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Type-3 phaser

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A type-3 phaser (often simply referred to as a phaser rifle ) was the Federation classification for the more powerful rifle variant of the standard Starfleet handheld phaser . The biggest difference between a " regular phaser " and the phaser rifle, was that the rifle was generally more powerful, operated with two hands and could recharge. ( LD : " Where Pleasant Fountains Lie ")

By the 24th century , phaser rifles had sixteen power settings, fully-autonomous recharge capability, multiple-target acquisition, and gyro-stabilization. They were slightly less powerful but much more sophisticated than Cardassian phase-disruptor rifles ; some, such as Major Kira Nerys , considered them less effective in the field as their complexity made them less robust. ( DS9 : " Return to Grace ")

  • 1.1 23rd century
  • 1.2 23rd century (alternate reality)
  • 1.3 24th century
  • 1.4 25th century
  • 3.1 Appearances
  • 3.2.1 The Original Series phaser rifle
  • 4.1 External links

History [ ]

23rd century [ ].

Type 3 phaser, 2256

A type 3 phaser rifle in 2256

In 2256 , phaser rifles had at least two settings: stun and kill . Although both settings fired single bolt blasts, these weapons could also be utilized to fire a yellow-colored cutting beam . ( DIS : " Context Is for Kings ")

Georgiou using a type 3 phaser

Captain Georgiou using the phaser rifle

In 2256 , Captain Philippa Georgiou discharged a type 3 phaser into a water well on the Crepusculan homeworld , shifting the water table and allowing water to reemerge from the well in a large geyser . ( DIS : " The Vulcan Hello ")

Type 3 phasers were also occasionally used by officers aboard the USS Discovery . For example, in 2256, a couple of officers in the ship's mess hall were equipped with phaser rifles; one of these officers was even about to use his when Michael Burnham began attacking Cold and Psycho using Suus Mahna , though he was stopped by Commander Ellen Landry , who instead brandished a type 2 phaser to persuade Burnham to cease and desist. Phaser rifles were also carried by Landry herself and Kowski when they were part of a boarding party that traveled to the USS Glenn . There, Landry and Kowski used theirs, switching the weapons to the kill setting, to repeatedly fire at a creature which survived the phaser fire and chased the group, causing them to hurry to refuge in engineering and killing Kowski. In engineering, Landry fired a cutting beam from her phaser rifle to cut through a door that was otherwise jammed closed. ( DIS : " Context Is for Kings ")

Kirk with phaser rifle

James T. Kirk holds a late 2260s -style type 3 phaser rifle

In the 2260s , phaser rifles were not standard landing party equipment aboard Starfleet vessels . Typically, late 2260s rifles were equipped only when firepower heavier than that of the type 2 phaser was required. Spock , for example, had to file a special requisition for one to be brought down to Delta Vega in 2265 . Phaser rifles of this time period were unique in that they had 3 different prefire chambers, and the user could change the chamber they were using by rotating the 3 chambers to one with a higher energy level. The type 3 phaser rifles of this time period were a bit bulkier and heavier than their predecessors, though they had more fire power. ( TOS : " Where No Man Has Gone Before ")

23rd century (alternate reality) [ ]

Phaser rifle, alternate reality

James T. Kirk holding a 2250s -style phaser rifle in the alternate reality

In 2259 of the alternate reality , phaser rifles were issued to Starfleet security personnel on Earth after the terrorist bombing of the Kelvin Memorial Archive .

James T. Kirk used a phaser rifle to try to take out Khan 's jumpship 208 when it was firing on the Daystrom Conference Room at Starfleet Headquarters . When fired, this rifle only had a bright muzzle flash and recoil and did not appear to fire a visible phaser beam or a phaser burst.

Security personnel on the USS Enterprise also carried phaser rifles during the subsequent mission to apprehend Khan. ( Star Trek Into Darkness )

By 2263 , phaser rifles were still in use as security officers used them to defend the Enterprise against Krall and his Swarm drones during the Battle of Altamid . ( Star Trek Beyond )

Section 31 phaser rifle

Spock holding a Section 31 phaser rifle

Also, in 2259 of the alternate reality, Section 31 of Starfleet used rapid-fire phaser rifles that fired red phaser bolts. Khan brought one of these rifles along with him to Qo'noS and used it to defend himself and Kirk's away team from Klingon soldiers. One of the Section 31 security personnel on the USS Vengeance also carried one of these rifles. ( Star Trek Into Darkness )

24th century [ ]

Facsimile phaser rifles were created by the Romulan Star Empire in 2367 and given to rebels on the Klingon planet Krios , in an attempt to destabilize relationships between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. Both the facsimile and Federation rifles had an output of 1.05 MW . The only physical difference to the standard Federation rifle was an emission crystal efficiency of 94.1%. This was eight percent above the standard model. Another difference was that the initial output spike of the phaser beam was inverted, a sign that the power cell had been charged with a forced pulse in the terahertz range – a method used in Romulan disruptor rifles . ( TNG : " The Mind's Eye ")

The 2360s version of the rifle could be modified with the use of a tracking light mounted on the central body, as well as a shoulder strap designed for ease of carrying. ( Star Trek: First Contact ) A phaser rifle could be set to fire an expanding energy pulse . The pulse could be set low enough to avoid damaging equipment, but high enough to affect changelings . It also heated up the air it was fired through. ( DS9 : " The Adversary ")

Picard and Data hunt Borg

The crew armed with new phaser rifles in 2373

In the early 2370s , the compression phaser rifle began to be distributed to Intrepid -class , Nova -class , and other starships, including the USS Voyager and USS Equinox . ( VOY : " Caretaker ", " Equinox ", " Message in a Bottle ")

Worf firing phaser rifle

Worf fires the EVA-type phaser rifle

More advanced phaser rifles capable of firing phaser bolts as well as the standard beam were also used in the 2370s. These rifles had a pistol grip in back and either an underbarrel grip or a second vertical grip underneath the barrel (similar to conventional firearms of times past), and were capable of being modified with various types of scopes, barrels and power cells. The rifle variant with the underbarrel grip was used during zero-gravity EVA-operations in the Borg incident of 2373 / 2063 . This variant was also able to be magnetized against a surface, further proving its usefulness in zero-gravity environments. ( Star Trek: First Contact ; Star Trek Nemesis )

When Worf's rifle ran out of power on the Ba'ku planet , he improvised and swung it, like a club, at a Son'a drone that was firing isolinear tags at Ba'ku villagers and Starfleet crew. ( Star Trek: Insurrection )

In 2381 , Nick Locarno attempted to murder Beckett Mariner with a phaser rifle. However, she evaded most of his shots, and was beamed onto the Cerritos captain's yacht right before what would have been the killing blow hit. ( LD : " Old Friends, New Planets ")

Aboard the USS Protostar in 2384 , Gwyn and Dal R'El both attempted to make use of an updated phaser rifle when they were being boarded by The Diviner , Asencia , and Drednok . ( PRO : " Supernova, Part 1 ")

25th century [ ]

Phaser rifles were carried aboard the USS Stargazer and were used by the Stargazer 's security officers to defend the ship from the Borg Queen . ( PIC : " The Star Gazer ")

Phasers riles were carried aboard the USS Titan -A and were used by the Titan -A's security officers to search for Jack Crusher when he escaped from the brig . ( PIC : " Disengage ")

Structure [ ]

Starfleet phaser rifles of the 24th century were characterized by several components ( TNG : " The Mind's Eye "; DS9 : " The Siege of AR-558 "):

  • Beam control assembly
  • Discharge crystal
  • Emission aperture
  • Energy cell
  • Prefire chamber
  • Rapid nadion pulse
  • Safety interlock
  • Bajoran phaser rifle
  • Breen phaser rifle
  • Kellerun phaser rifle
  • Regalian phaser rifle

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

  • TOS : " Where No Man Has Gone Before "
  • Star Trek: First Contact
  • Star Trek: Insurrection
  • Star Trek Nemesis
  • Star Trek Into Darkness
  • Star Trek Beyond
  • " The Mind's Eye "
  • " Descent "
  • " Lower Decks "
  • " The Maquis, Part I "
  • " The Maquis, Part II "
  • " The Die is Cast "
  • " The Adversary "
  • " The Way of the Warrior "
  • " Homefront "
  • " Paradise Lost "
  • " Return to Grace "
  • " To the Death "
  • " The Ship "
  • " Let He Who Is Without Sin... "
  • " Nor the Battle to the Strong "
  • " Empok Nor "
  • " Call to Arms "
  • " Rocks and Shoals "
  • " Change of Heart "
  • " Inquisition "
  • " The Siege of AR-558 "
  • " What You Leave Behind "
  • " Macrocosm "
  • " Worst Case Scenario "
  • " Scorpion "
  • " Scorpion, Part II "
  • " The Raven "
  • " Waking Moments "
  • " Living Witness "
  • " Dark Frontier "
  • " Equinox "
  • " Unimatrix Zero "
  • " Flesh and Blood "
  • " The Vulcan Hello "
  • " Context Is for Kings "
  • " Choose Your Pain "
  • " Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum "
  • " What's Past Is Prologue "
  • " The War Without, The War Within "
  • " Saints of Imperfection "
  • " Project Daedalus "
  • " Such Sweet Sorrow "
  • " Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2 "
  • ST : " The Trouble with Edward "
  • " Stardust City Rag "
  • " The Star Gazer "
  • " Farewell "
  • " The Next Generation "
  • " Disengage "
  • " The Last Generation "
  • " Much Ado About Boimler "
  • " Veritas "
  • " Where Pleasant Fountains Lie "
  • " Trusted Sources "
  • " Old Friends, New Planets "
  • " A Moral Star, Part 1 "
  • " Supernova, Part 1 "
  • " Memento Mori "
  • " The Serene Squall "
  • " All Those Who Wander "
  • " Among the Lotus Eaters "
  • " Hegemony "

Background information [ ]

Phaser rifle prop

Penny Juday holding a 24th century phaser rifle

Matt Jefferies is accredited with drawings for the original series type 1 and 2 sidearms which fitted together in a modular fashion. The said drawings also mention a mysterious "UNIT 4" for which no drawing or design was ever made public nor featured in the original series. Possibly this UNIT 4 was meant to be a phaser rifle, but never made it onto the show as explained below . ( Star Trek: The Original Series Sketchbook , pp. 92-93)

Rick Sternbach designed the phaser rifle introduced in TNG : " The Mind's Eye ". He explains its apparent lack of trigger as follows:

My Type III rifle blueprints don’t show an obvious button on either the fore or aft grips. One of the postings [on TrekBBS] talks about buttons being hit at the wrong times, which I do recall as being an issue during production. Made for slight VFX headaches. Perhaps that affected how I drew the thing. My in-universe rationale for the grips having no obvious buttons is that (also similar to one posting) the actual firing studs are buried under the ribbed poly-elasto-squishy grip material. ( TrekBBS )

The modified phaser rifle that first appeared in " The Adversary " was designed by Jim Martin . A new feature was the addition of triggers, although on the prop they were buttons. Joe Longo commented: " Ira [Steven Behr] said that when he was watching people shoot, they hadn't been activating anything, so we made them more realistic. It gives the actors something to do ". ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. ? ))

While Voyager originally only used compression rifles, they later also used the First Contact variant – indicating that weapon had been part of the ship's stores since they left DS9 in 2371. This seems anachronistic since that weapon was not introduced in other productions until around 2373, after Voyager departed. Even so, Deep Space Nine used two designs (the TNG rifle and the First Contact rifle) concurrently, indicating that no one design was "replaced", establishing that Federation postings could use two types simultaneously.

