Needlegun

For other uses, see Needle gun (disambiguation).
The APS underwater rifle, an underwater firearm designed by the Soviet Union in the early 1970s

A needlegun, also known as a needler, flechette gun or fletcher, is a firearm that fires small, sometimes fin-stabilized, metal darts or flechettes. Theoretically, the advantages of a needlegun over conventional projectile firearms are in its compact size, high rate of fire, and extreme muzzle velocity. The needle presents less frontal area than a bullet, producing less drag and thus more effective range (especially in water) than a wider projectile of the same mass and velocity. There have been experiments to make guided flechettes that can home in on targets.[1]

  1. ^ "Sandia's self-guided bullet prototype can hit target a mile away". Sandia Laboratories. Albuquerque, NM, USA: Sandia Corporation. 30 Jan 2012. Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2013.