A Minnesota entrepreneur named Kirk Kjellberg has generated a lot of Internet buzz with his proposed Ideal Conceal, a cell-phone shaped pistol. Starting out looking like a cell phone, with one click a handle is released and a trigger and double barrel in .380 caliber are revealed. Here at GBC we are purists. We think guns ought to be guns and cell phones ought to be phones... and cameras... and calendars... and video players... but definitely not guns!
Gun Buyers Club is constantly on the lookout for the latest developments in firearms related gear. But this latest item we ran across may be a bridge too far! The purpose appears to be not so much to improve ballistics, or accuracy, or even safety. It seems the only purpose is to conceal. And it comes at a cost of speed, ease of deployment and possibly reliability - all big negatives.
So why bother? The inventor, in an interview, explained that his aha moment came on the way to the men's room in a restaurant. (We'll hold the crappy idea comments. No we won't!) Anyway, it seems a little boy noticed the handgun, legally (if imperfectly) concealed beneath Kjellberg's jacket. "Mommy, that guy's got a gun!" the boy shouted. "Everyone turned to look, and it caused a lot of fuss," Kjellberg said. "I thought to myself there has to be a better way."
Yes, Kirk there is a better way... keep your concealed handgun concealed! Flashing, printing or revealing in any way can be considered brandishing in many states and constitutes a violation. Creating a new form-factor that is all tricked out to look different from what it really is can only lead to confusion, or worse - death or injury from accident or failure to perform as intended.
Legal gun owners who carry for personal defense know that access to a firearm has to be swift and sure. Responsible gun owners train regularly to ensure both accuracy and safety. Fumbling for a fake cell-phone that has to be "turned into" a gun by clicking and unfolding a handle is nothing more than a gimmick - not an improved defensive weapon.
And what about police officers who might mistake a real cell phone for a cell-phone gun. The police are under enough pressure already without having to guess whether a cell phone in the hand of a person they may engage with is one click away from turning into a pistol!
Consider as well what might happen if an innocent or curious person - especially a child - encountered one of these contraptions. The consequences could be devastating.
The cell-phone gun is not yet in production, waiting for among other things patent approval. It's a gimmick for sure and has garnered a great deal of interest on - you guessed it - the Internet. It doesn't really exist yet. And depending on the patent, possible regulatory issues, and funding for production, it may never exist -- except on paper and Facebook.
So we're sorry Mr. Kjellberg... while you're idea may be clever, GBC thinks it is nothing more than an imperfect solution to a non-existent problem.