Unusual firearms (15 photos). Unusual Weapons

The designers of such weapons sought to either surprise the enemy with an unusual approach, or tried to make their creation as futuristic as possible. Such thoughts visited both the creators of non-lethal hand guns and serious military equipment.

The “digital revolver” from the German company Armatix looks like it came out of science fiction. The safety of this pistol can only be removed by a signal from the special wristwatch supplied with it. Which are activated by reading the owner’s fingerprint. Theoretically, such a weapon could never be used against its owner.

The hand mortar was used between the 16th and 18th centuries, allowing explosive projectiles to be fired at enemies. This crazy prototype grenade launcher was even less reliable than many firearms of its time - the grenade periodically got stuck in the muzzle or simply exploded prematurely.

R. Braverman's Stinger shooting pen was clearly inspired by James Bond spy action films. Unlike other shooting pens, this one bends into a pistol shape for easy shooting. In total, about 4 thousand copies were produced.

"Dora" and "Gustav" - super-heavy artillery German guns during the Second World War. The length of their guns reached 32 meters, caliber - 807 mm. They fired seven-ton shells at a distance of 25 to 37 km and were used in exceptional cases. "Dora" was used during the assault on Sevastopol in 1942, but without much success. Despite its monstrous power, the weapon was extremely inaccurate.

The "vomit gun" is not the most pleasant invention that claims to be the best non-lethal weapon of all time. It's essentially a flashlight whose light causes nausea and vomiting. The US Air Force abandoned of this project, but it was assembled by amateurs from LED lights and computer parts.

Auto Assault-12. Shotguns, depending on their design, fire either rarely or only briefly. The AA-12 is designed specifically to eliminate both problems. It fires 300 rounds per minute, is loaded with an 8-round box magazine or a 32-round drum magazine, allowing for long-lasting fire and can use any ammunition - buckshot, rubber bullets and even explosive shells.

The active knockback system is a mobile electromagnetic unit designed to disperse crowds. Its radiation, similar to microwave radiation, causes painful shock and minor burns in people. Although this weapon is considered non-lethal, its long-term effect has not yet been properly studied.

"Duck's Foot" - a unique multi-barreled pistol late XIX century. Thanks to the barrels facing in different directions, it made it possible to shoot at many targets at the same time and was effective during riots on ships or in prisons. However, it was used infrequently - due to its heavy weight and low accuracy.

A weapon called a "thunder generator" is something you'd expect to see in a video game, not real life. This non-lethal gun, originally from Israel, emits a mixture of gas and kerosene at a distance of up to 50 meters, giving people the feeling that they have actually been hit by a shell. In this case, a hit within a radius of 10 meters can lead to serious injuries.

The PHASR is a non-lethal weapon that uses a low-intensity laser to temporarily blind an enemy. Designed for use by both military and police forces. The PHASR also has a built-in distance sensor that allows you to adjust the laser power depending on the distance.

Weapons come in all shapes and sizes, from tiny pistols to huge guns, which can shoot at targets a kilometer in diameter. While the vast majority of weapons are understandable and common, as they follow the usual, some of them are completely different from what we have seen before. Modern advances in weapons technology have allowed gun manufacturers to create products that look more like science fiction movie props than weapons. In this article we look at the most bizarre weapons ever created and used, from loyalist traumatic innovations to giant war machines.

Laser rifle PHASR


Developed by the U.S. Department of Defense at Kirkland Air Force Base, the PHASR non-lethal laser rifle was created for use by military and law enforcement personnel. When fired from a light rifle, it temporarily blinds the enemy with focused laser beams. Another additional effect of PHASR is that two lasers operating at different wavelengths can also disorient the enemy. The PHASR is also equipped with a rangefinder so that the laser can be calibrated to the correct distance to avoid permanent damage to the victim's vision.

Thunder Generator


The Thunder Generator is not a menu item from the weapon selection in your favorite video game, but a very real weapon. The first prototype was developed by an Israeli farmer to repel potential pests that could damage crops, but the thunder machine has since evolved into a non-lethal crowd-dispersal weapon. Under funding from the Israeli Ministry of Defense, the thunder generator has become capable of hitting an enemy with a shock wave of fire at a distance of up to 150 meters, using a mixture of gas from liquefied petroleum, without causing much harm to human health. Although, the device is capable of causing quite serious damage to anyone who is closer than one meter from the device at the time of the shot.

