"pengun"

olretiredgunney · June 14, 2007, 03:22 PM

I found one of these in an old box under some stuff in my gun room.Havent seen it in 20 years and i have no idea what it shoots,although it has one shell with it but i cant tell the caliber.I have pictures but dont know how to send them.do you know what it is?It has a cocking lever and the body is black.The shell(?) is aluminum.If so answer me at:
[email protected]

CajunBass · June 14, 2007, 04:28 PM

Anything like one of these?

http://pengun.com/

DonR101395 · June 14, 2007, 04:32 PM

Would it look like this?

fig5-8.gif

fig5-9.gif

olretiredgunney · June 15, 2007, 11:17 AM

Please keep posting

jrothWA · June 15, 2007, 07:56 PM

aluminum body, with a thumb-knob that pulls back towards you and then slide into a notch. Then the cartridge screws into the front and has a shotgun type primer in the base?

If so, it's a Penguin emergency flare launcher, used by the military etc. up till the late 80's.

Don't know if flares still available.

CraigJS · June 15, 2007, 09:33 PM

My father had a pen type tear gas device that had a short screw on black barrel and body that fired a .38 cal charge. The shell looked like a regular .38 special case that had sort of a wax to seal the end. It was about 1/2" in diameter and aprox. 5-6" long. It was fired by pulling back a silver lever with a round tip on it ( it a had a "safety" notch). It also had a pocket clip for securring in your pocket. They were taken off the market as I recall because people were fabbing up barrels for it that would shoot a regular .38 special round. I think it was from the mid 60's. I wish I knew where it was now...
Be safe..
It was something like one of these.

olretiredgunney · June 16, 2007, 01:52 PM

Yours looks red but mine is black with one shell thats aluminum in a clear plastic case with "pengun" on the front.Any idea what its worth?Its like picture 1

CraigJS · June 16, 2007, 04:10 PM

It was one that my father had years ago, gone now. (both he and the pen)
What you have sounds like the one that he HAD. Above pics. were some I found on the I net. NO idea on the worth, sorry!
Be safe.

chris in va · June 16, 2007, 04:48 PM

Aren't those regulated now?

James K · June 16, 2007, 05:06 PM

AFAIK, all those "pen guns" have been ruled as "any other weapons" and require registration. The ruling also applies to any of the tear gas guns that can be "readily" converted to fire a projectile, but that is just about all of them.

Consult BATFE or an attorney, or just toss the thing.

Jim

shaggy · June 16, 2007, 10:08 PM

Jim Keenan is correct - penguns like that are class 3/NFA devices classified as AOWs (Any Other Weapon). To be legal it would have to be registered and transfer as any other NFA weapon would, but with a $5 transfer tax, rather than the usual $200 transfer tax. The main problem here is that technically you cannot now register it - only the original manufacturer can register it, and since you didn't make it you can't. Aditionally, while the transfer tax is only $5, if you were to try to register it you'd have to pay a $200 registration tax unless you were an 07/SOT.

olretiredgunney · June 17, 2007, 08:47 PM

Thanks all!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hkmp5sd · June 19, 2007, 06:38 AM

The "Stinger" penguns are not NFA/AOW. ATF ruled them normal pistols because to fire, they must be folded in half, at which time the trigger extends downward. They claim it looks close enough to a real handgun.

June 14, 2007, 03:22 PM	#1
olretiredgunney Junior Member Join Date: March 7, 2007 Posts: 7	"pengun" I found one of these in an old box under some stuff in my gun room.Havent seen it in 20 years and i have no idea what it shoots,although it has one shell with it but i cant tell the caliber.I have pictures but dont know how to send them.do you know what it is?It has a cocking lever and the body is black.The shell(?) is aluminum.If so answer me at: [email protected]

June 14, 2007, 04:28 PM	#2
CajunBass Senior Member Join Date: May 6, 2005 Location: North Chesterfield, Virginia Posts: 4,768	Anything like one of these? http://pengun.com/ __________________ For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (NKJV)

June 15, 2007, 11:17 AM	#4
olretiredgunney Junior Member Join Date: March 7, 2007 Posts: 7	nothing even close yet! Please keep posting

June 15, 2007, 07:56 PM	#5
jrothWA Senior Member Join Date: November 11, 2006 Posts: 2,519	Is the body a red anodizes... aluminum body, with a thumb-knob that pulls back towards you and then slide into a notch. Then the cartridge screws into the front and has a shotgun type primer in the base? If so, it's a Penguin emergency flare launcher, used by the military etc. up till the late 80's. Don't know if flares still available.

June 16, 2007, 01:52 PM	#7
olretiredgunney Junior Member Join Date: March 7, 2007 Posts: 7	CRAIGJS you hit the nail on the head Yours looks red but mine is black with one shell thats aluminum in a clear plastic case with "pengun" on the front.Any idea what its worth?Its like picture 1

June 14, 2007, 04:32 PM	#3
DonR101395 Senior Member Join Date: October 30, 2005 Location: NWFL Posts: 3,031	Would it look like this? fig5-8.gif fig5-9.gif

June 16, 2007, 04:10 PM	#8
CraigJS Senior Member Join Date: July 31, 2005 Posts: 372	It was one that my father had years ago, gone now. (both he and the pen) What you have sounds like the one that he HAD. Above pics. were some I found on the I net. NO idea on the worth, sorry! Be safe.

June 16, 2007, 04:48 PM	#9
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 13,806	Aren't those regulated now?

June 16, 2007, 05:06 PM	#10
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	AFAIK, all those "pen guns" have been ruled as "any other weapons" and require registration. The ruling also applies to any of the tear gas guns that can be "readily" converted to fire a projectile, but that is just about all of them. Consult BATFE or an attorney, or just toss the thing. Jim

June 16, 2007, 10:08 PM	#11
shaggy Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2004 Posts: 1,519	Jim Keenan is correct - penguns like that are class 3/NFA devices classified as AOWs (Any Other Weapon). To be legal it would have to be registered and transfer as any other NFA weapon would, but with a $5 transfer tax, rather than the usual $200 transfer tax. The main problem here is that technically you cannot now register it - only the original manufacturer can register it, and since you didn't make it you can't. Aditionally, while the transfer tax is only $5, if you were to try to register it you'd have to pay a $200 registration tax unless you were an 07/SOT.

June 17, 2007, 08:47 PM	#12
olretiredgunney Junior Member Join Date: March 7, 2007 Posts: 7	well its gone now so i dont worry about it anymore Thanks all!!!!!!!!!!!!!

June 19, 2007, 06:38 AM	#13
Hkmp5sd Senior Member Join Date: December 15, 2001 Location: Winter Haven, Florida Posts: 4,303	The "Stinger" penguns are not NFA/AOW. ATF ruled them normal pistols because to fire, they must be folded in half, at which time the trigger extends downward. They claim it looks close enough to a real handgun. __________________ NRA Certified Instructor: Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Home Safety, Personal Protection, Range Safety Officer NRA Life Member