Old Familiar Memories - Photo 55

Cowboy Cap Pistols

Nichols cap guns were cap guns manufactured by Nichols Industries, Inc. The company was started in 1946 and manufactured toy cap pistols and other items under the ownership of the Nichols family until 1965, when it was sold to Kusan Toys.

By 1962 the matinee idols like Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, The Lone Ranger, Hopalong Cassidy and many others were gradually making less movies and television shows and children's interest in cap guns began waning. Nichols Industries sold out to Kusan in 1965 which continued many of the cap gun models. Eventually cap guns began to fade from the scene and even Kusan and many other famous companies like George Schmidt, Kilgore, Hubley, Mattel, Esquire, Wyandotte, Stevens, etc., were forced to cut back or sell out completely. Thus ended the "Glory Days" of the cap guns.