LEGO doesn’t do guns. That’s obvious. The closest they get to providing firearm accessories for its minifigs is a megaphone that kind of looks like a gun, if you squint. In fact, they don’t do many weapons at all save for medieval armaments and lightsabers for their hugely popular Star Wars line.

So I was surprised to hear from a friend about BrickArms, a small toy company he learned about at GenCon that specializes in original LEGO-compatible weapons (like the Space Magnum Pistol, above) and custom minifigs (like the Spy Bond, right, with Silenced Spy Pistol and a briefcase concealing a Micro SMG and spare magazine — yes, it’s that detailed). What began as a request in 2006 by the founder’s youngest son for World War II weapons has grown into a business that now produces 31 different weapons, weapons packs, and custom minifigs that are prized by collectors worldwide.

Does LEGO approve? Almost certainly not! But it’s just another example of how the toy has taken on a life of its own and inspired creativity and entrepreneurship.

Hit the jump for more pics of BrickArms’ work. Read the rest of this entry »