Leave it to the Swiss to use watch-making technology to come up with the world’s smallest working gun.
It sells locally for 6′500 Swiss Francs (about $6,400 US) and as I understand it, can not be purchased in the U.S. The announcement of this thing has the internet buzzing for a couple reasons. First of all, it’s kind of cool, so of course, everyone’s passing the link around to their friends, blogging about it, etc. But there’s a more somber buzz about this potentially deadly little device, too. Some have raised concerns about how easy it might be to get one of these on a flight, for example. And what about court rooms, and other places where there is a high risk of someone walking in with a gun? Here’s what the site had to say about exporting the mini gun to the States:
Our Miniature Revolver ref. C1ST is not importable in the United States.
We have received a letter from the US Department of Justice mentioning that our Miniature Revolver does not meet with the minimum size prerequisites referring to the Factoring Criteria For Weapons ATF Form 4590.
Our revolver therefore is classified as not sporting and is not importable.
That still doesn’t answer all the concerns, but it sure helps to know that they’re not welcomed here (even if I DO want one to play with). Perhaps, one day, we can get these with RF chips in them that will trigger an alert if taken too close to a federal building, school, or public mass transportation like an airport.
The bullets from this gun can fire at just under 400 feet per second, making a kill at close range possible. They’re just over .35 inches. It’s hard to imagine that something so tiny and cute could kill someone.
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on March 7th, 2008 at 12:40 am
Wow, that is TINY. I wish you hadn’t showed me that. Now I want one. I have an FFL but it won’t do any good if they aren’t even allowing that to be imported. That thing looks like a clock inside (as most revolvers do) no wonder the swiss came up with it.
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on March 7th, 2008 at 1:32 am
Yeah… It’s crazy… I’m not a gun person, myself, but it just looks cool, so I want one to play with.
on March 7th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
I was wondering about that too, the only reason to make it that small is to conceal it. So what are the ramifications of a tiny gun that can be hidden pretty much anywhere? Not good.
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on March 7th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Ramifications of this gun? Lets have some perspective here. It is NOT lethal. Energy at the muzzle is .699 ft-lbs. This is between a spring powered airsoft pistol (.599) and a Daisy Red Ryder bb gun (.900) I have been shot by both airsoft pistols and bb guns. Both drew blood, but did not penetrate. The ‘effective’ range of the bullet is less than 10′ (by effective, I mean ability to break the skin).
I am older and wiser now, and am not volunteering to get shot by this gun. But, shoot me with it and I will stab you to death with a spork from KFC. I am sure it is more lethal at 10′ or less
I suppose someone could put it in a donut and trick you into choking on it….
on March 7th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Mommie: Right you are, except I can see them creating it as a novelty item, but maybe they should only let it fire blanks or something.
sqlbullet: Actually, people have been killed before as a result of being shot with a BB gun. I’m not saying it’s the most lethal weapon every created, but I certainly wouldn’t want it in the pocket of someone on the same flight as me. I love the choking comment, though. Laughed my ass off.
on March 7th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Hahaha. Yep, leave it to the swiss.
Man, how do you aim with that thing? I’m sure that barrel’s much too short to ensure any sort of accuracy. And as sqlbullet pointed out, it’s probably not lethal.
A nice toy, to go in the pocket with the little Swiss watch. Other than that, not much else, heh. I find it funny that the US Justice Department has a “minimum size” restriction for guns. Back when the Tommy Gun was invented, it was street legal, whereas pistols needed permits.
I wonder if anyone’s taken a db reading to determine how loud it is? With all 0.1g of gunpowder in there, it can’t be that noticeable :)
~ Wogan
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on March 10th, 2008 at 5:32 am
Very interesting find Joe. Those mini-guns look pretty sweet, but could prove to be a big problem if selling and production isn’t closely regulated!
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on March 10th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
wow, if this could kill and is so tiny? You could just hide it somewhere that cannot be detected or something and kill someone. This shouldn’t just be sold to anyone, must be a collector or something.
on March 12th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
I am estimating that the diameter of the bullet would make the gun a good ear piercing tool if the length is .35 inches. The diameter would be about .1 inches which would make it smaller than a BB.
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on March 12th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
Stephan: I don’t know about that… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jt-8bJEoEH8
on March 14th, 2008 at 3:37 am
how do you go about pulling the trigger? haha…
on March 15th, 2008 at 7:26 am
Simply amazing the technology that’s available! And I’m glad they’re not legal in the U.S.
That would be great if we could get RF chips in guns, etc.
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on March 17th, 2008 at 1:31 am
The smaller, the deadlier – guns. Please have a look http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2008/02/miniature-spy-guns.html
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on March 17th, 2008 at 9:02 am
Thomas: Very carefully
Curt: I think even suggesting the RF chips poses the threat of controversy. It’s the old safety versus privacy debate.
karuzel: That is just awesome! Thanks for sharing that link.
on May 6th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Idiots! Fools! It “could be lethal” in the same way that a toothpick “could be lethal”! Frankly, I’d choose the toothpick as the superior weapon. I’m all of 130 pounds and I’ve never been in a fight, yet I would still prefer to be unarmed than rely on one of these tiny pistols “lethality.” (I may not be a fighter, but I DO know ballistics.) Virtually anything can be lethal because virtually anything is possible. That doesn’t mean it is an effective weapon. I wish more troublemakers would arm themselves with these. We’d all be safer.
on November 2nd, 2009 at 5:44 am
Yet another example that our country (USA) is run by idiots. We can’t carry a tiny keychain knife in courts, airports, etc, so how would one expect to get a keychain gun in?!? Banning americans from owning these is outright stupid! Telling me I can’t have one makes me want one more, and I would find a way to get one, except for the $6k+ price tag. I can’t stand dumbass people telling me what I can and can not have, expecially when it’s so illogical.