The gun safe enough to use as a toy
There seem to be layers of meaning in this ad. On one level, it's just a girl playing with her toys (and her gun). On another level, the doll clearly seems posed in a way to represent a dead person, shot perhaps by the girl who's looking down at the gun in her hand with regret. What's the message here?
Incidentally, wikipedia tells us that Iver Johnson revolvers were used in the assassinations of William McKinley and Robert Kennedy (and the attempted assassination of FDR).
Source: The Canadian Magazine - April 1904
Comments
Don't forget the message on the girl's clothes saying "Papa says (he) won't hurt us". Is her dad the reason why she needs to bring her gun to bed and charge it?
Posted by Yudith on 04/21/15 at 12:37 PM
I believe (he) is actually (it)?
Posted by BMN on 04/21/15 at 02:07 PM
I believe you're over-thinking the role of the doll, Alex.
As for the pistol, it looks to be a hammerless model (the hammer is enclosed and cannot be cocked with the thumb) and requires a full pull of the trigger to fire. For little hands the resistance is quite pronounced and makes it difficult to operate. With the hammer enclosed it is also quite resistant to unintended discharge if dropped from a height. As far as firearms go, it is safe enough for possession with young children in the house.
As for the pistol, it looks to be a hammerless model (the hammer is enclosed and cannot be cocked with the thumb) and requires a full pull of the trigger to fire. For little hands the resistance is quite pronounced and makes it difficult to operate. With the hammer enclosed it is also quite resistant to unintended discharge if dropped from a height. As far as firearms go, it is safe enough for possession with young children in the house.
Posted by KDP on 04/21/15 at 02:58 PM
All guns now use a floating firing pin... even the ones with external hammers. The hammer strikes a small plate that then strikes the firing pin. The plate is not raised while the hammer is forward providing a gap. This makes them impossible to drop and discharge. I do have an old Rossi .357 revolver made a long while back that does have a firing pin on the hammer. (Rossi was bought out by Taurus).
Posted by BrokeDad in Midwest US on 04/21/15 at 04:00 PM
It's an interesting add from a bygone time. There have been a number of mechanical improvements in gun safety over the years. But nothing is idiot proof because idiots are so ingenious. Very young children are very clever and still manage to work around gun safety features and kill them selves and their friends, relatives, parents and innocent bystanders along with an occasional pet at most alarming rate.. Adults have a very bad habit of leaving loaded and unsecured firearms around homes with kids even while they are not home. By leaving it loaded it makes the kids job so much easier in that they do not have to do it themselves. Less the kids fault and much more the idiot parents.
Posted by Gator Guy on 04/22/15 at 09:50 AM
Commenting is not available in this channel entry.
Category: Guns | Toys | Advertising | 1900s