A new company is developing a two-shot pistol that folds into a palm-sized square that has the appearance of a cell phone, CNNMoney reports. The convenience of the size and shape allows owners to put the handgun in a pocket or even leave it on a restaurant table without anyone knowing.
The gun designed by Ideal Conceal is a double-barreled, .380-caliber derringer that shoots two rounds. The grip can be folded up to sit evenly over the trigger, making the pistol appear to be a smartphone. The company says it'll cost $395 and could be ready to release as early as this summer.
“The idea for Ideal Conceal follows the present-day demand for handguns that people can carry on a day-to-day basis, in a manner that makes carrying a gun easy to do,” the company’s website says. “From soccer moms to professionals of every type, this gun allows you the option of not being a victim.
“Our mission is to promote security and public safety by designing and manufacturing innovative and unparalleled products engineered to protect,” the company added.
Developer Kirk Kjellberg told CNNMoney he’s received more than 2,500 emails from people wanting to purchase the product.
The hammerless pistol has a lightweight one-piece frame with high velocity and increased accuracy. The simple design dates back to the 1850s, CNNMoney reported, when it was developed by Philadelphia gunsmith Henry Derringer.
NRA Museums director Jim Supica said Ideal Conceal is not the first folding pistol nor the first shaped like a box, CNNMoney reported. North America Arms makes a folding revolver and the Taurus Curve is shaped like a box with rounded edges.
The Ideal Conceal concept apparently isn’t sitting too well with police officers, CNNMoney reported. Bill Johnson, executive director and general counsel for the National Association of Police Organizations, told the news site, “The concept of any kind of weapon that’s disguised so that it’s not apparent that it’s a weapon would be a cause for concern.”
The idea for the product came to Kjellberg after a young boy in a restaurant took notice to his legally carried handgun.
“This little kid says, ‘Mommy, Mommy, that man’s got a gun,’ so the whole restaurant looks at you like you’re about to shoot the place up,” he explained. “So I thought to myself there’s got to be another way to be able to carry without bothering other people.”
