Kilgore Manufacturing Company
60 years in operation (1925–1985)
About Kilgore Manufacturing Company
Kilgore was a major producer of cap guns and cast-iron vehicles rivaling those of Hubley and Kenton in quality. Kilgore also produced cast-iron cars including accurate replicas of the Stutz Bearcat roadster.
History of Kilgore Manufacturing Company
Kilgore of Westerville, Ohio traded under the slogan "Toys that Last" and made two quite different things: cast-iron and later die-cast vehicles, and cap guns. It is the cap guns and the fireworks-adjacent cap business that dominated the company's later life, but the early cast iron is what collectors of American toys look for.
The cast-iron Stutz Bearcat roadster is the piece the firm is remembered for — a well-proportioned open sports car in iron that captures the 1920s Stutz better than most contemporary toys managed. Kilgore also made cast-iron cannons, aeroplanes and small vehicles, and produced paper caps for toy guns in industrial quantity.
The cap-pistol business carried the company through the western era and beyond, and Kilgore continued in the toy-cap and pistol trade until 1985 — a long life for a firm whose toy-vehicle era ended in the 1930s.
Timeline
- 1925Kilgore Manufacturing is established at Westerville, Ohio
- 1928Cast-iron vehicles including the Stutz Bearcat roadster lead the toy range
- 1935Cap pistols and paper caps become the principal business
- 1955Cowboy pistols sell strongly through the television-western era
- 1985The company closes
Notable & Best-Selling Toys
- Stutz Bearcat roadster cast iron
- Kilgore cast-iron cannons
- Kilgore cap guns
- Kilgore cowboy pistols
Identifying & Dating Kilgore Manufacturing Company Toys
- Look for "KILGORE" cast into the underside of iron toys or into the frame of cap pistols, often with "Made in U.S.A." and a model name.
- Cap boxes and tins carry Kilgore branding and are collected separately as packaging.
- Some cast-iron pieces carry only a pattern number and are attributed against catalogue illustrations.
Collector's Notes
- The Stutz Bearcat in original paint is the headline Kilgore item and has been reproduced; check weight, letter crispness and casting seams against a documented original.
- Cap guns are worth substantially more boxed, and grips are the usual weak point — original uncracked grips matter as much as the metal.
- Unfired caps and cap tins are collected, but old paper caps are pyrotechnic material and should be handled and stored accordingly rather than treated as inert packaging.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was Kilgore Manufacturing Company founded?
Kilgore Manufacturing Company was founded in 1925, based in Westerville, OH.
Is Kilgore Manufacturing Company still in business?
No. Kilgore Manufacturing Company ceased operations in 1985, after 60 years in business.
What is Kilgore Manufacturing Company best known for?
Kilgore Manufacturing Company is best known for Stutz Bearcat roadster cast iron, Kilgore cast-iron cannons, Kilgore cap guns, among other toys.
Where was Kilgore Manufacturing Company located?
Kilgore Manufacturing Company was based in Westerville, OH.
What kinds of toys did Kilgore Manufacturing Company make?
Kilgore Manufacturing Company is categorized under cast iron, cap guns, vehicles.
How can you identify genuine Kilgore Manufacturing Company toys?
Look for "KILGORE" cast into the underside of iron toys or into the frame of cap pistols, often with "Made in U.S.A." and a model name. Cap boxes and tins carry Kilgore branding and are collected separately as packaging. Some cast-iron pieces carry only a pattern number and are attributed against catalogue illustrations.
Are Kilgore Manufacturing Company toys valuable?
The Stutz Bearcat in original paint is the headline Kilgore item and has been reproduced; check weight, letter crispness and casting seams against a documented original. Cap guns are worth substantially more boxed, and grips are the usual weak point — original uncracked grips matter as much as the metal. Unfired caps and cap tins are collected, but old paper caps are pyrotechnic material and should be handled and stored accordingly rather than treated as inert packaging.