It was purportedly (and probably in actuality) intended as a survival aid to be used after landings and before recovery in the Siberian wilderness, although allegedly was intended as a defensive weapon against in-space attacks by the US space program.

    • WhoRoger@lemmy.world
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      2 years ago

      Why wouldn’t it?

      Ed: the only thing that might not work is gunpowder in vacuum due to lack of oxygen, but gunpowder has oxidiser included, so yes it would.

      • janus2
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        2 years ago

        I had to look up whether gunpowder requires oxygen to burn (it doesn’t)

          • janus2
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            2 years ago

            That’s what I assumed, but why ass-ume when I live in the information age 😁

        • expatriado@lemmy.world
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          2 years ago

          if it needed oxygen from the air it would have to breathe, the explosion happens inside the barrel before it mixes with the atmosphere

          • janus2
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            2 years ago

            Ah! This is true and more precise

      • CookieOfFortune@lemmy.world
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        2 years ago

        Heat dissipation is an issue since there’s no air around to cool the barrel, although for this three shot weapon (two shotgun one rifle) it wouldn’t be a problem. This gun is mostly to fend off bears when you land in Siberia.

    • NaibofTabr@infosec.pub
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      2 years ago

      Yes, I guess? But firing a gun inside a spacecraft would be a bad idea… and also firing it while spacewalking would be a bad idea unless you were very sure that you were very well braced & tethered.

      • kbity@kbin.social
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        2 years ago

        I’d kind of hope everyone would know better than that after the disastrous Apollo I fire.