Krummlauf
From a new take on an explosive to a spin on the rifle, one of the common themes you will see in the world of ridiculous weapons designs is the taking of a design that works well and adding a gimmick that ruins what worked. The weapon pictured is of German invention and is known as the Krummlauf. (German word meaning Curved Barrel)
This didn’t start out as a bad idea in all honestly. In the 1940’s German tank crews were encouraged to carry machine guns and use their tanks for cover when in combat. The only problem with this system, however, came with the fact that the soldiers were only able to either shoot or keep cover. That was when someone got the idea to design a gun that could shoot while its holder was safe behind the tank.
It was a good idea, until the men and women tasked with the project realized there was no feasible way to carry it out. When their deadline came, they rushed out the model shown in the picture in order to show their superiors. Needless to say, tests were less than pleasing. Bullets shot out the middle of the barrel instead of following the curve all the way to the end. Some models even exploded in soldiers’ hands. Despite its curved barrel, this design went straight to the trash.