CornerShot is a weapon accessory created by Lt. Col. Amos Golan of the Israeli Defense Forces in cooperation with American investors.[1] It was designed in the early 2000s for use by SWAT teams and special forces in hostile situations usually involving terrorists and hostages. Its purpose is similar to that of the periscope rifle; it allows its operator to both see and attack an armed target without exposing the operator to counterattack.

CornerShot
A standard CornerShot fitted with a fake Glock pistol.
TypeWeapon accessory
Place of originIsrael
Service history
In service2003–present
Used bySee Users
Production history
DesignerAmos Golan
ManufacturerCorner Shot Holdings, LLC
Produced2003–present
Variants4 (including Standard)
Specifications
Mass3.86 kilograms (8.5 lb)
Length820 millimetres (32.7 in)

Forms and variations

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The CornerShot's shooting range is claimed[by whom?] to be accurate and effective to 100 meters with 9×19mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP pistols, and is claimed to be effective to 200 meters with a 5.7×28mm pistol. The device is available in several variations, including the Beretta 92F, a model widely used by US security forces, the Glock, SIG Sauer, and CZ. The mechanism can also mount various accessories such as detachable cameras, audio/video transmission kits, visible and IR lasers, tactical flashlights, suppressors, and can fire rubber bullets. A standard pistol version is available, along with a 40 mm grenade launcher. Because they are fitted with high-resolution digital cameras, any variant can also be used as a surveillance tool. All the models come with the same stock camera and 2.5-inch color LCD monitor, providing a video observation and sighting system with powerful transmission capability. The flashlight and camera let it operate in either day or night. A variety of optional interchangeable cameras, as well as a folding stock, are available, and a universal accessory rail is standard.[2]

Future versions will be mountable on the US M16 rifle and a European joint assault weapon. The system can also be remotely emplaced and operated from behind camouflage, with a wire video-out connection sending images to a commander at a distance or saved to a two-hour flash memory chip attached to the gunstock.

Assault Pistol Rifle

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The Assault Pistol Rifle (APR) mounts a custom pistol in the front part of the weapon to allow the use of rifle cartridges. It fires 5.56 mm ammunition. The APR pistol can be removed from the CornerShot frame.[3]

Description

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In the standard version a pistol is mounted in the front end of the weapon, which bends horizontally at a mid-frame sixty-degree hinge. There is a digital camera and a flashlight attached to the barrel in the bayonet position. On the butt side of the hinge are the trigger, camera screen (which is on a horizontal hinge just like the mid-gun hinge but it is off of the left side of the gun), and controls for the camera and light.

Similar weapons

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The periscope rifle was independently developed by a number of individuals as a response to the trench warfare of World War I; they were used by armies of several countries from 1914 onward. This earlier idea was simply a specialised "second" stock and trigger mechanism combined with a periscope to allow the shooter to remain safely within the trench and still aim and fire a rifle that was laid over the top of the trench parapet.

The Krummlauf (curved barrel) was an attachment for the Sturmgewehr 44 rifle, which was used by the Germans in World War II. It allowed the shooter to aim and fire around corners with its bent barrel and a periscope-style sight. A disadvantage of the device was its short life, due to the stress of firing.

China

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China has made at least three CornerShot-like weapons[4] to date: the HD-66,[5] which is based on the CornerShot, and the CF-06.[6] Both models were first unveiled at the 4th China Police Expo (CIPATE) and developed by the Chongqing Changfeng Machinery Co Ltd and Shanghai Sea Shield Technologies Company.[6] According to Qing Shanseng, chief designer of the HD-66 and CF-06, both systems are indigenous and were not done based on the CornerShot.[6]

The third one, known as the CS/LW9, was developed by the China Ordnance Industry Research Institute in 2005 in an attempt to do a similar system to the Israeli-made Cornershot.[7] It has a handle at the bottom that can be used to turn the LW9 to the left or right.[7]

The three systems use the QSZ-92 as the main pistol,[6][7] although the LW9 also uses the NP22/34 pistols.[7]

Pakistan

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Iran

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Iran has demonstrated a weapon that is a clone of the Israeli CornerShot.[8]

As of 2016, there is no information on whether the Iranian military has fielded it.[9]

South Korea

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South Korea had publicly unveiled their own version of the CornerShot on March 23, 2010, created and developed by the Agency for Defense Development.[10] The ADD had 350 million invested for research and development of their own CornerShot in September 2008[10] to 2015[11] Its functions are similar to the original version, with the exception of a laser target designator and a pixel sensor included to assist in locating hostile targets.[12][13]

The CornerShot made in South Korea was developed by S&T Daewoo.[14] It's unveiled in 2016 as the Korea Special-Purpose Weapon[15] and mounts a S&T K5 pistol, although it can be used with other pistols.[16] The K1A can be attached to the KSPW if necessary for additional firepower.[16]

The KPSW has MIL-STD-1913 rails to allow attachment of optics and other tactical accessories.[17]

India

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DRDO

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An Indian-made Cornershot weapon was first reported to be in development in 2014.[18] A cornershot weapon system (CSWS) is designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).[19] The CSWS is planned to have a pistol and 40mm GL variant.[19] Development was reportedly done by 2019.[20] It's known as the Trikaal.[21]

