Pengun info needed

[762x51]

Hey folks. A freind of mine just sent me some pictures of a pen gun that was left to him. Any info about it that I can pass on to him would be much appreciated. Maybe an approximate value? Thanks in advance.

 

[Preacherman]

Moving this to the Firearms Research forum.

 

[BADSBSNF81]

First, can't tell from the picture what "lab" in PA made it. Faultless looks like a brand name.

Second, pen guns are considered AOW's by BATFE and need to be properly papered. There is a chance it could be a Curio and Relic, but, you'd have to check current BATFE regs to know for sure.

 

[SDC]

It looks to me more like a "tear-gas pen"; these were popular back in the 1920s, but weren't made to accept the pressures of firing a bulleted cartridge; they fired low-pressure tear-gas loads (basically, a blank with a load of powdered or liquefied tear-gas). As has already been mentioned, a true pen-gun is considered an AOW, and has to be registered with ATF

 

[762x51]

Actually, the very first thing I told him was to check with the ATF regarding the proper regs. Haven't seen it up close, so I don't have any idea if it even works. Could have been rendered inoperable for all I know.

Just wanted to see if I could find out any info for him.

Interesting info regarding the teargas pen idea. Could one tell from the headstamp on that .38sp casing if it is a blank or "gas cartridge" ?

 

[SDC]

Not really; the headstamp looks like a typical .38 Special load. Has it been fired? The firing-pin impression doesn't look like it was deep enough to fire the cartridge (probably a good thing, considering), but most of the tear-gas loads I've seen were in .32 S&W, and they usually have a pink top-wad. Also, if the barrel on the pen-gun is smooth-bore, that's another indicator that this is a tear-gas pen. HTH.

 

[762x51]

Thanks SDC. I will pass on the info.

 

[Jim K]

One of the makers of tear gas "pen guns" was Federal Laboratories, of Pittsburgh, PA, and I think that is one of their products. Now part of Defense Technologies, they are still a major producer of non-lethal weapons for both the civilian and police market.

Most of the tear gas pens produced since the 1930's had the gas cartridges soldered or otherwise fixed into a stub "barrel" whch screwed into the body of the gun. That way, a normal cartridge could not be fired, so the pen gun was not a firearm. If the pen gun were altered to fire a normal round, it would blow up and injure the shooter.

The cartridge case head shown appears to be fixed into a "barrel" in that manner, so it is probably not a firearm.

Jim

 

[762x51]

Thanks for the info Jim.

 

[joab]

First, can't tell from the picture what "lab" in PA made it. Faultless looks like a brand name.

Faultless is an old brand of fountain pens. Perhaps somebody canableized (sp)one for the clip.



The baby penguin was just learning to talk. He kept pointing to himself proudly, saying "pengun, pengun."

What did his fretsome mother say?

"I knew somebody would lose an 'i'."

 

[762x51]

How did I know someone would make a penguin joke?

 

[Jim K]

How about this joke. There was a company made those tear gas pen guns and used the trade name (ready for this?) "Penguin".
See the following site for a picture and description:

http://firearms-firearms.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=14052310

Jim

 

[Gordon]

I have a "Colt" marked one that is identical to that Penguin! It shoots aireial flares. I found a box of 50 flares 20 years ago and shot up a dozen (they go up about 500feet and red star)or so over the years and keep it around when I might want to signal .

 

[762x51]

A Penguin Pen-Gun? That's great!

 

[Preacherman]

I demand a Walrus version!

 

[bdhawk]

ok, i fess up!! i started to read this thread to find out the best gun to hunt penguins with. not too many pinguins in these parts, but just in case i find myself in antartica.....
BTW do pinguins taste like chicken?