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ℹ️ Fate: Discontinued in the mid-1950s after burn and eye injuries; never relaunched due to inherently dangerous mechanism.
Toy gun that created real explosions using calcium carbide and water
Austin Magic Pistol was a late-1940s/1950s toy gun that used calcium carbide + water to produce acetylene gas; a spark ignited it with a loud bang and smoke. It caused burns and eye injuries and faded from stores by the mid-1950s as safety norms changed.
Timeline
- 1946
Introduced in the post-war toy market.
- 1950
Injury reports (burns/eye injuries) accumulate amid chemistry-toy craze.
- 1956
Production/distribution tapers off; toy disappears from shelves.
- 1972
CPSC established; concept later regarded as inherently hazardous.
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