According to the It's A Wrap! sale and auction , the Star Trek Nemesis version of the phaser rifle (with flashlight) uses "a pair of C123 3-volt batterie… the bulb housing is inscribed '6v Lamp, Laser Products, P60'." A Surefire brand P60 designation lamp is capable of outputting 65 lumens of light. A stunt version from Star Trek: Nemesis was sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay. [5]

The term "type 3 phaser" was first referenced in " Phage ", and later again in " Flesh and Blood ".

The Original Series phaser rifle [ ]

Phaser rifle design sketch by Reuben Klamer

Klamer's approved phaser rifle design

In the final revised draft of the script for " Where No Man Has Gone Before " (dated 15 July 1965 ) (scenes 134 and onward), this type of phaser was referred to as "heavy," "large," "lethal-appearing," and "lethal." Also, its discharge was described as "a deep, fiery-red beam." The rifle, while carried by Kirk, was said to be "slung across his shoulder." [6] However, this is not shown in the episode's final version, the weapon instead being carried by hand.

For the actual construction of the rifle prop itself, Gene Roddenberry turned to an outside contractor, toy manufacturer and inventor Reuben Klamer , who was already renowned at the time for the Milton Bradley Company 's now-classic board game, The Game Of Life . Roddenberry became aware of Klamer's work, as he spotted a prop gun in use at another television production, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Contacted by Roddenberry, Klamer agreed upon designing the prop, the final version of 28 June 1965 being the version which Roddenberry approved. ( Julien's Auctions presents: Star Trek )

Phaser rifle prop, original version

The original phaser rifle prop

Upon approval of the design, Klamer was given the go-ahead by Roddenberry to proceed with manufacture of the prop, admonishing him that time was of the essence as shooting was already scheduled to begin in July. In a video , shot for the below mentioned auction, Klamer recalled that he initially was only given a mere two weeks to come up with both the design and the prop. Already facing a deadline that he found nearly impossible to meet, Klamer, upon additional urging by William Shatner , who desperately wanted the prop, needed an additional staff of three, including employee Ab Kander, to complete the prop on time. Working around the clock, the weapon was constructed out of wood and finished with a blue/green metallic paint. Additional detailing included the hand-tooled aluminum barrel and spring-loaded trigger, a sliding switch to adjust the force setting, three plastic non-functional domed indicator lights, and inset plastic panels, as well as a telescoping antenna mounted to the top. Moveable pieces on the weapon included three acrylic turret tubes cylinders with what appeared to be copper painted metal conduit with ends painted to match the three force settings. The entire turret unit turned on a center axis. The black shoulder butt also rotated to be used as a handle or shoulder stock. According to Klamer, in the video, Roddenberry took possession of the prop in person, which measured 34×14×4.5 inches, in the second week of July, and was very excited about its end-result, reportedly exclaiming, " This is it! This does the job! Those guys at NBC will be surprised that we have this in the show. " ( Julien's Auctions presents: Star Trek )

In "Where No Man Has Gone Before", the phaser rifle's beam was reused animation from the impact of the laser cannon in TOS : " The Cage ". ("Where No Man Has Gone Before" text commentary , TOS Season 1 DVD special features)

A contemporary publicity still featuring the phaser rifle…

When it was announced – during the Watts riots of August 1965 – that the rioters were about to move to Desilu 's production base of Culver City, California , the original phaser rifle from "Where No Man Has Gone Before" was one weapon that Herbert F. Solow suggested to Gene Roddenberry as a means of protection. ( Inside Star Trek: The Real Story , p. 89) Apart from its use in the episode and its proposed anti-riot use, the phaser rifle prop was most notably re-utilized for well known official publicity shots, which featured William Shatner, in the guise of Kirk, holding the phaser rifle. ( Inside Star Trek: The Real Story , pp. 117, 106, 190; et al. )

Roddenberry obviously reverted his initial enthusiastic stance on the phaser rifle, and it was retired from TOS after he decided that, in common with smoking , guns were not to be shown on the series, either. Regarding the TOS phaser rifle design, Bjo Trimble remarked, " The gun was just a little too lethal-looking for Gene's taste and he just didn't like it. " ( TOS Season 1 Blu-ray special features, Starfleet Access : "Where No Man Has Gone Before") The phaser rifle prop was returned to creator Klamer, who kept it in pristine condition in his possession for the next half century. This made "Where No Man Has Gone Before" the only canon appearance of the design in the Star Trek franchise.

But the TOS phaser rifle became somewhat of an iconic piece in the Star Trek fan community, drawing the " The Holy Grail " analogy Star Trek -archivist Alec Peters ; this prompted CBS Consumer Products to commission the manufacture of at least one copy for inclusion as a display piece in exhibitions, such as Star Trek: The Experience [7] and Star Trek The Exhibition . [8] (X) These reasonably accurate copies turned up in later (un)official publicity photographs and imagery of Dave Rossi and Elizabeth Dehner actress Sally Kellerman individually posing with the prop. ( TOS Season 1 Blu-ray special features, Starfleet Access : "Where No Man Has Gone Before"; et al. ) Apparently, a phaser rifle prop copy even ended up in Kellerman's possession after the 2010 Official Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas. [9]

Michael and Denise Okuda were both somewhat critical of the TOS-era phaser rifle. Although Michael Okuda found it "a cool concept" and particularly liked how some of the weapon's components moved, he also believed the phaser rifle had "kind of a funky design." He concluded, " I think they were right to retire it after ['Where No Man Has Gone Before']. " Dave Rossi remarked on the opinions that the Okudas, who Rossi worked with on Remastered TOS, had about the weapon: " I'm told that my learned colleagues thought that the phaser rifle was a bit hokey-looking. " Rossi's own thoughts on the TOS-era phaser rifle, however, differed substantially from those of the Okudas. " I love the phaser rifle, " he raved. " The phaser rifle kicks butt! And I'm bummed that it only appears in ['Where No Man Has Gone Before'], because to have a phaser gun that can, you know, take the top of a mountain off, what did the phaser rifle do?! You know what I mean? I really wanted to see this thing in future episodes. I didn't think it looked hokey at all; I thought it was cool. It was bulky and it was mean and looked good in Kirk's hands a lot. " ( TOS Season 1 Blu-ray special features, Starfleet Access : "Where No Man Has Gone Before")

Creator Klamer eventually offered up the actual original phaser rifle itself, with the accompanying period studio paperwork, for auction in the Julien's Auctions firm's Hollywood Legends Auction on 5 April 2013. As lot 120 it had an estimate of US$50,000-$70,000, selling for over three times the high estimate at US$231,000, in the process becoming the most expensive Star Trek hand-held prop ever sold at auction to date, affirming Alec Peters' assessment. [10]

Apocrypha [ ]

In Star Trek Online , Starfleet was still using the late 2260s phaser rifle model by 2270, though the handle placement had been modified and using the rifle no longer required special requisition for it to be deployed. In 2270, the rifle's use was still not as widespread as the type 2 phaser. By 2409 in the game, Starfleet had deployed many different variants of the type 3 phaser.

External links [ ]

  • Designer Reveals Story Behind TOS Phaser Rifle at TrekMovie.com
  • Phaser rifle at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
  • 1 Abdullah bin al-Hussein

10 Star Trek Phasers, Ranked

The beam weapons have evolved beyond "ray gun" cliches to become an essential part of Star Trek. Here are the 10 best phaser designs in the series.

Star Wars may have lightsabers, but Star Trek has unquestionably cornered the marker on cool ray guns. Like so many other parts of the franchise, phasers have developed a lexicon and terminology all their own. In addition, timeline changes and the need to make each new Star Trek series distinctive have resulted in numerous versions of the same basic gizmo.

Phasers are divided into three basic categories. Type I phasers are about the size of a garage door opener and are designed for concealment. Type IIs are larger and have a pistol grip, with more power and a longer range. Type IIIs are rifles, used only in times of war or when facing a serious threat. Below is a loose list of the 10 best in the franchise.

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10 Star Trek: Picard Assault Phaser Rifle

Star Trek: Picard moved the franchise's timeline to the very end of the 24th century, about 20 years after the final Next Generation movie ended. That meant new updates to the weapons, most notably the phasers.

Season 1, Episode 5, "Stardust City Rag," revealed an "assault phaser rifle." It was blockier than the Type IIIs it replaced, with a sighting array further down the barrel. It benefited from a wild introduction, as Seven of Nine took one in each hand to ruthlessly cut down a squad of attacking minions.

9 Star Trek: Discovery 32nd Century Type II Phaser Pistol

Season 3 of Star Trek: Discovery launched the crew into the 32nd Century to find the Federation shattered and Starfleet all but nonexistent. Weaponry of the time had changed, of course. Sleeker and simpler than earlier phasers, it emphasized the firing port more than the controls, stressing just how much damage it could cause.

It also acknowledged that there were limits to how the basic design could be improved. While Discovery made innovative technical leaps for things like transporters and starship shields, the phasers still looked more or less like they always had. The ray-gun notion could never be entirely vanquished.

RELATED: 10 Best Television Universes, Ranked

8 Star Trek: First Contact Type II Phaser Pistol

The Next Generation went through a series of designs for their phasers, which often looked difficult to hold. It eventually resulted in the "boomerang" phaser, first introduced in Star Trek: First Contact. The curved handle matched the aesthetic of the phasers used in The Next Generation while making it a little more stylish.

The design proved durable and was used throughout the remainder of The Next Generation 's feature-length films. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager also used it. That makes it emblematic of the franchise's "renaissance" period in the mid-to-late 1990s.

7 Star Trek: Enterprise MACO Pulse Pistol

Star Trek: Enterprise took place in Starfleet's infancy, and as such, the protocols were much different. MACOs -- Military Assault Command Operations -- served as de facto marines onboard ship. They were beholden to a different chain of command and used more effective weapons than their colleagues in Starfleet.

That included the pulse pistol: a precursor to the phaser based on the slightly friendlier versions used by Captain Archer and his crew. They had a mechanical look that spoke to new technology. More importantly, they looked dangerous, something that rarely comes to mind with other phaser designs.

6 'The Cage' Type II Phaser Pistol

The original Star Trek pilot "The Cage" drew heavily on previous space opera epics for its aesthetics, including the likes of Forbidden Planet and the Flash Gordon serials of the 1930s. The franchise's very first phasers retained a larger-than-life look but were also clearly human in design, avoiding excessively outlandish touches.

It made for a strong opening statement on the issue and helped pave the way for the classic phaser design of The Original Series . More importantly, it looked cool, and its stylish design helped it hold up in the ensuing decades.

