The CIA Deer Gun (Pistol, 9mm, SVA) was a silly attempt to arm the SVA with a short range cheap one-shot pistol for assassinations OR to fight the NVA!!! From the beginning it was a colossal waste of funds hoping to capitalize on the WW2 OSS Liberator pistol that also was a failure in .45 cal. The Deer Gun was a die cast weapon which held 3x 9mm Para rounds. To operate, a set of comic instructions were provided so that even the totally illiterate could operate the weapon. Like the Liberator pistol it was to be air-dropped in package- in this case a polystyrene foam kit. To load the 2" barrel was unscrewed and a single 9mm round loaded which cocked the weapon automatically. Then the barrel was re-screwed back on. When the trigger was pulled the striker was released to fire the weapon and afterwards a twig or any small toothpick like item was used to push the spent case out of the weapon after unscrewing the barrel again. The reload was to repeat the steps. AMF received $300,000 for the design work and the unit cost was set at $3.95 for the entire kit; however, since only 1000 guns were made the unit cost was $1000 each per gun only!!! A total failure and cancellation in 1964 after 2 years of design work from 6 types down to 3 and then the one! No one seems to know WHY the gun was called a Deer Gun but a CIA friend of our family that was buddy to my dad claimed that it was due to the shape of the 2" barrel which resembles a deer head (source: Harley Adam Kelley Sr.). Although no manufacturer is listed at least some of the guns were made by Winchester Arms under the false name Quest Industries. Although sent to the scrap heap in 1964, about 15-20 guns are claimed to have survived but only 5 show up in museums. Liberator functioning pistols sell for $750+ so the Deer Gun is probably worth thousands due to being rare and forgotten!!! Note: see pic below labeled Liberator pistol- that's b/c the Deer Gun was considered Liberator #2 for Vietnam. FYI...

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Re-212oAY84/Sa_7Qo8N7NI/AAAAAAAAAOE/mRHsYOdmd4A/s320/liberatorleftside.jpg