The Soviet NRS-2 ballistic (as in gun) knife
Back in the 1500s when pistols were pretty hit and miss (puns, anyone!) many designed for hunting came complete with a wicked blade that was affixed to the end to allow a hunter to finish off his harvest– or defend himself from advancing wounded boars, wolves or bears.
Hunting knife and wheel lock pistol made in Munich Germany, 1546. The large blade has a calendar etched into it surface along with other personal markings and decorations. Currently in the New York Museum of Art. Click to big up
These knife-guns fell out of favor over time but come back up in other forms in recent generations.
Here is a Soviet military version that has a neat photo shoot over at English Russia
“This is a special Soviet knife designed in the 1970s at the order of the Ministry of Defence and KGB of the USSR. An ordinary scout’s knife had to turn into a combined multifunctional weapon. They made a knife with a firing device adapted for a special 7,62 mm cartridge. “
The knife is similar to a AKM style one often encountered in the Warsaw Pact, although it doesn’t appear to be able to mount as a bayonet
In sheath (note the low-powered 7.62x39mm cartridges). Note the similar wire-cutter style sheath
Its fired by a recessed trigger of sort
The muzzle is in the pommel and is semi-sealed in rubber. The gun is likely for emergency use at bad breath distances only
Reload is slow and the firing unit seems like a commercial made zip gun
And is uses a lightly loaded 7.62x39mm round although it can probably be used (once) with a full power load.
Reminds me of the U.S. Made GRAD and the Italian made Arsenal .22LR revolver knives that have been imported for years as AOWs. They are little 5-6 shot revolvers that double as a M7 style (AR-15/M4/M16) bayonet.
I covered them and other knife-guns in more detail over at Guns.com a few years back.