_{(Image source)}

Now this assault rifle seems too way damn ahead of its time. Its designer never got be highly praised, unlike the inventor of the world famous AK-47 assault rifle. He tried to create a compact weapon, to be much convenient for motorized troops riding in tight armored personnel carriers or troop carrier helicopters.

The Korobov TKB-022 is a Soviet, fully automatic fire-capable bullpup assault rifle, chambered for the AK standard 7.62×39mm round. It was developed by the Russian small arms designer, German A. Korobov, during the early 1960s at the Tula arms factory.

The TKB-022 had several variants. The TKB-022P had a magazine system directly under the trigger, like the Israeli Uzi. The TKB-022PM, which had the same 415 mm barrel length same as the modern AK (AKM), was shorter than an AKMS with its butt stock folded. This was possible by placing the rifle's magazine close to the butt of the rifle.

Another great modification in the TKB-022 series was the ejection of spent cartridge casings forward, which solved the problem of firing the weapon from the left shoulder.

Among the assault rifles at that time, these weapons had the best barrel length to overall length ratio. Firing from an awkward position, the TKB-022PM No. 1 and the TKB-022PM No. 2 had greater accuracy than the AKM. The TKB-022PM5 No. 1 too had a better accuracy than the AKM at a distance of 100 meters when fired from a lying position .

Although these unusual assault rifles performed well, they were rejected by the Soviet military for being too weird at that time. Also, there were concerns about the odd center of gravity to the tail end of the rifle and the durability of the weapon's plastic body casing during extensive operations under tough conditions or during its storage.

Unfortunately, no firing videos of this weapon exist (Image source)

The arms designer, German A. Korobov (Image source).

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TKB-022PM
https://sputniknews.com/military/201705211053838040-soviet-experimental-assault-rifle-program/
http://modernfirearms.net/en/assault-rifles/russia-assault-rifles/korobov-tkb-022-eng/
http://www.historicalfirearms.info/post/61236629444/korobov-the-bullpup-rifle-and-the-tkb-022-by-the/embed

---

Check out my older, other "Strange Guns" posts.

Strange Guns: FP-45 Liberator
Strange Guns: The Apache Revolver
Strange Guns: Mauser C96
Strange Guns: Kel-Tec KSG
Strange Guns: Shattuck Palm Pistol
Strange Guns: The Duck's Foot Pistol
Strange Guns: Sten Gun MK II
Strange Guns: ZB-47
Strange Guns: The Dardick Revolver
Strange Guns: Magpul FMG-9
Strange Guns: BTJ Derringer
Strange Guns: NeoStead 2000
Strange Guns: FN Baby Browning
Strange Guns: APS Underwater Assault Rifle

---

---

Follow me as @darthnava: "Keep on Steemin' in the free world."