Sleeve gun

Sleeve gun and wrist gun are generic terms for a small firearm designed to be concealed under a long-sleeved coat or jacket—in fictional examples there is often a device with a mechanism to extend it out into the hand to fire.

Real examples

The Welwand sleeve gun^[1]

The "sleeve gun" was developed during World War II by Station IX of the Special Operations Executive. The design was by Hugh Reeves.^[2] It was essentially a version of the noise-suppressed Welrod pistol, minus the pistol grip, and produced in both .32 ACP and 9×19mm.^[3][4] Between 150 and 200 of the guns were manufactured almost certainly by Birmingham Small Arms Company.^[5][6] A Mark 1 version was designed but it is unclear if it ever made it off the drawing board.^[7]

Fictional examples

Though designs vary, most fictional sleeve guns involve a small conventional pistol on a sliding or telescoping rail, which quickly releases the weapon into the hand for firing,^[8] either by a trigger mechanism, or just the sudden movement of the forearm. Such sleeve guns have appeared in multiple media.

Comics

• Gunsmith Cats (1991–1997)
• Punisher Back to School Special (1992–1994)^[9]
• Blade of the Phantom Master (2001–2007)

Films

• Mr. Wong in Chinatown (1939)
• Taxi Driver (1976)^[10]
• Blood Debts (1985)
• Red Heat (1988)^[11][12]
• The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990)
• Aces: Iron Eagle III (1992)
• Maverick (1994)
• Desperado (1995)
• Alien Resurrection (1997)
• Equilibrium (2002)
• Hot Fuzz (2007)
• Sukiyaki Western Django (2007)
• Sherlock Holmes (2009)
• Django Unchained (2012)^[13]
• The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)

Television

• The Wild Wild West (1965–1969)^[14]
• Hogan's Heroes (1965–1971)
• Jumanji (1996–1999)
• Archer (2009–2023)
• NCIS: Los Angeles (2009–2023)
• Justified (2010–2015)
• The Walking Dead (2010–2022)^[15]
• Fargo (2014–present)
• Timeless (2016–2018)
• Vice Principals (2016–2017)
• Gotham (2014–2019)
• Warrior (2019–2023)
• Stargirl (2020-2022)
• Walker (2021–present)
• The Legend of Vox Machina (2022-present)

Video Games

• Assassin's Creed II (2009)
• Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (2010)
• Assassin's Creed: Revelations (2011)

See also

• Cane gun
• Pen gun
• Wallet gun