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5 Star Trek III Type II Phaser Pistol

Phasers didn't really appear in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, while Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan went with an updated look that felt more of a kind with its predecessor. For Star Trek III: The Search for Spock , the saga went back to the phasers from The Original Series , with a slight update and redesign.

The new versions worked for the next three movies before more or less retiring with the original crew. And like Picard 's phaser rifles, they benefited from a memorable introduction. In their case, it was Commander Uhura, suddenly turning on her overconfident coworker.

4 Star Trek Enterprise MACO Pulse Rifle

Even more than the pistols, the MACO's pulse rifles spoke to how dangerous the Final Frontier could be. They resembled modern assault rifles rather than sleek laser emitters, with a two-handed grip reminiscent of the far less endearing Type III rifles of The Next Generation .

Over and above their immediate purpose as deadly weapons, the pulse rifles helped draw a sharp distinction between the MACOs and the Starfleet officers around them. That paid narrative dividends when the two sides came to loggerheads. It also stressed how far humanity still had to go before the utopia of The Original Series.

3 The Original Series Type III Phaser Rifle

Nowhere can Star Trek 's space opera roots be more clearly seen than in its Type III phaser rifle. It became a part of the series very early: the second pilot, "Where No Man Has Gone Before." And while it was rarely used, it was invariably a lot of fun.

The phaser rifles of The Original Series had recognizable technology -- the coils powering it, for example -- to give the notion of a viable piece of machinery. But the long barrel and radar-style tip added the right sense of retro style.

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2 Star Trek: First Contact Type III Phaser Rifle

While the boomerang design for the Type II phasers in First Contact was serviceable at best, the movie struck gold with the rifle variant. Previous versions of the Type III used a pair of pistol grips, essentially making it a jumped-up Type II. It worked in terms of world-building -- the technology was of a kind with the Type IIs -- but it also looked very awkward.

First Contact brought a sleeker, cooler design to the rifles. A stylized grip and butt for shoulder firing tapered down to a sleek barrel. It felt very utilitarian, but also undeniably Star Trek . Like the film's Type II design, it soon became the standard for the Trek TV shows of the era.

1 The Original Series Type II Phaser Pistol

Several subsequent Star Trek projects have tinkered with the basic look of The Original Series Type II, but nothing really compares in terms of evoking the Final Frontier. Like so much else with the first show, it came to define the aesthetic of the whole franchise.

Its stylized look hasn't aged a day. The design fit a removable Type I within it, emphasizing its practicality. Yet it also had the style of the older Flash Gordon -esque ray guns to lend the show a sense of the exotic. It's no surprise that new variations from the likes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and the Kelvinverse are still just imitations.

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Iconic ‘Star Trek’ Phaser Rifle Sells For $615,000 At Auction

star trek original series phaser rifle

| November 9, 2021 | By: TrekMovie.com Staff 18 comments so far

An auction over the weekend from a private collector brought in millions, including over one million just for the Star Trek items, with a phaser rifle only used on one episode coming in at the top of the list.

Original Star Trek items demand top dollar at auction

Over the weekend Heritage Auctions held an auction for private collector John Azarian , with years of his accumulated Hollywood memorabilia. And the item that brought in the most was the Star Trek phaser rile first seen in William Shatner’s debut episode “Where No Man Has Gone Before.” The rifle sold for $615,000 , far outpacing the other top items from the auction including George Reeve’s Superman costume ($350K) and Sylvester Stallone’s leather jacket from Rocky ($325K).

star trek original series phaser rifle

Phaser rifle in “Where No Man Has Gone Before”

This phaser rifle was featured in an excerpt from the recent book Star Trek – A Celebration , telling the story of how it was designed by legendary game designer Reuben Klamer, who kept the rifle until 2013 when he sold it at auction for $231,000 . Bidding for the Heritage Auction started at $240,000 and rapidly climbed into a bidding war you can see online . $615,000 is one of the highest prices ever paid for a Star Trek lot at auction, and over twice as much as a TOS phaser pistol sold by Heritage for $250,000 earlier this year , or Picard’s Ressikan flute which was auctioned for $190,000 by Prop Store.

star trek original series phaser rifle

Phaser rifle sold for $615,000

Other Star Trek lots also brought high winning bids during the Azarian Auction, including an original signed TOS Kirk tunic and boots for $50,000  and a Spock tunic worn by Leonard Nimoy for $45,000 . The auction included a number of additional original Star Trek costumes including one of DeForest Kelley’s Dr. McCoy costumes which sold for $31,250 , and a tunic worn by Walter Koenig as Chekov went for $25,000 .

star trek original series phaser rifle

Tunic signed by Shatner brought in $50,000

star trek original series phaser rifle

Spock tunic sold for $45,000

There were some other Star Trek props that brought in top dollar, including a chair from the TOS bridge set for $42,500 , and a “walking tribble” for $10,625 .

star trek original series phaser rifle

$42,500 for a bridge chair

star trek original series phaser rifle

Would you pay $10,625 for a tribble?

Visit ha.com to see more Star Trek items that brought in big money for the Azarian auction.

Find more news and reviews of Star Trek merchandise .

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Watch Trailer For ‘William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill’ Documentary Coming In March

For 615k id expect Bill Shatner to hand deliver it and magically transform back into his ’66 self and act out the finale of WNMHGB with deaged Gary Lockwood

Shatner already had Storyfile Life immortalize himself as an interactive AI, it is probably not as difficult to give you what you want as you might think.

Uhura was only willing to pay a measly 10 credits for her tribble! Does that mean a Star Trek credit is actually worth $1,625?

Taking in to account inflation that is probably about right!

Interestingly, the phaser rifle was featured prominently in Harlan Ellison’s early drafts for “The City on the Edge of Forever,” where Spock had to work to keep it concealed from 1930s’ prying eyes. It was replaced by the pistol later on, before others wrote it out of the script entirely.

that’s exactly what I thought.

I can’t believe that actually sold for more than the 6 foot Enterprise D filming model, or any other starship studio model for that fact *facepalm. Ahh to have ‘fuck you’ money.

LOL. Indeed!

easier to display than the 6ft model, but…if you’ve got that much money you’ve also got the room(s)

umm YA I’d pay 10k for the walking tribble! I know exactly which one it is from the episode too

I think all the buyers had previously invested in Shiba Inu.

There sure seems to be a lot of disposable income to toss around these days.

The may have invested in Voyager Digital the day before Prodigy came out :-) 100% in a day…

…and it looks great over my fireplace, too. ;)

No, I don’t think I’d pay $10,625 for a walking Tribble.

These prices indicate the franchise is VERY strong on the nostalgia front, even beating Superman! I expect Viacom to finally get that vibe. What I expect will happen in 2022 / 23 is a retur to a far more traditional Star Trek feel.

PIC S2 will reset the timeline in a far more radical manner. We may learn that S1 had already taken place in a significantly altered reality only worsened by what occured prior to S2. S3 will be set in the “real” future of TNG. Picard may get a refit of his old USS Stargazer as a gift from Starfleet for saving history.

DSC S4 will have a strong TMP look and feel, embracing exploration and science far stronger than in its previous seasons. If there is a S5, they may even return to a more episodic format if SNW is a streaming success.

LDS can continue its path, maybe diverting a little bit from its frantic easter egg bombardment in favor of more subtle storytelling.

PRO may eventually transform the young crew into “real” Starfleet officers, getting their own uniforms along the road.

And then there is SNW of course…

Why do I believe PIC will be changed? Well, mainly due to what happened on DSC… The new management seems to care A LOT about fan opinions. Thus we got Pike and Spock in S2, a look at the Enterprise, Klingon hair and ripped out holographic comms. They moved the ship to the future what fans were demanding from day one (of course they wanted the show to be set in the future from the start). We got new Trek-heavy uniforms for S4. And of course SNW was green-lit as a direct answer to fan demand.

I don’t see any reason they wouldn’t take our complaints about PIC S1 equally serious.

And that way, we can beat Superman :-)

The blue shirt supposedly worn by Leonard Nimoy does not have any braids on the sleeves. Leonard Nimoy never wore a shirt like that on the show. Somebody got ripped off big time for 45K!

That ain’t necessarily so. Costumes are like any other prop – they don’t build it once and let it collect dust never to be used for any other purpose again. If the production needs a shirt without braids and all that’s on the rack is one with braids, the costumer wouldn’t hesitate to remove them.

The original Star Trek phaser rifle is on the auction block

By rachel carrington | oct 16, 2021.

Smithsonian Channel will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Star Trek with a two-hour special that will take a look at the lasting influence the original Star Trek series has had on the world. BUILDING STAR TREK will premiere Sunday, September 4 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Smithsonian Channel.BUILDING STAR TREK will follow the conservation team from the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum as they attempt to restore and conserve the original 11-foot, 250-pound model of the U.S.S. Enterprise from the original series. The special also will track the effort to rebuild a model of the original U.S.S. Enterprise bridge by using authentic set pieces and props, which recently went on display at Seattle’s EMP Museum. - Photo: Courtesy of Smithsonian Channel Copyright: 2016 - SmithsonianChannel_StarshipEnterprise

This Star Trek original isn’t going cheaply, though

The phaser rifle was used in only one episode of Star Trek: The Original Series . In “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” originally the second pilot, both Mr. Spock and Captain Kirk use it in an attempt to stop Lt. Commander Gary Mitchell, played by Gary Lockwood, from essentially taking over the galaxy. (Unfortunately, Mitchell had more power and was able to sweep the phaser away with one hand.)

Though the piece was used in publicity stills with William Shatner, it was never seen onscreen again, and for the longest time, according to Yahoo , it was thought to be lost, but it turned up at an auction in 2013 in pristine condition. And now it’s back on the auction block again.

The bidding at Heritage Auction is already underway for the 33.75″ x 14″ x 6″ Phaser Rifle that the manufacturer and designer, Rueben Klamer, created in two weeks from fabrication to finishing. Be warned, though. This isn’t a piece for the idle collector as a home could be purchased for the amount of the opening bid.

The Star Trek Phaser Rifle is priced exorbitantly high for most fans

With a starting bid of $250,000, this original prop is out of most fans’ budget. Though some super fans like Brad O’Neill have amassed over $500,000 in Star Trek collectibles, it’s rare for one fan to spend so much for one item.

As for who determines the price of these items when they go up for auction, we don’t know, and while this 55-year-old prop is definitely something any fan would want to add to their collection, it’s going to be outside the realm of possibility for most of us. More items are included along with the rifle, but I don’t think that’s going to make it any easier to come up with a quarter of a million dollars.

Here is the complete description from Heritage Auction:

"The prop is accompanied by its original custom wooden hinge-lidded case with fitted styrofoam interior. Labeled “Reuben Klamer Assoc,” measuring 37.5″ x 17.5″ x 7.5.” Also includes vintage original 22″ x 14″ schematic drawing of the final, Roddenberry-approved design, (7) pages of inter-department correspondence between Gene Roddenberry, Bob Justman, Bernie Weitzman and Ed Pearlstein discussing the commission and creation of the rifle – including 1-typed letter on Desilu Productions stationery from Roddenberry to Reuben Klamer, signed, “Gene Roddenberry.” Also includes (7) 3″ x 5″ black and white Polaroid photos of the gun and (1) 8″ x 10″ production photo of “Kirk” holding the prop beside “Dr. Dehner” (Kellerman)."

