Why the sudden switch to imitation rifles? It started as a promotion.
Daisy started as Plymouth Iron Windmill Company in 1882 out of Plymouth, Michigan where it made and sold windmills. In 1886 the company started giving away BB guns with every windmill purchase (though the connection between the two products is still a mystery). The gun was so popular they completely rethought their business plan and sold the guns instead.
The name Daisy came from the General Manager, Lewis Cass Hough, exclaimed as he fired the gun "It's a Daisy!"
Arguably the most famous of Daisy's products is their Red Ryder BB Gun. It was showcased in 1983's holiday classic, A Christmas Story, based on the real product introduced in 1938. The name came from a comic strip cowboy that ran until 1963. It's modeled after the popular Winchester rifle made famous in many Western films.
