A weapon that fires small slivers of metal.
- 1941 M. Jameson Slacker's Paradise Astounding S-F (Apr.) № 87/1: Her armament was so inadequate as never to have given him a qualm. It consisted simply of a 10 mm. needle gun, fit only to detonate a stray mine.
- 1949 L. Brackett Lake of Gone Forever Halfling & Other Stories (1973) № 289: He had hidden a small anaesthetic needle-gun under his coverall in case of need.
- 1953 I. Asimov Sally Fantastic (May–June) № 49/2: And I knew the needle gun was about to fire.
- 1965 M. Moorcock Further Information New Worlds SF (Dec.) № 52: He saw a German looking down at him, sighting along his weapon. Jerry snapped up his needle-gun and shot him full of steel.
- 1989 W. Shatner Tekwar (1990) № 26: He's using one of those new needle guns. You know, it shoots Bap! BAP! BAP! and fifty or sixty little steel needles dipped in nerve poison come shooting out.