Whoever takes home this piece is going to be the envy of fans who’ve dedicated their lives to collecting Star Trek memorabilia.

Next. Did You Know?: The first produced episode of Star Trek didn’t actually air first. dark
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Star trek: captain kirk’s phaser rifle used in one episode sells for $615k.

Captain Kirk's vintage, one-of-a-kind Phaser Rifle from his debut on Star Trek: The Original Series recently sells at auction for $615,000.

Captain Kirk's vintage original Phaser Rifle from his debut appearance on Star Trek  reportedly sells at auction for $615,000. The science-fiction franchise has earned itself legendary status over the years, first airing in the United States on NBC in September 1966. Created by Gene Roddenberry, Star Trek: The Original Series follows the intergalactic travels of the USS Enterprise as they search the vacuum of space for new civilizations. Star Trek: The Original Series ran for three seasons and has since been transformed into a multitude of spinoff shows, film franchises, and a legion of other media.

Over the years, Star Trek has been no stranger to the world of collectibles, locking down retail space wherever seems feasible. Trekkies can get their fill of these franchise items anywhere from lines of toys and figurines to board games, backpacks, and lunch boxes. For mega-fans who yearn to build a closer relationship with the show, memorabilia from the set have been auctioned off over the years as well. In 2002, the original  Star Trek  TV series "command chair" and "platform" were auctioned off for an astounding $304,750.

Related: Why Enterprise Is Canon In Both Star Trek Timelines

Now,  Heritage Auctions reportedly sells Captain Kirk's vintage original Phaser Rifle from  Star Trek: The Original Series  for $615,000. The Phaser Rifle was used in the second pilot episode, entitled "Where No Man Has Gone Before," which effectively launched the show as fans know it. And, because the episode was the first to replace Christopher Pike with James T. Kirk, the prop accompanied Shatner as he made his  Star Trek debut.

The sci-fi franchise has auctioned off its fair share of memorabilia over the years, with Kirk's Phaser Rifle seemingly the latest in a long line of sales. In 2006, a spacesuit that Dr. McCoy wore in the episode "The Tholian Web" was auctioned off for over $120,000. In 2016, Kirk's Starfleet tunic and pants from the original series earned the winning bid of $72,000. The list goes on for these highly sought-after pieces of TV history, and as far as Star Trek memorabilia is concerned , it will likely only keep growing.

However, although this is an astonishing transaction, it is not the first time that Captain Kirk's Phaser Rifle has been successfully sold. In 2013, the same  Star Trek  item sold for over $231,000 at a Julien's Hollywood Legends auction, with the only differences from then to now being a new owner and about $384,000. The Phaser Rifle was clearly good for more than only protecting the legendary Captain; the famous piece of memorabilia has seemingly furnished a small fortune in regards to its return on investment. If it maintains that current value growth rate, it could hypothetically sell for well over a million dollars in another eight years, which is not too shabby for an old prop from the 1960s.

Next: Star Trek: How Old Every TOS Main Character Was At The Start & End

Source: Heritage Auctions

star trek original series phaser rifle

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Star Trek Universe: Original Series” Classic Phaser with Lights and Sounds

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  • HIGHLY DETAILED: Highly detailed classic phaser replica from the Original Series
  • MULTIPLE SETTINGS: Set phaser dial to Full, Stun, or Overload
  • BATTLE SOUNDS: Includes authentic sound effects from the show
  • LIGHTS UP: Features a light-up Beam Emitter
  • RETRO PACKAGING: Inspired by the Original Star Trek series

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In 2063, Earth made its first contact with an alien species, launching the planet and its inhabitants onto an interstellar stage. In the next century, United Earth established a space exploration and defense service called Starfleet and co-founded The United Federation of Planets, a benevolent organization of hundreds of worlds. The chronicles of Starfleet are collectively known as the Star Trek Universe. This Type II Phaser was Starfleet’s standard-issue sidearm from the Original Star Trek Series. With various power settings, this versatile hand-held weapon was used by all Starfleet personnel and could disrupt or destroy the molecular energy in any target.

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Customers like the sound quality, appearance, value, and build quality of the toy figure. They mention that it makes the phaser stream sound when you press the trigger, it looks and acts like the real thing, and that it's worth the price. Customers also appreciate the quality, detail, and age range.

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Customers are impressed with the sounds made by the toy figure. They say it makes the phaser stream sound when you press the trigger, has several different sound settings, and has a very realistic feel and sounds. Some customers also mention that the phased feels good in the hands.

"...It has the short "stun" sound that the 90's version didn't have as well as the emitter lighting up blue and red from a bright LED depending on the..." Read more

"Three settings. No voices from the crew. Solid build, and feels nice in hand . Waiting for Playmates to re-release the classic tricorder from TOS." Read more

"...The paint details, lights, and sounds are very accurate . I brought it to a Trek convention and saw William Shatner...." Read more

"...It makes the phaser stream sound when you press the trigger. It is awesome, except its is white, sky blue and pastel orange...." Read more

Customers are satisfied with the appearance of the toy figure. They mention that it looks decent, and is a nice replica of the original. Some say that the sounds are authentic, and that it's a good representation of the show. Overall, most are happy with the quality and appearance of this toy.

"...Better sounds, better lights, better trigger, and slightly sleeker design ...." Read more

"...Worth every penny and looks good for a being a plastic toy. Just don't expect a true replica phazer." Read more

"...I got this one and it looks great at first ...." Read more

"Great little replica! Fairly accurate in design and the sounds and lights are surprisingly good for the money...." Read more

Customers like the value of the toy figure. They say it's worth the price, the sound and lights are spot on, and is not a cheapy kids toy.

"...The updated improvements make up for it, imo. Overall, and terrific value . I got several units as they'll eventually be out of production." Read more

"... Worth every penny and looks good for a being a plastic toy. Just don't expect a true replica phazer." Read more

"...I absolutely love it. AND,....it's a fantastic price !!!" Read more

"Great prop. Great value for the money ! I highly recommend." Read more

Customers like the build quality of the toy figure. They say it's well-made, detailed, and solid. They also say the switch at the top-back feels nice and clicks between settings nicely. Overall, customers are satisfied with the quality and functionality of the product.

"Three settings. No voices from the crew. Solid build , and feels nice in hand. Waiting for Playmates to re-release the classic tricorder from TOS." Read more

"...The rotating setting switch at the top-back feels solid and clicks between settings nicely...." Read more

" Not a truly accurate replica , but what do you want for the price? Worth every penny and looks good for a being a plastic toy...." Read more

" Well made and detailed" Read more

Customers find the toy figure awesome, fun, and nostalgic. They say it's enjoyable to use and play with, and a great product for any Star Trek enthusiast. Customers also say it brings back happy memories and is a piece of nostalgia.

"...It makes the phaser stream sound when you press the trigger. It is awesome , except its is white, sky blue and pastel orange...." Read more

"... Great product for any ST enthusiast ." Read more

"...and the type 1 phaser is not removable, but for the price it's a fun toy ...." Read more

"... It's awesome . I'm 65 years old and I want one for myself. My son is 42 years old and thought it was really cool." Read more

Customers like the quality of the toy figure. For example, they mention it's an excellent product, looks like the real thing, and is a worthy updated and improved version. Some say it works great as a prop and has a lot of functions.

"...This is a worthy updated and improved version . Better sounds, better lights, better trigger, and slightly sleeker design...." Read more

" Works great once my friend figured out all the sound adjustments it has. I bought it for his birthday. Almost kept it lol...." Read more

"... They are both awesome and I highly recommend them without any hesitation at all especially for that price you won’t beat it, or will you be..." Read more

"...I also very much like that it’s well built and has a good and easy to change battery compartment...." Read more

Customers are impressed with the detail of the toy figure. They say it's accurate to the actual show props, and the instructions are intuitive enough for their children. They also appreciate the paint details, lights, and sounds.

"Playmates did a great job with this Star Trek TOS Phaser. The paint details , lights, and sounds are very accurate...." Read more

"... No reading any instructions , they were intuitive enough that my 7 year old and 5 year old immediately figured out how to use them...." Read more

"The batteries are included. There is no need for assembly . The gun is lightweight and easily triggered. I wish it had been a little heavier...." Read more

" Product is so detailed to the actual show props" Read more

Customers find the toy figure to be a great gift for grandkids, Star Trek enthusiasts, and collectors. They also say it's a fantastic little souvenir.

"...Now you can do that too! Lol. This is a fantastic little souvenir- it is the phaser you always wanted when you were a kid. I absolutely love it...." Read more

"...They were a hit with both of them. These definitely are great gifts for children ." Read more

"...Several different sound effects. Very cool gift for your Star Trek enthusiast...." Read more

" Awesome toy for my collection " Read more

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Rare ‘star trek’ phaser sold for $231,000 at auction.

The unique prop was used by William Shatner only once in the original series.

By Andy Lewis

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Rare 'Star Trek' Phaser Sold $231,000 Auction

A one-of-a-kind phaser rifle used by William Shatner in the second pilot episode made for the original Star Trek series sold for $231,000 at an auction conducted by Julien’s. 

The price is the second-highest paid at auction for a prop from the 1960s edition of Star Trek , surpassed only by the $304,750 a collector laid out for the captain’s chair in 2008. A miniature special effects model of the enterprise from Star Trek: The Next Generation sold for $576,000 in 2006. 

STORY:  Star Trek: The Next Generation’ Cast Headlines Toronto ComiCon

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Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki

A friendly reminder regarding spoilers ! At present the expanded Trek universe is in a period of major upheaval with the continuations of Discovery and Prodigy , the advent of new eras in gaming with the Star Trek Adventures RPG , Star Trek: Infinite and Star Trek Online , as well as other post-57th Anniversary publications such as the ongoing IDW Star Trek comic and spin-off Star Trek: Defiant . Therefore, please be courteous to other users who may not be aware of current developments by using the {{ spoiler }}, {{ spoilers }} OR {{ majorspoiler }} tags when adding new information from sources less than six months old (even if it is minor info). Also, please do not include details in the summary bar when editing pages and do not anticipate making additions relating to sources not yet in release. THANK YOU

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  • Hand-held weapons

Phaser rifle

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TNG Phaser Rifle

Phaser rifle from the year 2367 .

A phaser rifle was a type of phaser weapon , a rifle stock variation of the standard hand-held phaser weapon. Known in Federation parlance as a type-3 , this was a type of phaser used by Starfleet in combat situations that required more powerful weaponry than a standard type-2 phaser pistol .

  • 1 History and spefications
  • 2 Types of phaser rifles
  • 3.1 Connections
  • 3.2 References
  • 3.3 External links

History and spefications [ ]

Phaser Pulse Rifle

Phaser pulse rifle from the 2250s decade .

