Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here we have one of the goofiest looking pipes you have ever seen. This is the Ljutic Space Gun single-shot shotgun. These were brought into the world by the clever mind of Al Ljutic (the J is silent). Mr. Ljutic was a former boxer turned machinist that patented stuff like the rotating bolt used in Winchester Model 100 semi-automatic rifles or later designed a break-action trap gun called “Mono Shotgun” that had a single barrel. At one point in his early inventing career, he was invited out on a trap shooting trip by a representative at Remington. Al Ljutic did not own a shotgun for trap shooting so he made one and its design led to the “Space Gun.” These very rare Ljutic Space Gun single-shot shotguns are bolt-action, single-shot, slam-fire style shotguns. The slam-fire bit is arguable, but notable since the mass of the “striker/firing pin” is so heavy and hits so hard that the recoil from firing is said to be softer than a semi-automatic shotgun. Despite the Ljutic brand still living on today and making fancy trap guns, the space gun was a short-lived oddity that unfortunately did not gain much traction beyond the rough manufacturing estimate of 200 made.
“Designed by shotgun pioneer Al Ljutic as a simplified, inline, recoil-less trap shotgun. The Ljutic Space Gun keeps the barrel and buttstock all in one line, channeling any felt recoil directly to the shoulder, and utilizes a high vent rib to allow the shooter to maintain a heads up position. The bottom bolt design allows for easy collection of spent hulls as well as easy loading. 2 3/4 inch chamber and a choke tube system (modified installed). Fitted with a half length checkered forearm, checkered pistol grip , and cylinder buttstock with a thick vented recoil pad.”
Lot 904: Ljutic Industries – Space – Scarce Ljutic Industries Space Gun Bolt Action Single Shot Trap Shotgun. (n.d.). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved July 7, 2022, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/70/904/ljutic-industries–space.