Trójstrzałowy przyrząd 3B Korobowa, dwustrzałowa izraelska szturmowaka Gilboa Snake oraz inne nietypowe egzemplary broni ręcznej.10 zdjęć

The 1960s were a period of intense research and development for firearms manufacturers in the Soviet Union, as they sought to explore new principles and designs for automatic weapons. During this time, designer 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 No. 1 and No. 2. While the exterior design of TKB-022 No. 1 bore some resemblance to the bull-pup layout, the later model, TKB-022PM, clearly belonged to this same design category. 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 safety mechanism for selecting fire modes was located on the left side of the pistol grip. The weapon used standard 30-round magazines from the Kalashnikov rifle, which were mounted directly in front of the backstrap. The TKB-022PM’s sights were adjustable, although the overall length of the sighting system was relatively short. The design also included a feature that allowed for the blocking of the gas escape system when firing rifle grenades. 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 burst fire, Model 3B.” This weapon was a mounted gun with recoil-operated automation and a wedge-shaped bolt. The firing of the cartridges was initiated by the long travel of the hammer, which was activated by the moving parts of the mechanism. A key feature of its design was the reloading system, which ensured that the overall length of the barrel assembly was almost equal to the combined length of the barrel and the cartridge. The ejector mechanism was responsible for removing the spent cartridges and feeding the next round 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 deflect the barrel, allowing for very high fire rates. The three barrels enabled rapid bursts of fire at rates of 1400–1800 rounds per minute. During tests, the Model 3B demonstrated significant improvements in firepower, 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 its design were borrowed from the Kalashnikov rifle, which facilitated the development process significantly. Later, German Alexandrovich Korobov created another model based on the TKB-022PM and the ZB automatic rifle – the “7.62-mm three-barreled burst fire automatic rifle TKB-059.” The main difference between it and the Model 3B was the improved technical and tactical specifications resulting from refined design techniques and modified components. The TKB-059 also featured a classic piston-driven gas system and wedge-shaped bolt. Today, it is difficult to assess how seriously the prospects for applying such weapons were considered in the Soviet Union (it is known that there was at least another domestic development similar to the TKB-059 – the AO-63). Meanwhile, similar concepts were being explored in other countries as well, such as the United States and Australia. Even a prototype was developed within the SALVO program in the United States. It seems that the story of innovative automatic weapons development in this period continues beyond the Soviet Union and Russia.