In the 2250s decade , phaser rifles were used by Starfleet during the Federation-Klingon War of 2256-2257 . ( DSC episodes : " The Vulcan Hello ", " Context Is for Kings ")

Aboard Constitution -class starships in the mid- 23rd century , phaser rifles were not standard issue for landing party missions. When Scotty informed Captain James T. Kirk that a phaser rifle was transported down to planet Delta Vega from the Enterprise , he was surprised, as he hadn't ordered it personally. He withheld further comments when he realized his second-in-command, Spock , had ordered the weapon, and saw it had been received. ( TOS episode : " Where No Man Has Gone Before ")

Starfleet phaser rifle 2370s Wildstorm

The Starfleet phaser rifle in the 2370s .

By the late 24th century , phaser rifles came equipped with 16 power settings, fully autonomous recharge ability, multiple-target acquisition, and gyro stabilization. Some more advanced rifles, called compression phaser rifles , could fire energy pulses, along with the normal phaser beam. Despite all these features, many people outside of the Federation didn't trust these weapons, as they were too advanced and complicated in a combat situation. The Bajoran Resistance preferred to use a Cardassian phase-disruptor rifle , for example. ( DS9 episode : " Return to Grace ")

In late 2365 or early 2366 , three female Trills were killed on Alpha Centauri by an unknown assailant using a type-3 phaser on "burn" setting. The murderer was discovered six months later to be Lieutenant Dar Ableen . ( SCE eBook : Security )

Modified phaser rifles became more common in Starfleet usage around the year 2372 . ( DS9 novelization : The Way of the Warrior )

Types of phaser rifles [ ]

  • Bajoran phaser rifle
  • Ferengi phaser rifle

Appendices [ ]

Connections [ ], references [ ].

  • FASA RPG module : Trader Captains and Merchant Princes, 1st edition

External links [ ]

  • Phaser rifle article at Memory Alpha , the wiki for canon Star Trek .
  • 1 Tzenkethi
  • 2 The Chase
  • 3 Preserver (race)

star trek original series phaser rifle

display – play – control

Star trek: the original series, phaser universal remote control prop replica, please note that the star trek phaser is no longer in production and no retailers have any remaining stock. we currently have no plans to resume production, although that may change at some point in the future., our star trek: the original series phaser universal remote control is an exceptionally accurate and highly detailed working replica that we launched at san diego comic-con in july 2014. it is also a gesture-based remote control compatible with most home entertainment equipment that use infrared remote controls..

Highly accurate: Created from 3D laser scans of the last known hero prop

Guided Setup: Teaches you how to use it with spoken prompts

FX Mode: Authentic special FX sounds from the Star Trek universe at the pull of a trigger

Built in rechargeable battery: USB charging cable included

Advanced gesture recognition: Nine gestures in four memory banks means that 36 remote control codes can be stored

Any-TV-Off mode: Easily turn off TVs without the need for programming

Hand-polished metal parts : nickel and brass-plated die-cast details

beautifully presented

Star Trek The original Series Phaser in transit case

The phaser prop replica is protected from damage and kept in pristine condition (when not on display) in a high quality, moulded-foam-lined presentation case. Manufactured in hardwearing engineering-grade ABS, the case is also designed to stack as if from the original Enterprise armoury.

quality materials

Die cast magnetic display stand

Hand polished, matt nickel plated die castings, painted and lacquered parts and an authentic mixture of rubber, plastic and metal components are all brought together to create an exceptionally well-finished Phaser replica that looks and feels like it means business.

the ultimate collectible

The Original Series Start Trek Phaser on its stand

Whether you have just discovered Star Trek or have been hooked since you were a kid, this Phaser is something that you just have to own. Researched, designed and built with fanatical attention to detail, the simplicity of its embossed nickel-plated magnetic stand presents this iconic piece perfectly.

the fantasy made real

3D laser scanner scans the Original Series hero prop Phaser

Designed from the first 3D laser scans of the last known hero Phaser, this amazing prop replica boasts a host of exciting features such as tactile feedback, multi colour light up nozzle, 10 authentic phaser firing sounds, a removable Phaser I and grip, while also being a fully-functional gesture based universal remote control.

The Wand Company’s unique gesture-based remote control technology brings the fantasy to life

This Original Series Phaser Universal Remote Control is not a toy: it is an advanced, gesture based universal remote control, designed to control almost all home entertainment equipment worldwide such as TVs, DVD players, Blu-ray players and iPod docks, using infrared codes learned from conventional remote controls by the means of gestures rather than by pressing buttons. A total of nine different gestures and four separate memory banks enable the Phaser to learn up to 36 remote control functions. At the press of the trigger button, the Phaser pulses and produces one of ten different Phaser firing sounds (depending on the setting of the Phaser II dial), and has the power to instantly stun almost any TV without any setup required.

The removable Phaser I is a fully functioning remote control in its own right and may be used when not docked to the Phaser II. It has a built-in rechargeable lithium power cell that is charged from any USB socket via the included cable.

Programming the Phaser by learning the codes from a standard remote control is easy

To program the Phaser, enter Programming Mode and perform the desired gesture; the Phaser will say which gesture has been done, then the emitter will glow yellow to signify that it is waiting to receive the IR code (button press) from a normal remote control. Hold a normal remote control about 1” (2.5cm) from the beam emitter of the Phaser I while it is glowing, and briefly press and release the normal remote control button for the function you want to program on to that gesture. It’s that easy!

What the Press and customers are saying about our Original Series Phaser

T3: boy this will take you to geek heaven.

If you’re a massive Star Trek fan, then get ready to hide your wallet away.

Remote control specialists, the Wand Company has unveiled its Star Trek: The Original Series Phaser Universal remote control for your TV. And boy, will this take you to geek heaven.

ABC News: One of this year’s coolest devices

Each year companies use Comic-Con International in San Diego to showcase new products that appeal to genre audiences.

One of this year’s coolest devices has to be a remote control that is in the shape of a ‘Star Trek’ original series phaser.

The pistol design is so unique because of the care and love The Wand Company took to create it.

The British firm previously made two ‘Doctor Who’ remote control devices in the shape of sonic screwdrivers. Those remotes got them some well-deserved attention.

Reviewify: A brilliant replica that can be easily displayed

Before looking at the Phaser itself a word on the presentation. Arriving in a cardboard box you might wonder what’s so large inside, after all the Phaser is a handgun. Brilliantly The Wand Company have taken that idea and run with it, creating a Starfleet issue case for the Phaser, the sort you see assassins and spy types making use of in films. Opening the case you’ll see a disassembled Phaser laid out into it’s key components, it’s a brilliant introduction that shows the level of details they’ve put into this…

… If there is one thing you can count on with The Wand Company it’s that they put a lot of effort into the details. It doesn’t stop at the excellent packaging, the Phaser itself looks fantastic and you can even take a look at the dilithium chamber ‘powering’ the Phaser by glowing and throbbing away whenever the trigger is pulled.

It would’ve been enough to pull the trigger and have the classic Phaser sound play, instead of leaving it at that you actually get a multitude of sound effects accessed via the stun setting. A nice touch is that the detachable Phaser 1 carries over the SFX you’ve selected on Phaser 2. It’s another ‘stunning’ (sorry, had to get one pun in!) remote from The Wand Company. A brilliant replica that can be easily displayed which also just happens to be an IR remote, the presentation case makes this a fantastic present idea for the special Trek fan in your life.

CNET: Turn it up Scotty

Turn it up Scotty: with the “Star Trek: The Original Series” Phaser Universal Remote Control you’re in the Captain’s seat every time you watch TV.

The Phaser remote is built by the Wand Company, the people behind the “Harry Potter” wand and “Doctor Who” Sonic Screwdriver remotes that change channels with a flick of the wrist…

Previously, CBS and Toshiba gave away a phaser-shaped remote with a “Star Trek” HD-DVD box set way back in 2007. That design made some compromises, with standard remote control buttons on the top, but this one is a much more accurate rendition.

Gizmodo: Wonderfully-detailed phaser prop

The only thing more satisfying for Star Trek fans than fast-forwarding through Enterprise’s awful opening credits would be doing it with this wonderfully-detailed phaser prop universal remote.

Daily Star: As close as it gets to wielding the real thing

This TV remote is a bit of a stunner.

The Phaser has just been launched by gadget website Firebox and if you are a Star Trek fan you’re going to love this. It’s been painstakingly 3D scanned from the last remaining Phaser prop in existence, used nearly 50 years ago by Star Trek hero William Shatner.

This ridiculously detailed replica is as close as it gets to wielding the real thing. And it won’t just change your TV channels but also your music devices and DVD players. It’s even packed with sound effects for the full Trekkie experience.

The only thing it won’t do is vapourise members of your family when they won’t be quiet during the football..

Geekstronomy: It is truly a thing of beauty

Now the next stage of phaser evolution has come and it is truly a thing of beauty. Produced by The Wand Company and distributed by Thinkgeek, the original series phaser remote kicked up the coolness factor to 11. This phaser was constructed using 3-D scans of the last surviving “hero” prop from the 1960’s. For those of you who do not know what a hero prop is; it is usually a functional and very highly detailed prop for use in close-ups. Holding this remote is the closest most of us will ever get to touch an original phaser.

When it comes to talking about the phaser remote I can honestly say I don’t know where to begin. While the Star Trek Original Series Phaser Universal Remote will change your channels, that is just the beginning. The Star Trek Original Series Phaser Universal Remote has a play setting where you can pretend to stun your friends, kill your enemies or you can set it to overload.

Mashable: A perfect replica phaser

Star Trek fans have always dreamed of having a trusty phaser at their sides, but thankfully, there’s not quite a need in everyday life to stun hostile alien lifeforms.

Now, Trekkies can now experience a perfect replica phaser — that powers on your TV.

Space.com: Retro Future Winner

Winner: This super-fun remote is actually modeled after one of the last known prop phasers from “Star Trek.” Just like the original phaser, the remote comes complete with a light-up dilithium crystal. You can program the phaser to any IR remote, and it actually senses your motions, meaning that you can program it in fun ways. For example, you can turn the volume on your TV up by moving the remote up above your head. What we love about it : This toy takes itself seriously. The phaser makes real “Star Trek” sounds and, simply put, it makes something as mundane as changing the channel on your TV fun. Plus, it’s the perfect gift for any “Star Trek” super-fan in your life.

All I can say is wow!

All I can say is wow! This phaser has all the bells and whistles from the look of it to the weight. It has more sound effects than the master replicas version through the Phaser II but the Phaser I can do all of them just one at a time. The wand company just makes a great product (I have both sonic screwdrivers). Oh and did I mention the remote function works great with a little practice.

The detail is second to none and the features are brilliant

When I’d finished ‘playing’ with my Phaser I had to email The Wand Company directly and congratulate them on making such a fantastic ‘toy’. It is remarkable. The detail is second to none and the features are brilliant. Although I’m too lazy to fully utilise its capabilities as yet I have had much fun zapping anything that moves, disabling any TV or remote controlled gadget that gets in my way. (It is, of course, a fully functioning remote control).

