The two Kalashnikov rifles represent the latest iteration of the classic design, originally adopted by the Soviet Army some 70 years ago. These rifles were recommended as potential replacements for an existing bunch of AK-type rifles in general service in the Russian military, including the 5.45mm AK-74M and older 7.62mm AKM rifles. As of early 2019, the Kalashnikov Group confirmed governmental orders for at least 150,000 of the new 5.45mm AK-12 and 7.62mm AK-15 rifles, plus an unspecified number of export orders.

Rifles from Degtyarov were recommended for adoption by Russian Special Forces, and so far no specifics are available for the possible number of rifles on order, but it is safe to assume that numbers would be much smaller than those mentioned above. However, both ZiD rifles, which differ only with cartridges they use, are sufficiently unusual in design to warrant this article.

Unusual ZiD Rifles                                                                

The most unusual and unique aspect of the A-545 and A-762 rifles is their so-called “balanced action.” Originally devised in the mid-1960s by Soviet small arms engineer Pyotr Tkachev, this system adds an additional gas piston and operating rod to otherwise more or less traditional gas-operated action. It is a common fact that the unrivalled reliability of AK-type rifles comes from, among other things, heavy bolt groups reciprocating inside receiver with significant velocity. Under normal circumstances, an AK-74 bolt group, which weighs around 500g, slams against the rear trunnion inside the receiver with terminal velocity of 3m to 4m per second. This creates significant additional recoil impulse that disrupts aiming and increases muzzle rise during full-automatic fire. An additional impulse is created when the same bolt group slams the front trunnion after chambering the next round. The simplest way to reduce shocks and vibration from these impulses is to adopt a “constant” or “soft” recoil system, similar to that used in the Utimax machine gun, where the bolt group does not hit the receiver upon its travel back. However, this simple system results in a longer receiver and decreased reliability under harsh conditions.

Tkachev’s idea was to counter and neutralize these impulses with addition of the counter-mass, moving inside the gun in a direction opposite to movement of the bolt group while having the same velocity and, if possible, mass. That way a shooter won’t experience additional recoil shocks from movement of the bolt group, and full-auto or rapid semiautomatic fire dispersion would be noticeably decreased without sacrificing power necessary to overcome dirt, powder residue or frozen grease during extensive combat.

History of Balanced-Action Assault Rifles

Starting in the late 1960s, balanced-action assault rifles were designed in parallel at two leading small arms development centers: in Izhevsk, it’s IZHMASH, and in Kovrov, it’s KMZ, Kovrov Mechanical Plant. IZHMASH produced a line of rifles designed by Mikhail Alexandrov, which started with the AL-5 and culminated in the unsuccessful AK-107. Early work in Kovrov resulted in the 5.45mm Konstantinov SA-006 assault rifle, which competed against Kalashnikov AK-74 and eventually lost trials in 1972 to 1973, as being more complicated, more expensive and having some other issues, while offering only limited improvements over the conventional 5.45mm AK and only when firing short bursts from off-hand positions.

Despite this setback, designers from Kovrov continued their work on balanced-action rifles, which resulted in the AEK-971, a 5.45mm balanced-action weapon which was extensively tested during the “Abakan” trials of the late 1980s and early 1990s and lost it again, this time to Nikonov AN-94, another unusual rifle that features an entirely different system. Undeterred, KMZ continued development of the AEK-971 until around 2006, when it passed all small arms development to another factory located in the same city, the aforementioned Degtyarov Plant, or ZiD in short. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, KMZ produced small batches of AEK-971 rifles for use by Russian police SWAT-type units, but the military remained mostly uninterested in this gun.

However, around 2012 the Russian Army initiated the R&D program that sought new and improved assault rifles, with better effectiveness, improved ergonomics and modern sight interfaces. For these trials, known as “Ratnik” (medieval Russian warrior), ZiD submitted severely modified balanced-action rifles, heavily based on the earlier AEK-971 but with redesigned receiver and stock. As said above, those rifles eventually were recommended for adoption by Russian Special Forces, and the final goal of our article is to describe these interesting rifles for western readers. In the course of tests, the A-545 rifle received an official GRAU index of 6P67, and A-762 was designated as 6P68.

It must be noted that while all descriptions below refer primarily to the current A-545 rifle, they’re also applicable to the A-762 as well, which differs only by caliber and type of ammunition used. Differences from earlier the AEK-971 rifles also are mentioned in the text, where applicable.

