Hand Firing Mechanism Mk. I
R.F. Sedgley, Inc. · Pistol · Out Of Production · 1943
Also known as: Sedgley fist gun, Sedgley OSS .38, Glove pistol, Haight fist gun
Overview
The Hand Firing Mechanism Mk. I is a single-shot, glove-mounted .38 S&W pistol developed for the United States Navy during World War II and better known as the Sedgley 'fist gun'. A short smoothbore barrel and firing assembly were riveted to a leather work glove; the wearer fired the weapon by punching the target, driving a plunger firing pin into the cartridge primer. It was intended as a silent, last-resort close-combat and clandestine weapon.
Specifications
| Barrel Length | 73 mm (2.87") |
| Action Type | Break Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Fixed Firing Pin |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Effective Range | 2 m (2 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | None |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
Calibers
- .38 S&W · primary — also known as .38/200, .380 Revolver Mk I, .380 Revolver Mk IIz, 9x20mmR
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot
- Safety mechanisms: Sliding Bar Safety
- Features: Glove Mounted, Smoothbore Barrel, Single Shot, Concealed Weapon, Fires On Impact
Variants
- Hand Firing Mechanism Mk. 2 - Improved Model
Service history
Operators
- United States Navy · adopted 1943
- Office of Strategic Services
Conflicts
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Production years: 1943-1944
Very limited wartime production; estimates for the Sedgley fist guns range from about 52 to 200 units across the Mk. I and Mk. 2 marks.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Stanley M. Haight
Discontinued: 1944
Notes
Produced by R.F. Sedgley of Philadelphia from a design by U.S. Navy Captain Stanley M. Haight. The break-open barrel section swivels aside for loading a single .38 S&W round, and a sliding bar acts as the safety. The later Hand Firing Mechanism Mk. 2 was a refined version of the same concept. Total output across both marks was very small (roughly 52 to 200 units), and surviving examples are classified as curios or relics.
Background
To fire the glove gun the operator literally punched their target, so the weapon was designed to be pressed against the enemy at the moment of the strike. Issued to Navy Seabees, beach reconnaissance units and reportedly the OSS, it is one of the rarest and strangest sidearms of World War II.