You’ve probably seen them at conventions, stacks of white boxes with white resin models in front of them of most every little science fiction gun and doodad imaginable. How could they leave out Mal’s trademark gun?
Foruntately, they couldn’t, and Wilco Models is offering replicas for $40 plus $5 shipping. The models come unassembled in three pieces (for easier painting) and may require sanding. But they look good, have a nice heft to them, and you can’t beat the price. Just e-mail Wilco Models to buy one, or check out their ebay auctions.
Are there any reviews avaiable for this kit? What’s the quality like?
Wow. Do we have a good idea of how accurate it is or anything in that vein? This is cool. This should be more widely distributed information.
There have been good reviews for his products
http://www.starshipmodeler.net/cgi-bin/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=40977&highlight=wilco+mal+gun
There were a couple of other threads with better photos and a comparisomn with another kit being offered. The other kit looked way undersized.
I ordered one of the WIlco kits and it looks good.
The undersized kit mentioned above is from Arsenal Models – just thinking back to the work I had to do to that kit in order to make it REMOTELY accurate makes it burn when I pee.
The Wilco kit, by way of comparison, is swank. Very little required in the way of prep – though there are some sort of recessed lines on the panels that conceal the cylinder of the original revolver that I had to fill in with putty. Oh – and you’ll want to drill the barrel, of course.
Great thing about the kit is that the grips are seperate pieces – which helps when you’re me, and feel the need to make wood grips out of walnut…
Yeah – I’m that good.
Just a quick question for those who’ve assembled this model. In the close-up of that picture, it says that paints are required. Does the kit come unpainted, or is that just for any touch-up stuff you might want to do afterwards. I’m a terrible painter and I’m worried about ordering it if I’m just going to mess up the paint job.
Thanks! Keep on flyin’
Just received mine from Wilco via eBay – for about $20 more you can get it built up and painted by the Wilco guys. They’re good to deal with, and I’ll do it again.
That being said, my casting is very rough, with lots of flash hanging off in weird places. The trigger has some air pockets I’ll need to fill, and the top will require some reshaping as will the grips.
There are some inaccuracies: the grips are the wrong shape (I’m going to scratch build some from some oak I have), the “safety” lever is missing and they’ve put a hammer spur on it.
However, for $47 shipped, it’s still a good deal, IMHO.
I had the same problem as xardoz: The Wilco cast is REALLY rough. I had to use a rat-tail file to flatten the grips and butt mating surfaces, because all the “flat” areas are actually concave.
I also have another cast by “No Name-O” (there is no identification anywhere on the box) (got it at Wonderfest in Louisville) that had lots of little bubble holes but was much easier to finish. And is considerably smaller than the Wilco. It fits my hand, where the Wilco is a monster.
No idea which is more accurate.
As for painting, I found this site:
http://employees.csbsju.edu/rsorensen/modelcitizen/workbench/TV/Firefly/kit_data.html
and that’s how I did the No Name-O.
For the Wilco, I primered with gray, then coated it with Krylon gold spray paint. After that cured for a few days, I airbrushed it with Future floor polish (which is a clear acrylic) (you can brush-paint it, also: It smoothes out nicely). When that dried, I airbrushed Testor’s “Rubber” enamel with a few drops of black. After it dried, I went after the piece with a paper towel dampened with mineral spirits, rubbing off the “Rubber” color at natural wear areas. The coat of Future protected the gold layer.
For the grips of both, I used Model Master’s “Leather” enamel.
Both of these guns are going to my friends Amy and Jon, who met on a Browncoat message board, introduced me to “Firefly,” and had a “Firefly” wedding.
Now, if I had some grenades…
@CortxVortx
Wilco has those as well… (grenades)
Carry on….