Lone Star Cap Gun Toys

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Mike Nichols
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The following is from Geoffrey Ambridge, whose dad was one of the co-founders and wrote me.

"Die Casting Machine Tools Ltd. (DCMT), as it became known, started out in 1939 as a business called: "Toys and Houseware" situated in two large, under street-level, lock-up garages beneath a petrol/gas filling station forecourt in Green Lanes, Palmers Green, north London. After a couple of changes of nondescript brand names before 1950/51, such as "Slikka Toys" and "DCMT", the founder Directors finally decided on the name "Lone Star Products" inspired by, and following the production of, their first 'Western' style cap pistol called the "Lone Star" introduced in 1949 and which bore interior "Slikka Toy" markings. This was the first of over 220 toy guns over a span of some 38 years, produced by "Lone Star", the Toy Division of DCMT, the latter being responsible solely for the manufacture, construction and sale of the die-casting machines, themselves, to other producers of zinc-alloy and plastic castings. The "Lone Star" company expanded to two additional factory premises in and around Hatfield, in south Hertfordshire, U.K.; the larger being at Hatfield, was brand-new, built 1955 and opened the following year, followed in 1959 by an older factory at Welham Green, about two miles south of Hatfield."

Sidney Ambridge c. 1940
One of the co-founders of Lone Star.
He is the father of Geoffrey Ambridge, whose bit on Lone Star appears above.

You can find out more about Lone Star by visiting
Geoff's fine website about Lone Star at:
http://www.lone-star-diecast-bk.com/

(The following are my words about Lone Star...) Die Casting Machine Tools Ltd. (formerly of Palmers Green, London, U.K.)DCMT, as it became known capitalized on the surge of popularity of Toy Cap Guns around the world and made a lot of fine pistols that were for the American West.

Besides guns that were "generic" Lone Star also made guns that were dedicated to people like Roy Rogers. Some of their guns are among the rarest and are good finds for you collectors.

NICHOLS GUNS
(in Uncle Talley's order)




	Lone Star Firecat



				So far, this is the only one of its kind I have seen. Maybe it was a late model. Photos by Mark Underwood








	Be Sure To Click On The Thumbnails!




	Lone Star Paladin "Have Gun Will Travel" Set












	This is probably one of the few Lone Star Paladin sets still in existence. The original owner of this set purchased this set in England when he was in the service in the early 1960s. The holster has the famous "Have Gun Will Travel" card over each holster pocket which holds a beautiful unfired set of Lone Star Long barrel Buntline Special cap guns. BCM also made a set just like these, but they have the Indian Chief on the grips. Photos by Scott McCollum




	Lone Star 1851 Navy Colt



				It's a Navy model and it is "gold." I thought you would also get a kick out of the info on the back of the box clearly stating that this gun is not recommended for children under 36 MONTHS of age! You can tell by the cheap construction, no name engraved on the frame and the all plastic grips, it is truly the "end of the line" in the Lone Star history. These photos are by Chuck Quinn.












	Please Click On Each Thumbnail For An Enlarged View!




	Lone Star Ramrod



				This gun is RED!!! Who would have thought that any self-respecting kid in his right mind would want a red Cap Gun. So if you have one and don't want it, simply send it to me! Photos by Chuck Quinn








	Be Sure To Click On The Thumbnails!

Here's another Ramrod from Lone Star. Everything about it is different. No clue as to why.

Photo by Leif Svedlund from Sweden!

Here's a rifle from Lone Star that I had never seen before. I think it's a rather late model. For one thing, it uses the 8-shot plastic ring cap system.
Photos by Fiona Potter

This might be a cousin to the rifle above. Be sure to click on the thumbnail above to see the bigger photo.
Photo by Tim Tobin

Lots of companies made Tommy Guns, as they have always been popular. Here's another one, albeit pretty much plastic. The inscription on the rear of the receiver area says, "A LONE STAR PRODUCT."

Lone Star Super Presentation Set

This is a large Lone Star set that comes with the Lone Star Sharp Shooter rifle and a Pecos Bill gun. This deluxe set even comes with the Lone Star Rider cuffs and spurs and a Lone Star holster. All the items are attached to the box and have never been played with. This is a beautiful boxed set

Thanks to Scott McCollum, one of our many advertisers.

