You’re about to see some really cool weapons, and by cool I mean Phasr rifle cool!
Weapons are a testament to human imagination, skill, and technological innovation. They’ve played a critical role in shaping history, serving as tools of warfare, hunting, law enforcement, and sometimes, unfortunately, criminal activity.
Weapons have not only influenced the rise and fall of civilizations but also become symbols of power and ingenuity. Some have transitioned from tools of destruction to museum centerpieces, celebrated for their unique designs and historical significance. Without further ado, let’s dive into 12 of the craziest and cool weapons ever conceived.
Cool Weapons That Actually Existed
Phasr Rifle
The Phasr Rifle – Personnel Halting and Stimulation Response Rifle (PHASR) is a non-lethal laser gun developed by the U.S. Department of Defense at Kirkland Air Force Base.
It is designed for soldiers and law enforcement officials to temporarily blind enemies with focused laser beams.
Not only can it temporarily blind an individual, but this laser gun can also disorient them by allowing the two laser beams to operate at different wavelengths. This causes the enemy to lose all combat effectiveness.
Thunder Generator
The Thunder Generator may look as though it came right of a video game but, it’s actually is a real weapon designed by farmers in Israel to scare away pests that have the potential of destroying their crops.
The Thunder Generator is currently used to disperse crowds by sending fire shock waves at people up to 150 feet away by using a mixture of gas, liquefied petroleum, and air, causing them to feel as if they are being shot without actually sustaining any sort of harm.
However, if you happen to be standing within 30 feet of the device it can cause permanent damage.
Duck’s Foot Gun
This is another cool weapon that literally looks like a duck’s foot. The Duck’s Foot Gun was manufactured during the 19th and 20th centuries and has four individual barrels allowing the user to fire at more than one target at a time.
Those who feared threats from groups or gangs (ship captains and prison guards) made use of the Duck’s Foot Gun. It had a heavy design and high recoil making it difficult to fire and aim, making it far from the perfect gun.
Active Denial System
The Active Denial System is a highly powerful radar array that fires a beam of electromagnetic waves at a frequency that is only allowed to be absorbed by the top layer of the skin because of safety concerns.
If you happen to be hit by this beam, you would experience a painful burning sensation on your skin as electromagnetic waves work as a microwave, causing the fat in the skin to heat up (ouch).
The effects are only temporary and act as long as the beam is hitting the skin. It’s considered a non-lethal weapon and can even penetrate heavy clothing.
Auto Assault-12
The Auto Assault-12 can fire up to 300 rounds per minute and can be loaded either with an 8-shell box magazine or with a 32-shell drum magazine.
You can choose from a variety of ammunition types such as slugs, buckshot, rubber batons, and high-explosive rounds.
Vomit Gun
This is another non-lethal weapon provided to law enforcement and military forces. The Vomit Gun is essentially a torch that features a pulsing light and able to induce feelings of nausea as well as intense vomiting. It has since been abandoned by the US military although two amateurs created their very own for less than $250.
German Gustav and Dora Rail Cannons
The Dora and Gustav rail canons were developed by the Nazis in World War II in an attempt to defeat the Allies. They were the biggest canons ever created and had to be moved in pieces and assembled at the final destination.
It was comprised of a 32-inch caliber and rounds that weighed over 10,000 pounds allowing it to reach targets more than 90 miles away. It could even travel through 100 feet of dirt and rock.
R. J. Braverman Stinger Pen Pistol
The R.J. Braverman Stinger Pen Pistol is straight out of a James Bond film. The secretive and cool weapon will actually fold into the position of an actual gun when you’re ready to use it.
Only 4,000 if these were created in the 1990s and have become somewhat of a collector’s item.
Hand Mortar
Hand Mortars are handheld weapons that can fire an explosive round over a large distance. How it worked is by lighting the grenade and inserting it into the barrel of the weapon, before using gunpowder to fire it at an enemy.
It was used between the 16th and 18th centuries although it turned out to be unreliable offering several safety concerns.