Assault Rifle Comparison

The A-545 assault rifle has a gas-operated, balanced action with rotating bolt locking. “Balancing” means that the gas system has two co-axial gas pistons. The primary gas piston has annual shape and is linked via the tubular operating rod to the bolt carrier and operates as usual. The second gas piston is linked to a balancing steel weight and moves in the opposite direction to the main gas piston, inside its hollow tubular body. As a result of this setup, the gas tube has a “T” shape, with the gas port located in the middle. Both pistons are synchronized through a simple gear (in early models) or two gears (in current production models). Gears are assembled into a small caret which remains stationary inside the action when the gun is fired, as it forms an integral front part of the return spring guide rod. The synchronous and opposite movement of the balancing weight eliminates all impulses except one generated by projectile and burning powder, so the rifle becomes more stable during full-auto fire and vibrates less.

Production AEK-971 rifles had side-folding plastic buttstocks, plastic forearms and fire control grips, and used standard AK/AKM or AK-74 30-round magazines (depending on the chambering). They also featured safety switch/fire mode selectors of various designs, depending on the year of manufacture and factory. The fire selector normally permitted three modes of fire: single shots, 3-round bursts and full-auto. Inner workings of the gun were accessible through a detachable top cover, made from stamped steel.

The A-545 rifle features numerous internal and external improvements over earlier AEK-971s. These include, among other things, a redesigned receiver with integrated Picatinny rail on the top and hinged pistol grip/trigger unit at the bottom. This rifle is disassembled by removing the rear end-cap from the receiver, swinging the pistol grip down and then pulling out the bolt group with recoil spring and synchronizing gear cart as a single unit. Other features include ambidextrous fire mode selector/safety levers (with positions for safe, single shots, 2-round bursts and full-auto), retractable and adjustable shoulder stock and aperture rear sight. It is interesting to note that early A-545 and A-762 rifles featured HK-style drum rear sights, while later models replaced them with more common types of tangent rear sights.

To achieve the desired weight, a set value under the “Ratnik” program requirements, the A-545 features several parts and subassemblies made from titanium alloys. It also features a diopter-type rear sight; although iron sights are seen now mostly as back-ups for red dot or electronic night sights. The barrel features a quick-removable muzzle brake/compensator which can be replaced with a tactical sound suppressor, optimized for work with standard issue, supersonic ammunition.

According to published information, the A-545 indeed offers less dispersion when firing 2-round bursts, compared to the AK-74M or AK-12. The same is applicable to the A-762 compared to the AKM or AK-15. However, in single shots, conventional Kalashnikov-type rifles proved to be more accurate; although there’s no explanation why. Overall, the Russian press quoted that the A-545 offered 10% more combat effectiveness compared to the AK-12 when used at ranges under 300m. At extended ranges, the AK-12 has a slight edge over the A-545, which is also close to 10%. When seen from outside, the A-545 appears to be more “modern,” with its plastic lower receiver, solid top with integral Picatinny rail and ambidextrous controls.

However, some of its features raise questions when the gun is actually handled. Its “HK-style” retractable stock with relatively small butt-pad, which has to be rotated 180 degrees between a retracted (combat) and fully collapsed (storage) position, is less than ideal and does not offer a good cheek-weld. Its balanced action requires more force to manually cycle the bolt, is noticeably more complicated and requires more meticulous and time-consuming maintenance when compared to AK-type rifles. Other less obvious but inherent set-backs of the balanced system are increased cyclic rate of fire, about 900 to1000 rounds per minute, and a slight loss of the muzzle velocity due to more powder gases used up to cycle dual pistons.

Conclusion

Unlike conventional designs, it is almost impossible to produce short-barreled PDW or CQB-style rifles with balanced action without significant redesign. The final, and probably most important, problem with the A-545 is its cost. It is believed that the initial unit price, quoted by the factory to the Russian Ministry of Defense, is about three to five times higher than the unit price of the new AK-12 in the same caliber. Considering that the A-545 offers only a stated 10% increase of combat effectiveness over 200% to 400% increase in price, it is not hard to see why the A-545 and A-762 were recommended only for relatively small Russian Special Forces.

