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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.
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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 |
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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 |
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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
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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 |
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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. |
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See the jewel
facets? |
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