Would you go to war with the ugliest handgun in your arsenal? Of course, not but back in the early days, armies have no choice but to make the best of what’s issued to them.
Here are some of the ugliest handguns in history.
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1. The Rohm RG10
This Teutonic revolver is a consistent contender in the global ugliest handgun list. Dubbed as an anemic .22 Short, its firing capability is a joke.
You wouldn’t want to be caught in combat with this dud of a firearm. To add insult to injury, its manufacturing is the pits.
Its substandard parts break easily. The RG10’s cylinder, for instance, spins like crazy.
This means that it doesn’t properly align with the barrel. In effect, this unpredictable gun could discharge hazardous lead fragments from its sides.
It’s more likely that you would die from a Rohm RG10 malfunction than an enemy’s bullet. And for this, this lemon deserves the number one spot in the ugliest handgun list.
2. Nambu
If you think this handgun’s moniker is ugly, wait till you hear about its specs. Despite resembling the German Luger P-08, the Nambu is named as the ugliest handgun ever made.
Made in Japan by Kijiro Nambu, the gun was among the early attempts to go local weapon-wise. But its flawed design backfired.
One of the major flaws of the Nambu is its magazine and double recoil spring design. They make reloading difficult which is crucial during life and death situations.
As if these are not enough, the gun’s striker is weak resulting in poor primer strikes or worst misfires. Because using it is like suicide, the Nambu should’ve been named Seppuku instead.
3. FP-45 Liberator
The only thing that is cool about this gun is its name. In a combat situation though, you wouldn’t want to liberate anything with it.
A weapon designed for soldiers behind enemy lines, the FP-45 Liberator turned out a dud. Range-wise, its shooting effectiveness is within 25 feet.
This makes it practically useless considering the motive behind its design. But wait there’s more!
Reloading this pistol takes so long that the war would be over soon before you could fire another round. No wonder there are no records about it being used in real combat. Thank goodness.
4. Beretta Model 1923
This gun was one of Italy’s noble attempts to modernize warfare in World War I. The pistol though has one major flaw.
It is equipped with an external ring hammer chambered inside a 9×19 Glisenti. So, what’s wrong with that?
The problem is, this round was becoming obsolete in Europe during that time. The 9×19 Parabellum round is the new black firepower-wise.
The Beretta Model 1923 plus a 9×19 Glisenti chamber, in short, is a disastrous combo. This explains why it made it on our ugliest handgun list.
5. Cochran Turret Revolver
Colt is a name to reckon in the firearm business. In fact, rival companies in 1830 were threatened when they developed the revolver.
The revolver is one of the first successful repeating handguns. Gun manufacturers were in a frenzy trying to come out with something to match its efficiency.
All was well in the house of Colt until the Cochran Turret Revolver. So, what’s up with this pistol?
Well, nothing much unless you like your gun spraying bullets back at you. Its bullet fires in a circle which makes it a dangerous weapon both to its target and user.
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6. LeMat Grapeshot Revolver
Some ideas are great in theory yet fail hard in practice. Case in point: the LeMat Grapeshot Revolver.
This pistol is designed for cavalry use during the latter part of the American Civil War. It can store nine pistol rounds yet it’s set up like a revolver.
Aside from this, it also has a single shotgun shell and an extra barrel. Users could select rounds they prefer to fire via an adjustable firing pin.
Sounds like a great gun, right? In practice, though the Lemat Grapeshot Revolver is a lemon which is why it made it on our ugliest handgun list.
7. Mars Pistol
The idea of inventing a self-loading pistol was all the rage during the early 1900s. Competitors tried to create their best version but only Colt succeeded via the M1911.
Before perfecting this pistol though, a lot of dud prototypes were first made. This brings us to the Mars Pistol.
This handgun is a major pain to operate. For starters, its cartridge ejects right in front of the user's face.
After making 80 prototypes, Colt discontinued this model. Good call.
8. Apache Pistol
When it comes to underperformance, the Apache Pistol is the name you can trust. Its looks alone would make you think twice about using it in combat.
Imagine if a brass knuckle, a knife, and a revolver had an unwanted child. Yes, it looks like a hybrid of these weapons yet it delivers none of their functions.
Its brass-knuckle feature is passable but the knife feature is a joke. And don’t get us started on the revolver component.
As if its non-existent firepower and inaccuracy are not enough, the Apache’s trigger doesn’t have a guard. Misfires are not uncommon which makes this piece a health hazard to users.
9. Gyrojet Pistol
Developed in the United States and was in use in 1965, the Gyrojet is a modern weapon. It is even high on the list of the most ingenious firearms in history.
Now, why it is on the ugliest hand-guns list? Simply put, the Gyrojet pistol is a killer weapon.
Killer in a sense that it could kill anyone other than the target. It is so inaccurate that the manufacturers discontinued it just after a few runs.
You can’t blame them though. Too bad since it is one of the seminal handguns to use rocket propulsion.
10. Sten Gun MK II
Another misfire on the ugliest handgun list. Literally.
The Sten Gun MK II is a long pistol that has reputation for frequent misfires. Do you think this is bad?
Wait until you hear about its bouncing bullets. Yes, the Sten Gun MK II’s bullets often bounce off their targets.
The only reason why the British Army used this horrible firearm in World War II is that there’s no other choice. It’s better than nothing at all.
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Weapon-manufacturing, like other industries, is a process of trial and error. The best firearms don’t just fall from the sky. Sometimes you need to make the ugliest handgun to come up with the best one.
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