CornerShot

Lore & Background

CornerShot was designed in the early 2000s by Lt. Col. Amos Golan of the Israel Defense Forces in cooperation with American investors. Its purpose is similar to that of the periscope rifle and the curved barrel (Krummlauf) attachment on the Sturmgewehr 44 rifle in World War II. Corner Shot Holdings, LLC was founded in Florida by two former senior officers from anti-terrorism units of the Israel Defense Forces together with US investors to produce the CornerShot.

The standard CornerShot mounts a pistol in the front end, which bends horizontally at a mid-frame sixty-degree hinge. A digital camera and flashlight are attached to the barrel. On the butt side are the trigger, camera screen, and controls. The system can also be remotely emplaced and operated from behind camouflage, with a wire video-out connection sending images to a commander or saved to a two-hour flash memory chip. Aside from a weapon, CornerShot can mount detachable cameras, audio/video transmission kits, visible and IR lasers, tactical flashlights, suppressors, and can fire rubber bullets.

Several foreign variants exist. China has made at least three CornerShot-like weapons: the HD-66, CF-06, and CS/LW9. Pakistan's POF Eye was first revealed at IDEAS 2008 and has been in service since 2014. Iran has demonstrated a clone. South Korea's Korea Special-Purpose Weapon was unveiled in 2016, developed by S&T Daewoo. India's Trikaal was publicly unveiled at the World Defence Show 2024, with the J&K Police planning to adopt 100 systems.

Reader's Guide

CornerShot represents a modern evolution of the concept of firing from cover, echoing World War II periscope rifles and curved barrel attachments. Its significance lies in providing tactical advantage in hostage rescue and counter-terrorism operations, allowing operators to observe and engage targets while remaining behind cover. The system's modularity—accepting various pistols, cameras, lasers, and other accessories—makes it adaptable to different missions. Its influence is seen in the development of similar systems by China, Pakistan, Iran, South Korea, and India, indicating its impact on global special forces and law enforcement tactics. The ability to remotely emplace and operate the system, with video transmission to commanders, extends its utility beyond direct assault to surveillance and stand-off engagement. While the original Israeli design remains a benchmark, the proliferation of national variants demonstrates the widespread adoption of the corner-shot concept in modern asymmetric warfare and police operations.

Did You Know?

• CornerShot was created by Lt. Col. Amos Golan of the Israel Defense Forces in cooperation with American investors.
• The standard pistol version can fit Beretta 92F, Glock, SIG Sauer, and CZ pistols in calibres including 9×19mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, and 5.7×28mm.
• The system can be remotely emplaced and operated from behind camouflage, with a wire video-out connection sending images to a commander or saved to a two-hour flash memory chip.
• China has made at least three CornerShot-like weapons: the HD-66, CF-06, and CS/LW9.

Origins & Design Philosophy

Born from the urgent needs of counter-terrorism operations in the early 2000s, the CornerShot was conceived by Lt. Col. Amos Golan of the Israel Defense Forces to give SWAT and special-forces operators a way to engage armed threats without stepping into the crossfire. The concept draws a clear lineage from older ideas like the periscope rifle and the curved-barrel Krummlauf attachment used on the Sturmgewehr 44 during World War II, yet it modernizes the principle with digital optics and modular hardware. Production was taken on by Corner Shot Holdings, LLC, a Florida-based company established by two former senior IDF anti-terrorism officers in partnership with American investors. The core design philosophy is deceptively simple: bend the weapon's axis so the shooter can peer around a corner, acquire a target, and fire while remaining behind cover. Every subsequent feature, from the 60-degree mid-frame hinge to the integrated camera and lighting, serves that single goal of keeping the operator invisible to the enemy until the moment of engagement.

Modular Configurations & Tactical Versatility

Beyond its primary role as a corner-engagement weapon, the CornerShot functions as a highly adaptable tactical platform. The standard configuration mounts a pistol, compatible with Beretta 92F, Glock, SIG Sauer, and CZ models in calibres ranging from 9×19 mm to 5.7×28 mm, at the front end connected through a 60-degree horizontal hinge at the mid-frame. A dedicated Assault Pistol Rifle variant swaps in a custom pistol chambered for 5.56 mm ammunition, and a 40 mm grenade-launcher version extends the system's reach. Future iterations are slated to accept the US M16 and a European joint assault rifle. The universal accessory rail accepts detachable cameras, audio and video transmission kits, visible and infrared lasers, tactical flashlights, suppressors, and even rubber-bullet rounds. Because every variant carries a high-resolution digital camera and a 2.5-inch colour LCD monitor, the unit doubles as a surveillance instrument. Operators can deploy it remotely behind camouflage, streaming footage through a wired video-out link to a distant commander or recording up to two hours of video onto a flash-memory chip fixed to the gunstock.

Global Proliferation & Indigenous Variants

The CornerShot's operational concept proved so compelling that multiple nations developed their own versions. China has produced at least three analogous weapons: the HD-66, the CF-06, and the CS/LW9. Pakistan unveiled the POF Eye at the IDEAS 2008 exhibition in Karachi, and the system entered service with Pakistani security forces by 2014, with newer variants following. Iran publicly demonstrated a clone of the Israeli design, though as of 2016 no confirmation existed that it had been fielded. South Korea's Agency for Defense Development invested ₩350 million between 2008 and 2015 to develop its own variant, which S&T Daewoo built around the K5 pistol and equipped with MIL-STD-1913 rails, a laser target designator, and a pixel sensor; the K1A carbine can be attached for extra firepower. India pursued two parallel paths: the DRDO and ARDE-designed Trikaal, constructed in aluminium alloy and compatible with Glock 17/19 or the indigenous 1A pistol, was unveiled at the 2024 World Defence Show in Saudi Arabia, while Zen Technologies separately showcased the ShootEdge at the 2015 India International Security Expo.

Operational Adoption Across the Globe

The CornerShot has found a place in the arsenals of law-enforcement and military special-operations units on several continents. In Israel, Shayetet 13 employs the system; in India, both the Delhi Police and Punjab Police have adopted it, while the Central Reserve Police Force and Jammu & Kashmir Police completed multi-phase testing before the J&K Police committed to procuring 100 Trikaal units, with the National Security Guard also planning acquisition. Pakistan fields the weapon through its Armed Forces, Special Service Group, and civilian law-enforcement agencies. Turkey's Special Forces, Gendarmerie Special Operations Command, and Police Special Operation Department all use it, as do Vietnam's Special Police Force, the Vietnamese Army, and the 113th Special Forces Brigade. Additional users include Mexico's Special Forces Corps, North Macedonia's Special Tasks Unit Tiger, the ROK Army and its Special Forces, and units in Azerbaijan, Myanmar, and Russia. This breadth of adoption underscores the weapon's appeal as a force-multiplier in hostage-rescue and counter-terrorism scenarios worldwide.