Posted on 09/08/2006 9:34:34 AM PDT by kiriath_jearim
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.
The latest miniature gun that is alarming ATF agents is the SwissMiniGun. It’s extremely small -- just over two inches long. It comes with tiny bullets designed especially for the weapon that can penetrate skin. Even in its holster, this gun is so small that law enforcement experts say it could pass for a keychain ornament.
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.
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.”
When CBS 2 got him to admit his gun shoots bullets using gunpowder, he then changed his tone. “Of course I am concerned as manufacturers of air guns are concerned. This is not a toy,” said Erard.
A national police organization notes that unlike air guns, SwissMiniGuns can be concealed and shoot with gunpowder bullets that travel at 400-plus feet per second. These bullets could be aimed at the face.
Joe Occhipinti of the National Police Defense Foundation was alarmed by the SwissMiniGun’s potential uses, noting, “In a routine stop, a guy could certainly make a joke, and 'Say see my little gun here?' point at the officer and shoot. It looks like a key chain and [an officer’s] guard would be down."
Occhipinti added, "I could easily see a passenger attempting to go to an airport take out a key chain put in with coins in the little basket. No one would detect that."
SwissMiniGuns cannot be legally imported into the United States because the barrel is less than three inches long -- in this case, a lot less.
No SwissMiniGuns have been recovered here yet, but McMahon admits, “If it came into the United States, it would be a concern.”
This alert is the result of a single officer in Maryland seeing the gun on a Web site and alerting other officers, including the National Police Defense Foundation.
CBS 2 News learned of the weapon and passed word on to the ATF. It is an example of officers using the Internet the way some terrorists do but in this case, to combat them.
"Pointed stick? Oh, oh, oh. We want to learn how to defend ourselves against pointed sticks, do we? Getting all high and mighty, eh? Fresh fruit not good enough for you eh? Well I'll tell you something my lad. When you're walking home tonight and some great homicidal maniac comes after you with a bunch of loganberries, don't come crying to me! Now, the passion fruit. When your assailant lunges at you with a passion fruit..."
And now, I eat the banana.
No, there was a video game with exploding pineapples that you throw. I think it was a pun on the Mk2 "pineapple grenade" of WWII.
Seriously, what a joke.
Attempted Mugging:
Mugger with Minigun - Hand over your wallet and your watch or I'll shoot you with my little gun.
Victim - What little gun?
Mugger - This little gun right here
Victim - Bugger off, that's not a gun, it's a toy
Mugger - No really, it's a real gun
Victim - Prove it's a real gun
Mugger - I'll prove it by busting a cap on your ass
Victim - Give me a break, get out of my way, or I'll bust a fist on your face
Mugger - Dude, I'm serious, hand it over or I'll shoot.
Victim - Either prove it's real or I'm out of here.
Mugger - (pulls trigger with tiny tweezers) pop
Victim - That's it?
Mugger - yeah
Victim - How many bullets fit in that little thing?
Mugger - one
Victim - Thought so. Adios asshat.
I'm just curious. What velocity could the average person achieve throwing an object that size? What would be the equivalent muzzle energy as the object left the hand?
Man alive! How did I EVER get along with FIVE?!?!?
And do what with it? This is THE single stupidest "news story" I've ever read, and that's saying something.
OMG! I had that Mattel knife gun when I was little! How un-PC would that be today? See, teacher it's not really a knife...it's a gun!
Sheesh, this thing makes a NAA .22 Short look like a .454 Casull!
Minigun my a$$.Surprised they didn't call it a cahin gun, because you can hang it from your keychain.
cahin = chain
ATF agent McMahon is a complete idiot. Does he really think a terrorist would have any use for a $5000 hand-made trinket? This is probably the stupidest thing I've seen for some time.
Don't give them ideas!
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