Ballistic knife

Ballistic knife

A ballistic knife is a knife with a detachable blade that can be expelled from the handle/frame as a projectile by means of a spring-operated or gas-driven mechanism. These knives have been banned nationwide in the United States since 1986.

Uses

Ballistic knives, manufactured by the USSR company Ostblock, were supplied in large numbers to the Soviet special forces group Spetsnaz throughout the 1980s.

Ballistic knives are used as covert "stealth" weapons when a firearm is not appropriate. The Russian Spetznaz ballistic knife is a metal tube with a powerful spring to deploy the blade. The blade can be deployed and remain attached to the handle for use as a common sheath knife, or by pressing a button or pulling a pin. This will launch the blade. The spring in these knives is powerful enough to propel the blade about 20 feet. When combined with an overhand throwing motion it will penetrate clothing and flesh. However practiced knife throwers dismiss the spring advantage and prefer standard throwing knife designs.

Legality

Unlike conventional automatic knives, which are legal to possess in 29 US states, ballistic knives are highly regulated for all but a very few special military personnel and illegal almost nationwide. [ cite web | title = State Switchblade Laws | url = http://www.amatecon.com/switchblade.html | accessdate = 2008-01-22 ] After the sales of ballistic knives in the U.S.A. was halted in 1986, the launching handle was made available with a small grappling hook or an aluminum baton.

References


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