China unveils handheld coil gun that works like a ‘less deadly’ pistol

China has miniaturised the technology used to make electromagnetic cannons to develop a handheld coil gun, according to state media. The weapon was designed for stealth, non-lethal operations and law enforcement, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Saturday, adding that it could fire between 1,000 and 2,000 projectiles a minute and penetrate wooden boards from dozens of metres away. Its power levels can also be altered, meaning that on lower settings there is less chance it will kill someone a...

By Liu Zhen