Another "Name that gun" - Planet of the Apes

[Doyle]

I caught the tail end of the Planet of the Apes last night and saw rifles that did not look familiar. I'm wondering if these were real production rifles or if they were something the Hollywood prop guys just made up. They were clip fed autoloaders with a full lenght stock. They kind of looked like someone took an M1 carbine and changed out the stock, but the magazine looked larger than an M1 magazine.

Any ideas?

[ISC]

thats exactly what they were. They also had some kind of restocked SMGs. APparently only 2 of the prop guns actually shot, both M1s. everything else was a dummy.

[SDC]

Exactly; they also made some SMGs up along the same lines by putting some Madsen M50s into wooden furniture.

[R1145]

...this would be a nice kit:

http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/C...ro_beneath.htm

[monstermaker]

FIRST "POTA" MOVIE 1968: M1 Carbines in custom wooden stocks. Stembridge Gun Rentals supplied the rifles. Fox's prop dept made the stocks. The stocks split or shattered up around the receiver/slide every time the rifles were fired. The wood was very thin around that area of the stock. Rumor has it that 12 were made but only a few survived. We never see more than 7 on screen at any time.

2ND FILM "BENEATH" 1970:

• M1 Carbines in NEW and improved cast aluminum stocks, with stiletto bayonets. No more shattering and splitting when live-firing. Rumor has it that 12 were made for the sequel as well.

• two types of dummy versions were made of the BENEATH carbines: wooden with die-cast receivers for background, and urethane resin or hard rubber for stunts.

• Madsen M50 SMG (also rented from Stembridge and were also used in DIAMONDS are FOREVER and STAR TREK) These M50's also had cast aluminum stocks. Rumor has it only 3 were made; two meant to fire live ammo, one as a dummy (no ejection port).

APEMANIA.COM makes POTA replica stocks to fit AIRSOFT M1 CARBINES, but they can be converted to fit .30 Cal M-1 Carbines as well as Ruger 10-22's.
worn aging (available on both finishes and both ECONOMY and DELUXE)
Strap your bibs on and enjoy the photos:







*************

[4V50 Gary]

I wonder if they had relieved the area around the op rod if it would have withstood live fire better. From the photos it looks like there's too much metal to wood contact.

[monstermaker]

The biggest problem with the original screen-used wooden POTA stocks was that unreasonably thin area of wood just in front of the reciever/slide.

They could have reinforced it from the inside with some thin angle hair fiber glass which would have certainly resisted fracturing and splitting, but back in the day movie props were dusposable items. They only needed to last long enough to get through a few weeks of filming. If one broke during a scene, they'd just swap it out with a good one.

They supposedly made twelve for the first movie. You only see 7 on screen at any one time, so there were a few spares.

[monstermaker]

I can't help but channel Rob Schneider's classic SNL bit here, "CORN-NELIUS...making prog-gress!"



Within the month we should have a finished prototype ready for the range!

Brian

[monstermaker]

Going to the range next week to test fire it with the 10/22.
Also going to compair the fit to an M1 carbine next week as well.
So exciting! Stay tuned...

Brian

[monstermaker]

Taking the POTA 10/22 to the range today with my gunsmith brother. Will post more images and videos later!

[4V50 Gary]

Isn't it hard to change the magazine on the Ape/22?

[jeager106]

Quote:

"Taking the POTA 10/22 to the range today with my gunsmith brother. Will post more images and videos later!"

Really???????

[4V50 Gary]

If I tried to make that stock for the Stockmaking II class we took last semester, I'd probably get a "D" in the class (or even an "F").

[monstermaker]

The 10/22 range test was fun! That Ruger 10/22 rifle is so darn accurate, even bedded in a stock with no sites of any kind. Still sorting thru images and video to post. Stay tooned...

[claymore1500]

APEMANIA.COM makes POTA replica stocks to fit AIRSOFT M1 CARBINES, but they can be converted to fit .30 Cal M-1 Carbines as well as Ruger 10-22's.
worn aging (available on both finishes and both ECONOMY and DELUXE)
Strap your bibs on and enjoy the photos:

THe quote didn't post the picture, but I just gotta say, "Those things are uglier than 40 miles of dirt road"

[monstermaker]

Ugly or not, it's APES!!! Here's the now fully bedded PROTOTYPE Planet of the Apes TRIBUTE Ruger 10/22 in the primer grey stock before we took it to the range last Sunday.
Shot like a dream and was incredibly accurate with no sites and firing from chest level. Can't wait to get it fully painted and detailed out now!




We did decide to put extenders on the SAFETY button. Because of the width of the stock, this just makes it a breeze to click on and off.




I have a few videos to post, but I have to figure out how to size them down without losing video/sound quality first.

[monstermaker]

Now that the prototype has proved itself, it's time to remaster a production mold for carbon fiber reinforced fiberglass stocks for a limited run production line for both the 10/22 and M1 Carbine. Yes, by request, we are working on on for the M1 Carbine as well.

Stayed "tooned"...

[monstermaker]

A few folks have asked, "How do you load the Magazine?????? A few shows of the magazine well would be nice... Again looks real clean...."


that's one of the videos I have... let me see if i can downsize it for a post here...not sure if I'm doing this right...

YouTube video http://youtu.be/dkkpnUvNqy0

http://www.apemania.com/WEAPONS/CARB...2_magdrop5.mp4

Originally Posted by Sophia

New models have a little lever instead of the big button. Many folks have replaced the button release on the older models with aftermarket levels.

Hmmmmm..so which is the most common mag release?




