Note: each name points to thread with discussion of particular manufacturer, if more information is available.
Apart from original manufacturers there is a number of custom-made modelguns, created mainly in Japan. A UK company called Modelgun Collector UK (MGCUK) also released a custom steel Sten modelgun in a very limited quantity - it is no longer produced. There are several companies that manufacture after-market parts for modelguns, the most known is probably Mulberry Fields.
Last edited by smootik on Fri Jul 23, 2010 1:33 pm; edited 13 times in total (Reason for editing : added Matsushiro)
Mortimer New Member
Number of posts : 35 Location / Country : Croatia Registration date : 2010-01-02
Subject: Re: List of modelgun manufacturers. Sun Jan 17, 2010 10:39 pm
Great topic! I've heard about: Chiyoda, Denix, Digicon, Falcon Toy Company (FTC), Filipetta, Fujimi, KTW, Masudaya, Military Model Company (MMC), Nakaya, Toy-Tec, Yonezawa.
smootik Modelgun Perfectionist
Number of posts : 1823 Location / Country : Poland Registration date : 2009-03-03
Subject: Re: List of modelgun manufacturers. Sun Jan 17, 2010 11:08 pm
Mortimer wrote:
Great topic! I've heard about: Chiyoda, Denix, Digicon, Falcon Toy Company (FTC), Filipetta, Fujimi, KTW, Masudaya, Military Model Company (MMC), Nakaya, Toy-Tec, Yonezawa.
Thanks :-)
Denix makes dummy replicas, I will add them to the list.
I know nothing about Chiyoda and Filipetta... :-/
Digicon, FTC, Fujimi, KTW, Masudaya, MMC, Nakaya, Toy-Tec and Yonezawa have manufactured airsoft models, as far as I know. Covering airsoft companies would be a bit off the topic (except maybe for shell-ejectors), and more information about these is on www.classicairsoft.net If there is information about modelguns (cap-firing or dummy) from these companies, I will add them to the list.
Mortimer New Member
Number of posts : 35 Location / Country : Croatia Registration date : 2010-01-02
Subject: Re: List of modelgun manufacturers. Sun Jan 17, 2010 11:23 pm
Oh, if all those are/were only for airsoft, ignore what I wrote. What is the difference between modelgun and "dummy replica"? I know that Denix replicas are less expensive and less beautiful, but what is the essential difference? Thanks.
Filipetta has few Old West revolvers, like Remington New Army, which looks similar to Pietta models.
smootik Modelgun Perfectionist
Number of posts : 1823 Location / Country : Poland Registration date : 2009-03-03
Subject: Re: List of modelgun manufacturers. Sun Jan 17, 2010 11:32 pm
In general modelgun can be any replica of a real gun.
There are three basic types: airsoft (shoots plastic pellets), cap-firing (uses cap to make sound, sparks and move action of replica) and dummy (parts move, but you cannot produce any other effects). I guess this should include also bb (lead pellets) (because recently there is many CO2-powered bb-shooting replicas) and blank-firers (which are practicaly real guns from their construction).
The second criteria is realistic replication of internal mechanisms. Airsoft models do not eject shells (with some notable exceptions) and only replicate look of real gun. Also a lot of sites already have information about airsofts. That's why I narrowed "history" subject down and excluded airsoft.
Agreed that early airsoft are also interesting, especially as they were produced in large part by the same companies as cap-firing modelguns (MGC, Marushin, Tanaka, KSC...).
smootik Modelgun Perfectionist
Number of posts : 1823 Location / Country : Poland Registration date : 2009-03-03
Subject: Re: List of modelgun manufacturers. Mon Mar 01, 2010 5:38 pm
Hmm, just discovered that Marui released self-build kit cap-firing modelgun at some time. According to listing on page below (scroll to the very bottom for "Model Gun" category), Marui also produced M29, Python, Blackhawk, Colt 1911 (Government and Combat Commander) and Mauser M712. http://www.mojji.com/en/brand/marui2.htm
I will add Marui to list of manufacturers.
singleaction New Member
Number of posts : 25 Location / Country : Sweden Registration date : 2014-02-12
Subject: Manufacturers Thu Feb 13, 2014 4:56 am
Hello!
I'm new to the forum and happy to have found it Been reading here and there now for a few days with great interest, and I thought that maybe I could contribute a bit. I've looked through the list of manufacturers and I thought that since you mention Denix even though they're not a japanese company, that maybe you should also include Kolser S.A. on the list, at least I couldn't find any mention of them. Kolser is also, like Denix, a spanish company that produces replica guns, among them three different versions (black/nickel/grey finish) of the Colt SAA 45 and four versions of the Winchester 1873 rifle; other than that they have a great deal of flintlock pistols and various other things. I happen to own a Kolser SAA and it's actually much more sophisticated than the Denix equivalent (which I also own); much better mechanism, finish and overall build quality. And, it actually is meant for firing caps with! It comes with six cartridges in a brass finish and the caps are meant to be put on the back end of the cartridge (where the primer is on a real cartridge), then you just load it up and blaze away! Hope I have been of some help in some way. And, once again; great forum!
