NEW Mfg FP-45 Liberator

U

UpandAtIt

Moderator
This is an interesting concept. A company is now manufacturing a NEW FP-45 Liberator. The company name is Vintage Ordnance Company LLC, www.vintageordnance.com........................ NOw here is the clincher.... wait for it.... wait.......wait.......they want $599.00...... :eek:

Ok, the orig ones that go for $2000 have historical value and I do realize the value of that. New mfg Liberators using old Guidelamp tooling (lower tooling costs) and charging such a high price is a slap in the face at history, gun owners and potential gun owners.

This is the ad as seen in Shotgun news.

newliberator.jpg



I downloaded the available tooling and item drawings and blueprints, they are available ONLINE. I did a quick materials cost based on those drawings. A Rough estimate is $13.88 in materials. I am not sure how much the old Guidelamp tooling needed to be refurbished. It does however require a standard stamping press, 4 slide press, automatic weld fixtures. The only REAL change in the new Liberator is that the barrel is rifled. Packaging costs are roughly $1.70.

I am sure some will buy these at the $599. I for one will not, no matter how badly I want one.

In reading the info at their web site.... they say this "Though our reproduction is sold as a firearm and exceeds the mechanical strength of the original through the use of superior materials and vastly tighter chamber and headspace tolerances, WE STRONGLY ADVISE CUSTOMERS NOT TO FIRE THE PISTOL." and this "In light of the above mentioned facts relating to the relative safety of the FP-45 in general, we will not drill the firing pin hole completely through the cover slide. Therefore, our reproduction as shipped is technically incapable of firing and significantly safer than the original pistol. VINTAGE ORDNANCE IS NOT LIABLE FOR INJURY OR DEATH RESULTING FROM PURCHASERS MODIFYING OUR PRODUCT IN THIS UNAPPROVED MANNER.

The dang thing does not even shoot. For $600, I would expect maybe just a lil more from a company.
 
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It supposed to be as accurate as possible,and the original would probably fall apart after 10 rounds.I might have the brass ba!!s to shoot it once,but i wouldn't use it in a match.And after the first round i would give friends the honor of further testing.
 
I have fired mine (the original $2.50 one, not the $595 one) but it was certainly not made for extensive firing. The idea was for people in an occupied country to kill an enemy soldier and take his weapon and ammunition.

Alas, theory was one thing, reality another, and only a very few FP-45's were ever used by anyone as weapons. One may have been, in the Philippines, and some were used after the war by Philippino police until they got better arms, but the idea of ordinary people finding them and suddenly turning into vengeful furies was nonsense. It is too bad millions of dollars were spent on guns that were dumped in the ocean. (That was when a million dollars was real money - today Congress spends more than that on lunch.)

I agree that sales are likely to be slow, but I have been wrong before. The gun, even if it fires or can be made to fire, is of no practical worth whatsoever. I don't know how it will be sold, but the price seems to make it unlikely to be sold as a "zip gun" for thugs, even if it can be sold as a non-gun outside the gun control laws. I can't see a drug enforcer trading his Glock for one of those.

Jim
 
Accurate as far as to the original design and gun.But on the other hand this example is rifled as apposed to the smooth bore of the first make.And yes they can be made to fire,If you have a drill and 30 seconds of time.
 
In inspecting one of these via an live online connection to a person who has one for sale on gunbroker.com, I notice that the rifling is actually "1" rifle - land and grove. This was done only to get around the NFA short barrel shotgun issues of a smooth bore. I would love to have one but I will never pay $600 for one. The MSRP just does not meet the value of the gun by any means what so ever.
 
The more and more I look into this, the more it infuriates me. Their company on gunbroker is selling the Remade boxes (carboard box with a wood dowel and instruction sheet) all reproduction for $104

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=159082131

The gun and packaging repro
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=159082071

There is even someone selling the "BLUE-Prints" on gunbroker for $14.00 and you can get the dang things for free online and a download.

You can down load the free blueprints or drawings here (they may ask you to sign up for a free account, simple and easy) then download as a PDF.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/26381945/Liberator-Pistol-Blueprints?secret_password=&autodown=pdf
 
I think they are sunk. In 30 years these repros may be worth something as I am sure that so few will be sold they will be rare. Not many people want to drop that much on an ugly paperweight when the money could get them something decent that shoots well. Maybe their next reproduction will be of the useless Gyrojet pistol which of course will be made non firing, as if ammo were abundent.
 
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