Nikonov machine gun

The Nikonov machine gun (Пулемёт Никонова) is a twin barrel light machine gun designed by Gennadiy Nikonov.

Overview
The weapon developed on its own initiative, out of competition and technical tasks. The weapon has no bolt, but a stationary breech and movable barrels with its own gas cylinders with piston connected to the next barrel. Upon firing one barrel, the next one was forced backwards, and thus caused the next barrel to move forward. When firing operates a feeding device that channels rounds into the barrels, with the spent cartridges ejected from both sides. The barrels move back and forth the full length of the cartridge.

The prototype is now located the M.T. Kalashnikov museum in Izkevsk.