Last edited by singleaction on Thu Feb 20, 2014 2:21 am; edited 1 time in total
Cerwyn Cerwyn (Site Admin)
Number of posts : 11090 Age : 65 Location / Country : North Wales Registration date : 2008-07-20
Subject: Re: List of modelgun manufacturers. Thu Feb 13, 2014 9:48 am
Welcome to the Forum singleaction, it's always a pleasure to welcome new members. It is good to know you find the forum interesting and enjoyable. Thank you !
The Kosler range sounds very interesting, do you think you may have time to post up some photos and more details of your SA please?
Kind Regards
_________________ Cerwyn
Hobby collector of Replica model guns and Militaria. also member of Living History Reenactment Groups.
singleaction New Member
Number of posts : 25 Location / Country : Sweden Registration date : 2014-02-12
Subject: Re: List of modelgun manufacturers. Thu Feb 13, 2014 3:10 pm
Cerwyn wrote:
Welcome to the Forum singleaction, it's always a pleasure to welcome new members. It is good to know you find the forum interesting and enjoyable. Thank you !
The Kosler range sounds very interesting, do you think you may have time to post up some photos and more details of your SA please?
Kind Regards
I'll take some time to do that; are there any particulars you'd like to know about?
Cerwyn Cerwyn (Site Admin)
Number of posts : 11090 Age : 65 Location / Country : North Wales Registration date : 2008-07-20
Subject: Re: List of modelgun manufacturers. Thu Feb 13, 2014 4:04 pm
singleaction wrote:
Cerwyn wrote:
Welcome to the Forum singleaction, it's always a pleasure to welcome new members. It is good to know you find the forum interesting and enjoyable. Thank you !
The Kosler range sounds very interesting, do you think you may have time to post up some photos and more details of your SA please?
Kind Regards
I'll take some time to do that; are there any particulars you'd like to know about?
As it's a maker we've no records of here, as much as you possibly can please?
_________________ Cerwyn
Hobby collector of Replica model guns and Militaria. also member of Living History Reenactment Groups.
singleaction New Member
Number of posts : 25 Location / Country : Sweden Registration date : 2014-02-12
Subject: Re: List of modelgun manufacturers. Sun Feb 16, 2014 7:38 pm
Kolser S.A. was founded in 1965 and started manufacturing replicas in 1970; their main focus is old flintlock pistols, swords, daggers, etc, but they also offer a very nice replica of the Colt SAA in black, grey and nickel/gold finish with either a 5,5" or 7,5" barrel and four different versions of the Winchester 1873 rifle (or perhaps 1892, information on this differs). I haven't seen any of the rifles for real, just pictured, but they look nice enough. The SAA, on the other hand, I have both seen and own one; they are much, much better than the Denix equivalents, mechanism is good, much higher finish and overall superb build quality compared to the Denix ones, I'd even go as far as to say that it's the next best thing to a model gun revolver, although that might be to raise expectations a bit much. But, I like it; it's all metal with wood grips (used to be plastic earlier), the barrel is open and so are the chambers and it has a good weight, about 900 grams. And, I haven't mentioned yet that it's meant to shoot (toy) caps with! The revolver comes with 6 cartridges in a brass finish and the cap is placed at the front of the cartridge (where the primer is on a real cartridge) and then you're ready to blaze away! I think it would be fairly easy to modify it so that it could take PFC cartridges instead, the original solution is not the best, the metal used in these cartridges is pretty soft and you wear down the "detonator pins" pretty quickly. And now, for some pics and a few short video clips (notice that the first two videos state that these revolvers are non-firing replicas, but as far as I know these models, i.e. the 7,5" barrel ones, can also fire caps, they just don't come with cartridges and the barrel and chambers are plugged):
Sun Jan 17, 2010 6:02 pm
Been reading here and there now for a few days with great interest, and I thought that maybe I could contribute a bit. I've looked through the list of manufacturers and I thought that since you mention Denix even though they're not a japanese company, that maybe you should also include Kolser S.A. on the list, at least I couldn't find any mention of them. Kolser is also, like Denix, a spanish company that produces replica guns, among them three different versions (black/nickel/grey finish) of the Colt SAA 45 and four versions of the Winchester 1873 rifle; other than that they have a great deal of flintlock pistols and various other things. I happen to own a Kolser SAA and it's actually much more sophisticated than the Denix equivalent (which I also own); much better mechanism, finish and overall build quality. And, it actually is meant for firing caps with! It comes with six cartridges in a brass finish and the caps are meant to be put on the back end of the cartridge (where the primer is on a real cartridge), then you just load it up and blaze away! Hope I have been of some help in some way. And, once again; great forum! 
But, I like it; it's all metal with wood grips (used to be plastic earlier), the barrel is open and so are the chambers and it has a good weight, about 900 grams. And, I haven't mentioned yet that it's meant to shoot (toy) caps with! The revolver comes with 6 cartridges in a brass finish and the cap is placed at the front of the cartridge (where the primer is on a real cartridge) and then you're ready to blaze away! I think it would be fairly easy to modify it so that it could take PFC cartridges instead, the original solution is not the best, the metal used in these cartridges is pretty soft and you wear down the "detonator pins" pretty quickly. 
