HISTORY OF PEN GUN
CODE NAME: SPIKE
History of the Pen Gun
The pen gun, a clandestine firearm masquerading as an ordinary writing tool, boasts a captivating history intertwined with espionage, warfare, and covert operations. The recently published memoir 'Code Name: SPIKE' illustrated these unassuming weapons' crucial role in the U.S. Office of Strategic Services (OSS) operations during World War II. This groundbreaking memoir, penned by OSS agents Steven Bizic and Joseph Kosky in 1945 but hidden for decades due to its classified content, provides a firsthand account of the era's reliance on covert capabilities and the ingenious disguise of deadly instruments.
The OSS, a governmental agency of the United States government, operated between 1942 and 1945 to gather intelligence on and undermine the military endeavors of adversaries in World War II and used various pen guns for their operations all across Europe, Africa, and Asia. The OSS pen guns were chambered in multiple calibers. Just like the RF Sedgley Company’s weapon from the pre-war era, the OSS pen guns did not disguise themselves well as pens. The most famous weapon, the ‘Stinger,’ is similar in size and shape to a pen. It was a concealed gun chambered for .22 short rounds and consisted of two main parts:
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A brass tube with a steel bolt and pocket clip
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A brass barrel
The pen gun has only one round in its magazine and was designed to fire tiny bullets, such as those of a .22 caliber. After firing the bullet, the shooter must reload the weapon, which typically entails taking the barrel off. The pen gun's disadvantages are its poor capacity, power, and precision, while stealth is its main advantage.
Throughout the conflict, several 'Stinger' variations were created, with improvements made to the chamber and firing mechanism to lower the possibility of misfires (and hand injuries to the shooter). The legacy of pen guns extended into the Cold War, with intelligence agencies on both sides of the Iron Curtain continuing their use. Notably, the East German Stasi employed pen guns for operations in the West, further blurring the lines between everyday objects and deadly weapons. Among the various designs, the Liberty Pen epitomizes the ingenuity and deception inherent in these covert tools with its flawless disguise as an ordinary pen.
Today, pen guns are primarily sought-after collector's items, with the last commercial manufacturer, Braverman, ceasing production in 2004. Forgotten Weapons on YouTube provides more information about the Braverman Stinger Pen Gun. Nevertheless, their historical significance remains undeniable, as evidenced by the FBI's retention of these weapons for training and historical reference. Liberty Mfg has further advanced the pen gun's legacy by pioneering safety features, ensuring responsible ownership while maintaining the weapon's covert nature.
The rediscovery of WW2 memoirs and declassification of the original manuscript by the CIA and Department of Defense, Code Name: SPIKE, is a poignant reminder of the pen gun's historical significance and enduring allure. The memoir's detailed accounts of covert missions, interwoven with pen guns, offer a unique glimpse into the shadowy world of espionage and warfare. The story behind the memoir itself, hidden for decades and only recently brought to light, mirrors the concealed nature of the pen gun and the clandestine operations it facilitated. Through this lens, the pen gun emerges as a symbol of ingenuity, deception, and the enduring human fascination with covert capabilities.