At first glance this toy may come off as unremarkable and vaguely ubiquitous. It is interesting, however, when one considers the market of toy guns like this is driven by America’s perpetual fantasy of the Wild West, its right to bear arms, and glorification of guns in popular culture. To the chagrin gun control advocates, these toy guns continue to exist, despite lobbyist efforts and legislation, because as actual gun manufacturing and engineering continues to evolve, so does the toy industry- and vice versa. Designers in both fields may already be taking note to collaborate and find the niche for fantastic and creative new designs for both industries.
Just Not Working
Ironically, all good intentions restricting our gun obsession only manage to produce more resourceful politicians and creative law. While concerned parents and legislators are watching toy companies to keep them from imitating firearms, actual firearms, in turn, developers got the hint and took note from their biggest research team- toy companies themselves.
The chief legal concern in legislature, and a legitimate one, is to protect children from the dangers of mistaking real guns for toys, and conversely to prevent the general public from mistaking toys for real weapons. The design, shape, and color of the dime store pistol are outlined by deliberate market research and strict governmental regulations as a result of these issues. The above plastic pistol is made from either a blaze-orange or red; the orange color of the body is bright, and unmistakably plastic. Its color is determined by laws that require toy guns to have a blaze-orange plug at the tip of their barrel, or be colored entirely bright white, bright red, orange, yellow, green, blue, pink or purple for safety reasons.
Just Not Working
Ironically, all good intentions restricting our gun obsession only manage to produce more resourceful politicians and creative law. While concerned parents and legislators are watching toy companies to keep them from imitating firearms, actual firearms, in turn, developers got the hint and took note from their biggest research team- toy companies themselves.
The chief legal concern in legislature, and a legitimate one, is to protect children from the dangers of mistaking real guns for toys, and conversely to prevent the general public from mistaking toys for real weapons. The design, shape, and color of the dime store pistol are outlined by deliberate market research and strict governmental regulations as a result of these issues. The above plastic pistol is made from either a blaze-orange or red; the orange color of the body is bright, and unmistakably plastic. Its color is determined by laws that require toy guns to have a blaze-orange plug at the tip of their barrel, or be colored entirely bright white, bright red, orange, yellow, green, blue, pink or purple for safety reasons.
This is a relatively new restriction, established in the last 20 years. Cap guns have been manufactured since the nineteen-thirties and water pistols followed soon after; it was not until the nineteen eighties that laws were passed to control the close mimicry of actual firearms in toy design, laws that require that the manufacturers mark a trade name, brand, or other identifier legibly on the toy. This particular toy gun is a generic amalgamation of the style of pistol popular during the WWII era, it includes other details like a slide stop, receiver, front and rear sights. Unmistakably, it is a toy, even if the only markings read “Made in China”. China was chosen for its cheap cost of production, also manufacturers could ignore any existing patent law protecting the rights of gun-makers like the American Hi-Standard, Japanese Nambu, or German Luger, elements of which contribute to the design of this toy gun in some way, because what gun maker would be concerned with what toy companies are doing? Apparently, a few.
Industry Collaboration
Laws that are currently in place, like bright distinctive coloring, are doing little to curb violence, because many children are either raised with erroneous myths concerning guns, or know nothing at all regarding their safe use. The fight to control guns by way of placing restrictions on manufacturing toys, as well as controlling the availability of actual firearms is ineffective. Allowing the boundaries of toy design and firearms to blend may seem like the equivalent of Joe Camel endorsing cigarettes. The prospect of further blurring the lines between toys and firearms is provocative, and it is directly in line with critical design that is being practiced today. Moving forward in this direction will certainly raise alarm, but it may address a few important questions, as well as, identify the need to reflect on the current paradigm*. Only after answering these questions is it possible to deliver a completely different solution to controlling gun violence.
While there are measures preventing toy guns from looking authentic, there aren’t any laws that prevent weapon makers from mimicking toys. Although producing firearms in the bright exciting colors outlined by gun laws is not currently a crime, it probably would not be a viable selling strategy. However, firearms are beginning to resemble toys in other ways.
