I just dropped by Walmart and saw a Red Ryder display set up near the ammo case. What caught my eye was the mention of a compass in the stock and sundial. For $25 I figured I could use at least one more of these, so I picked this up.
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It's not bad if you want one to actually shoot. The compass is pressed into the wood, and the compass freely spins. Definitely a cost effective gift for someone who loves A Christmas Story.
Daisy originally released the "Christmas Dream" model in 1983 and 1984 after the movie was released. It's definitely easy to tell them apart, considering the new one has the compass and sundial on the right side. This is actually true to the movie version.
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Here's a closeup comparison of the new one and a 1984 model.
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Just a little trivia: the original ones come in large and small compass versions. The small compasses are generally found on the 1983 rifles, and came from a variety of sources. (I think I have about three different small compass stocks). The larger compass is marked Daisy, and is usually found on the later 1984 rifles. Daisy sold off their extra stocks after the production run, so many of the ones that pop up for big money around Christmas are actually fakes created by adding an original stock to whatever Red Ryder is sitting around.
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The Daisy Museum has also sold commemorative models on every five year anniversary of the movie, starting in 1983. These are much nicer than this $25 rifle, and come with walnut stocks that are laser engraved. The first few aslo came with certificates of authenticity made out in the name of your choice.