The amount of effects for the Phaser is good too. They range from a single pulse all the way through to self-destruct. I learned a few tips from YouTube on how to use it most effectively. There are a couple of ‘Easter Eggs’ you may want to know about.

One small thing I would like to point out is the cover to the dilithium crystal. It can work a little loose. This is easily fixable with a blob of BluTak placed inside the cover. This connects the cover to the crystal giving it stability and is unseen. (A very small problem that is easily fixed and you don’t lose the cover).

Lastly, if you are hesitating about buying one of these Phasers, don’t. It is now one of my most prized possessions and the envy of my fellow 50 year+ mates. It is sitting proudly on its magnetic stand on my bookcase.

It is the absolute best prop replica I have ever seen

This is far, far more than a novelty TV remote. It is the absolute best prop replica I have ever seen (and I’ve owned quite a few!). Clearly designed by passionate Star Trek fans, the detail is breathtaking. It is light years ahead of other great models from companies like Master Replicas or Franklin Mint. Every collector should have one of these, it is truly awesome.

I would recommend 100%

Great original phaser. Fantastic attention to detail, & the sound on the various settings are so like the original phaser, used by Captain Kirk, Spock etc. I was very causious at first, but am so pleased I bought it. If you are thinking of buying one of these magnificent phaser weapons do not think twice about it. Great product, & quite heavy. I would recommend 100%

Absolutely love this phaser

Absolutely love this phaser, I am a fan of the original series and having this phaser is as close as you are going to the actual prop at a reasonable price is great. Works out of the box just charge it up then follow the instructions and away you go.

Just to add my 7 year old lost the crystal cover from the side of the phaser, I contacted the Wand Company and asked if I could get a replacement. The next day FOC it was in the post, very good customer service 10/10

The quintessential one to own!

Of all the phaser props, toys, and models released over the years, this one, hands down, is the quintessential one to own! The look, the weight, the sounds effects are spot on! You can’t go wrong with this one! It is well worth the price, I myself have two of them! Do yourself a favor, if you are a Star Trek fan, or know one, it’s the perfect gift!

It is OUTSTANDING in every way!

To the team that designed and built this item – it is OUTSTANDING in every way! Your attention to detail is so dead on, it’s scary. I doubt that I will ever change a TV channel with it, but all the other fun functions only serve to enhance the superb quality of this prop. So glad that I bought one. Now you guys have a new challenge – a Tricorder and Communicator made with the same level of care. And, if you can work with one of the cell phone companies (even some of those back-water Chinese firms) to make a functioning mobile phone device, all the better. I am NOT easily impressed, but your work here really knocked my socks off. As stated before, OUTSTANDING!

It is right up there with the high end replicas

Just got mine, this thing is flawless. it is right up there with the high end replicas, yet has so many more features. This thing even talks you through the functions. The detail is awesome, every detail is perfect, right down to the rubber bushing to protect the nose section of the Phaser 1, when cradled. It blows my mind that they can offer it so cheap considering the level of detail and the great storage case that comes with the unit. Very pleased.

The Best I've seen on the market

This puppy is truly remarkable. Accurate, hefty, functional (ok, it doesn’t actually phase things out of existence…but the sound and lights are superb). The Best I’ve seen on the market.

The Phaser is packed with features that enrich the owning experience, making it perfect for any Sci-Fi fan

Setting the Phaser II dial selects one of ten authentic Phaser firing sounds that play when the Phaser’s trigger button is pressed. Rolling the thumbwheel lifts the aspirator grille and sight in a single smooth action. Pressing the multicolour illuminated mode indicator switches between Practice, Control and FX Mode to give you easy access to all the Phaser’s features.

Assemble the Phaser as if you are a member of the Enterprise crew: slot the grip neatly into the sockets on the underside of the Phaser II and tighten the securing bolt with the special screwdriver supplied. Dock the Phaser I and feel it snap positively into place. Unscrew the dilithium chamber door to inspect the glowing dilithium crystal.

21st century laser meets 23rd century Phaser – 3D scanning of original hero prop in Burbank, Hollywood

Where you can buy a Phaser

Unfortunately, the Star Trek Phaser is no longer in production and no retailers have any remaining stock. At present, we have no plans to make any more phasers, however, that may change in the future.

Will the Phaser work with my equipment?

Can the phaser perform all functions of my remote control, is the phaser easy to use, what batteries does the phaser use.

  • Is the Phaser a ``screen-accurate`` replica?

Can I charge the Phaser with any micro USB cable?

Will the phaser forget the programmed codes if i let the battery completely run down, where can i buy a phaser, frequently-asked questions.

Look down this list of frequently-asked questions to find answers that will help you if you are thinking of buying a Phaser and want to learn more about how it works or how accurate it is. Click on the question and the answer will be displayed here.

You might also like to download an easy-print PDF copy of the user manual , or go to a web version of the manual by clicking here .

Will the Phaser work with my equipment?

The Phaser is compatible with almost all makes of home audio-visual equipment around the world, such as TVs, DVD players, hi-fis and set-top boxes. Please note that the Phaser only works with infra-red (IR) remote controls, not radio-frequency (RF) remotes, and that the Phaser is not compatible with Bang & Olufsen equipment.

star trek original series phaser rifle

Can the Phaser perform all functions of my remote control?

No, the Phaser is not a full replacement for your standard remote control. However it can learn the infra-red (IR) codes from 36 of the buttons on your existing remote controls. This is enough for you to have some fun performing controlling your home entertainment equipment. You can over-write any of the 36 functions with new IR codes at any time, if you change your mind about the functions that you want the Phaser to perform.

Is the Phaser easy to use?

Like any sensitive instrument, it takes a bit of practice to master the Phaser. Some people seem to be natural members of the Enterprise crew and can stun TVs and iPod docks into silence with it straight away, but for most Starfleet trainee officers, about ten minutes’ practice is required to get the hang of the different movement gestures. Please note that the Phaser does require quite precise hand movements to perform the gestures, so we do not recommend it as a remote control for the elderly or infirm.

The Phaser I has a built-in rechargeable lithium power cell that is recharged via the USB cable supplied with the Phaser. (Any good quality micro USB cable may also be used). The Phaser II does not have a battery but takes its power from the Phaser I when they are docked together. The power cell in the Phaser I cannot be changed and will last the lifetime of the product.

Note that the battery should be looked after as lithium polymer batteries can become damaged and fail if not regularly charged. The Phaser should be fully charged at least once every six months to make sure that the battery remains in good condition.

Is the Phaser a “screen-accurate” replica?

For most users the answer is a definite “Yes!”. We have spent thousands of hours and taken great care to make this Phaser replica as accurate as possible to the actual last known screen-used hero prop that Shatner and Nimoy used in the original series of Star Trek. This has included taking the first 3D laser scans of the original hero prop, under the watchful eye of Academy Award-nominated prop maker and Star Trek authority, Greg Jein, who owns the original prop and kindly allowed us access to study it. We weighed the parts of the original prop, so as to be able to tune the weight of the replica to get it as close as possible to that of the original, and assessed the colour and lustre of the various parts of the original prop under a variety of lighting conditions to make sure that our Phaser replica was the closest possible match for both colour and surface finish. To complement the scans we took detailed micrometer measurements and numerous photographs, and discussed the provenance of the original hero prop at length with Greg Jein to make sure that our Phaser not only followed the data of the original accurately, but also captured the nuances of the original prop’s intention. However, in order to make the Phaser manufacturable and more affordable, and to iron out some of the original’s inconsistencies, we have had to make some slight changes, and as such, this replica may be considered to be an idealised version of the original hero prop.

The hero prop is made from a range of different materials including fibreglass, brass, aluminium, resin and acrylic. In order to keep the cost as reasonable as possible we have used the nearest equivalent material that is suitable for modern manufacturing methods. Generally, where metal has been used in the construction of the hero prop, we have used metal in the Phaser replica. In the hero prop, where aluminium is used for the muzzle, side door, heat sink, side rails, thumbwheel, and selector dial, we have used hand-polished, nickel-plated, die cast zinc. The grip of the original is made from hand painted brass tube embellished with popsicle sticks – our replica is also painted, but is made from die cast zinc. The original Phaser I and II bodies are made in fibreglass and have been painted (a number of times through the prop’s history), and we have replicated these parts as closely as possible in lacquer coated, injection moulded ABS. Finally, where the original hero prop uses cast resin or acrylic for the transparent elements, such as the nozzles and lens covers, we have used acrylic and a water-clear co-polyester called Tritan, to achieve the best optical clarity and mouldablity.

The original hero prop is not symmetrical. The parting line separating the two halves doesn’t run down the centreline of the Phaser II body, and even taking this into account, the two halves of the Phaser II body do not have symmetrical curves and features. The two halves of the body are held together with an off-centre screw on the underside of the Phaser in front of the trigger. When designing our Phaser replica, we decided to straighten out the Phaser II body, make the parting line run along the centreline and remove the fixing screw. The sweep of the sides in the plan view was a best-fit average of the left and right side 3D scan data. The original Phaser I only has a metal side rail on its right hand-side. On the left-hand side of the Phaser I, the side rail is replaced with a strip of black hook and eye (Velcro®) fastener, onto which a silver line is drawn. This was used to attach the Phaser to the actors’ costumes on set, and while this might have been acceptable for filming, in reality it doesn’t look very good, so we replaced the fastening strip with a metal side rail to match the right-hand side. In every other respect we have attempted to make the Phaser replica as close as possible to the exact dimensions of the original using the 3D scans in conjunction with detailed and accurate measurements we took of the original.

Functional differences

In order to improve infrared transmission reliability, the Phaser replica uses a rod of solid acrylic as a light guide, rather than a drilled-out tube that the original prop used for its Phaser I emitter tip. Our emitter tip is fixed so that it cannot extend and retract when the sight is raised and lowered. On the original prop, the indicator lens on top of the Phaser I is a simple piece of clear cast resin glued to the top housing over a numerical scale printed on paper. The Phaser prop replica is a complex piece of equipment and its indicator lens is put to good use as a functional mode selection button. As a result the lens is illuminated and instead of numbers, displays the letters, P, C and Fx, relating to the different modes (Practice, Control and FX modes). The original prop’s grip twists into place using curved pins that also form an electrical connection between the battery compartment (in the grip) and the Phaser II main body emitter lamp. Over time, this mechanical joint has been subjected to stress and wear and has become very weak. In the design of the Phaser replica we have addressed this issue. The replica grip pushes on to the Phaser II main body in a similar way to the original, but the grip is securely held in place using a long bolt that is positioned to resemble the nut that holds the battery door onto the base of the grip in the original. In the original prop there is no electrical connection between the Phaser I and II. However, in the replica, when the Phaser I and II are docked together there is a constant stream of information going between their respective microcontrollers. In addition, the battery power for the assembled Phaser comes from a lithium battery in the Phaser I. As a result there is an array of connector pins on the top surface of the Phaser II docking recess, which mate with matching gold pads on the underside of the Phaser I. The original Phaser hero prop has a large recess in its end face for the locking catch that holds it in place when it is docked, In the Phaser I replica, this recess is partially filled with a micro USB charging socket. Sound is an important part of the apparent function of any prop. Yet when making TV shows and films, the sound effects are almost always added afterwards in post-production, and it is unusual for props to make any sound. However, to make our replica as engaging as possible we decided that it should make an appropriate range of Phaser firing sounds. The Phaser I replica has a speaker mounted under the grille, which instead of being a thin sheet of pressed foil, is a nickel plated die casting which has been made with tiny holes in it to let the sound out. The shape and pattern of the replica grille’s surface features have been carefully matched to those of the original prop.