Ducky Pistol


Duckgun pistols were produced in the 19th century and, unlike other pistol variants, were equipped with multiple barrels pointing in the same direction. This pistol had four separate barrels, which were secured into a structure reminiscent of a duck's leg. This unique arrangement allowed the shooter to fire at multiple targets simultaneously. This feature made it very popular among those who had to deal with attacks from criminal groups such as prison guards or couriers. This pistol was far from an ideal weapon, as its heavy design and high recoil made it difficult to conduct aimed fire.

Active electromagnetic pulse system


Active electromagnetic pulse system ( Active Denial System) resembles some kind of extraterrestrial anti-aircraft complex, but not modern weapons. Acting like a powerful radar, it fires a beam of electromagnetic waves at a frequency that allows them to be absorbed into upper layer skin without particularly harming the body as a whole. Those exposed to such rays will experience a painful burning sensation on the skin, as the electromagnetic waves act like a microwave oven. The effects are temporary and permanent and appear only while the impulse is applied to the skin, but the Active Denial System is very useful as non-lethal weapons, since it can hit the enemy even in thick clothing.

Automatic shotgun Auto Assault 12


Shotguns have long been an indispensable melee weapon due to their high stopping power and ability to hit a large area. The main disadvantage of such weapons is that they cannot offer continuous shooting. Auto Assault 12 was designed to solve these problems. It is capable of firing 300 rounds per minute and can be equipped with an 8- or 32-round drum magazine. As an additional option, the automatic shotgun can also use Various types ammunition, including bullets or rubber bullets, shot and high explosive mines.

Vomit gun


The so-called vomit gun is another weapon that strives to provide the most effective non-lethal effect. It may be suitable for providing efficient work law enforcement agencies and military forces to neutralize threats without causing irreversible damage to the enemy. This weapon is essentially a lantern that emits a pulsating light that can cause a person to feel nauseous and even violently vomit. Although the US military abandoned the project, two enthusiasts have created their own version of the vomit gun and are selling it for less than $250.

German railway guns Gustav and Dora


During World War II, the Nazis developed a number of different powerful guns that were supposed to help them become invincible military force on the planet. One of these projects was the giant railway guns Dora and Gustav. They were the biggest artillery piece, ever created and were so large that they had to be delivered disassembled and assembled in position. With a caliber of 32 inches and shells that weighed over 4,535 kg, this gun was capable of hitting targets at a distance of 150 km, and penetrating three-meter concrete barriers. This weapon was only used once, as its enormous size and weight made it extremely difficult to transport to firing positions.

Braverman pistol handle


In adventure films, we often see pistols disguised as ordinary household objects, such as a pen or a cane. The Braverman pistol grip differs from a regular shooting pen in that it can fold up to resemble the shape of a real pistol, making this concealed weapon much easier to fire. These pistols were created in the 90s, and today there are about 4,000 barrels, making them highly collectible.

Hand Mortars


This prototype of the modern grenade launcher was used mainly from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Unfortunately, the weapon was extremely unreliable and posed a constant threat to the safety of the shooter. Grenades often got stuck in the barrel and exploded, while in other cases, the fuses burned too early and caused an explosion prematurely.

Digital pistols from Digital


Digital produces pistols that look straight out of a sci-fi movie. The digital pistol has a security code that can only be disabled if the shooter is wearing a special wristwatch that sends a signal to unlock the pistol. Wrist watch become active only after the user confirms his identity using fingerprints. This essentially means that only a specially authorized user can fire the gun, effectively preventing the weapon from being stolen or used against the owner.

Let's get acquainted with the most unusual types of weapons, which never brought any real benefit and therefore were quickly abandoned.

"Sticky Bomb"

The "sticky bomb" was exactly what it sounds like - an exploding device coated in a sticky substance. Developed by Britain during World War II, these bombs were designed to stick to enemy tanks and explode them. But the British did not take into account one thing - that the tanks were usually covered with mud or soil, to which the explosives simply did not stick.

"Vomit Ray"

The LED Incapacitator (also known as the Vomit Beam) "shoots" a beam of LED lights to cause the target to headache and disorient her so much that the victim begins to vomit and possibly have an epileptic attack. The development cost $800,000 and showed satisfactory results in tests.

