Nj. Hartshorne et al., ACCIDENTAL FIREARM FATALITY INVOLVING A HAND-CRAFTED PEN GUN - CASE-REPORT, The American journal of forensic medicine and pathology, 18(1), 1997, pp. 92-95
We report a case in which a homemade 0.25 caliber ''pen gun'' resulted
in the accidental death of a man examining the weapon unaware of its
lethal nature. The design of the weapon consisted of a spring-loaded f
iring mechanism contained in a housing resembling a writing pen. Thus,
the weapon was similar to zip guns and tear gas pen guns but differed
in its craftsmanship and primary purpose of firing conventional ammun
ition. Another notable feature of the case was an atypical entrance wo
und due to the 0.25 caliber Winchester AXP ammunition that the pen gun
fired. With respect to the weapon and ammunition, this case represent
s an unusual firearm fatality reported to increase awareness and alert
pathologists, as well as law enforcement personnel, to the existence
of homemade weapons made to look like innocuous objects.