You’re kidding
The ATF has issued an alert regarding the world’s least powerful handgun:
Federal ATF Agents issued an officer safety advisory on what is called the world’s smallest gun after a CBS 2 inquiry. The Alert has been issued both in the New York and nationally to all Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives criminal investigators and will be passed on to other federal agencies.
ATF has confiscated thousands of disguised or miniature guns — from flashlights that shoot a .25 caliber bullet to pen guns.
Err, neither are mini-guns. Those are Any Other Weapons, and are regulated in the same way that machine guns and sound suppressors are, though the tax on them is only $5 as opposed to $200. The story goes on to say:
According to William McMahon, special agent in charge of the New York ATF office, that makes it the perfect stealth weapon for a variety of criminals.
“A terrorist, a criminal trying to sneak into bank, all kinds of criminals. I can see no legitimate reason to own this gun. It seems to be just made to be hidden,” McMahon said.
Not exactly an alert, now is it. And no story is complete without terror:
As its name indicates, the SwissMiniGun is manufactured in Switzerland. CBS 2 News reached the company’s CEO, Paul Erard, by phone.
He said the gun is a miniature, detailed copy of the Colt Python revolver. He sells it for roughly $5,000 to gun collectors (though he added that most of his guns are encrusted with diamonds and gold, so they can cost $30,000).
He said he has sold 50 miniguns, all to only one area of the world. “Contacts in the Middle East asked me to make a miniature of Colt Python,” said Erard.
Erard refused to say which Middle-Eastern countries. His reaction when asked if terrorists might use it? At first he laughed and said, “ Absolutely ridiculous.”
Yeah, street thugs are going to buy them for $5,000. And they’re not really powerful enough to be much of a threat. I’m pretty sure importing these items may be illegal as they don’t meet the point system for handgun importation. That’s assuming these are classified as firearms.
The ATF Marc has the skinny on the world’s least powerful handgun.
September 8th, 2006 at 7:06 pm
Those are not miniguns.
THIS is a minigun:
http://www.pureluckdesign.com/videos/Gau17animation.wmv
Now is it too big, too small, too cheap, too expensive, or too dificult to carry on a deer hunt?
I do not care– I want at least two of them. One for the ’94 Ford pickup and one for my wife’s car.
September 8th, 2006 at 9:45 pm
This takes fear of weapons to new heights!
“I’m not even mad… that’s amazing…”
September 10th, 2006 at 3:06 am
The ammo weighs less than the average airsoft pellet, at a velocity only slightly higher. About the only difference is the diameter; airsoft rounds are 6mm. Conceivably, these projectiles might be able to break the skin if the target isn’t wearing any kind of clothing in that area. Not that I’d want to check, but I’d almost bet that paintball goggles could stop this round.
“You’ll shoot your eye out!!”
October 5th, 2006 at 8:32 am
[…] Bear in mind some things about this gun (from an earlier post): […]