I respectfully disagree. I think that most folks are able to differentiate between reality and the entertainment media they consume (be it books, film, television, or video games), but I imagine that's a topic for another thread (and, as Professor Marvel pointed out, studies into the matter should be looked at with a grain of salt).
PJ Hardtack, it might be worth looking at some of the non-firing replicas on River Junction's website, or used products of the same type. I imagine one could buy some of those and add on some accessories for that steam punk look.
Good luck!