Our buddy Steve Arlin says this offering is one of Lone Star's latter models. For one thing, it had a red plug on the end of the barrel. I removed it with Photoshop, because I hate red plugs! I'm not politically correct at all. This gun is seldom seen, but it isn't considered a "huge catch." It's just one of those you have to have to have a complete Lone Star set. The box is ABSOLUTELY SUPERB!
Photo by Wayne Bradbury

Here's a rather obscure offering from Lone Star that is basically a standard Smith & Wesson snubbie. If you click on the above photo, it shows another view that is even closer. This Cap Gun is only about 4 inches long.
Photos by Doug Hamilton

Sticking with the small gun theme from Lone Star, here is their Snubnose .38.
Photos by Chris Chauvin

Here's an interesting Cap Gun! It's a "Broom Handle" Mauser like the one you might have seen in the Western movie Joe Kidd. The real gun was one of the very first successful semi-automatic pistols. And...if that isn't enough, George Lucas added some gimmicks onto one and it was a "Blaster" used by Han Solo in Return of the Jedi.
Photo by Jack Rosenthal of Toys and More.

Here's another one of these Young Mr. Churchill Cap Guns, but this one is in gold.
Photo by Scott McCollum




	Rare Roy Rogers Gun







	This is a rare 1950-1955 era Lone Star gun that was nickel plated and 9 inches long. It has a "RR" medallion on the handle and the grips are steerheads. Notice the lanyard ring underneath the grip. *Many thanks to Jim Schleyer of Western Toy Guns* (what we in the hobby refer to as Backyard Buckaroos) for this photo!**

Being the kind of guy that never passes up another good photo, here is an even better photo of the real thing, not a scan from a book of the same gun as that above. Be sure to click on the photo to see a really big one.
Photo by Chuck Quinn

Lone Star Gunfighter

This is a very rare offering from our good friend Jim Manning: A Gunfighter! This Cap Gun is about 14 inches long!!! He says that it is one of the longest Cap Guns ever and I believe it. Unless you count that one that was in the first Batman movie that Jack Nicholson used. (Maybe it was a special Nicholson version from Nichols!)

Thanks to Jim Manning of JM Toys, one of our many advertisers.

This Lone Star Silverado set has some look-alike (look like Hubley's) Pioneer Cap Guns.
Photo by Jack Rosenthal of Toys and More

And here's a Silverado that must have been bought in some foreign country, as the writing on it is in 3 languages. 4 if you count English.
Photo by Paul St. Pierre

And here's few photos of the Rebel again and a nice double holster set, which is very rare.
Photo contribution by Scott McCollum.

Here's a fine collection of Rebel stuff from our friend Ed Manes. The Cap guns are Lone Star and the scattergun is from Classy...I think. I don't know where the other stuff is from. I guess it's from...Ed.

Lone Star Pinto

Here's an offering from Lone Star (of England) that you don't see very often and this one has a box! The Pinto. I don't know the date, but the Cap Gun is about 10-1/2 inches long.

Thanks to Jack Rosenthal of Toys and More.

This is an incredibly rare group that you will seldom see at all. I loved Zorro and so did most kids. The flintlock and its holster are by Hubley.

Photo by Belinda Quan from the Chuck Quinn collection.

Here are a couple of Lone Star pirate pistols. Perhaps they inspired the Zorro pistol. Or the other way around.

Photo by Dave Klahn

A very rare offering from England of a Hopalong Cassidy revolver. This is the only one like it I have seen thus far.

Photo by Belinda Quan from the Chuck Quinn collection.

Here is a nice Dueling Pistol Set by Lone Star. It seems that every time I think that I have gotten all of the Lone Star Cap Guns, another one turns up. Hooray for England.

This is submitted by Clyde Childress.

And just when I think I've seen it all, another Lone Star pistol photo comes in. The bottom photo shows that it is indeed a Lone Star.

This is submitted by Ralph van der Laan.


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