Daisy Model-140 Defender

Daisy Model-140 Defender.

1,000-shot, 36in, 1941/42

With thanks to Trev for this pic:

On the BBS, Trev said: "In this 21st Century, a collector can visit a heap of gun shows and not come across a fabled Daisy Model 140,thousand-shot BB repeating-rifle, otherwise known as a "Daisy Defender". Broadly based upon the firm's earlier 'Great War' Model 40 gun - which was a handsome item complete with a rubber-tipped metal bayonet complementing it's lever-action and fifty-shot magazine.

The Model 140 was born into tumultuous times. Ones that saw its creators turn to more serious tasks in an effort to drive back threatening prospective enemies! With conflict in Europe dominating our news and the question,'should we or shouldn't we get involved' it was inevitable that patriotic Daisy would, as it were, 'answer the call'!. Adverts portraying the Model 140 rifle first appeared in early 1941 periodicals. From all accounts the new 'Defender' was eagerly anticipated.

Daisy had dropped the idea of fitting a bayonet to the Model 140 and increased its fire-power by incorporating a thousand-shot magazine. A stock and forearm replaced the earlier singular 'military-style' woodwork of the Model 40. The new 'Defender' had a neat dummy bolt which worked as a safety device and also lent a bit more realism to the firing cycle. A red indicator displayed through a hole in the bolt when the safety was off. Like the earlier Model 40, the Model 140 came fitted with a canvas sling and most seem to have had a colourful identifying sticker stapled around the forearm. All in all,it was a 'Daisy to die for"(as kids were wont to say!)

However, (always however….) by the middle of 1941 things were hotting up. Many of Daisy's skilled machinists were involved with national defense. Early May saw Daisy sending out a desperate letter to distributors. In this correspondence they told the trade they definitely would not be making any shipments of the Model 140 in the year 1941. Ready to go stock would be available on January 2, 1942. We all know what happened on December 7th 1941! So, there we have it, possibly this particular model was produced for around one month. It is reckoned around twenty-eight thousand units were made..making the Model 140 one of the rarest Daisy guns ever made."