Dreischüssige Waffe 3B von Korobow, zweiläufiges israelisches Sturmgewehr Gilboa Snake sowie weitere ungewöhnliche Exemplare von Handfeuerwaffen.10 Fotos

In the 1960s, Soviet firearms manufacturers engaged in intensive research and development to explore new principles and designs for automatic weapons. During this period, engineer German Alexandrovich Korobov created a series of automatic rifles under the designation TKB-022 (TKB standing for Tula Design Bureau). The TKB-022 series included models TKB-022 No. 1 and TKB-022 No. 2. While the exterior design of TKB-022 No. 1 merely resembled the layout of some earlier models, the later model TKB-022PM clearly followed this design philosophy. In addition to its compact size, the TKB-022PM featured advanced technologies for its time, such as a plastic frame and mechanisms that allowed firing from both the right and left shoulder. The fire-control switch was located on the left side of the pistol grip. The weapon used standard 30-round magazines from the Kalashnikov automatic rifle, which were installed directly in front of the buttstock. The TKB-022PM’s sights were adjustable, although the overall length of the aiming line was relatively short. The design also included a feature that allowed the gas system to be disabled for firing shotgun shells. In 1962, based on the TKB-022PM, German Korobov developed what is perhaps his most innovative weapon—the “7.62-mm three-barreled device for mass fire, Model 3B.” This device was a mounted firearm with a recoil-operated mechanism and a sliding wedge-type bolt. The firing of each barrel was triggered by the long stroke of the piston within the gas system. A key feature of its design was the magazine system, which ensured that the overall length of the gun barrel block was nearly equal to the combined length of the barrels and cartridges. An ejector mechanism was responsible for extracting spent rounds and feeding new cartridges into the chamber. The concept of this weapon relied on so-called “super-fast firing,” where the recoil from each shot was not enough to cause the barrel to move significantly, thus enabling high-rate fire. The three barrels allowed for a rate of fire of 1,400 to 1,800 rounds per minute. Tests demonstrated that this design significantly improved the accuracy of fires, especially when fired from unstable positions. German Korobov managed to reduce the recoil to a level that was comfortable for the shooter. Some components of the Model 3B were borrowed from the Kalashnikov automatic rifle, which streamlined the development process. Later, based on the TKB-022PM and other models, German Korobov created the new model TKB-059. This version improved the overall technical specifications of the weapon by refining various design elements. At the EUROSATORY-2012 exhibition, the Israeli company Silver Shadow showcased its two-barreled automatic weapon. Meanwhile, in the 1990s, the American company ITM developed several experimental pistol-machines. The two-barreled Gilboa Snake assault rifle was designed by an Israeli firm in response to the needs of special operations units. It featured a dual-barreling system that significantly increased the likelihood of penetrating hard targets such as armored glass or metal-ceramic plates. With its high rate of fire, it could also serve as an alternative to a machine gun. The AF2011-A1 was released by the company Second Century in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Colt 1911 pistol. Although it was more of a promotional product than a genuinely innovative weapon, if the Silver Shadow development proves successful, it could set an interesting precedent. After all, the TKB-059 designed by German Korobov still outperforms the Israeli model in many respects.