A step for a hint?

[Lumberjack]

Hello gents,

I realise this is the collectors section for airguns but I offered to ask the question and you guys are indeed a knowledgeable lot.

Could someone give me some information on the following please;

It's a small starting pistol. 120mm long x 90mm high. Marked MA.RI. 320 Made in Italy. Fold down flap at muzzle and fold down flap at rear. It operates on what I can only describe as a "tube train system " with a 'carriage' of 5 blanks entering at the front, passing horizontally through the gun and ejecting out the back. Calibre is bigger than 0.22 but smaller than 0.380; it must be pretty close to 8mm. What calibre is it and are blanks still available for it?. All steel with plastic grips. It's actually a pretty well made wee beastie.

On the underside of the grip there is a 30mmx1mmx1mm steel 'toothpick' thingy that folds out but doesn't appear to do much else other than fold back in again . What's that all about?? Could it be it's not actually a starting pistol but a gun shaped toothpick ??

Any information gratefully accepted.

Thanks folks.

[Hsing-ee]

Its a rimfire blank gun for starting school races in the pre-PC era. Might take the 8mm rimfire blanks but difficult to say without a picture.

Harmless unless swallowed. Well, it is noisy if fired but that is unlikely now. Sell or give to a stage-school or theatre company if you do not want to keep it.

The toothpick is most likely for pushing the blanks out of the blank-holder once fired. They expand a little and won't fall out without a prod.

[Jenny Dipple]

THE 320 PROBABLY MEANS .32CAL. Jenny Dipple

[Lumberjack]

Thank you folks.

The toothpick makes perfect sense when someone points out the obvious D'oh.

[Jenny Dipple]

Any chance of some pics. thanks Jenny Dipple

[Ian Johnstone]

One of those,
was the start of one of my best ever 100 yards races ever, not the toothpick, the gun!


Fond Memories indeed (but I do still carry a small scar on my left buttock) shall I show you?


*PICTURE REMOVED BY GARETH W-B

[Lumberjack]

Any chance of some pics. thanks Jenny Dipple

pm sent

....Fond Memories indeed (but I do still carry a small scar on my left buttock) shall I show you?

Think I'll pass on that one thanks Ian
Reminds me of that bit in Forrest Gump

[Powderfinger]

My favourite maths teacher, Mr Metcalfe-Pike of Sharmans Cross School, used to start our races on sports day with his blank-firing Smith & Wesson replica. What a character. Those were the days!