Some pocket pistols are compact, practical tools for self-defense. Others look like something a mad gunsmith dreamed up after one too many drinks. These oddball handguns might have made sense to someone at some point, but today, they’re more conversation piece than carry gun. Whether it’s due to their strange mechanics or just plain ugly looks, here are some of the weirdest pocket pistols ever made.
Sedgley Glove Gun
This WWII-era oddity was designed for covert ops. It’s basically a single-shot .38 hidden in a glove—fire it by punching your target.
It sounds like a comic book weapon, but it was real. The Navy thought it might work for sentries or sabotage missions. You can’t holster it. You wear it. Just imagine explaining that to a cop today.
Duckfoot Pistol
The Duckfoot has multiple barrels fanned out like toes. It was meant to shoot several attackers at once—if they were kind enough to stand side by side.
Usually a black powder weapon, it’s more pirate gimmick than practical pistol. The barrels don’t line up, the recoil is a mess, and accuracy is just wishful thinking.
COP .357 Derringer
The COP looks like a mini revolver jammed into a brick. It holds four .357 rounds in stacked barrels and fires one at a time with a rotating striker.
It’s heavy, has a stiff trigger pull, and kicks like a mule for such a small frame. People loved the idea—until they had to shoot it.
Protector Palm Pistol
This one looks more like a stopwatch than a firearm. It’s a circular, palm-squeezed revolver from the late 1800s that fires .32 caliber rounds.
You squeeze it like a stress ball to fire. No sights, no trigger—just grip and pray. It’s clever, but good luck hitting anything more than a few feet away.
Kolibri Pistol
The Kolibri is the world’s smallest centerfire pistol, chambered in 2.7mm. Yes, you read that right—2.7mm. It’s practically a toy.
Made in the early 1900s, it’s barely more powerful than a pellet gun. Designed for self-defense, it likely just annoyed whoever got shot.
Mossberg Brownie
The Mossberg Brownie looks like a small box with four barrels stacked in a square. It’s a .22 short pepperbox from the 1920s aimed at trappers and outdoorsmen.
Each trigger pull rotates to a new barrel. Simple in concept, but not especially effective. Better than nothing, but it won’t win you any firefights.
Semmerling LM4
This strange-looking pistol is a manually-operated .45 ACP. That’s right—no slide cycling. You have to pull the slide back yourself after every shot.
It was made for deep concealment, especially for spies or pilots. It’s weird, slow, and heavy—but reliable if you don’t mind working for every round.
Stinger Pen Gun
Designed to look like an actual pen, the Stinger fired a single .22 round and had to be folded into a pistol shape before it was legal to shoot.
It was more spy fantasy than everyday carry. Carrying one today would raise all sorts of legal red flags—and for good reason.
*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.
