Golden Compass Figure Review - XD Style

[grunt1]

Ok, I ran across a few Golden Compass figures and took them to XD town.

The initial results were disappointing. The Lord Asriel figure which had the most promise seems to be articulated in all the wrong places.

The accessories however were quite nice. The goggles, which are hard to notice draped around his neck, are actually a separate item. They come off similar to the BBI elite for ones but are much more flexible.




His pistol was also pretty cool. I haven't ID'd it 100% yet, but it's easily modified to make an Enfield Mk 1.

It appears to be something else though. Maybe a Gasser or Warnant.. No clue..



Enfield Mk1


After fiddling around with him a bit, I noticed that his coat would come off. Once the arms were removed, the coat came off fairly easily. With a little work and the hot water trick, I squeezed it onto a 21C German infantryman. Then I put the goggles on and added a Snow camo helmet from a BOB German.




No idea if they wore coats like this, but it looked pretty good to me.

On to the Tartar guard. As a figure, it will take someone with more imagination than myself to find a use for him. However, he also came with some nice weapons.

The pistol is a German Mauser C96 as used in WWI and WWII, as well as serving as the base platform for Han Solo's pistol.



Anyway, nice to have another unique WWII weapon since 21C seems to be re-using the same ones over an over again.

He also had a bolt action rifle. Haven't ID'd it either so any of you rifle buffs feel free to chime in...



The rest of the figures might make nice civilians, but at least for this wave, these two were the most interesting as it applies to our hobby here.

Supposedly one of these guys uses a WWI Russian rifle which might end up being a Mosin Nagant. Now that, would be very cool.. We'll see.

Hope this helps some of you kitbashers and customizers out there..

[aferguson]

as far as the coat goes: the first winter in the USSR caught the German army off guard and they had virtually no cold weather clothing for the troops (hard to believe but true). As a result, the German government put out a plea to the civilian population to donate whatever warm clothing they had, to send to the troops. Civilans donated coats, boots etc in the thousands. Sadly a large number of the donated items never made it to the soldiers at the front, but some did. So your German could be one fighting outside Moscow in the winter of '41, wearing one of the dontated civilian coats. I would just use a regular german helmet as i've never seen any whitewashed ones from that first winter....though they may have tied torn up bedsheets around their helmets (if you've seen the movie 'Stalingrad' this is shown well). Leaving him in his regular issue jackboots would be correct too....lots of lost toes and feet that winter.

I don't know about the goggles...never seen anything quite like it worn by a german, but you could trim off the fur lining and they'd be dandy DAK goggles.

[grunt1]

rgr, you know anyone that can ID that rifle or the Enfield like pistol?

[pcb122605]

I picke dup a few of these and have mixed feelings about them. I like the sculpting but the lack of articulation stinks. Also, they seem out of scale even with each other, Sam Eliott (don't know his character's name) is huge compared to everyone else - even the Tartar Guards. He's taller than any 1:18 figure I have. The rest are okay but improved articulation would be nice, especially given their MSRP.

[Razor17019]

Grunt,
Like what you did. Looks good on the German soldier.
I like finding new sources of equipment and weapons.

Where did you guys find these figs?

[STUKA]

I checked TRU tonight after reading this and didnt find the figure with the coat - not many left actually - but overall the figures seema a bit bigger and XD - I passed.

[vmf214]

rgr, you know anyone that can ID that rifle or the Enfield like pistol?

The rifle is a Spanish Mauser FR-7 Special Purpose Carbine cal. 7mm (7x57 Mauser). These were converted in the late 60's early 70's from M1895 Mauser rifles and carbines mainly for training purposes. They were rebarrelled, stocks obviously cut down, a flash suppressor, front sight assy, and bayonet lug were added which were actually from the Spanish CETME rifle (HK 91 clone). The tube under the barrel housed the cleaning kit which was accessible by unscrewing the bayonet lug. They also made an FR-8 which was converted from an M1943 Spanish Mauser and had a pistol grip stock and was cal. 8mm (7.92x57). The pistol is either a Rast-Gasser or an H&R clone but most likely a French M1892. Hope this helps.

BTW, the fig looks awesome with the coat and goggles!!