The most widely used of those three is the Yarygin PYa, a full-size service pistol firing 9x19mm ammunition, produced in Izhevsk by IMZ / Kalashnikov group. Developed during the late 1980s for the Russian Army “Grach” trials, it looks like it has been actually designed during the mid-1970s, with its classic hammer-fired DA trigger, non-decocking safety and massive all-steel construction. Its overall production is estimated as something between 150,000 and 300,000 guns, delivered to the Russian government during the last 15 years. Two other pistols look somewhat more modern, but their production numbers are noticeably smaller and run in the thousands rather than hundreds of thousands. Those are the GSh-18, a polymer-framed, striker-fired pistol in 9x19mm, produced by KBP in Tula, and the SR-1M, polymer-framed but with a hammer-fired DA trigger with automated grip safety, produced by TsNIITochMash in Klimovsk. The last gun also is unique because it fires proprietary 9x21mm ammunition, which, in terms of power, is closer to .357 SIG SAUER than to 9×19, and is available in FMJ, expanding and AP loads.

However, each of those pistols left something to be desired, and recent years saw the appearance of two more modern service pistols, which seem to compete for orders from the Russian military and law enforcement. These two are Lebedev pistols from the Kalashnikov group and the “Udav” pistol from TsNIITochMash.

Lebedev PL

Kalashnikov group is the largest Russian small arms manufacturer and, among others, controls IZHMASH and IMZ Baikal factories in Izhevsk. It introduced its new service pistol in 2015. Originally designated as PL-14, “Pistolet Lebedeva” (a pistol designed by Dmitry Lebedev), it was later redesignated PL-15 and went through several iterations. According to an interview with Kalashnikov group representatives at the Russian Army Expo in June 2019, the first Lebedev pistol to be produced “in numbers” will be a sport version, factory-designated “SP-1.” Intended for IPSC and other similar sports, it is similar to upcoming law enforcement versions, known as MPL (Modular Pistol, Lebedev), but features nicer grip panels made from wood and a standard, non-threaded barrel.

Two current law enforcement versions of the Lebedev pistol are the aforementioned MPL (former PL-15), a full-size service pistol which can be equipped with extended threaded barrel for use with suppressor, and PLK (former PL-15K), a compact version roughly similar dimensionally to the old Makarov PM, but offering noticeably better accuracy and firepower. All versions feature striker-fired, single-action triggers and manual safeties. Versions with a DAO trigger and internal hammer, which were on display previous years, seem to be shelved, at least for the time being. The MPL pistol is primarily intended for use by Rosgvardia, a relatively new Russian para-military law enforcement service, and by various SWAT-type units. PLK seems to be targeted toward replacing the old and outdated Makarov PM in the hands of ordinary law enforcement personnel.

As noted above, all current versions of the Lebedev pistol feature striker-fired, SA triggers with a cocking indicator in the shape of a small pin which protrudes from the back of the slide. Manual safety levers are located on either side of the frame. The frame itself is made from aluminum alloy, as it offers better strength and less flexing compared to polymers, especially when firing high-impulse Russian service ammunition such as 7N21 AP, which is graded way above “+P” pressures. Lebedev pistols use traditional Browning-type short recoil actions, with vertically tilting barrels controlled by a cam-shaped cut below the breech. Magazines are of proprietary design, double-stack and single-feed. Current production pistols feature dovetailed front and rear sights, compatible with Glock aftermarket sights. The front of the frame is shaped to form the Picatinny rail below the barrel. Overall, the pistol features excellent grip shape, low barrel axis and rather good trigger pull, about 2kg / 5 pounds, with only 2mm of travel and reset. Newest versions of MPL and SP-1 are planned to feature “optics ready” slides in the near future, with integral mounting points for micro Red Dot sights.

Udav

Udav means “python snake” in Russian. Officially introduced in 2017, this large pistol received government approval in early 2019 and is said to be geared toward the military; although its use seems to be limited by the fact that it is designed for proprietary 9×21 ammunition. Normally loaded with AP bullets that feature hardened steel core, exposed at the front, it is a formidable round, but the problem is that it is proprietary and produced only at TsNIITochMash. This round so far has seen limited use in two weapons from the same manufacturer, the SR-1M pistol and SR-2M submachine gun. This year TsNIITochMash also introduced a 9×19 version of Udav, but it appears to be too bulky a design for the ubiquitous 9×19, although there’s no doubt that it can consume a steady diet of powerful 9×19 7N21 AP or 7N30 AP ammunition for a long time.

