Original Film Prop Cap Plug Firing La France M16K From Ellis Props – As Used In “The Naked Gun: From the files of Police Squad!” (1988) Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a fantastic, full sized cap firing prop M16K! These work with replica “cartridges”, which have small caps “plugged” into the front of them, which are then detonated by the replica bolt. These were ejected like real spent cartridges, and could be reloaded with additional caps. Sadly the plugs and caps have all been lost, probably long ago somewhere in a backyard. This example is only marked as M16.

The original ELLIS AUCTION LABEL is still attached on the magazine well and magazine of this prop gun. This fantastic example was acquired from the Ellis Props and Graphics liquidation auction. Ellis was the oldest and the largest Prop Houses in the World until it went out of business in the early 2000s.

The vast Ellis collection was acquired beginning in 1908, when a pawn shop, Ellis Mercantile, began renting merchandise to early filmmakers. According to Ellis Props, it began when a studio employee wanted to buy a glass eye. The pawn shop decided to rent it in case the owner returned, and it continued the practice with other items.

The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (also known as simply The Naked Gun) is a 1988 American crime comedy film directed by David Zucker and released by Paramount Pictures. The film stars Leslie Nielsen as the bumbling police lieutenant Frank Drebin. Priscilla Presley, Ricardo Montalbán, George Kennedy, and O. J. Simpson also stars in supporting roles.

The film features fast-paced slapstick comedy, including many visual and verbal puns and gags. The film is based on the character portrayed by Nielsen in the television series Police Squad!, and is also a continuation of the latter. The core creative team behind Police Squad! and the film series includes the team of David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker as well as Pat Proft in varying combinations.

Released on December 2, 1988, The Naked Gun was a critical and commercial success, which led to two sequels: The Naked Gun 2+1⁄2: The Smell of Fear (1991) and Naked Gun 33+1⁄3: The Final Insult (1994).

This replica still has a good finish on most of the metal, with some areas of wear from use, particularly around the charging handle. There is also a bit of overall patination to the finish. Mechanically it feels solid and cycles correctly. It really looks and feels almost the same as the real thing! Great for reenactors and collectors alike. The original Ellis Props

All purchases are sent and need an adult signature which is required by UPS. Priority Mail is not available for this item. You must be 18 years old to purchase this model and 21 to sign for the package.

Not available for export or shipment to certain U.S. locations. Plug / Cap Fire ONLY. Cannot be converted to a functional weapon. Please read legal information for safety guidelines prior to purchasing. No guarantees on the functionality of this prop, being sold as a display item.

La France M16K
The La France M16K is a M16 rifle modified by the company La France Specialties, which among with other firearm-related activities, convert common military weapons into more compact configurations typically for law enforcement and special forces use.

The M16K was designed by Timothy F. La France, the principal of La France Specialties, formerly of San Diego, California, for use by persons anticipating ambush while in transit. Its short length and unique sighting system was designed to facilitate firing from moving vehicles, where the extra length of even a CAR-15 or XM-177 might create a problem. Its extremely compact envelope also makes it an ideal weapon for helicopter crews, who otherwise would be forced to rely on sidearms for protection in the event of a forced landing.

The M16K is a so-called “K” weapon (“K” standing for the German word Kurz meaning short). The La France M16K was basically a standard military M16 rifle chambered for the 5.56 mm cartridge, but modified with an 8 3/8 inch (213 mm) barrel. Like many automatic and semi-automatic weapons the M16 utilizes pressure from the propellant gases in the barrel to cycle the bolt of the firearm. Most automatic weapons use a mechanical device such as a rod and piston between the bolt and the propellant gases. This is not the case in the M16 design in which gases are tapped off the barrel near the muzzle and flow through a tube to directly impinge on the bolt to initiate the auto loading cycle. In a standard issue M16, the gas tube is roughly 16 inches (406 mm) long to produce an automatic (cyclic) rate of fire of approximately 650 rounds per minute. Shortening the barrel increases the rate of fire significantly and thereby makes the weapon difficult to control and less reliable. To use a significantly shorter barrel than the standard issue without increasing the rate of fire, La France designed (and subsequently patented) an adjustable gas system that would keep the rate of fire the same as with a full-length barrel.