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Christmas Story Red Ryder at Walmart

paulleve

paulleve

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I just dropped by Walmart and saw a Red Ryder display set up near the ammo case. What caught my eye was the mention of a compass in the stock and sundial. For $25 I figured I could use at least one more of these, so I picked this up.

IMG_1080.jpg

It's not bad if you want one to actually shoot. The compass is pressed into the wood, and the compass freely spins. Definitely a cost effective gift for someone who loves A Christmas Story.

Daisy originally released the "Christmas Dream" model in 1983 and 1984 after the movie was released. It's definitely easy to tell them apart, considering the new one has the compass and sundial on the right side. This is actually true to the movie version.

IMG_1077.jpg

Here's a closeup comparison of the new one and a 1984 model.

IMG_1078.jpg

Just a little trivia: the original ones come in large and small compass versions. The small compasses are generally found on the 1983 rifles, and came from a variety of sources. (I think I have about three different small compass stocks). The larger compass is marked Daisy, and is usually found on the later 1984 rifles. Daisy sold off their extra stocks after the production run, so many of the ones that pop up for big money around Christmas are actually fakes created by adding an original stock to whatever Red Ryder is sitting around.

IMG_1081.jpg

The Daisy Museum has also sold commemorative models on every five year anniversary of the movie, starting in 1983. These are much nicer than this $25 rifle, and come with walnut stocks that are laser engraved. The first few aslo came with certificates of authenticity made out in the name of your choice.
 
paulleve said:
I just dropped by Walmart and saw a Red Ryder display set up near the ammo case. What caught my eye was the mention of a compass in the stock and sundial. For $25 I figured I could use at least one more of these, so I picked this up.
Click to expand...
Kewl.

If I understand correctly,
yet another commercial source of Christmas Story guns
are these 3rd party reworked models ($298+S&H):

Daisy Red Ryder with Compass and Sundial and custom rack

A Christmas Story special Red Ryder with compass in the stock and this thing that tells time
www.toytent.com www.toytent.com

Note the suede "boot" which laces on
to cover the hole in the stock butt where
the thing that tells time (gnomon) is stored:

8444-5.jpg


Where do these modern models store the gnomon peg?
 
AHM said:
Where do these modern models store the gnomon peg?
Click to expand...

They don't! It actually came with a small plastic gnomon, which will more likely serve as a device to poke younger brothers and sisters, but there is no place on the rifle to store it. Not only that, there aren't any directions for use! The originals from the 80s included a small sheet of paper that described the basics of how to use the sundial.

Those ToyTent rifles look nice, but not $350 nice! The Daisy Museum commemoratives look similar, but for more like $90 shipped.

I have my own aftermarket version sitting on the mantle. It's actually an older 1938 with a stock I took off a ridiculous fake I picked up. It looks far more like the movie rifle than any of the production models.

IMG_1083(1).jpg
 
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Dupe

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paulleve said:
They don't! It actually came with a small plastic gnomon, which will more likely serve as a device to poke younger brothers and sisters, but there is no place on the rifle to store it. ...
Click to expand...
Well, if you hadn't seen those toytown models,
now you've got at least one more idea.

Q: Is the plastic gnomon on this year's model a similar diameter
to (say) any popular welding rods?
May be worth recording measurements before it's inevitably lost,
so that you can fab up some replacements.

Then again, that toytown model seems to have brass bushings
pressed into the wood. So dimensions there would be more critical.
As long as your distant heirs aren't facing some dude on Antique Roadshow
wielding a micrometer, no one's going to mind a homebrew gnomon
of non-standard size.

paulleve said:
Not only that, there aren't any directions for use!
Click to expand...
I guess any backwoodsman is supposed to know.

paulleve said:
The originals from the 80s included a small sheet of paper that described the basics of how to use the sundial.
Click to expand...
Haven't looked for such a sheet,
but haven't tripped over one either.

paulleve said:
Those ToyTent rifles look nice, but not $350 nice! The Daisy Museum commemoratives look similar, but for more like $90 shipped.
Click to expand...
That cite definitely wasn't me claiming they were worth that much.
Just sharing what I'd found in past years' searching.

paulleve said:
I have my own aftermarket version sitting on the mantle. It's actually an older 1938 with a stock I took off a ridiculous fake I picked up. It looks far more like the movie rifle than any of the production models.
Click to expand...
Kewl, too.
 
I saw a big end cap of those at my local wally world.
I was impressed as they rated the FPS at 350. I thought it was only 300 on the legendary Red Ryder.
I still have mine that came under the x-mas tree in 1974, I was ten. Christmas morning after filling that baby up with shiny Daisy BB's from the yellow cardboard tube, I went out and laid waste to the pigeons and starlings in our hay barn....Joy oh joy.... [smile]. Graduated to a Crossman 760 soon there after from the local Service Merchandise store. That was a game changer. I could literally shoot birds out of the air with that thing....Still have that gun too.
 
paulleve said:
Here's what the front and back of the directions that came with the originals look like. They are about 2"x4".
Click to expand...
Duly saved to disk.
Very styleish.
P. S. I think there's a lot of biotite in that counter top.

paulleve said:
Still can't figure out how to make it work at night. 😜
Click to expand...
It's all about the anti-crepuscular rays, man.

ccm75 said:
I saw a big end cap of those at my local wally world.
I was impressed as they rated the FPS at 350. I thought it was only 300 on the legendary Red Ryder.
Click to expand...
Frog Lube? Science has progressed since the Depression.

ccm75 said:
I still have mine that came under the x-mas tree in 1974, I was ten. ...
Click to expand...
[party]
 
I once stuck my gun down into a starling nest between some rafters in the second floor of our barn. The "round" ricocheted right back into the corner of my eye.
No eye patch required....dodged the proverbial BB there.
 
