The US magazine The National Interest has named the most unusual, if not weird, designs of Soviet rifles that never became standard-issue.
In an article published this week, the periodical questioned the design of the TKB-011 and TKB-022 bullpup assault rifles comparing them to a weapon "out of an alien/predator movie".
The publication points out that their unusual configuration makes the rifles cumbersome and poses problems for shooters with smaller hands.
The author of the article also scratched his head over the TKB-0146 rifle, noting its puzzling rate of fire that results in excessive ammunition expenditure - which is exactly why the weapon was never made operational.
The article also recalled the TKB-059 firearm, notable for its three barrels.
The magazine concluded that these weapons, even though they never entered into service, helped the Soviet weapons industry expand its capabilities.