EPISODE V: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

Used by: Hoth Rebel Troops


Note: This is Ponda Baba's blaster, the Hoth Rebel Pistol is identical except for the grip.

Many of the Rebel troops on Hoth carried these blasters at their side. Most of the time they can be seen in their holsters, but during the evacuation, at least a few pulled these out for defense against the invading Imperials.

  
Two examples of pistols in holsters - A fleeing Rebel with blaster at the ready

Ponda Baba was the first to pull one of these blasters out, though the Rebels used similar ones on Hoth with a different handle. These new versions of the gun may have been casted from the original prop from A New Hope. The pistol actually began as a rifle, an AR-7 Explorer made by Charter Arms.

AR-7 Explorer .22 LR Semi-Auto Survival Rifle by Charter Arms

British Mortar Shell Fin Assembly
photo: Darryl Lynn - The Grenade Recognition Manual

The muzzle of this blaster is the fin assembly off a British 2" Mortar shell.  The 2 inch Mortar was the platoon mortar of a British Infantry platoon used throughout WWII and for many years after.  The mortar shells came in a number of types, HE, Smoke, and illumination.  There are a number of different fin assemblies for the mortar shells.  This one is probably late WWII and was fitted to a number of different types of shell.  They simply screwed into the bottom of the shell, the center portion of the fins is hollow and contained the propellant charge. There is a threaded cap on the bottom, (tip of the muzzle on the blaster) which is how the propellant cartridge was loaded.

The stock was replaced by a new handle, different from the one used on the Ponda Baba pistol seen at top. Hoth Rebel pistols had Sterling L2A3 submachine gun handles on them.

Closeup of blaster handle in holster

Sterling Arms L2A3 Submachine Gun