Oxford Walmart doesn't even have them in the sporting goods section. They are way up near the end of the aisle, near health supplies and cosmetics. Love it!
 
AHM said:
Kewl.

If I understand correctly,
yet another commercial source of Christmas Story guns
are these 3rd party reworked models ($298+S&H):

Daisy Red Ryder with Compass and Sundial and custom rack

A Christmas Story special Red Ryder with compass in the stock and this thing that tells time
www.toytent.com www.toytent.com

Note the suede "boot" which laces on
to cover the hole in the stock butt where
the thing that tells time (gnomon) is stored:

8444-5.jpg


Where do these modern models store the gnomon peg?
Click to expand...
I think we have a garden gnomon in our front yard. Little guy with a pointy hat.
 
Sundial. If you keep saying Sundial and not "This thing that tells time" the old man is going to beat you with an undercooked turkey wing for 24 hours starting on Christmas Eve!
 
My redrider helped me through the pandemic. Back in the early spring of 2020 when there was nothing for my kids and I to do I set up a basement range. Instead of the usual paper target I put up balloons like at a carnival dart game. I made my kids, 9 and 4 at the time, wear all the hearing and eye protection to get used to it. We talked about muzzle management and trigger finger discipline to begin to work on our gun safety and we had a lot of fun popping balloons.
 
Win said:
My redrider helped me through the pandemic. Back in the early spring of 2020 when there was nothing for my kids and I to do I set up a basement range. Instead of the usual paper target I put up balloons like at a carnival dart game. I made my kids, 9 and 4 at the time, wear all the hearing and eye protection to get used to it. We talked about muzzle management and trigger finger discipline to begin to work on our gun safety and we had a lot of fun popping balloons.
Click to expand...
Spent many of the rainy days plinking in the basement with the ryder. As we got older it was wax bullets in the 32cal
 
Win said:
My redrider helped me through the pandemic. Back in the early spring of 2020 when there was nothing for my kids and I to do I set up a basement range. Instead of the usual paper target I put up balloons like at a carnival dart game. I made my kids, 9 and 4 at the time, wear all the hearing and eye protection to get used to it. We talked about muzzle management and trigger finger discipline to begin to work on our gun safety and we had a lot of fun popping balloons.
Click to expand...

Nice work keeping the kids occupied and learning firearm safety at the same time!

I spent more time at the range during the lockdown than I ever have in my life. When MA mandated range closures that summer for 5 or 6 weeks, air rifles did the trick. I mostly shot a break barrel that I hadn't taken out in years, but I did shoot one of the old Red Ryders as well. Hearing the long delay between the "Puff" and "Ting!" was reminiscent of fun days gone by!
 
T-Unit said:
I do regret not buying one of the 80th anniversary models a couple years ago. Oh well, just have to wait for the 100th anniversary models that come with a lady leg flashlight built into the stock.
Click to expand...
Stock, schmock - suspend the leg lamp underneath the barrel like a grenade launcher.

Until that wonderful day...
PSA_Leg_Lamp_Lower.jpg
 
I was out in the yard and needed to know the time. Luckily I had "Old Blue" with me. Far more satisfying than looking at the iPhone, and pretty close to accurate time of 1:15!

I bought my first Christmas Story rifle 20 years ago, and troday was the first time I have actually tried out the sundial. Not sure how to adjust it for Daylight Savings though... :cool:

IMG_1804.jpg
 
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Mission accomplished. I can't let you boys have all the fun. I might as well shoot an eye out too. Anyways this one may or may not have been involved in the assassination of Black Bart and his gang:

ps: Yes I know it's a star wars bed sheet and no it's not mine. It's a spare bedroom. I'm a nerd but I'm not that bad.


red-ryder1.jpg
 
VetteGirlMA said:
Mission accomplished. I can't let you boys have all the fun. I might as well shoot an eye out too. Anyways this one may or may not have been involved in the assassination of Black Bart and his gang:

ps: Yes I know it's a star wars bed sheet and no it's not mine. It's a spare bedroom. I'm a nerd but I'm not that bad.
Click to expand...

Congrats! Good luck and godspeed in keeping your eyes intact!

There's nothing wrong with Star Wars sheets. The fact that you make guests sleep on the Millennium Falcon is possibly more nerdy than having these sheets on your own bed! 😜

FYI for anyone considering getting one of these: Walmart.com seems wonky when it comes to inventory. All local stores are showing none in stock - including the one where I bought mine a few days ago.
 
paulleve said:
Congrats! Good luck and godspeed in keeping your eyes intact!

There's nothing wrong with Star Wars sheets. The fact that you make guests sleep on the Millennium Falcon is possibly more nerdy than having these sheets on your own bed! 😜

FYI for anyone considering getting one of these: Walmart.com seems wonky when it comes to inventory. All local stores are showing none in stock - including the one where I bought mine a few days ago.
Click to expand...

I looked where they normally keep the BB guns and they showed none on the shelves and then I asked a store employee and they showed me a separate display they have set up for the red ryders. There were probably still a good 20 on the shelf.
 

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