The Black Imperial Blaster is one of the rarest figure accessories. They can sometimes be hard to spot as some Imperial blasters are blue/black in colour and so it can get confusing. 

The black Imperial blaster should remain dark when put under a light (such as a camera phone light). Other coloured blasters often let the light pass through them and look to be more blue in colour.

Originals should float in water but more modern repro items can sometimes also be found to float. 

Many of the repros are made with a more brittle plastic or with an incorrect colour. A sound test can be conducted by dropping the weapon carefully onto a hard surface. Repro items make a different sound when compared to original items.