1990-2004
- 1990 Bob Braverman filed for a patent on his pen gun
- 1991 marketed by American Derringer as Model 2 “Pen” Pistol
- 1991 – 1997 R. J. Braverman Corp. in Meredith, New Hampshire
- 2002 – 2004 Stinger Manufacturing Corp in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
– 1,000 square feet
– suggested retail $250
About R. J. Braverman
R. J. Braverman Corp. was a small New Hampshire company best known for the Stinger pen pistol, a stainless steel single-shot handgun designed by Bob Braverman around 1990. In its carry configuration the Stinger looks like a thick writing pen and cannot be fired. To use it, the shooter folds the body into an L shape, which forms a grip and engages the action. Because it must be reconfigured into a pistol shape before it can fire, the design was treated as a standard handgun rather than as an Any Other Weapon under the National Firearms Act, a distinction that sets it apart from most pen guns. It was offered in .22 Long Rifle and .25 ACP.
The pen pistol was first marketed by American Derringer of Waco, Texas, as the Model 2 Pen Pistol. R. J. Braverman Corp. of Meredith, New Hampshire, then sold the Stinger in the mid-1990s, with manufacturing by Remcon North Corp. of the same town. The company is believed to have closed around 1997. Stinger Manufacturing Corp. of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, revived the gun in 2002, initially with Braverman’s help, but appears to have ceased operations around 2004. Today Stinger pen pistols are collector items that have sold at auction for well over their original retail price.
Key Facts
- Circa 1990: Bob Braverman designed the folding pen pistol
- Early 1990s: Marketed by American Derringer as the Model 2 Pen Pistol
- Mid-1990s: Sold as the Stinger by R. J. Braverman Corp. of Meredith, New Hampshire
- 2002: Revived by Stinger Manufacturing Corp. of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
- Circa 2004: Stinger Manufacturing ceased operations
Learn More
Sources
- TFB Review: Braverman Stinger, the Non-NFA Pen Gun – The Firearm Blog
- What Is a Stinger Pen Gun and Is It a Legal Firearm? – CT Firearms Auction
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