Assault Toys
The Nerf N-STRIKE VULCAN EBF-25 is a fully automatic, belt-fed, tripod mounted, foam-firing toy gun. It is targeted, or at least deemed suitable, to kids 6 years and up. It was made available in the fall of 2008 and gets high consumer reviews. With its bright colors, three legs, and complex armor-like exterior it is zoomorphic, resembling an invertebrate. Beyond its bright orange and yellow exterior, the construction of this toy is overly complex. The design of this assault-toy goes where most toys should: big, bright, and somewhat ridiculous- unlike the design of most firearms. Details like the ergonomics of the handles may be too soft for actual firearms, also telling signs that it is a toy. If it were painted black, it could be mistaken for a real firearm...perhaps. The foam projectiles are whistle tipped, so you can know that the other 24 darts are coming soon after the first one gets you in the back of the neck. It runs on six D size batteries, rather hefty for a toy, and is being marketed alongside a pair of matching nighttime vision goggles. Whether or not it is appropriate for children to imitate war scenarios is out of the scope, and it is presumptuous; however, there are significant indicators to the future potential of weapons concealed in the toy design of today.
Since weapons manufacturing is a billion dollar industry, it should come as no surprise that progress has taken firearm design full circle to emulating toy guns. Take, for example, Corner Shot, a firearm released in 2003; it is essentially an armature that converts a pistol into a multi-directional short-barreled rifle. Its scope consists of a camera and a liquid crystal display, allowing the user to see around corners. This strongly resembles Larami’s 1992 Super Soaker MDS (Multi-Directional Soaker) not only in recreating the pivoting nozzle, but also its conscious attention to surface decoration and outright gadgetry- though useful. The LCD screen folds back into the weapon, revealing decorative fluting along the backside. This gives the weapon an overall coherent look provided by the repetition of its decorative motif. This is progressive design, as it breaks away from the conventional less-is-more approach to firearm design. There is reason to believe that firearms will only look to toy design as it is creatively unrestricted (with the exception of a few color choices).Designers, law makers, and gun control advocates have several choices after recognizing that romantic gun myths still exist and are, potentially, the chief problem in gun violence; to ignore this fact will continue legislative rigmarole. As toy design, not just gun design, becomes more divergent, firearms will evolve similarly, perpetuating an exciting development of objects, albeit ineffective legal cycle. It may take completely blurring the lines between actual firearms and toys before gun education gets as much attention as the objects of the industry.
*As it is currently being practiced, gun control is a proven failure in thwarting crime in America. The more important and effective prevention is proper gun education as proven abroad. Ultimately it is the parents’ responsibility to properly develop children’s ways of thinking about guns. The glorification of guns by youth can develop flippant attitudes the realities of guns that will carry over to young adulthood. There are non-profit interest groups like the National Rifle Association (NRA) and Ducks Unlimited (DU) that aim to educate about gun safety. Both of these organizations are in line with hunting and sport shooting, but the image of the NRA is more politically aligned and DU is dedicated to wetlands conservation, though these are issues that may not engage children until a later age. The opportunity for gun education is never too early. Therefore, in the interest of realizing the public image of guns, helping parents educate their kids, and keeping children safe, it is time for both firearms manufacturers and the toy industry take an initiative.
Further Reading:
Strom, Stephanie. Shootings Lead Chain to Ban Toy Guns. New York Times. October 15, 1994 Article
Sowell, Thomas. Gun Control Myths. November 26, 2002, http://www.allsafedefense.com/news/International/BritvsUSA.htm
Johnson, Joel. N-Strike Vulcan EBF-25: Fully Automatic NERF Cannon February 19, 2008 http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2008/02/19/nstrike-vulcan-ebf25.html, accessed February 2008
Super Soaker SS MDS: Classic Series http://isoaker.com/Armoury/soaker_stats.cfm?soakerID=ssmdsc, accessed February 2008
Crane, David. New Corner Shot 40™ 40mm Grenade Launcher: 'Around-the-Corner' Force Multiplier. Posted on Wednesday, January 26 http://www.defensereview.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=687 accessed February 2008
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