Friday, March 13, 2015

Hasbro Ghost Gun Target Book (1974)

Here's the Hasbro Ghost Gun (1974).
It doesn't actually shoot anything, because its really just a battery-powered projector. The gun comes with a 16 page booklet of cellophane strips of printed images of ghosts, devils, spiders, etc., which are torn out on their perforated edges and slid into a slit on the gun's side.


The stock of the gun has a bit of play in it, kind of like a joystick, and can be moved a few inches in any direction, independent of the front end. Moving the stock also moves an internally mounted pin, which punctures the cellophane target when you pull the trigger, leaving a visible hole in the projected image, wherever the pin happened to be aimed.

Some ads for the gun promised "1,000" targets.
I count exactly 1,088.

There was also a white "Moving Monster" version of the gun, with different target images.

Image from PlaidStallions. Be sure to check out their excellent book of dime-store toys, Rack Toys:Cheap, Crazed Playthings.

When I owned one of these back in the 70s, I always thought the gun kind of resembled Madame Medusa's from Disney's The Rescuers, and would use it as such for Rescue Aid Society role-play sessions (yes, that was a thing in my circle of friends!)


Here's scans of all the Ghost Gun targets.

19 comments:

Will Errickson said...

Yes! A vague memory of having this...

Brian Barnes said...

I had this two, but like the previous comment, only vague recollections of it. I suspect I used it more for projecting ghosts on the wall then actually shooting at them.

Or maybe what I had was something similar that only projected monsters? A later or earlier version of this? I remember the sheets but not punching pin holes.

(Blogger really needs an edit button!)

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Dex said...

I had the white one. Even after running out of the strips, I still used it as a play gun. And once Ghostbusters came out, it made a great proton wand if you took out the front piece.

lil_gal said...

I loved this toy! I spent quite a bit of time sitting in the basement shooting at ghosts.

Unknown said...

My brother and I had one of these. Loved it. I was only a couple of years old, so it was mainly his. If anyone has one they want to sell, please, let me know!

Lil_gal said...

Oh yes! Wouldn't it be great to own one of these?

Unknown said...

Does anyone know where to buy one.

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Got one

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Mike Currie said...

what are the dimensions of the strips if we want to make our own?

Unknown said...

where can you find an instruction manual? Does it take several D batteries? Just got one off of ebay and trying to see if I can get it to work

David king said...

I had the white one.. every once in a while I think about it..I used to like it a lot..I was only around 5 years old..I would love to have one now.. brings back some good old memories...

Anonymous said...
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Stew said...

I found mine in the box with some of the original strips -

Scope said...

I don't think I ever used any of the strips. We used it as a sub-machine gun when playing "War". I suspect that most people did.

Unknown said...

I have one but it's not functional- anyone have any suggestions on how to fix it so it works? Maybe an electrician? All the parts are there it's just likely a simple fix. Is there a official vintage toy repair person ?