[popeye357]

The pistol could also be an 1895 mosin nagant

[Spudkopf]

The revolver looks like a WWI or WWII British Webley to me?

[vmf214]

The pistol could also be an 1895 mosin nagant

Nope, MN 95's don't have a flat on top of the barrel.

As far as a Webley, the closest resemblance would be to a MkIII possibally. I think after closer study of the pic it's a Webley of some sort as the French 92 wasn't a break open.

[popeye357]

good eye on that pistol, it looks like what he posted it was. The Mosin doesnt break open either

[grunt1]

I need to post a better picture and will tonight. The top of the barrel _does_ have a rail.

[grunt1]

Thanks for the help guys.

Here is a better photo.



As you can see it has a rail on the top of the barrel. The other distinguishing feature is a smooth cylinder with no grooves.

I found website that describes it as follows: "Lord Asriel carries an 1880s revolver.."

As a side note, the same article mentions these weapons:

- Lord Asriel carries an 1880s revolver and a rare Swiss Canton rifle with a huge reloading bolt.

- Trollesund police pack a standard Russian WW1 rifle

- Magisterium police bear a more advanced weapon, coloured back to match their uniforms.

- Tartar’s weapon - a 1960s Spanish police carbine, practically an assault rifle.

- flintlock pistol - carried by Farder Coram

- John Faa lofts an 1870s Austrian model

- Tony Costa brandishes a pair of French pistols.

- Ma Costa reputedly packs a weapon - three we’re told, one of which being a small sawn-off shotgun, whilst one always remains concealed.

- Lee Scoresby has a very typical weapon - a Colt revolver and a Winchester rifle, famous in America for “winning the west;” this is because it was felt that the character was a very traditional cowboy.

- Nock Volley, a gun so large the Royal Navy had to abandon it as too few men were strong enough to fire it. It is the Gyptians’ special and Nick quips, “when this is fired, everyone in front of it falls over.”

[vmf214]

Now the better pic looks mighty Iver Johnsonish although it's not, they, like H&R copied alot of designs. With this better pic I'm thinking possibally a Schofield / Smith & Wesson. Wish I could get to my gun books, I retired from gun collecting some years ago and now my gun books are buried under XD...

[Light.Inf.Scout]

Wasn't there a Brtish pistol called a Webley? It kinda looks like that I think.

[vmf214]

If it had a spurless hammer it'd be real close to a Japanese Type 26. The break open mechanism looks Webley but the barrel and especially butt do not. As said it has more Schofield traits than anything. Interesting choice for a toy gun, obviously one in the movie...

[Mac]

I would say this is most likely a 1873 French Ordnance Revolver. It's not a breach barrel, but they did have a big old screw where that breach hinge would normally go.

[vmf214]

Yeah but the bbl is totally different as well as frame, look at the rear sight.

[MandaloreSC]

No idea if they wore coats like this, but it looked pretty good to me.

I think they did. I remember seeing a 12inch german soldier from dragon with a very similar coat.

Grunt, I am very interested in this Mauser. Could you please post a pic of a german soldier holding this weapon?
If the propotions are correct I could make a mold of this weapon and make some replicas. This is not a joke: If you would send me your Mauser in an envelope, I would send you 5 back - or how much you want, together with the original. If you're interested PM me. I can do weapons replicas you would confuse to be an original.

[Light.Inf.Scout]

Well at this point I'd say it is just some gun somebody designed for a figure and not actually modeled off a real one or if it is modeled off a real one - it is so small they can't get it exactly right. Guess well see what pistol whoever uses when the movie is out.

[Light.Inf.Scout]

Here are a couple pics of various Webleys - look pretty close to me.

[Light.Inf.Scout]

[Light.Inf.Scout]

[Mac]

Well at this point I'd say it is just some gun somebody designed for a figure and not actually modeled off a real one or if it is modeled off a real one - it is so small they can't get it exactly right. Guess well see what pistol whoever uses when the movie is out.

Yea, that's probably a good assessment. Though judging from the rear entry arm behind the cylinder, I'm still saying it's the French model. I guess the movie will end this debate soon enough

[grunt1]

As I understand it, the weapons are all real.

Mand, here are some shots of the Mauser. Happy to send you one to be cloned.