| Throughout the history of toys there has | | | | looking and sounding guns ever made at the |
| always been a category of toys that have | | | | time. This was the Heavy Machine Gun. It |
| gotten plenty of heat from parents and | | | | had a really loud rat-tat-tat sound when you |
| educators. Guns. Back in the 60s there were | | | | fired it that could scare the heck out of |
| more kinds of guns and gun sets sold as toys | | | | anyone within hearing distance. The |
| than you can possibly imagine. Think we're | | | | ammunition belt rotated around and around to |
| kidding? Take a look at some of the more | | | | make it look like you were really firing |
| popular of these sets that parents have had | | | | bullets. And to top it off, the barrel |
| to contend with over the years.In the early | | | | lighted up when you fired it. One of the |
| 60s there was a show by the name of Combat. | | | | most realistic guns ever made and a kid |
| Vic Morrow was so convincing as Sergeant | | | | favorite.Later on, in the 1970s, another |
| Saunders that every kid wanted to be him. | | | | popular gun came out. It was called Friction |
| The toy companies cashed in on this. One of | | | | Sparkling M-16. This was a 21 inch rapid |
| the most popular toy sets of the early 60s | | | | firing machine gun. When you pulled the bolt |
| was the Combat toy set. It was simple | | | | back and fired, similar to the Combat |
| enough. It came with Saunders Thompson | | | | Thompson, it made a very realistic sound. |
| Machine Gun, his 45 caliber pistol, a hand | | | | You could also see a bunch of sparks coming |
| grenade and his helmet. Instant Saunders and | | | | out of the barrel. The gun was rather light |
| the kids ate it up while parents cringed.War | | | | weight but it was very realistic looking and |
| wasn't the only theme of gun sets back in the | | | | another kid favorite.Of course, with the war |
| early 60s. There was another show called | | | | in Vietnam, toy makers weren't going to miss |
| "The Man From Uncle". This show stared Robert | | | | cashing in on it. In the 1960s they came out |
| Vaughn and David McCullem as two secret | | | | with the Cong Buster Jungle Gun Set. This |
| agents. The show was so popular that it too | | | | set came with a 45 caliber squirt gun and a |
| brought about some pretty cool toys. You | | | | canteen. The gun and canteen were both made |
| could get the Man From Uncle gun, security | | | | of very hard plastic and could withstand just |
| badges and other gadgets that the show made | | | | about anything.These few guns don't even |
| popular. This was another big hit with the | | | | scratch the surface of the number of guns and |
| kids of the time.Need a little more fire | | | | gun sets that came out in the 60s and 70s. |
| power? No problem. There was a gun made in | | | | If you'd like to find out more about these |
| Japan during the late 60s that became very | | | | vintage guns, don't worry. Another |
| popular and was one of the most realistic | | | | installment in this series is coming. |