We all know that the stuff we see in action movies is often wrong or even downright impossible. The bad guys are seen wielding super heavy weapons with indecent ease, firing two guns at once and dodging bullets. But of course. It’s a shame because there are some really weird weapons out there that we would love to see in the movies. Some are really stupid, of course, but they have the merit of existing.
1. The duck foot gun
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This pistol which looks like a duck’s leg was created in the 18th century for the soldiers of the British naval army. The gun could fire 4 bullets at the same time in 4 different places and therefore it was absolutely impossible to aim. Already, it’s a problem, but the most annoying thing about this object is that the recoil of the gun hurt the person holding it just as much.
2. The submachine gun jacket
In the 1930s, a completely stupid new invention was born: the submachine gun jacket. The jacket looks like a bulletproof vest but instead of protecting bullets, it shoots the person in front. The product was created for bank employees so that they can defend themselves in the event of a robbery: strings attached to the fingers are linked to the detonator so when the person raises their arms, the weapon is triggered. The problem is that it will also trigger if the person waves hello or calls someone out. Convenient way.
3. The Pistol Shield
The pistol shield was created in the 16th century by the Italians and was mainly used by English soldiers under Henry VIII who had one himself. The idea was rather clever: a shield that allows shooting while remaining protected. Unfortunately, the realization was not perfect. The gun’s built-in weapon was a matchlock, a kind of rifle that you had to fire yourself while aiming and being careful not to drop the bullet to the ground.
4. Tanks in the shape of a ball
After the First World War, arms manufacturers of all kinds decided to innovate. Someone had the idea to create a spherical tank with guns sticking out everywhere. The idea was quickly abandoned because in fact, nothing was working. The soldiers, as if stuck in an opaque hamster ball, would have had no visibility of the enemy.
5. The harmonica gun
So no, unfortunately, we couldn’t play music while shooting. This gun is called a “harmonica” because the chambers form a rectangle that closely resembles the instrument. While most revolvers have a cylinder-shaped barrel, the harmonica pistol stood out for its shape. It’s original, certainly, but it’s also very impractical because it’s not stable at all. It was therefore very difficult to aim.
6. Gadgets that propel tear gas
In the 1920s and 1930s in the United States, manufacturers began to market various gadgets that propel tear gas to protect themselves from aggression. There were small pistols, devices hidden in sleeves or in pens. Of course, there were quite a few accidents.
7. The gun key
As early as the 16th century, a solution appeared to protect the jailers who had to remain armed while opening the prisoner cell doors: keys that also act as a pistol. Why not after all. The problem is being able to put the key away afterwards without accidentally shooting yourself.
8. Electric gloves
Tasers are nice, but you still have to hold them. Too much effort. So why not invent electric gloves that send shocks to anyone who touches the outer part? That’s exactly what we did with the police in the 1930s. It seems that it worked very well, even a little too well.
9. Hand-held mortar
A mortar is a mine launcher normally installed on the ground to absorb the recoil of the weapon. We quickly understand why holding a mortar in the hand is a bad idea when we imagine the power of recoil. In addition, at the end of the 17th century, these mortars were used to throw grenades. The Oblates therefore had an interest in managing their timing well so as not to explode at the same time as the bomb.
10. Active Denial System (ADS)
Unlike the other weapons in this top, this system isn’t dumb. However, it is very strange. After 10 years of secret development, the company Raytheon has released a new non-lethal weapon system for the US military. The ADS emits a beam of electromagnetic waves and when these waves touch the skin, the energy is transformed into heat which causes a very intense and very painful burning sensation but leaves no trace.