flame pistol n.
a pistol that shoots flames; cf. flame gun n.
Weaponry
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1930
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Harl Vincent
bibliography
In a rage he grasped the flame pistol that depended from his belt and trained it on the Lunarians. There was a brilliant spurt of scarlet and one of the attackers was consumed in the angry flame that struck him full in the chest.
Explorers of Callisto in Amazing Stories Feb. 1008/1 -
1939
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Raymond Z. Gallun
bibliography
Several of them carried flame pistols, the muzzles of which, threateningly directed, glinted in the starlight.
Machine That Thought in Science Fiction Mar. 73/1 -
1946
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Ross Rocklynne
bibliography
Gull came to his feet with vigor. He took up his flame pistol, adjusted the valves. A long smoky flame leaped out. Gull adjusted the valves again and it settled down to an inch-thick sword of flaming, violet-blue energy. Gull directed this against the dome of the natural bottle, held it there.
Bottled Men in Astounding Science Fiction June 84/1 -
1947
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Murray Leinster
bibliography
He reached the metal wall. He pulled out his flame-pistol and tapped at it. The wall was solid. He backed off five paces and sent a flame-pistol beam at it. The flame splashed from the metal in a coruscating shower. But nothing happened. Absolutely nothing. When he turned off the pistol the metal was unmarred. It was not even red-hot.
Skit-Tree Planet in Thrilling Wonder Stories Apr. 46/1 -
1951
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Frank M. Robinson
bibliography
Lehman had a flame pistol in his hand and Hayssen promptly dropped to the ground. A beam of purple light flared through the air, cutting through the spot where he had been.
Untitled Story in Astounding Science Fiction Sept. 76/2 -
1993
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Jeff Noon
bibliography
His beams swung in from every corner until they pulled in a tight focus on The Beetle’s gun. Flame pistol. 0.38. Fully loaded. Six bullets. [...] Beetle shot him. Beetle shot him! And all these miles and days away, I’m still listening to that shot of flame.
Vurt (1994) 113
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2015
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Garth Nix
bibliography
‘Here,’ said Jat, handing over a flame pistol, the bigger military version of the heat-beams Kelvin and Vinnie carried. ‘You never know; Theodore might have missed something.’
By Frogsled and Lizardback to Outcast Venusian Lepers in Old Venus 349
Research requirements
antedating 1930
Earliest cite
Harl Vincent, "Explorers of Callisto", in Amazing Stories
Research History
Fred Galvin submitted a 1935 cite from Stanley G. Weinbaum's "The Lotus Eaters".Fred Galvin submitted a 1932 cite from Thomas D. Gardner's "The Last Woman".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1947 cite from Murray Leinster's "Skit-Tree Planet".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1951 cite from Frank M. Robinson's "Untitled Story".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1939 cite from William Callahan's "The Machine that Thought".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1946 cite from Ross Rocklynne's "The Bottled Men".
Fred Galvin submitted a cite from a 1976 reprint of Ross Rocklynne's "The Empress of Mars"; Mike Christie verified it in the 1939 original appearance.
Fred Galvin submitted a 1931 cite from "Invisible Ships", by Harl Vincent [pseudonym of H. V. Schoepflin]
Ben Ostrowsky submitted a 1993 cite from Jeff Noon's "Vurt".
Ben Ostrowsky submitted a 2015 cite from Garth Nix.
Fred Galvin submitted a 1930 cite from Harl Vincent's "Explorers of Callisto", in Amazing Stories.
Last modified 2023-08-23 14:44:00
In the compilation of some
entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries
in OED.