The Defender sporting blaster pistol was made by the Drearian Defense Conglomerate. The DDC Defender was a low-powered weapon, meant for civilian self-defense and small-game hunting.
The Defender could be disassembled within a few minutes into three pieces for easy storage or concealment as innocuous items which could pass through most security scans or personal searches. It was designed for ease of use and was very lightweight. It carried enough power for about 100 shots.[2]
The Defender sporting blaster was based on the Soviet-made Margolin .22 MTs target pistol. This gun was selected for its diminutive size, to keep the prop gun from looking too bulky and unwieldy in Carrie Fisher's petite hands.