The French Resistance during World War II received a shipment of weapons from the United States to fight the Nazis. Everything would be fine, except that the pistols were simply terrible. The FP45 Liberator was designed to be as inexpensive and mass weapons, and it worked according to its price. Maximum range The shooting range was 7 meters, and the accuracy... it was easier for them to hit the target by throwing a pistol at it. The pistol was also single-shot.

Apparently corpses can influence the course of a battle... at least they could during World War II. The body of a homeless Welshman named Glyndwer Michael, who had committed suicide, was used to deliver false information to the Germans. The body was dressed in an officer's uniform and thrown into the sea with false documents on it and photographs of a fake family. Surprisingly, it worked and the Germans moved troops based on the information found on the body.

Tauchpanzer tanks

Tauchpanzer tanks were created by the Nazis for the invasion of Great Britain. The idea was that the tanks would pass through the sea. Tanks had to pass through the English Channel with a width of 240 kilometers along the bottom... More than 200 cars were "waterproofed" with sealant and long hoses were added for breathing. Interestingly, this could work if the seabed was smooth and hard. Firstly, the tanks could not drive over the rocks at the bottom. And secondly, as soon as the tanks stopped, they immediately got stuck in the sand.

Flamethrower Grossflammenwerfer

It is trial and error that helps you reach new heights. Apparently flamethrowers were no exception. During the First World War german army received the Grossflammenwerfer - a flamethrower that had to be carried by at least two people. In addition to its size, the design turned out to be extremely unsuccessful and exploded “at the slightest sneeze.”

Apache pistol

In the Apache pistol, made in the USA in 1880, engineers tried to combine a revolver, a knife and brass knuckles. Individually, these types of weapons were very useful, but when combined, the design turned out to be unusable. The knife was poorly secured and moved to the sides, and the revolver was extremely inaccurate. Except that the brass knuckles “worked” normally, except that upon impact it was difficult not to shoot yourself, given that the trigger was not protected.

Krummlauf rifle

The Krummlauf rifle had a long barrel, bent at an angle of 30 - 45 degrees. It was designed by the Nazis to shoot from cover and around corners.

"Monitor Novgorod"

Russia made a round warship called the Monitor Novgorod for use during Russian-Turkish war. The ship was equipped with two huge cannons mounted on top that could rotate and fire. The problem was that the ship was so small that the recoil when fired made the ship uncontrollable.

Nuka Launcher - hand-held nuclear warhead

Nuka Launcher is not a weapon from Fallout, it's quite real project. Someone’s “bright head” came up with the idea that it would be nice to have hand weapon, shooting nuclear warheads. The maximum engagement range of the M65 Davy Crockett, which was mounted on a tripod and operated by three people, was 4 kilometers.

Men's fun!

Good whiskey, a Cuban cigar and a sports car in the garage are not paramount, but very important things in the life of any man. In some countries, the list is also supplemented by exclusive unusual weapon. And the more unusual, the better. Quite recently, the first “smart” pistol appeared on the market, firing only in the hands of the owner. This got us thinking about other types of strange, almost collectible weapons.

Smart pistol

Armatix iP1

Firearm safety is an important matter, especially for a country where weapons are freely sold. New pistol Armatix iP1 is designed to solve exactly this problem: the weapon fires only when it is next to a special watch (which, by the way, is sold separately).

The company that makes the smart gun uses a special RFID chip inside the watch. The Armatix iP1 is a small 0.22 caliber weapon that can only be purchased in California for now.

Three-barreled shotgun

Triple Threat

The Italian manufactory Chiappa has long been firmly established in the arms market: in certain circles the name sounds as common as Beretta. New development Italian gunsmiths - a three-barreled shotgun, has truly lethal power.

Triple Threat surprises with its rate of fire: all three shots can be fired almost simultaneously. It is unclear what exactly the engineers from Chiappa were preparing their brainchild for, however, the shotgun, among other things, has a pistol butt.

Twin Colt

AF2011-A1

The world's first automatic pistol with two barrels recently went on sale. In the AF2011-A1 (this uber-gun received such a pleasant name), you can hardly recognize the legendary Colt 1911, on the basis of which the model is built.

