Tear gas rounds for .22 starter pistol?

[ArmedBear]

I got an old .22 starter pistol as a gift. The box says it shoots tear gas rounds, also.

Are these still available anywhere?

Or have they been superceded by pepper spray?

 

[kellyj00]

I thought that starter pistols had the barrel welded.

 

[PointOneSeven]

I remember those bullets! At the time, on the Discovery Channel I think, they did a show on non-lethal weapons. If I remember correctly, it was a law enforcement/military only type of situation. Cool stuff, I liked the pepper spray paint balls myself.

 

[ravencon]

I'm having a hard time imagining how you could get much tear gas in a .22 cartridge. I'd opt for pepper spray if a real firearm is not a viable option.

 

[ArmedBear]

This one has a barrel with an insert that looks like it's made to direct the tear gas.

I also wonder if it's particularly effective. I'm curious, though.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Gas guns (usually revolvers) were made in Germany in the 1920s onward
and some were sold here. Most were capable of firing blanks or gas
cartridges (not much pay load) and offered "less than lethal"
"protection" (probably more a false sense of security than actual
protection.)

But I do recall seeing these guns and ammo for sale in the early 1960s.
I doubt if the ammo is on the current commercial market.

 

[CWL]

Tear gas pistols used to be readily available in Europe, don't know if they still are, haven't gone looking for them.

From some conversations, they weren't very effective but were often carried by European punks and used in robberies and brawls.

 

[dbarale]

I can tell you from experience that they are totally useless.
We used them for anti-riot training (different time and place) and they would barely make you cry. I seem to remember that they used a blank cartridge and the gas capsule was actually located in an insert that screwed into the end of the barrel?

 

[Lonestar]

I actually had an used a tear gas gun in the 80's. It was a 4 barrel derringer and the tear gas round were maybe the diameter of a .38 or a .32 and as long as a rifle cartridge. It fired a tear gas plume about 10 to 15 feet. It would probably mess up a BG, but it was sort of mild. I feel pepper spray would have been more effective. I remember those .22 tear gas rounds, but I never used them. Due to the size they have to be almost useless in a self defense situation