Over the years of filming, the original Phaser was naturally subjected to rough handling and needed to be repaired and repainted on occasion. Over successive repairs, the reeding on the top surface at the back of the Phaser II body became damaged. The Phaser replica has perfect reeding as it was originally created. On the Phaser replica, the circular knob/door feature on the front left-hand side of the Phaser II has been made removable so that it can be opened to reveal a glowing dilithium crystal inside the main body. In the original prop, this feature was not removable.

Yes. The Phaser is supplied with with a USB charging cable, but any good quality micro USB cable may be used to charge the Phaser.

No, the codes are not erased when the Phaser runs out of charge. The Phaser will retain the remote control codes it has learned even if it is not charged for a long period. However, to maintain the condition of the battery, it is recommended that the Phaser be charged at least once every six months.

The Phaser is no longer in production and unfortunately, all retailers that once stocked the phaser have sold through.

The Phaser is compatible with almost all makes of home audio-visual equipment around the world, such as TVs, DVD players, hi-fis and set-top boxes. Please note that the Phaser only works with infra-red (IR) remote controls, not radio-frequency (RF) remotes, and that the Phaser is not compatible with Bang & Olufsen equipment.

No, the Phaser is not a full replacement for your standard remote control. However it can learn the infra-red (IR) codes from 36 of the buttons on your existing remote controls. This is enough for you to have some fun performing controlling your home entertainment equipment. You can over-write any of the 36 functions with new IR codes at any time, if you change your mind about the functions that you want the Phaser to perform.

Like any sensitive instrument, it takes a bit of practice to master the Phaser. Some people seem to be natural members of the Enterprise crew and can stun TVs and iPod docks into silence with it straight away, but for most Starfleet trainee officers, about ten minutes’ practice is required to get the hang of the different movement gestures. Please note that the Phaser does require quite precise hand movements to perform the gestures, so we do not recommend it as a remote control for the elderly or infirm.

The Phaser I has a built-in rechargeable lithium power cell that is recharged via the USB cable supplied with the Phaser. (Any good quality USB to micro USB cable may also be used). The Phaser II does not have a battery, but takes its power from the Phaser I when they are docked together. The power cell in the Phaser I cannot be changed and will last the lifetime of the product.

Is the Phaser a “screen-accurate” replica?

For most users the answer is a definite “Yes!”. We have spent thousands of hours and taken great care to make this Phaser replica as accurate as possible to the actual last known screen-used hero prop that Shatner and Nimoy used in the original series of Star Trek . This has included taking the first 3D laser scans of the original hero prop, under the watchful eye of Academy Award-nominated prop maker  and Star Trek authority, Greg Jein, who owns the original prop and kindly allowed us access to study it. We weighed the parts of the original prop, so as to be able to tune the weight of the replica to get it as close as possible to that of the original, and assessed the colour and lustre of the various parts of the original prop under a variety of lighting conditions to make sure that our Phaser replica was the closest possible match for both colour and surface finish. To complement the scans we took detailed micrometer measurements and numerous photographs, and discussed the provenance of the original hero prop at length with Greg Jein to make sure that our Phaser not only followed the data of the original accurately, but also captured the nuances of the original prop’s intention.

However, in order to make the Phaser manufacturable and more affordable, and to iron out some of the original’s inconsistencies, we have had to make some slight changes, and as such, this replica may be considered to be an idealised version of the original hero prop.

The hero prop is made from a range of different materials including fibreglass, brass, aluminium, resin and acrylic. In order to keep the cost as reasonable as possible we have used the nearest equivalent material that is suitable for modern manufacturing methods. Generally, where metal has been used in the construction of the hero prop, we have used metal in the Phaser replica. In the hero prop, where aluminium is used for the muzzle, side door, heat sink, side rails, thumbwheel, and selector dial, we have used hand-polished, nickel-plated, die cast zinc. The grip of the original is made from hand painted brass tube embellished with popsicle sticks – our  replica is also painted, but is made from die cast zinc. The original Phaser I and II bodies are made in fibreglass and have been painted (a number of times through the prop’s history), and we have replicated these parts as closely as possible in lacquer coated, injection moulded ABS. Finally, where the original hero prop uses cast resin or acrylic for the transparent elements, such as the nozzles and lens covers, we have used acrylic and a water-clear co-polyester called Tritan, to achieve the best optical clarity and mouldablity.

The original hero prop is not symmetrical. The parting line separating the two halves doesn’t run down the centreline of the Phaser II body, and even taking this into account, the two halves of the Phaser II body do not have symmetrical curves and features. The two halves of the body are held together with an off-centre screw on the underside of the Phaser in front of the trigger. When designing our Phaser replica, we decided to straighten out the Phaser II body, make the parting line run along the centreline and remove the fixing screw. The sweep of the sides in the plan view was a best-fit average of the left and right side 3D scan data.

The original Phaser I only has a metal side rail on its right hand-side. On the left-hand side of the Phaser I, the side rail is replaced with a strip of black hook and eye (Velcro®) fastener, onto which a silver line is drawn. This was used to attach the Phaser to the actors’ costumes on set, and while this might have been acceptable for filming, in reality it doesn’t look very good, so we replaced the fastening strip with a metal side rail to match the right-hand side.

In every other respect we have attempted to make the Phaser replica as close as possible to the exact dimensions of the original using the 3D scans in conjunction with detailed and accurate measurements we took of the original.

In order to improve infrared transmission reliability, the Phaser replica uses a rod of solid acrylic as a light guide, rather than a drilled-out tube that the original prop used for its Phaser I emitter tip. Our emitter tip is fixed so that it cannot extend and retract when the sight is raised and lowered.

On the original prop, the indicator lens on top of the Phaser I is a simple piece of clear cast resin glued to the top housing over a numerical scale printed on paper. The Phaser prop replica is a complex piece of equipment and its indicator  lens is put to good use as a functional mode selection button. As a result the lens is illuminated and instead of numbers,  displays the letters, P, C and Fx, relating to the different modes (Practice, Control and FX modes).

The original prop’s grip twists into place using curved pins that also form an electrical connection between the battery compartment (in the grip) and the Phaser II main body emitter lamp. Over time, this mechanical joint has been subjected to stress and wear and has become very weak. In the design of the Phaser replica we have addressed this issue. The replica grip pushes on to the Phaser II main body in a similar way to the original, but the grip is securely held in place using a long bolt that is positioned to resemble the nut that holds the battery door onto the base of the grip in the original.

In the original prop there is no electrical connection between the Phaser I and II. However, in the replica, when the Phaser I and II are docked together there is a constant stream of information going between their respective microcontrollers. In addition, the battery power for the assembled Phaser comes from a lithium battery in the Phaser I. As a result there is an array of connector pins on the top surface of the Phaser II docking recess, which mate with matching gold pads on the underside of the Phaser I.

The original Phaser hero prop has a large recess in its end face for the locking catch that holds it in place when it is docked, In the Phaser I replica, this recess is partially filled with a micro USB charging socket.

Sound is an important part of the apparent function of any prop. Yet when making TV shows and films, the sound effects are almost always added afterwards in post-production, and it is unusual for props to make any sound. However, to make our replica as engaging as possible we decided that it should make an appropriate range of Phaser firing sounds. The Phaser I replica has a speaker mounted under the grille, which instead of being a thin sheet of pressed foil, is a nickel plated die casting which has been made with tiny holes in it to let the sound out. The shape and pattern of the replica grille’s surface features have been carefully matched to those of the original prop.

Over the years of filming, the original Phaser was naturally subjected to rough handling and needed to be repaired and repainted on occasion. Over successive repairs, the reeding on the top surface at the back of the Phaser II body became damaged. The Phaser replica has perfect reeding as it was originally created.

On the Phaser replica, the circular knob/door feature on the front left-hand side of the Phaser II has been made removable so that it can be opened to reveal a glowing dilithium crystal inside the main body. In the original prop, this feature was not removable.

Can I charge the Phaser with any micro-USB cable?

Yes. The Phaser is supplied with with a USB charging cable, but any good quality micro USB cable may be used to charge the Phaser.

No, the codes are not erased when the Phaser runs out of charge. The Phaser will retain the remote control codes it has learned even if it is not charged for a long period. However, to maintain the condition of the battery, it is recommended that the Phaser be charged at least once every six months.

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Published Jun 15, 2018

FIRST LOOK: Discovery Phaser Rifle Prop Replica

star trek original series phaser rifle

For many of us, Star Trek is our home, someplace we enjoy spending our time. Star Trek: Discovery is like a brand-new house, and a very modern one at that. Moving into a new house can be exciting with new spaces and a whole new architecture and ascetic to explore. But any new dwelling needs a touch of the familiar, just enough to remind us that we’re home. Discovery strikes a perfect balance between the classic and new with its props.

Take the Phaser Rifle from Discovery and you’ll see precisely what I’m talking about. It’s a fully modern piece of design, but takes its inspiration from Captain Kirk’s original rifle. The shape of the prop, its dimensions and especially its Tri-Barrel body are straight from 1965 (2265?), but translates that into something our modern sensibilities can believe today. It’s no easy task riding the line between the past and future, and that’s the job of Discovery prop master Mario Moreira.

star trek original series phaser rifle

Mario and his team are tasked with creating the objects depicted in the future seen in Discovery while remaining ever cognizant of the fact that their show sits within a slice of time between “ The Cage ” and “ Where No Man Has Gone Before ,” and so can pull from both eras to create something new. The Phaser Rifle echoes this very well by using the three-point emitter from Captain Pike’s Laser Pistol and marrying it to Captain Kirk’s Phaser Rifle so that we get something fresh and cool.

Even color can add a lot to the feel of pieces like this, and when we recently talked to Mario about the Discovery Rifle, additional touches were deliberately mirrored into the final prop: “The orange foil was a last-minute addition to ours. When we received the mock-up I realized it was too distant from the TOS version, so we took apart the cowling, and painted it to match the foil. In the end it was a subtle addition that helped tie in the design.”

star trek original series phaser rifle

Something just that subtle can make or break a good prop, and that’s always on our mind when creating our replicas.

