Big Top Rifle Gallery

Big Top Rifle Gallery was introduced by Genco Manufacturing Company of Chicago in November 1954, debuting at the National Association of Amusement Parks, Pools, and Beaches trade show in Chicago. Despite its electro-mechanical construction, it is not a pinball machine -- it is a gun game with a circus/carnival theme, offering 20 shots for 5 cents.

Its standout features include nine moving duck targets, four candle targets, and a swinging clown target that pivots on a pendulum and 'flops' over when hit before automatically resetting -- mechanisms Genco advertised as exclusive to their games. The rifle delivers a "realistic" flash and kick with each shot, and the game offered a convertible novelty or match feature with an optional replay. The cabinet was compact for its category, advertised at just 29 1/2 inches wide and promoted as able to "go through ANY DOOR."

Genco followed it up the next year with the 'Super Big Top Rifle Gallery.' Little is documented about its designer or commercial performance, but its inventive moving targets make it a notable entry in Genco's carnival-themed gun game lineup.