UPDATE: From my gunsmith brother:

"On the older model Ruger 10/22's - Ruger used a smooth retangular (flush frame) push-button type of release button where the newer Ruger 10/22's have the "Lever-button" type magazine release (like the one we used for the POTA 10/22 Prototype). There is NO NEED for any modification to the magazine-release what-so-ever, which is why I designed the magazine-"well" the way I did on the POTA 10/22 prototype.

Folks with the older style "flat-retangular-button" Ruger magazine releases can still drop the magazine buy pushing in on the button with a finger or pen (if they have really short fingers).

In either case, NO extended magazine release is needed or required and no modification to the prototype is needed, period ( *as demonstrated in the POTA 10/22 magazine install/release YouTube video http://youtu.be/dkkpnUvNqy0you posted last night (08-07-14)).

Lastly, the newer lever-style Ruger Magazine release buttons can be installed/replaced in any of the older versions of the Ruger 10/22's if they wish to replace it. The newer lever-style Ruger magazine release buttons are available directly from Ruger. They are easy to install (takes aprox. 2 mins to swap out the part) & anyone with basic knowledge can do the swap."

[jeager106]

Is there someplace on the planet were shooters are going ape over ape firearms?
Is there a market for such?
I can understand youngsters having an interest in hollyhype stuff.
Perhaps airsoft?
Star Wars did a lot for plastic light sabers.

[monstermaker]

Yup. Movie memorabilia collectors, cosplayers, and even 10/22 and M1 carbine enthusiasts.

[monstermaker]

We finished it! The Ruger 10/22 Planet of the Apes "1968" tribute rifle! And we did an M1 Carbine Beneath the Planet of the Apes "1970" tribute rifle as well! More fotos and video links to follow!

Now onto the "1968" tribute for the M1!

[monstermaker]

YOUTUBE LINK: http://youtu.be/nLoOHpOQ4Zs

[monstermaker]

Here are some pics of the Beneath M1 stock:











YouTube link:

https://youtu.be/K3AMRuqo4H4

[monstermaker]

Beneath the Planet of the Apes reproduction bayonet and knob lock http://youtu.be/2N1bkFt1if4

[monstermaker]

Here are video links to a day at the range:

Replica Beneath POTA M1 carbine: http://https://youtu.be/v2V5c3iM5Qs

https://youtu.be/SuqzuCVKkfY
[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/SuqzuCVKkfY[/YOUTUBE]

POTA 1022 with RED DOT @ 25yrds ...



Comments from shooters of the Apes 10/22 and "Beneath" M1 replicas:

MARK P:

"POTA 10/22 @ 25yrds shot a Less than 1" group (05-27-15) WITH the red dot sight. It is surprisingly comfortable to shoot and feels balanced as well. There is almost no preceived recoil firing the POTA 10/22. The POTA 10/22 is very easy to hold "on target" while firing. Several other folks that at the range also found it to be very accurate at 25 yrds as well - (Note: We were limited to 25 yards shooting distance during the live fire tests due to the indoor range's physical internal range dimensions). The POTA 10/22should prove to be a very accurate platform at much further distances as well. EVERYONE was really IMPRESSED with the fit, feel and function of the 68' POTA 10/22!"

"During the live fire test session, there were three local L.E. dept. Armorers and Gunsmiths in attendance - ALL of them were equally impressed with the POTA 10/22, and found it to be comfortable and easy to operate. While the POTA 10/22 looks very different than most standard style .22 LR rifles, it is comfortable to shoot as well as accessing and operating the trigger safety, magazine release and slide lock mechanisms."

BTW: ALL the one inch groups were shot very quickly (less than 1 second between shots!) - the POTA 10/22 stayed right on target, ready for the next shot, it was impressive and a lot of fun to shoot!"

"Both the POTA 10/22 & B-POTA M1-C fired & performed flawlessly! We experienced no jamming, or any other problems what so ever with either rifle."

"On the day of the live fire testing, there were three L.E. dept Gunsmiths and Armorers in attendance. They were very impressed with both the POTA variants. They really enjoyed the .22LR because it just stayed on target and didn't move when fired. They thought the accuracy was incredible too."

"BPOTA M1-C : We did a comparison test between the standard M1- .30 Cal. Carbine and the B-POTA M1-C , the stock M1-C had 2/3rds more recoil than the B-POTA M1-C. The wieght of and the balance of the B-POTA M1-C really worked out well in the design."

"I asked everyone what they thought of the B-POTA M1-C? Everyone understood it was a replica of the 1970 Movie rifle, and we stayed true to that design. It was much more comfortable to shoot than it looks. However, it does need a sight and/or scope option to be a real accurate shooter".

"I was able to attach the comercially available M1-Carbine red dot/scope mount system for testing on the B-POTA. It is easily detachable just like on the POTA 10/22, and works very well with red-dot optics. Switching from 'Screen Accurate'(no sight or scope and mount) to a 'Shooting Accurate' (with a scope or red-dot sight & mount) takes about a minute & a half to swap out. You will need to utilize the High-Mount type of scope or red-dot rings to bring the sighting device up to proper eye-level, but other than that, it's the same as mounting a similar red-dot site or scope to a standard M1-Carbine - Very simple.
Oh yeah, the "Stiletto" option was a big hit with every one too!"

"Lastly, the M1-Carbine barrel and action can be swapped back to the standard M1-C stock with just a screwdriver, as there are no alterations made to the stock M1-Carbine internals when installed into the B-POTA M1-C rifle stock. It takes only a couple minutes to perform that task should you wish too."

"Also, I would HIGHLY recommend the special POTA & B-POTA padded rifle cases available to protect your investment. The cases come with period correct emblems and patchwork that really stand out at the range as well as provide very good protection for the POTA rifles."