Replicating props, we start with the 3D files that the originals were created from. We also work closely with people like Mario who created them to begin with, to ensure that we capture every nuance of the original piece. Then we do what we can to bring what started out life as a prop for a show into the real world. That task falls to people like John Eblan at KorbenFX, who take all the information anyone could want about a particular piece to recreate one from the ground up.

star trek original series phaser rifle

In this case, all that work ensured that our replica Phaser Rifle can function just as the screen-used prop did on the show: with a retractable butt-stock that locks, light-up setting selector, light-up emitters (which change color based on how the emitter nozzle is turned), functional tactical lights, and then amazingly improve upon that by adding enhanced features such as incorporating a functional OLED screen for the targeting scope that features an interactive playback element as a Heads-Up Display (H.U.D.).

star trek original series phaser rifle

Finally, having ensured that each replica looks and feels “right,” it is packaged with a Certificate of Authenticity, a display stand inspired by the Golden Gate Bridge (yet another touch of the familiar), as well as the Phaser Rifle itself. And the reason to go to such lengths to get what amounts to a make-believe artifact feel so real? So, we can bring a piece of the future into our homes… now.

star trek original series phaser rifle

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Here’s the full breakdown from ANOVOS:

ANOVOS is proud to offer the STAR TREK™ DISCOVERY Starfleet Phaser Rifle Interactive Prop Replica. This STAR TREK™ DISCOVERY costume accessory was created using reference taken from the original screen-used production assets, and produced in the exacting manner that the screen-used pieces were for production, including:  · Fully-finished interactive replica, with 3D print construction just like the actual hero production pieces were for production of STAR TREK™ DISCOVERY. · “Stun” and “Kill” settings selected by side button on left, with lit “ring” indicator light at top. (“Stun” is blue; “Kill” is red.) · Faux laser sight slung under-barrel, which is activated by a button on the left instrumentation panel under the targeting scope. · Side-mounted, functional tactical light with consumer-replaceable batteries. · OLED screen with playback H.U.D. in scope. · Front-mounted locking swivel handle for two-handed operation. · Functional butt-stock with locking pin. · Replaceable consumer batteries — no need to worry about shelf-life for unserviceable, custom-made rechargeable batteries. · Rotating barrel that locks into three positions, each with its own aperture and color. · Display stand, designed as a nod to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, home of Starfleet Headquarters. · Certificate of Authenticity from ANOVOS

The company projects that the first preordered phaser rifle replicas will start to ship in “Winter 2018” based on current estimates, but that can certainly change depending on how their production timeline proceeds over the next several months.

If you missed it, be sure to check out our review of ANOVOS’ Type II phaser replica:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RmpXL6xs_k

If you want to arm yourself like today’s Starfleet officers, you can head to ANOVOS’ site to preorder the phaser rifle replica now.

Keep checking back to TrekCore for all the latest in  Star Trek  merchandise news!

  • Phaser Rifle
  • Star Trek: Discovery

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IMAGES

  1. The Original STAR TREK Phaser Rifle Is Up for Auction

    star trek original series phaser rifle

  2. ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Phaser Rifle Revealed

    star trek original series phaser rifle

  3. Star Trek: The Original Series Phaser Rifle replica prop weapon

    star trek original series phaser rifle

  4. Star Trek The Original Series Phaser Rifle made from scratch

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  5. Star Trek: The Original Series Type 3 Phaser Rifle replica prop weapon

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  6. The Trek Collective: Original TOS phaser and other Trek treasures up

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VIDEO

  1. My Star Trek TOS Phaser Rifle

  2. Star Trek TOS Phaser Rifle Part 3

  3. Star Trek: Phaser aus TOS

  4. STAR TREK WORKING EVA PHASER RIFLE PROP

  5. Master Replicas "Assault Phaser" Review

  6. Star Tre: Discovery phaser rifle comparison GameClient 8 6 2018 4 34 03 PM

COMMENTS

  1. Type-3 phaser

    A type-3 phaser (often simply referred to as a phaser rifle) was the Federation classification for the more powerful rifle variant of the standard Starfleet handheld phaser. The biggest difference between a "regular phaser" and the phaser rifle, was that the rifle was generally more powerful, operated with two hands and could recharge. (LD: "Where Pleasant Fountains Lie") By the 24th century ...

  2. The Original STAR TREK Phaser Rifle Is Up for Auction

    Until it appeared at auction in 2013, in remarkably great shape for a prop used just once fifty years prior. Heritage Auctions. The 33.75″ x 14″ x 6″ Phaser Rifle is incredibly sturdy and ...

  3. Designer Reveals Story Behind TOS Phaser Rifle, Exclusive Excerpt From

    Also, in 1966, a few months before STAR TREK premiered, network publicists arranged a photoshoot with Shatner, Nimoy, Grace Lee Whitney, and unwittingly, the phaser rifle.

  4. Star Trek Phasers Ranked

    10 Star Trek: Picard Assault Phaser Rifle Star Trek: Picard moved the franchise's timeline to the very end of the 24th century, about 20 years ... The phaser rifles of The Original Series had recognizable technology -- the coils powering it, for example -- to give the notion of a viable piece of machinery. But the long barrel and radar-style ...

  5. H&I

    The rare, iconic Star Trek artifact drew a whopping a final bid of $240,625. "In my personal opinion, this gun was instrumental in selling Star Trek as a series," Klamer proclaimed in a video for Julien's Auctions. On a side note, the brilliant toy designer also invented The Game of Life for Milton Bradley. Julien's Auctions Star Trek Phaser Rifle.

  6. Kirk's Star Trek Phaser Stuns at Auction

    This original series prop comes from the Azarian Collection, one of the largest treasure troves of 1960s TV and movie collectibles in existence.That collection has several costumes and props from both the original series, as well as subsequent Trek films.. This phaser rifle is featured in an excerpt from the book Star Trek - A Celebration, telling the story of how it was designed by ...

  7. Factory Entertainment Star Trek The Original Series Phaser Rifle Scaled

    Star Trek The Original Series Phaser Rifle Scaled Prop Replica . A high quality, officially licensed scaled prop replica of the Phaser Rifle from Star Trek. This stunning 6.5-inch heavy duty scaled prop replica is molded out of solid metal, comes in collector packaging and features a display stand. Factory Entertainment is here to help expand ...

  8. EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK

    Next up is the 24th century equivalent, the silver Type III Starfleet phaser rifle first introduced in the fourth season of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Debuting in "The Mind's Eye" and used throughout that series and in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, this solid replica is the heaviest of the bunch — with its 7-inch length, the metal rifle weighs in at nearly 8 ounces.

  9. Iconic 'Star Trek' Phaser Rifle Sells For $615,000 At Auction

    And the item that brought in the most was the Star Trek phaser rile first seen in William Shatner's debut episode "Where No Man Has Gone Before.". The rifle sold for $615,000, far outpacing ...

  10. The original Star Trek phaser rifle is on the auction block

    The phaser rifle was used in only one episode of Star Trek: The Original Series. In "Where No Man Has Gone Before," originally the second pilot, both Mr. Spock and Captain Kirk use it in an attempt to stop Lt. Commander Gary Mitchell, played by Gary Lockwood, from essentially taking over the galaxy. (Unfortunately, Mitchell had more power ...

  11. Star Trek

    A high quality, officially licensed scaled prop replica of the Phaser Rifle from Star Trek.This stunning 6.5-inch heavy duty scaled prop replica is moulded out of solid metal, comes in collector packaging and features a display stand.Factory Entertainment is here to help expand the pop-culture collecting experience wit.

  12. Star Trek: The Original Series Phaser Rifle Scaled Prop Replica

    A high quality, officially licensed scaled prop replica of the Phaser Rifle from Star Trek. This stunning 6.5-inch heavy duty scaled prop replica is moulded out of solid metal, comes in collector packaging and features a display stand.

  13. Star Trek: Captain Kirk's Phaser Rifle Used In One Episode Sells For $615k

    In 2002, the original Star Trek TV series "command chair" and "platform" were auctioned off for an astounding $304,750. Related: Why Enterprise Is Canon In Both Star Trek Timelines. Now, Heritage Auctions reportedly sells Captain Kirk's vintage original Phaser Rifle from Star Trek: The Original Series for $615,000. The Phaser Rifle was used in ...

  14. Factory Entertainment Star Trek The Original Series Phaser Rifle Scaled

    From Factory Entertainment comes the Star Trek The Original Series Phaser Rifle Scaled Prop Replica. The high quality, scaled prop replica of the Phaser Rifle from Star Trek The Original Series is a must have for fans! This stunning heavy duty scaled prop replica is molded out of solid metal and features a display stand. Each scaled replica ...

  15. Star Trek Universe: Original Series" Classic Phaser with Lights and Sounds

    The chronicles of Starfleet are collectively known as the Star Trek Universe. This Type II Phaser was Starfleet's standard-issue sidearm from the Original Star Trek Series. With various power settings, this versatile hand-held weapon was used by all Starfleet personnel and could disrupt or destroy the molecular energy in any target.

  16. Star Trek Original Series Phaser Rifle Prop Replica

    This outstanding collectible is made in the USA. Featured in Star Trek: The Original Series, Roddenberry is proud to present the phaser rifle used by Captain Kirk in the second TOS pilot episode "Where No Man Has Gone Before." This fantastic reproduction of that prop features screen-accurate sound, strobing LED light effects, a rotating power ...

  17. Rare 'Star Trek' Phaser Sold for $231,000 at Auction

    April 7, 2013 8:38am. A one-of-a-kind phaser rifle used by William Shatner in the second pilot episode made for the original Star Trek series sold for $231,000 at an auction conducted by Julien ...

  18. Phaser rifle

    A phaser rifle was a type of phaser weapon, a rifle stock variation of the standard hand-held phaser weapon. Known in Federation parlance as a type-3, this was a type of phaser used by Starfleet in combat situations that required more powerful weaponry than a standard type-2 phaser pistol. In the 2250s decade, phaser rifles were used by Starfleet during the Federation-Klingon War of 2256-2257 ...

  19. Star Trek Phaser

    Our Star Trek: The Original Series Phaser Universal Remote Control is an exceptionally accurate and highly detailed working replica that we launched at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2014. It is also a gesture-based remote control compatible with most home entertainment equipment that use infrared remote controls.

  20. FIRST LOOK: Discovery Phaser Rifle Prop Replica

    Take the Phaser Rifle from Discovery and you'll see precisely what I'm talking about. It's a fully modern piece of design, but takes its inspiration from Captain Kirk's original rifle. The shape of the prop, its dimensions and especially its Tri-Barrel body are straight from 1965 (2265?), but translates that into something our modern ...

  21. Star Trek Phaser Rifle

    Check out our star trek phaser rifle selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our costume weapons shops. Etsy. ... Star Trek: The Original Series Phaser Rifle Scaled Prop Replica (270) $ 59.99. FREE shipping Add to Favorites Star Trek 1:32 Scale, Galileo Shuttlecraft prop model, Original series, model Built, lighted ...

  22. ANOVOS Announces STAR TREK: DISCOVERY Phaser Rifle

    7. Following up on their Star Trek: Discovery Type IIphaser prop recreation , costume and prop reproduction company ANOVOS announced this afternoon their plans to bring the new series' phaser rifle to collectors by the end of 2018. Priced at a whopping $1,500, this phaser rifle prop replica will be constructed in the same manner as their Type ...