Below are some photos of a Klingon Disruptor hand prop that was owned by Star Trek: The Original Series Art Director and Production Designer Walter “Matt” Jefferies. Mr. Jefferies loaned this prop in 1992 to the Smithsonian Institute for use in a special one-year exhibition of TOS props, costumes and model miniatures that was held at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
The Klingon Disruptor weapon is one example of how props were occasionally reused in different TOS episodes after undergoing some modification or alteration in design by the Desilu internal prop shop. Originally, the first Klingon Disruptors were seen as Eminiar pistols in the first season episode “A Taste of Armageddon”. The photo below shows Captain Kirk with an Eminiar weapon in each hand …
When the Klingon race was introduced later that season in the episode “Errand of Mercy”, the need for a new alien weapon arose; and several Eminiar pistols were cannibalized for parts. The hand grips became part of the Klingon weapons; while the multi-finned emitter sections would reappear in later episodes as part of a Federation hand held engineering Trident scanner …
In the third season episode “The Enterprise Incident”, it was revealed that the Romulan Star Empire had added several Klingon Battle Cruisers to its starship fleet, and Romulan Officers were observed to be armed with Klingon Disruptor weapons …
Some additional selected TOS screenshots featuring Klingon Disruptors …