"...Action Figure..." Is a marketing term for "Dolls for boys'. When G.I. Joe first came out in the 60's they were marketed as dolls for boys. Low sales, of course. Call the doll an 'action figure' add a slick marketing campaign and you have boys playing with dolls.
In any case, in the 60's, us boys played with toy guns and other weapons. Like the Johnny Seven, plastic bullet firing, realistic, Win 94's, plastic rocket firing bazooka's and Secret Sam's. We even had cap firing guns. If we didn't have a plastic firearm a stick would do. We made bows and arrows out of whatever tree branch was available too.