It is made in aluminum alloy to make it light and durable.[20] The CSWS's camera, laser, infrared illuminator, and torch are positioned in the front while the display, electronics, battery, and swivelling mechanism are located in the back.[22] It can be equipped with the Glock 17/19 and the Indian-made 1A pistol.[22] The DRDO version is being made in collaboration with Zen Technologies.[23] On February 5, 2024, the Trikaal was publicly unveiled at the World Defence Show (WDS) 2024 convention in Saudi Arabia.[24]

On March 26, 2022, the Central Reserve Police Force and the Jammu and Kashmir Police are in the process of adopting it after putting the CSWS through multiple tests.[20]

Zen Technologies

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Zen Technologies unveiled the ShootEdge at India International Security Expo 2015, New Delhi.[25][26]

Users

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Notes

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  1. ^ Gibson, Kevin (2004). "Bad news for the bad guys: the next best thing to being there!". Guns Magazine.
  2. ^ "CornerShot" on Military.com—an article Archived July 10, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ CornerShot.us - manufacturer's Web site
  4. ^ "7 powerful new weapons that China's military just showed off - Business Insider". Business Insider.
  5. ^ "India launches search for cornershot guns". Retrieved 2010-03-25.
  6. ^ a b c d "China's newest nonlinear of sight weapon system". 2008-11-23. Archived from the original on 2018-10-27. Retrieved 2010-03-25.
  7. ^ a b c d 网易 (30 September 2011). "击杀墙后之敌:国产警用拐弯枪_网易新闻". war.163.com.
  8. ^ "Iran clones Israeli cornershot". 2008-01-31. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
  9. ^ "CornerShot Clones from Around the World -". 10 January 2018.
  10. ^ a b Jung Sung-Ki (2010-03-23). "South Korea Develops Corner Shot". Defense News. Archived from the original on 2013-01-21. Retrieved 2010-04-01.
  11. ^ "DX Korea 2016- Modified K2C1 rifle, Korean Corner Shot - The Firearm Blog". 30 September 2016.
  12. ^ a b "S. Korea develops 'corner shot' rifle | Yonhap News Agency". en.yna.co.kr. Archived from the original on 4 April 2022. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  13. ^ "South Korea Discovers The Corner Shot". 2010-04-01. Retrieved 2010-04-01.
  14. ^ "Altair Agencja Lotnicza". Altair.com.pl. Retrieved 2022-05-28.
  15. ^ "DX Korea 2016: S&T; Motiv unveils second-generation Korea Special Purpose Weapon | IHS Jane's 360".
  16. ^ a b "DX Korea 2016: S&T; Motiv unveils second-generation Korea Special Purpose Weapon | IHS Jane's 360". www.janes.com. Archived from the original on 21 October 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  17. ^ "S&T Motiv Ready for Global Stage Small Arms Featured at DX Korea – Small Arms Defense Journal".
  18. ^ IANS (7 February 2014). "DRDO develops corner-shot rifle for counter-insurgency". Business Standard India – via Business Standard.
  19. ^ a b "Corner Shot Weapon System | Defence Research and Development Organisation - DRDO, Ministry of Defence, Government of India". www.drdo.gov.in. Retrieved 2022-03-27.
  20. ^ a b c Peri, Dinakar (26 March 2022). "Bend and aim: DRDO's corner-shot weapon gives police a critical eye". The Hindu.
  21. ^ "Small Arms & Ammunition" (PDF). Defence Research and Development Organisation. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  22. ^ a b "The DRDO's corner-shot weapon provides a vital eye for copsÂ". Asianatimes.com. 2022-03-26. Retrieved 2022-05-28.
  23. ^ Market, Capital (29 March 2022). "Zen Technologies wins contract from J&K Police". Business Standard India.
  24. ^ "Zen Technologies presents Trikaal corner shooting weapon system at WDS 2024". Army Recognition. 2024-02-05.
  25. ^ "Zen Technologies unveils ShootEdge at India International Security Expo 2015". Archived from the original on 2016-03-10. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  26. ^ "Indigenous CornerShot".
  27. ^ "Азербайджан использует новейшее израильское оружие - ФОТО - 1NEWS.AZ". Archived from the original on 2015-04-05. Retrieved 2013-06-09.
  28. ^ 北京民警节后将装备以色列12万元高级拐弯枪(图) (in Chinese). Netease. 2006-01-19. Archived from the original on 2008-07-04. Retrieved 2010-03-11.
  29. ^ "दिल्ली पुलिस के स्वाट कमांडो, सुरक्षा की गारंटी वीडियो - हिन्दी न्यूज़ वीडियो एनडीटीवी ख़बर". ndtv.in.
  30. ^ "Shayetet 13: The IDF's most elite and secretive unit". 26 September 2012.
  31. ^ México, El Universal, Compañia Periodística Nacional. "Niega Sedena información sobre "arma del futuro"". Archived from the original on 2008-10-12. Retrieved 2013-06-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  32. ^ "Myanmar – DIMSE".
  33. ^ "Specijalne-jedinice.com | Special Tasks Unit "Tiger" of the Republic of Macedonia". Archived from the original on 2018-08-22. Retrieved 2018-08-22.
  34. ^ "Спецподразделения МВД вооружатся австрийскими пистолетами".
  35. ^ "TSK'ya 'köşeli' silah". Hürriyet (in Turkish). 23 March 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  36. ^ "Trung Quốc 'choáng': CSCĐ Việt Nam dùng 'súng bẻ góc' Israel - DVO - Báo Đất Việt". baodatviet.vn. Archived from the original on 2015-03-17.
  37. ^ "Ngạc nhiên vũ khí tối tân đến không ngờ của Đặc công VN". 13 December 2018.