A novel small and rugged type of a free running atmospheric pressure nitrogen laser is presented and its behavior is studied in detail. Pulse half‐widths are between 800 ps for 60 mm active channel length, and 1.1 ns with pulse energies of 150 &mgr;J for 170 mm active length, both at 2.4 mm laser gap. The maximum pulse energy is found at a field strength‐to‐pressure ratio around 110 V/(cm Torr), in agreement with what is reported in literature for nitrogen lasers. Preionization by ultraviolet light from the free running spark gap could be ruled out while corona discharge over the capacitor foil surface between the laser electrodes could not be excluded.