Pen gun

{{Short description|Firearm that resembles an ink pen}} {{CSS image crop |Image = Музей истории донецкой милиции 047.jpg |bSize = 440 |cWidth = 220 |cHeight = 350 |oTop = 200 |oLeft = 200 |Location = right |Description = Homemade pen guns (Museum of the History of Donetsk militsiya). }} A '''pen gun''' is a firearm that resembles an ink pen.<ref name="Fingertip">{{cite book|title=Fingertip Firepower: Pen Guns, Knives and Bombs|author=John Minnery|publisher=Paladin Press|year=1990|pages=33, 38|isbn=0-87364-560-X}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=I was Trained to be a Spy: A True Life Story|author=Helias Doundoulaki|page=65|year=2008|publisher=Xlibris Corporation |isbn=978-1425753795}}</ref> They generally are of small caliber (e.g., .22 LR, .25 ACP, .32 ACP, .380 ACP caliber, etc.)<ref>https://patents.google.com/patent/US3824727A/</ref><ref name="Zip">{{cite book|title=Zips, Pipes, And Pens: Arsenal Of Improvised Weapons|url=https://archive.org/details/Zips_Pipes_And_Pens_-J_David_Truby_Paladin_Press|page=[https://archive.org/details/Zips_Pipes_And_Pens_-J_David_Truby_Paladin_Press/page/n128 132]|publisher=Paladin Press|year=1993|isbn=0873647025|author=J. David Truby}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Instructions -- .25 ACP|url=http://pengun.com/25instructions.htm|access-date=2014-02-18|archive-date=2007-01-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070111132430/http://pengun.com/25instructions.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> and are single shot.<ref name="Zip"/><ref>{{cite book|title=Gun Trader's Guide, Thirty-Fifth Edition: A Comprehensive, Fully Illustrated Guide to Modern Firearms with Current Market Values|author=Stephen D. Carpenteri|date=October 2013 |isbn=978-1626360259|publisher=Skyhorse Publishing}}</ref> Early examples of pen guns were pinfired, but modern designs are rim or centerfire.<ref name="Fingertip"/> Some pen guns are not designed to fire regular cartridges, but rather blank cartridges, signal flares, or tear gas cartridges.<ref name="Fingertip"/><ref name="NFA"/>

== History ==

=== Pen guns requiring NFA registration === In the United States, pen guns that can fire bullet or shot cartridges and do not require a reconfiguration to fire (e.g., folding to the shape of a pistol) are federally regulated as an Any Other Weapon (Title II). They require registration under the National Firearms Act and a tax in the amount of five dollars is levied.<ref name="NFA">{{cite web|title=Identification of Firearms Within the Purview of the National Firearms Act|url=http://www.atf.gov/firearms/guides/identification-of-nfa-firearms.html|access-date=2014-02-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=National Firearms Act Handbook|url=http://www.atf.gov/files/publications/download/p/atf-p-5320-8/atf-p-5320-8.pdf|access-date=2014-02-18}}</ref>

=== Pen guns not requiring NFA registration === Others, such as the "Stinger" pen gun designed by the R.J. "Bob" Braverman company and manufactured by Remcon North Corp. based out of Meredith, NH, made a pen gun which was not required to be registered under the NFA.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword: The Stinger Pen Pistol, .25 ACP |url=https://www.thomastonauction.com/stories/the-pen-is-mightier-than-the-sword-the-stinger-pen-pistol-25-acp |access-date=2025-12-27 |website=Thomaston Place: Fine Art, Antiques & Estate Auctions |language=en-US}}</ref> The Stinger pen gun first had patent filed in 1991 was made until production ceased in 1996 as a result of business pressures and government regulation. In 2002 the pen gun was revived by a company in Michigan called Stinger Manufacturing Corp,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=STINGER For Sale - Price and Used Value - Blue Book of Gun Values |url=https://bluebookofgunvalues.com/products/stinger-manufacturing-corp-pistols-pen-design-stinger |access-date=2025-12-27 |website=bluebookofgunvalues.com |language=en}}</ref> this company then also subsequently folded or stopped making the Stinger single-shot pen guns''.''<ref>{{Cite web |last=C |first=Nicholas |date=2020-07-28 |title=TFB Review: Braverman Stinger, The Non-NFA Pen Pistol |url=https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2020/07/28/tfb-review-braverman-stinger-the-non-nfa-pen-gun/ |access-date=2025-12-27 |website=thefirearmblog.com |language=en}}</ref> The stinger pen gun folded, cocked, and popped out a trigger in a single motion, and since it was then in a 90-degree angle and looked more like a traditional "pistol", it was not considered a "Any Other Weapon" firearm. These pen guns and others are somewhat rare in the firearm second-hand marketplace and have therefore become highly collectible fetching prices ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 or more.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SOLD - Rare RJ Braverman Stinger Pen Gun - .22 LR |url=https://legacy-collectibles.com/32394-rare-rj-braverman-stinger-pen-gun-22-lr |access-date=2025-12-27 |website=Legacy Collectibles |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Guns |first=Stinger Pen |title=STINGER PEN GUNS |url=https://stingerpenguns.com/about |access-date=2025-12-27 |website=STINGER PEN GUNS |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=qmin |date=2023-07-25 |title=RJ Braverman Stinger .22 LR Auto Pocket Pen Gun Pistol Handgun Stainless - LSB Auctions |url=https://lsbauctions.com/rj-braverman-stinger-22-lr-auto-pocket-pen-gun-pistol-handgun-stainless/ |access-date=2025-12-27 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

According to the FBI, pen guns were widely available for self-defense in the 20th century.<ref>{{Cite web|date=October 2018|title=October 2018: Pen Gun|url=https://www.fbi.gov/history/artifact-of-the-month/october-2018-pen-gun|access-date=March 30, 2021|website=Federal Bureau of Investigation|language=en-us}}</ref><ref>Secret Warfare: Arms and Techniques of the Resistance by Pierre Lorain, adapted by David Kahn (1984), {{ISBN|0856135860}}</ref>

==See also==  *Ballpoint pen knife *Cane gun *Sleeve gun *Wallet gun

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category-inline|Pen guns}} * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4eMWC9FxEA Braverman "Stinger" Pen Gun] * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lFslAG9m-o OSS "Stinger" Covert Cigarette Guns]

Category:.22 LR firearms Category:Pens Category:Concealable firearms