So in this list, I'll be showing you 5 bizarre ancient firearms.

5) Disposable Pistols

Back in world war 2 over 1 million disposable pistols were air dropped.
These pistols were really cheap to make, costing only $1.72 per unit.
But why exactly give troops a gun that is cheap and not very good?
Well, they weren't given to troops but rather to resistance fighters as a temporary weapon so they can kill an enemy then scavenge a better gun.
These disposable pistols had no rifling grooves in the barrel so the bullet's trajectory wasn't very straight.
They also only had a range of about 7.5 meters.
While as a gun they were pretty crap, but if you're in a war zone unarmed, even one of these disposable pistols would have been very welcomed.


4) Pocketknife Pistols

During the victorian era, there was a rise in smart gadgetry.
One of these gadgets was a pocket knife pistol.
It was designed and manufactured by an English company called Unwin & Rodgers.
These pocketknife pistols were advertised as a great way to defend your home from burglars.
The pistol fired a small bullet and could kill a target up to 45 meters away.
A US company also created a pocketknife pistol called the "Defender".
This gun could be loaded with .22 calibre bullets and was sold for $5.
In today's money that's the equivalent of about $70.


3) Knuckle-duster Guns

Street gangs in Paris loved knuckle duster guns.
One of the most famous knuckle duster guns was called the Apache.
It was, of course, a knuckle duster, a knife and gun all rolled into one neat package.
Another version was invented by an Irish immigrant in America.
Its called "My Friend" and was designed as a protection weapon for travellers.
Different version could be loaded with different calibre bullets.
Today these knuckle duster guns are highly collectable and worth a lot of money.



2) Periscope Rifles

When a soldier is in a trench, it's risky for him to pop his head out to fire his rifle.
Afterall enemy snipers can easily take out soldiers like in a game of wack the mole.
During the Gallipoli campaign, English Lance Corporal W.C. Beech came up with a new way for safely firing from trenches.
He essentially attached his rifle to a bit of wood and using mirrors he was able to accurately see where to aim without popping his head out of the trench.
This became known as a periscope rifle.
The government loved the idea and began developing their own versions.
One of the most famous was the Guiberson Rifle.
Today they're not really needed as much since the art of war has changed significantly.
Back in the early 1900's when a soldier died it was no big deal.
Today, however, it makes front page news.


1) Squeezer Pistols

This weapon is the only pistol that doesn't resemble a pistol in any way.
The whole gun was made to fit in a person palm.
As you can imagine these squeezer pistols were very easy to conceal and that's exactly what they were marketed as.
Some of these guns didn't even have triggers, in order to fire them you had to literally squeeze them.
One model with this mechanism was called the Mitrailleuse.
When you squeezed the rear of the gun, it would push a bullet from the magazine into the chamber.
If you squeezed a bit harder, the gun would cock and release the pin, and it would fire a round.
While they were easy to conceal the way you used them just never caught on.
Not to mention just how dangerous it would be to have a gun that went off if you squeezed it.
Just imagine having one in your back pocket and accidentally sitting down.