Posted on 12/04/2008 7:51:26 PM PST by Free ThinkerNY
You've heard of the Palm Pilot? Well, here's the Palm Pistol.
Constitution Arms, a small arms manufacturer based in Maplewood, N.J., is taking deposits for what it touts as the world's first ergonomically designed firearm.
Intended for use by the elderly and disabled, the single-shot 9-mm weapon looks like a giant bean grasped in the palm of the hand.
The barrel points out between the user's fingers. You "pull" the trigger by pressing on a thumbed button at the top.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Poor choice of words in the title. LOL
Ah...it kind of looks like an inhaler.
911? “I’ve shot someone and they can’t get up.”
bang
Oh good grief.
Where to begin:
1. Doctor, I thought it was my inhaler....!
2. That’s not my life alert thingee....
3. I’ll get that damn lid off the pickles..!
4. I’ll catch that nurse who keeps stealing from me.
5. I’m 81 and a grown adult, I’m NOT going to bed and I DON’T like kidney mush!
6. Now, tell me again what happens when I press this button...
7. I only get ONE bullet? At least give me a derringer!!
??????????????? certified by the FDA as a “Class I Medical Device” ??????????????
Two things come to mind when I see the weapon—does it have a safety and how severe will the break of the bones in the hand be?
Not too different in concept to the “Green Hornet” water pistol from the late ‘60’s / early ‘70’s.
The aforesaid water pistol might make an effective non-lethal personal self defense instrument filled with vinegar, india ink, rubbing alcohol and chili pepper. It might also expose the user to lawsuits.
But this 9mm contraption? It would be difficult to imagine this being effective at anything other than very close range: like 3 feet max. It is essentially a glorified zip-gun. Beyond close range, look for a stray round flying all over Hell’s Half Acre, hitting unintended targets.
As illustrated it is also difficult to imagine the chamber/barrel being able to contain the fast-burn/explosion of the round. Look for Granny to be missing a few fingers after using this contraption.
If it works? This would be a scary-yikes! weapon in the hands of a gang-banger. Way too easy to conceal.
I give it two thumbs down.
You’ll still have to get rid of it in Jersey.
That could cause a serious mess...
Bad idea IMHO.
This has the exact opposite problem, as those airsoft pistols which ended up with the bright orange markings on the end of the “barrel” so LEO’s wouldn’t shoot kids by mistake.
The problem? Absolutely ZERO deterrence value. It will by necessity have to actually be used in a conflict situation, because no perp is going to take a second look or even stop long enough to laugh “what are you gonna go grandma/grandpa, make me inhale?”...
So it has to be used. But there’s only one shot.
Therefore, it will have to count. No shooting for the leg. No “stop or next time I won’t miss”. Nope. All the marbles.
This really is a bad idea.
Yup. “Anything worth shooting, is worth shooting twice.”
IMHO, a weapon of that style should be designed to fire a cartridge with a fairly large powder charge driving relatively fine shot. Deadly at contact range, but largely harmless beyond ten feet and completely harmless beyond 30 or so.
Finally, if I was a thug, this would be the perfect thing for a close-in kill. I have a real gun for backup, and then I have this inhaler thingimajig for the real kill. Just pass by you and bang.
Anyways, I'd still get one for collection purposes if I could get my hands on it, but I think the entire thing is a joke.
I also wonder if this won't fall under the NFA as AOW (Any Other Weapon) and have to be registered just like pen guns and cane guns.
> IMHO, a weapon of that style should be designed to fire a cartridge with a fairly large powder charge driving relatively fine shot. Deadly at contact range, but largely harmless beyond ten feet and completely harmless beyond 30 or so.
Like, say, birdshot or similar? Good idea — that would be a nasty surprise at close quarters! Which, when I think about it, is where Granny is most likely to need it. I wonder if something slightly larger than 9mm would be needed? I suspect so.
For the elderly I still favor the pepper-ink-alcohol-vinegar combo. Granted, it isn’t lethal, but get it in the eyes it would be totally disabling. Miss, and you still mark your assailant for later identification.
I don’t get to take credit for that idea: British nurses during WW-II used to pack water-pistols full of that mix to ward off randy Yanks-on-leave if they got out-of-hand.
AOW.
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