The AF2011-A1 is equipped with two magazines, each containing 16 0.45 caliber bullets. The creators claim that each of these metal pranksters is capable of knocking down a bull - don’t believe me, try it yourself.

Slingshot bow

Falcon Slingbow

This weapon looks like a real embodiment of any boy's childhood dream. Maybe the creator of the Falcon Slingbow was actually inspired by this: the formidable weapon looks like a mutated slingshot that shoots arrows.

Despite all the childish allusions, the weapon turned out to be very formidable. By default, the Falcon Slingbow comes with an elastic band with an 18-kilogram tension force - this accelerating torque is enough for successful hunting and shooting at a target.

Pocket Shotgun

Heizer Defense PS1

The creators of the shotgun simplified the mechanism to the limit - so that any civilian could easily operate it. In fact, the Heizer Defense PS1 was created with these customers in mind: an effective, lethal melee weapon. Externally, the gun looks like an ordinary pistol, and of a small caliber.

There are also a couple of drawbacks: the need to reload after each shot and only two cartridges in the clip.

With the invention of gunpowder fighting became much larger and bloodier. Now powerful armor was no longer a guarantee of a knight’s safety, so the entire concept of protection and weapons changed radically. But firearms also improved, and sometimes in extremely interesting and in an unusual way. Exactly this unusual firearms and this is what today’s selection is about.

Fire cutlery

Yes. Exactly. Spoons, forks and knives into which single-shot 6mm flintlock pistols are built. It was created in the eighteenth century in Germany. Apparently, the local Landsknechts could not bear to feel unprotected during meals. And so eat the fish and shoot the enemy. But history is silent about the number of accidental victims during meals.

Shield with built-in pistol

This is unusual firearms dates back to the 1540s. Made in Italy, used in England. Dozens of such shields were mentioned in the Tower's warehouse records. The pistol was a matchlock, single-shot and loaded from the breech. The shooter could fire one, or maximum two, shots before the shield had to be used for its intended purpose.

Knife pistol

It’s not even clear what the primary idea is - to attach a cutting edge to the barrel of a pistol or to drill a channel for firing in the handle of a knife. The fact remains that the result was a multifunctional weapon that could be used both in close combat and in long-range combat. And it doesn’t matter that this is a maximum of a couple of shots - the enemy certainly does not expect that they will start shooting at him FROM A KNIFE

Giant guns

This was widely used in England during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It was almost impossible to shoot such a “thing” alone, and it was also impossible to hold it in your hands. I’m generally silent about returns. And this was necessary in order to kill two birds with one stone, or rather a small flock of ducks, since the gun was loaded with a huge charge of shot. In my opinion, this is cheating. And it’s very good that the popularity of such guns has already ended.

Pistol-brass knuckles

At the end of the 18th century, the city streets were very restless. That's why this was created, combining the functions of a brass knuckles, a repeating pistol and a dagger. For street fight- an ideal solution because you can do anything with it. And yes, this thing was used not only by bandits, but also by ordinary citizens for self-defense. Eh, it was a good time - the laws on self-defense were MUCH simpler...

Shooting Ax

Shooting axes... Damn it, just regular shooting axes. You can chop down enemies, you can chop wood, you can hunt both wild animals and those enemies that you did not manage to kill... It was widely used in Germany at the end of the fifteenth century. Seriously, there were different variations of this unusual firearms, starting from something like berdyshes, ending with small assault hatchets. This is not a bayonet for you. This is for really tough men.

Disposable pistol

An absolutely brilliant idea. Simplify the design to the limit, use cheap aluminum instead of steel, make the barrel smooth, load it in advance and transfer it to the needs of the resistance to the Nazi invaders during the Second World War. The cost of this pistol was less than two bucks, the aimed shooting range was less than 10 meters, but it was quite possible to kill someone. The weapon is small, compact, invisible and very light - what else does a partisan need?

Curved weapon

Yes. For these guns, “barrel bending” is a completely official diagnosis. And no, this does not prevent them from shooting normally. Great way fire from a trench or around a corner without endangering the shooter. But bent barrels are not very convenient to use, they are very demanding on the quality of manufacturing and operation, so Soviet designers, unlike Nazi ones, solved the problem by creating a periscope gun with a mirror system. It doesn't look so unusual, but it works much more efficiently.