Armatix Digital Revolver
The Armatix Digital Revolver is the futuristic gun only seen in movies. It has a digital safety which can only be disabled if the user is wearing a special wristwatch that will send the unlock signal to the gun. To activate the wristwatch itself the user must use their fingerprint.
The use of your fingerprint then allows specially authorized users to fire the gun, preventing the weapon from being used against the owner or stolen.
Joseph Enouy’s 8-cylinder, 48-shot percussion revolver
Dated 1855, the Enough revolver was a design patented by Joseph Enough of Middlesex, England. According to the Museum of Artifacts, “As you may have guessed, this weapon is very heavy, unbalanced and unwieldy at the same time.”
“Due to the magazine wheel in front, the user can’t carry this revolver in his pocket or a holster either.” Each cylinder holds six shots with eight different cylinders attached to a magazine wheel.
Records indicate that very few of these were actually manufactured, in fact, the picture above may be the only one in existence.
Triple Barrel, 18-shot Pistola con Caricato Revolver
The Pistola con Caricato is a three-barrel, 18 shot revolver developed in Italy. The gun has four different settings that allow the shooter to select which barrel to fire from. What’s also fascinating is that the gun can also be set to fire from all three barrels simultaneously.
According to News Atlas, “The revolver was manufactured in Italy during the early part of the 20th century, complete with three barrels and 18 chambers in 6.35 x 16 mm semi-rimmed caliber (.25 ACP). Unfortunately, the Pistola Con Caricato has apparently been sold to a Russian collector, so if you were looking to add a triple-barrel pistol to your collection, you’ll probably have to make one yourself.”
South Korean “Raybolt” Anti-Tank Missile System
The South Korean Raybolt anti-tank missile system is a state-of-the-art weapon designed for precision strikes against armored vehicles. Developed by LIG Nex1, this portable guided missile represents a significant leap forward in South Korea’s defense capabilities. Comparable to the American Javelin or the Israeli Spike, the Raybolt stands out for its advanced technology and affordability, making it a compelling option for modern militaries.
One of the key features of the Raybolt is its fire-and-forget capability, which allows operators to lock onto a target and reposition or retreat immediately after firing. This feature significantly enhances soldier safety in combat scenarios. The missile is equipped with a dual-mode seeker that combines infrared and optical targeting, ensuring high accuracy even in adverse weather or low-visibility conditions. It can engage both stationary and moving targets, making it a versatile asset on the battlefield.
The Raybolt also boasts impressive lethality. Its tandem warhead is specifically designed to defeat modern reactive armor, a common feature on contemporary tanks. This ensures that even the most advanced armored vehicles are vulnerable to a Raybolt strike. The system is lightweight and portable, enabling it to be deployed by infantry units or mounted on vehicles for greater mobility.
This weapon has gained international attention for its cutting-edge design and export potential. Its development highlights South Korea’s growing influence in the global arms industry, as the country continues to produce world-class defense technology tailored for the challenges of modern warfare.
The Punt Gun
Designed primarily for commercial hunting in the 19th and early 20th centuries, this massive shotgun was used to harvest large numbers of waterfowl in a single shot. Measuring up to 10 feet long and weighing over 100 pounds, the punt gun was typically mounted on a small, flat-bottomed boat known as a punt, which hunters would quietly maneuver into position.
What sets the punt gun apart is its firepower. Loaded with over a pound of shot, a single discharge could take down dozens of ducks or geese at once. This made it highly effective for commercial hunters, who aimed to supply the growing demand for feathers and meat during that era. However, the sheer power of the punt gun meant it wasn’t handheld like a typical firearm; instead, it was affixed to the boat and often fired by triggering it with the hunter’s foot.
The massive impact of the punt gun eventually led to its decline. Overhunting caused significant depletion of waterfowl populations, prompting stricter wildlife conservation laws in the early 20th century. Today, punt guns are mostly relics of a bygone era, preserved in museums or private collections. Despite their limited use in modern times, the punt gun remains a fascinating example of human ingenuity—and excess—in the pursuit of efficiency.
If you liked these cool weapons, you’ll probably like 10 of the most heavily guarded places.
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