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Mike Nichols
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The Mustang (very quickly renamed the Silver Mustang) was the second in the series for Nichols cap guns. It sported plastic grips and was a "break-down" model (you would open a special chamber that held the roll caps) and was also a success. To open the chamber you pushed a little white plastic square button on the left side of the gun and the gun would open.

The success of the Silver Mustang and its predecessor, the Silver Pony and its follower, the Silver Colt enabled the company to have the strength and foresight to be able to create the famous Stallion 45 Cap Gun.

The Silver Mustang was made in 1947 and sold for $ 1.50. This gun is quite scarce these days. With this Cap Gun, Nichols Industries really got on its feet and started major production. But they had no idea what was in store for them with the Stallion 45.




Notice how this Mustang doesn't have the jewel in the plastic grips?
This is one of the earliest models. Later they changed the grips.
Photo by Jamie Linford



Just for the fun of it (and I needed a big photo!) I decided to stick in this photo from our pal Don Raker.
(CLICK ON IT to see it bigger!)



And another larger picture of the Silver Mustang, but with the jeweled grips. You don't see the right side of the Cap Gun as often as you do the left side.
Many thanks to David Denton for this photo.



And here is the Silver Mustang with the red ruby in the grip. The concept of the ruby jewel was carried over into the Stallion 45, but that was the last Nichols Cap Gun that had one. Notice that the mustang on the grip has a rider on it.
CLICK ON BOX FOR MORE PHOTOS OF MY SILVER MUSTANG BOX
Photo by Jamie Linford

Well, here's as nice a version as you are likely to see. A Mustang (without the jewel-and notice that it doesn't say, "Silver Mustang" but only "Mustang") and it just happens to be...THE TEX TAN VERSION! Top that! Nichols was very friendly with Tex Tan in the very early days and was very happy to get somebody to sell their Cap Guns. Of course, when the big Stallion 45 hit the market, then everybody wanted a piece of the action.
CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO SEE ANOTHER VIEW OF THE BOX

Photo by Rick McQuiston

A photo showing the Mustang with black grips. Notice there is no jewel in this photo.
Thanks to Robert Nichols for this photo


You can see the Longhorn Steer on the right grip of the one with the black handle. My Aunt Ruth was a pottery enthusiast in those days and made the original molds for the Longhorn.


And here is the original mold made by my Aunt Ruth.
The grip beside the mold is a plastic Mustang grip showing the finished product for the Silver Mustang. This version had the jewel.
Photo by Robert Nichols


Break down of the Mustang so you can see where the caps went. This is the gun pictured above without the jewel.


A close-up of the cylinder and the name, "Mustang," showing the little white button you pushed to open the gun.

Photos by Jamie Linford



A close-up shot of the black grip without the jewel.

Photo by Robert Nichols

Here's a good close-up of the grips w/o the jewel. Click on this photo for an even bigger photo.

And the grips w/ the jewel. Click on this photo for an even bigger photo.

These photos by Rich Hall.


I bet you didn't know that the Mustang came with red grips. Probably Robert's influence. I have never seen one myself, nor with the green jewel either.
Photos by John Bracken

Good close up of the button.

See the jewel facets?






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