needle gun

noun

: a rifle of the later 19th century having a needle-shaped firing pin which upon penetrating a paper, oiled linen, or oiled silk cartridge passes through the powder charge to detonate the cap loaded at the base of the bullet

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Cite this Entry

“Needle gun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/needle%20gun. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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