was strapped to his arm and the wheels that go along it were used to make the gun come forward.

And it deployed by shaking your arm downward or forward hard enough to make the wheels unhook and slide forward. There was no spring to it, and the gun was latched to the carrier on wheels.

It is quite easy to make once you watch how Travis Bickle builds it in the movie.

Problems with this sleeve gun:

You have to wear a HUGE sleeved coat or shirt.

Your arm movements have to be slow and steady lest you knock the wheels down the track, but you can raise your arm back upwards towards your shoulder and it will slip down and lock into place again if you feel it sliding. This works better than a spring gun as you have to reach all the way back into your sleeve to make the gun go back in place.

You have to practice with it a ton to get it right and move correctly.

This set up actually works better with knives but a gun will work nicely too.

The gun you are using has to be ground down and smoothed up to be snag free most likely low sights to no sights and no sharp edges to snag on things.

The cost is maybe 40 bucks for the whole gizmo.

What is needed:
Large long sleeved coat.
Small Gun/or fixed blade knife
Rail and wheels from a drawer or filing cabinet.
Leather/nylon straps and buckles to attach to your arm.
Rivets to attach the rail to the straps.
Some extra scrap metal and rivets/solder to attach the wheels to the gun holding rig and build the rig itself.
A garage or shop with a dremel, pliers and rivet tools.
Sand paper and grinding wheels to smooth and polish everything to make it less sharp and snag free.

Dent the rail to make a hitch for the wheels to stay caught on yet can 'jump' over given enough forward thrust. Another hitch at the front to catch the gun once it comes forward and keep it from flying out of your hand.