The Intimidator. A puzzle that turns into a .45 pistol

Here is a very cool thing I came across in my interweb travels. An amazing piece of engineering, art, and firearms mixed together.

There are 6 different metals used. Brass, Stainless Steel, Aluminum, Bronze, Magnesium and Steel. It is 8 inches tall, 5 inches wide, and 4 inches deep. His website says it weighs in at 40lbs! Which sounds like a lot to me but there is more than just the gun in there.

Integrated into the sculpture are a customized set of tools, all necessary hardware, 45 caliber bullets, a standard sight, a laser sight, a cannister containing black powder pellets, a secure storage area for 209 shotgun primers, a spent primer removal tool and a ramrod for loading the bullets. It breaks down to over 125 pieces.









It was created by a man named GarE Maxton. Here is what he has to say about it:

The INTIMIDATOR PUZZLE PISTOL is is a single shot 45 caliber muzzle loading pistol; a unique offering for personal self defense.

As a young man, I was impressed by the unusual gun used by Scaramanga in the 1974 Bond thriller "The Man with the Golden Gun". Recently, I thought I'd like to design my own.

The INTIMIDATOR Puzzle Pistol was originally planned to be a conventional 25 Caliber pistol but as my ideas morphed, it became a muzzle loading and more intimidating 45 caliber.

The sculpture includes everything required for assembly of the puzzle pistol. Integrated into the sculpture are a customized set of tools, all necessary hardware, 45 caliber bullets, a standard sight, a laser sight, a cannister containing black powder pellets, a secure storage area for 209 shotgun primers, a spent primer removal tool and a ramrod for loading the bullets.

I would disagree that this could be used for personal defense though. What is the bad guy going to wait hours for you to put it together? Better hit with your first shot or you'll be taking a few minutes to reload it.

Anyway, it's a very cool piece. Would love to have it. I was unable to find a price but there is a 24 month lead time from when you place the order. He has many other puzzle sculptures on his website. Take a look here
ETA here is a video

Very cool. Whereas I appreciate the incredible ability to engineer this piece and Id love to have it in my collection...im with you in regards its actual petformance...it would be a paper weight and a conversation piece...if I want to carry a .45 for self defense...Ill grab my Kimber

a reply to: FauxMulder

Humans can be so creative in very complicated ways . tks

For personal defense, well, not so sure of that but if it had a nice solid brass knuckle in there somewhere that you could get to easily enough, that might be of better help. Of course if you can heave it at the intruder's head that's probably your best protection... all 40lbs of it

Having done my fair share of machine work, I do admire the puzzle for the workmanship.

Do you need to register it?

a reply to: evc1shop

Lol yes you might be better off beating an intruder with it.

I guess it depends on what state you live in, I assume you would need to ship it to an FFL to do a transfer.

a reply to: evc1shop

No gun registration in Ohio or Indiana

No link?

originally posted by: lordcomac
No link?

There is a link, it says look "here"

here is another link

Very cool, a definite conversation piece. The craftsmanship of this piece and his other puzzles is nice.

Not suited for self-defense in any way, shape, or form though.

If guns are your DIY interest, you'd be better served by a visit to your local hardware store's plumbing aisle.

originally posted by: cynicalheathen
Very cool, a definite conversation piece. The craftsmanship of this piece and his other puzzles is nice.

Not suited for self-defense in any way, shape, or form though.

If guns are your DIY interest, you'd be better served by a visit to your local hardware store's plumbing aisle.

And contrary to popular belief, making a gun in your basement from scratch is perfectly legal, as long as you don't go trying to sell it. Use common sense. OP, neat little design there, while cool, is strictly a novelty with no real practical use. But still cool.

Assembled it reminds me of the Golden Gun.
Ala The Man with the Golden Gun.
Does it come with a small statured man servant named Nick Nack?

That is a cool find you came across there OP,fine piece of design and engineering.
As a weapon bit inconvenient unless your one of them 5 second rubics cube savants but one hell of a conversation piece.

Finally- a happy ending to tetris....

Very cool.

Well I feel silly. I just glanced earlier at work when I replied and didn't really read the embedded text. Obviously inspired by Scaramanga.

originally posted by: iTruthSeeker
And contrary to popular belief, making a gun in your basement from scratch is perfectly legal, as long as you don't go trying to sell it. Use common sense. OP, neat little design there, while cool, is strictly a novelty with no real practical use. But still cool.

Prosecuting CA Penal Code 12020

As previously stated, the prosecutor must prove the two elements of the crime:

1) That you manufactured, imported, sold, gave, lent, and/or possessed any of the dangerous weapons listed in the Penal Code, and
2) That you knowingly did so and knew that the object was either a weapon, or that it could be used as a weapon..

esfandilawfirm.com...


12020. (a) Any person in this state who does any of the following
is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year
or in the state prison:
(1) Manufactures or causes to be manufactured, imports into the
state, keeps for sale, or offers or exposes for sale, or who gives,
lends, or possesses any cane gun or wallet gun, any undetectable
firearm, any firearm which is not immediately recognizable as a
firearm, any camouflaging firearm container, any ammunition which
contains or consists of any flechette dart, any bullet containing or
carrying an explosive agent, any ballistic knife, any multiburst
trigger activator, any nunchaku, any short-barreled shotgun, any
short-barreled rifle, any metal knuckles, any belt buckle knife, any
leaded cane, any zip gun, any shuriken, any unconventional pistol,
any lipstick case knife, any cane sword, any shobi-zue, any air gauge
knife, any writing pen knife, any metal military practice
handgrenade or metal replica handgrenade, or any instrument or weapon
of the kind commonly known as a blackjack, slungshot, billy,
sandclub, sap, or sandbag.

law.justia.com...

a reply to: namelesss

Go figure...it's illegal to phart in California too!

i dont see the point in this.

The 1911is a pain the ass enough as it is to reassemble after cleaning

originally posted by: BASSPLYR
i dont see the point in this.

The 1911is a pain the ass enough as it is to reassemble after cleaning

Well, the guy makes puzzle sculptures for people who like to do that type of thing. Some are very complex and difficult to figure out. A good brain exercise for the mechanically minded. This particular one happens to have pieces for a pistol hidden inside which is pretty cool. I don't think anyone actually thinks the firearm has any practical purpose other than to have fun with.

a reply to: FauxMulder

Im saying the 1911 is a puzzle enough all by its self to reassemble. Ever reasembled a 1911? Its tricky

Def not a personal defense weapon being muzzle loaded/ one shot/ DIY/ etc lol. but that is so cool it would be awesome to own and master putting it together.