CIA Deer gun - photos

The Deer gun was a single-shot pistol developed by the CIA during the Vietnam War. The disposable zip gun was intended for distribution to South Vietnamese guerrillas fighting the North Vietnamese forces.

https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net/deer_gun.jpg

https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net/deer_gun2.jpg


Previously:

https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...026#post125427
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...152#post130338
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...038#post125473
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...079#post130028

Anyone know what caliber it was?

Wiki and others say 9mm x 19 Parabellum. Interesting read on https://www.guns.com/news/2014/04/23...one-dirt-cheap

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Altair

The Deer gun was a single-shot pistol developed by the CIA during the Vietnam War.

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Another interesting Vietnam insurgency weapon was the Winchester Liberator, a superimposed quad-barrel shotgun in 16-guage -

Liberator Shotgun from the Early 1960’s: Government Sponsored Ghost Gun! – Gun Gazette

https://read01.com/dK5nE.html

Quote:

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Originally Posted by object

Another interesting Vietnam insurgency weapon was the Winchester Liberator, a superimposed quad-barrel shotgun in 16-guage -

Liberator Shotgun from the Early 1960’s: Government Sponsored Ghost Gun! – Gun Gazette

https://read01.com/dK5nE.html

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I don't know about the rest of the world but 16ga shells aren't all that terribly common in the US. It seems like 12ga or 20ga would have made more sense, you can pick those up just about anywhere that sells ammo.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by drivermark

I don't know about the rest of the world but 16ga shells aren't all that terribly common in the US. It seems like 12ga or 20ga would have made more sense, you can pick those up just about anywhere that sells ammo.

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Things were a lot different in the 1960s Bird hunters used the 20 ga for quail, dove hunters used the 16 for dove Duck hunters used the 12 and geese hunters shouldered the 10ga. For small ground game it was mostly the .410 or a .22 rifle.
The sweet 16 as most called it was an all-around knockdown killing machine though, 4 or 71/2 shot for birds and #1 buck for game including deer. if hit with all 12 pellets it would knock a deer over where he stood 5 to 7 would stop them dead in their tracks if only 3 in the heart or lungs then you might have a bit of tracking to do
I think a box of 16 ga shells sold for $1.50 while 12 ga would set you back another quarter. a box of 100 .22 long rifle was $.99 my .410 shells cost me $1.00 at the Western Auto