The exhibition presents a powder pocket pistol. It could be easily hidden in a pocket and was almost always carried by its owner.

The pistol had a firing range of only several meters. It was more of a deterrent than a lethal weapon. Its kill rate was lower than that of modern traumatic pistols.

This pistol was invented in the 17th century. It was designed so that it could be concealed while carrying and used in short-range combat. This small gun had an uncomfortable, shortened, and rounded handle, a small barrel, and a large caliber. It had as few protruding parts as possible for a flintlock weapon. There was usually a fuse to allow the pistol to be carried with the trigger cocked. Pocket pistols did not have sighting devices.

Such weapons were hidden in pockets, sleeves, folds of clothing, or inside household items such as inkwells, paperweights, and handbags. After its appearance, it became fashionable to store small weapons inside books with cut-out pages.

The short barrel did not allow for accurate shooting, but gunmakers sought to improve this. Over time, the pistols received maximum obturation, or barrel blockage during firing a shot. This helped achieve the required conditions inside the barrel, where the powder gasses expanded behind the bullet, increasing the effectiveness and safety of the pistol. Bullets for smoothbore models had even a slightly larger caliber than required.

It was not an easy task to load these pistols. It could only be done with a special key and not any accidental tool. With this key, the barrel could be unscrewed and gunpowder added into the charging chamber. A bullet had to be placed into a designated hole above the gunpowder. After that, the barrel was screwed back into place. This process increased the obturation but did not improve the rate of fire.