Domestic small arms - from pistols to machine guns

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

During its long history, Russian engineers have produced more than a dozen types of firearms. It will take many pages to describe all the models, not to mention the modifications present. But we have the opportunity to describe the domestic small arms in service with the Russian army. It is represented by pistols, machine guns, sniper rifles and machine guns.

Pistols of the Russian army

The most common pistol that everyone has probably heard of is the Makarov pistol. The PM was developed back in 1948, and has been put into service since the middle of the twentieth century. But despite the prescription, the weapon continues to be one of the most reliable and powerful means of firing. Now used as a personal weapon in the army and law enforcement.

The pistol has an 8-round magazine, the effective range is 50 meters,and the lethal force of the fired projectile retains its power even at a distance of 350 m. The reloading of the weapon is carried out on the principle of blowback recoil. The presented domestic small arms, when fired, causes the spring to compress, which, expanding, under the action of inertia, takes the bolt back and sends the cartridge into the chamber.

The action of the PSS self-loading silent pistol is based on a slightly different principle. In it, the piston itself pushes the bullet out of the muzzle, while simultaneously locking the powder gases in the sleeve. Because of this, when fired, there is no difference in pressure, and the projectile takes off almost silently.

Yarygin's pistol is a very young representative of protective equipment, but has already managed to establish itself on the positive side. At the moment, prosecutors and policemen are being rearmed with this type of weapon.

Assault rifles of the Russian army

The most common assault rifle in the Russian army is the AK 74 Kalashnikov assault rifle. It has been in service since 1974. Its main feature was the reduced mass of ammunition compared to the previous model - it was reduced by almost 1.5 kilograms.

This domestic small arms increased the accuracy of fire by more than 50%. Now the effective range is about 1 km during the day and 300 meters at night, while the penetrating ability is maintained over 3000 meters. Based on this machine, it was developedseveral modifications, including AKS74U - a shortened version, which is intended for troops, vehicle crews, artillery, pilots.

The “Val” assault rifle, developed by engineers P. Serdyukov and V. Krasnikov, is another fairly common military weapon, which is mainly used by special services. Its feature is almost silent shooting while maintaining the damaging effect at a distance of up to 400 meters, as well as a small weight (2.5 kg) and ample opportunities for equipping with additional equipment. This type of weapon has become in demand due to its unification and relatively simple device.

Sniper Rifles

The first rifle I want to name is the SVD, or Dragunov sniper rifle. It was developed in the 60s of the last century, but to this day has retained its relevance. The principle of its operation is based on powder gases, which, when fired, enter the gas outlet and push the piston in the opposite direction, thereby ensuring recharging. The aiming range is maintained for 1200 m, and the lethal force is up to 3.8 km.

The second Russian small arms worthy of mention is the Vintorez developed under the leadership of P. I. Serdyukov in the 80s of the last century. The principle of reloading is based on the same gas outlet, the maximum firing range is only 600 meters. But it also has its own characteristics - the absolute noiselessness of the shot and a large degree of unification with the Val machine gun. Both types of weapons were developed for special forces and confirmed theirefficiency.

Modern sniper weapons

Since 2013, a large-caliber army sniper rifle, or ASVK, has been adopted by the Russian army. Designed for only five shots, it can hit targets at a distance of up to 1.5 kilometers. Its feature is the bullpup system: the trigger is located after the store (if you go from the butt), which made it possible to increase the length of the barrel. At the same time, Russian small arms retained their length. Currently one of the best sniper rifles in the world.

Machine guns

Domestic small arms type "machine gun" is represented by two main options:

1. A single machine gun that combines portable and stationary weapons, designed mainly to defeat enemy personnel.
2. Large-caliber machine gun, which is a fully stationary weapon and is a real thunderstorm for equipment, aviation and even fortified positions.

The first version of the weapon is represented by the Kalashnikov machine gun and the Pecheneg, the second by the Kord and Utes guns. All types of small arms have proven themselves well in the field, including during combat operations.