The KS-23 (Karabin Spetsialniy, or Special Carbine) is a pump action shotgun chambering the 23mm or 4 gauge shell. The KS-23 was the result of the USSR's Ministry of Internal Affairs' request in the 1970s for a new versatile weapon with capabilities to use non-lethal ammunition to suppress prison riots. The massive bore of the KS-23's barrel comes from cut down 2A7 barrels intended for the ZSU-23-4 Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft gun. Due to the the rifling of these barrels, the KS-23 is actually considered a special carbine, but functions as a shotgun.
The KS-23 started development in 1975, and started production in 1981. The Soviet Police adopted the weapon in 1985, and it has remained in service to this day.
Insurgency: Sandstorm[]
The KS-23 is a shotgun given to Insurgent Breachers. It trades the raw power of the 4 gauge shell for more recoil and less capacity than the more conventional shotguns.
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| Weapons of Insurgency: Sandstorm | ||
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 Security Forces
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 Insurgent Forces
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| Submachine guns | Grease Gun • MP5A5 • MP7 • Vector | Sterling • MP5A2 • Uzi • P90 |
| Carbines | G36K • Mk 18 CQBR • M4A1 • Honey Badger | SKS • AKS-74U • SG 552 • AS Val |
| Assault rifles | M16A4 • L85A2 • VHS-2 • Galil SAR • AUG A3 • QTS-11 • WCX • F2000 Tactical | M16A2 • AKM • AK-74 • Alpha AK • QBZ-03 • Galil • FAMAS F1 • QBZ-97 • AR7090 • F2000 |
| Battle rifles | Mk 17 Mod 0 • G3A3 • Mk 14 EBR • Tavor 7 • MDR | FAL • ACE 52 • M1 Garand |
| Machine guns | M249 • M60 • M240B | RPK • PKM • MG3 |
| Shotguns | M870 • KSG | KS-23 • TOZ-194 |
| Sniper rifles | M24 • TAC-338 • M110 SASS | Mosin-Nagant • L96A1 • SVD |
| Anti-materiel rifles | M82A1 CQ | M99 |
| Handguns | Tariq • L106A1 • M45 • PF940 • MR 73 | Welrod • Makarov • Browning HP • M1911 • M9 • Desert Eagle |
| Melee | Baton • Combat Knife | Kukri • Shiv |