RECENT RUSSIAN SMALL ARMS
© Anthony G Williams
The Soviet Union established a reputation for producing conservative but effective small arms of which the AK47, better known as the Kalashnikov, is the prime example. The design concept was borrowed from the German MK43 assault rifle (although the mechanism is different) and the gun is relatively crude and simple. However, its combination of firepower, ruggedness and reliability, together with its vast production and ubiquitous deployment, have made it the classic infantry weapon of the second half of the 20th Century, rivalled only by the American Ml6.
Unlike NATO, within which nationalism caused the development of a wide range of small arms, the Warsaw Pact was obliged to toe the Soviet line and the AK47 and its later development, the AK74, were the sole choices on offer. Curiously, the end of the Pact seems to have stimulated more (or perhaps just more public) experimentation among Russian arms designers, with new 6mm calibre military weapons being developed, and even a dart-firing underwater "assault rifle".
The "Joint-Stock Company Kirovsky Zavod Mayak" offers the semi--automatic Gyurza pistol, intended for special units and specifically designed to pierce body armour. The calibre is a new, high-velocity 9x21mm round which is claimed to penetrate heavy armour vests, containing two 1.4mm titanium plates and 30 layers of kevlar, at up to 100 metres.
A rash of new designs has emerged from the KBP Instrument-Making Design Bureau, originator among other weapons of the Tokarev, Stetchkin and Makarov pistols and the phenomenal Second World War 7.62mm SHKAS aircraft machine gun, which ultimately achieved more than double the rate of fire of the comparable Browning used by the USAAF and RAF. Some recent publicity material from the manufacturer describes some fascinating firearms.
The legacy of the Stechkin, one of the rare breed of selective fire pistols, is clear in the PP-90M, PP-93 and Cyparis submachine guns. These pistol-shaped weapons are chambered for the usual Soviet 9xl8mm cartridge although a version is available in 9xl9mm NATO. They are remarkable for their light weight; the PP-93 weighs under 1.9kg fully loaded while the PP-90M is slightly lighter. They are also compact; the PP-93 measuring 325x225x38mm, the collapsible PP-90M just 280x90x30mm folded. The mechanism of the PP-90M and PP-93 appears to be more sophisticated than the advanced primer ignition blowback system normally used in SMGs, as the publicity refers to the accuracy of automatic fire achieved by "the smooth operation of the barrel/bolt group", which implies a short-recoil design. It is claimed that on automatic fire at a range of 25 metres, all bullets will remain within a head and shoulder target - presumably provided the shooter does his stuff! As shown in the illustrations, the guns are supplied with silencers.
Following the same philosophy of light weight and compactness, KBP has also developed the A-91 range of assault rifles. In appearance these resemble modern compact SMGs rather than rifle-calibre weapons and they weigh in at an astonishing 2.42kg with a loaded 20-round magazine; less than half that of the current British L85 rifle. Dimensions are 385x187x44mm stock folded, extending to 604mm stock unfolded. The weapon is available in the 5.65x45mm NATO calibre as well as the Russian 7.62x39 and 5.45x39mm - but was designed around a new 9x39mm round (the 9A-91 version). Normal loadings of this round are claimed to penetrate an 8mm steel plate. A sniper version, designated VSK-94, is fitted with a rigid plastic stock, a silencer and a day or night sight. This is designed for use with an SP-5 bullet in the 9mm calibre, of unspecified weight but subsonic velocity. The A-91 series is also available with the GP-95 under-barrel 40mm grenade launcher. This is 185mm long and weighs just 1.5kg. The VOG-25 grenade has ranges of 200m aimed, 400m maximum.
While on the subject of grenade launchers, KBP also offers the GM-93, a pump-action shoulder weapon holding four 43mm grenades firing a range of projectiles including HE, shaped charge, fragmentation, flash, irritant, rubber - and fuel-air explosive! FAE technology, which involves a quantity of fuel being dispersed throughout a volume of air by a small explosive charge (the resulting explosive mixture being detonated by a second charge) generates a very powerful explosion but is usually applied to large aircraft bombs. Dimensions of the GM-93 (stock folded) are 528x70xl96mm and unloaded weight 4.8kg. Incidentally, the firm also makes the AGS-30 automatic grenade launcher, capable of firing its 30mm projectiles (how do they justify so many different calibres?) out to 1,700m at a rate of up to 425rpm; and the beast only weighs 16kg on its mount and 30kg with a loaded 90-round magazine!
More conventionally, KBP makes the V-94, a large calibre sniping rifle chambered for the 12.7xl08mm heavy machine gun round. It appears to have a semi-automatic (probably gas--operated) action and has a five-round magazine. It weighs 11.7kg and is principally remarkable for its folding design, reducing the length from 1700mm to 1100mm.
Last but far from least is the remarkable 12.3mm UDAR double-action revolver shotgun. The size of a compact medium-bore revolver, with a weight of 0.92kg and dimensions of l73x136x44mm, the UDAR holds five rounds of a cartridge claimed to be based on a 32-gauge shotgun case, although this is slightly puzzling as the 32-gauge has a calibre of 13.36mm. The ammunition available includes a jacketed lead bullet for maximum stopping power, an AP bullet capable of penetrating 6mm of steel plate, various shot loads, a "shock" cartridge with enhanced noise/blinding effect, spray irritant loads, a rubber bullet for anti-riot use and a paint marker for training. I can't help thinking that our police forces might find this a very useful gadget...
ILLUSTRATIONS
PP-93 sub-machine gun (shown with and without silencer)
Cyparis sub-machine gun (shown with silencer)
9A-91 silent assault rifle (shown with and without silencer, and with GP-95 grenade launcher)
