IOF's Nirbheek revolver gets world press

[gejohnston]

but it won't be showing up at your LGS anytime soon, or at least outside of India. Given the thing's price, US$2K for a gun made by a company not known for quality, and the almost NYC (as in only the rich and well connected that can afford the fees and bribes) like hassle to legally own it doesn't do squat for the average Indian woman like the one the gun is named after.

LUCKNOW: Giving more power to women to defend themselves and as a tribute to December 2012 gangrape victim Nirbhaya, the Indian Ordnance Factory, Kanpur, has manufactured Nirbheek, a .32 bore light weight revolver, India's first firearm designed for women. At 500 grams, it is also the first IOF handgun made of titanium alloy.

Priced at Rs 1,22,360, Nirbheek was launched on January 6 and has already received around 80 formal enquiries and over 20 bookings. "At least 80% bookings are from women licensees," says Abdul Hameed, general manager of IOF. Described by arms experts as an Indian hybrid of a Webley & Scott and Smith & Wesson, for its simple mechanism and light frame, it is the smallest revolver made in India — an ideal to fit a purse or a small hand bag.

In a state where government offers arms licences as incentive to achieve wheat procurement and immunization targets, it is not surprising that a total of 11,22,814 persons have licensed arms as per the state home department records. This is over four times the count of firearms available with the Uttar Pradesh Police (2.5 lakh). Hence a ready market already seems in place for Nirbheek.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2014-01-10/india/46065392_1_arms-licences-india-s-revolver
http://www.forbes.com/sites/saritharai/2014/01/13/nirbheek-is-indias-first-revolver-designed-for-women/

http://www.gunowners.in/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordnance_Factories_Board#Arms
http://ofbindia.gov.in

[NYC_SKP]

1. "At least 80% bookings are from women licensees,"

Probably a good and timely thing, given recent news.

[Historic NY]

2. Given the thing's price, US$2K for a gun made by a company not known for quality

yup people will buy shit.

[gejohnston]

3. its legal monopoly

it is that or nothing.

[Eleanors38]

4. Correct me IIW, but India has more armed civilians than the U.S.

[gejohnston]

5. in absolute numbers, perhaps

per capita, not so much. Of course there are many otherwise good citizens that don't obey the gun regulations.