Street Guns
Disclaimer
This material has been made available for research and reference purposes only. Readers are strongly advised against obtaining or manufacturing any of the weapons referred to herein, as the majority are unlawful to possess. It is not our intent that anyone break the law or wrongfully harm others. Be aware that the majority of the weapons referred to are currently available from numerous sources, and may very well be encountered in the hands of criminals. We feel that it is important to know what one might be facing when confronted by criminals on the street.
Street Guns
Criminals can obtain quality handguns through burglarizing residences, breaking into vehicles, or purchasing them at exorbitant prices from black market dealers, but they are usually highly prized treasures kept hidden in a secure location rather than carried on a daily basis (although exceptions exist among gang leaders, enforcers, and dumb asses who don’t know any better).
As a general rule, guns carried regularly by street criminals tend to be inexpensive and easily ditched. In many cases (especially amongst knowledgeable drug dealers and gang bangers) the gun will not be concealed upon one’s person, but rather hidden in close proximity to where they loiter, giving them some degree of “deniability” in the event they are confronted by police and subjected to a search..
HIDEOUT GUNS
Commonly dismissed as “worthless” or “mouse guns” by self-proclaimed weapons experts, derringers, micro-revolvers, and tiny automatic pistols all are good for self defense if legally carried.
These tiny firearms can be dropped in pockets, slipped in boots, or worn on a lanyard around the neck. Double-action .22 derringers can be concealed within, and fired from, specially designed billfolds. Derringers and micro-revolvers can be clipped into special belt buckles. Miniature handguns can be hidden inside fake pagers clipped to one’s belt or worn in concealment holsters sewn to one’s hat lining or jockstrap. They are sometimes slipped under a garter. Dropped in a jacket pocket or purse compartment by itself, it can remain “forgotten” until required. With the aid of a competently designed concealment rig (ankle, pocket, belly band, or “pop-up”), they become virtually invisible. They are designed for everyday carry and emergency use.
They are an effective deterrent, especially when fired, as they are certain to cause injury and possibly death. Knowing that even a small gun can injure or kill at a distance, regardless of its owner’s skill or dexterity, criminals tend to be far more respectful of such weapons than they’d be of a stick or blade. A twitch of a finger can send a hot metal projectile zipping through the air quicker than any man can dodge, tearing through flesh and spilling blood without any exertion of effort. A stick or blade, however, requires skill, speed, and strength to be effective, and can be blocked, dodged, or taken away.
Miniature handguns are designed to be accessible and discreet. . . they are often inaccurate, low powered, and uncomfortable to fire. They cannot be counted on to immediately stop a determined attacker, but they will inflict a wound and cause pain if one’s target is hit. They are excellent for stopping pursuit. A “cub” automatic firing anemic .22 shorts or .25 ACPs can be fired rapidly into an attacker’s face, or a full clip can be emptied to deter pursuit the maligned .25 ACP is far superior in this capacity to a handful of throwing stars! For a greater assurance of stopping power, derringers can be had in higher calibers.
Cheap, single-action, striker-fired “hammerless” automatics (like the Raven .25 ACP and Jennings “J-22″) MUST be carried with an empty chamber for safety reasons, which can significantly reduce their immediate usefulness. To carry such a weapon with a chambered round even with the safety on is the epitome of stupidity. Many gang members have accidentally wounded themselves while drawing cheap automatics from a pocket. Walther, Seecamp, Beretta, and Iver-Johnson all offer minuscule double-action pistols that can safely be carried with a chambered round for immediate use.
Provided you are legally permitted to have a concealed handgun on your person (although the 2nd Amendment guarantees this right, many jurisdictions have made it a crime for law-abiding citizens to do so), this should be your hidden weapon of choice.
SAWED-OFF RIFLES & SHOTGUNS
Sawed-off longarms have always been popular with criminals especially juvenile delinquents. Longarms are far more easily acquired than handguns, and a half-hour with a hacksaw can turn one into a concealable weapon. Most sawed-off rifles and shotguns, however, are so heavy and bulky that they cannot be concealed under anything less than a heavily insulated arctic parka. These weapons are most often carried in gym bags and backpacks or simply tossed in one’s car.
Amongst street criminals, the two most commonly encountered sawed-off longarms are the break-action single-barrel shotgun (usually in either 12 or 20 gauge) and the bolt-action .22 rifle.
The break-action single-barrel shotgun is seldom cut down to less than a foot in overall length, making it nearly impossible to conceal upon one’s person. In this configuration, it is often referred to as a “sawed-off” or “boo-yah.”
“Hillbilly dueling pistols” kick like a mule! Even the relatively low-powered 20 gauge cartridge will recoil about twice as hard as a .44 magnum when fired from such a weapon. The sawed-off shotgun must be fired with both hands ideally, with the bracing hand on top of the barrel to further absorb the recoil. If a person were to fire such a weapon one-handed, and was unprepared for the violent recoil, they could easily fracture their trigger finger or hit themselves over the head with the barrel. While it is possible to fire such a weapon one-handed, it most certainly is not recommended.
The strong recoil makes it difficult to reload this weapon quickly, so a gunman can easily be rushed and disarmed after firing his first shot. If the shotgun has an exposed hammer (as most of them do) it can be prevented from firing by forcing one’s hand between the hammer and firing pin (of course, this should never be attempted unless you feel you are about to be executed and have nothing to lose).
The sawed-off shotgun, even when loaded with birdshot (as the majority of them are) can inflict horrendous wounds at point blank range, nearly turning a man inside-out. At 5 feet away, it can pepper a target with an incredibly wide shot spread. At 10 feet away, however, you’d be lucky to place a half-dozen pellets on target, and at 15 feet away, your target will most likely be unscathed. This is a lousy weapon best suited for shooting someone in the back. Loaded with buckshot, this weapon can literally fill a hallway with a cloud of lead (although it is unlikely that you’ll hit a vital area), so body armor and ballistic shields would definitely be in order. Be aware that sawed-off shotguns (as well as improvised rat-trap-fired shotguns) are often employed as “set gun traps,” which will fire at anyone unfortunate to open a door so rigged (use a mirror to check for tripwires).
The bolt-action .22 rifle will also be a single-shot weapon unless it is equipped with an operational magazine (an underbarrel tubular magazine will no longer be functional). If it has an operational magazine, the weapon can quickly be reloaded simply by working the bolt. The cut-down .22 has light recoil and is marginally more accurate than the sawed-off shotgun, but it has minimal stopping power. Minimal stopping power combined with single-shot capacity make this piss-poor weapon amount to little more than a reloadable zip gun. Sometimes encountered among gang members is the cut-down Ruger 10/22 with detachable banana clip. Although low-powered and inaccurate (due to the altered barrel), the magazine capacity of 25, 30, or even 50 rounds makes it a force to be reckoned with especially if the shooter has extra magazines. This extremely nasty weapon is similar in many ways to the far more powerful TEC-9 and MAC-10 inaccurate “bullet hoses” favored by more affluent criminals.
Cutting down any rifle or shotgun below legal length is a major felony under both state and federal law. If you are found in possession of (or even in close proximity to) such a weapon, you can reasonably expect to go to prison.
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