Like the Lebedev pistol, Udav features the most common type of short-recoil-operated, locked breech action of Browning type, with a cam-controlled vertically tilting barrel. In all versions, Udav features a traditional DA trigger with exposed hammer and ambidextrous slide-mounted safety levers. When applied, the safety also safely drops (decocks) the hammer. The frame of the pistol is made from impact-resistant polymer, and due to use of a longer round, it is somewhat bulky in the grip area. There’s no way to change the grip circumference, no replacement backstraps or grip panels. Magazines are double-stack and double-feed. Udav pistol has no slide release lever; its slide hold-open device is purely internal and is designed to release slide automatically as soon as a fresh magazine is fully inserted into the grip. For use by Special Forces, it can be equipped with an extended threaded barrel. Proprietary sound suppressor features a carbon fiber body to decrease its weight.

Unlike the PL-15, which is rather pleasant to shoot, Udav is somewhat harder to master due to more powerful 9×21 ammunition and higher barrel axis; however, in trained hands it is a very accurate gun that can be effectively fired at extended ranges of up to 100m.

Who’ll win?

So far there’s no positive info about what pistol will be adopted, by what service and in what numbers. And there’s actually a third runner in this competition, the rarely mentioned MPYa, a Modified PYa pistol from the Kalashnikov group. It is based on a proven and tested PYa but features a more slightly redesigned locking system which doubles its service life with 7N21 ammo. It also has an improved grip and frame shape, with an integrated Picatinny rail below the barrel. So far, it appears to be a “Plan B” for the Kalashnikov group for the unlikely event of something going wrong with the Lebedev pistol. Only time will tell the winner, and we will report to you anything of interest in this regard as soon as new information is to be available from Russian officials.

Specifications

Ammunition Specifications

The term “Assault rifle”, despite its widespread use, is controversial, mostly because there’s no single agreed definition for it. Usually, this term refers to a fully-automatic weapon that fires “intermediate power” ammunition, but is it always so?

This term first became well-known during and shortly after WW2 as a political/propaganda measure on the part of Adolph Hitler, although both the basic concept and the term itself have a noticeably longer history.

The earliest use of a similar term, known to this author, is dated back to the 1918-1920 timeframe, when noted US small arms designer Isaac Lewis designed a series of experimental automatic rifles which he called “Assault phase rifles” (see The Small Arms Review – Vol. 6 No. 9 – June, 2003, pages 61-65). These rifles fired standard US Army issue rifle ammunition of the period, the .30 M1906 (.30-06), and were in direct competition with John Browning’s M1918 BAR automatic rifle. Both Lewis and Browning automatic rifles were designed to same concept of “Walking fire”, originated by the French in around 1915, and first implemented in the ill-fated CSRG M1915 “Chauchat” machine rifle. This concept called for a man-portable automatic weapon with its primary use being to provide suppressive supporting fire for infantry during assaults on entrenched enemy positions. In fact, this concept called for the “Assault” rifle, but its early implementations, such as CSRG M1915 and BAR M1918 mentioned before, or the Russian Fedorov M1916, had some inherent flaws, most important of which being rifle ammunition which was simply too heavy and powerful for the specified task.
The most logical solution to this problem was to reduce the power of rifle ammunition to the level necessary for most (but not all) typical combat scenarios. Traditional rifle cartridges of the era had a “lethal range” well in excess of two kilometers; however, under combat conditions no one can reasonably expect an average soldier to be able to hit a man-sized target at ranges longer than 300-500 meters. Furthermore, decreasing the power of rifle ammunition has several benefits. These include: savings on raw materials, powder, logistic costs per round; increased combat load (in number of rounds carried) per soldier; decreased weight, size and cost of rifles; decreased recoil, which is conductive to increased accuracy; and a few others.

AEF soldiers practicing assault with French CSRG M1915 machine rifles during the Great War

This concept was supported by practical experience gained during the Great War with the French-issued US-made Winchester M1907 self-loading rifles. These handy carbines were initially bought from the USA by the French army to arm aircraft observers, but machine guns soon replaced rifles in this role. On the other hand, compact and handy carbines that fired a good “stopper” cartridge (.351 WSL) were excellent weapons for close combat on the battlefield. Fitted with extended magazines, bayonet mounts, and, in some cases, converted to fire in full-auto, these little rifles became progenitors of the modern “assault rifle” concept, which is, in basic terms, an automatic carbine firing reduced-power ammunition, also known as intermediate power ammunition (or simply “intermediate cartridges”).

As early as 1918, several countries began to work along the lines of this “reduced power” concept, including France and the USA. The French attempt was the Ribeyrolles M1918 automatic carbine which fired specially designed 8x35SR ammo, based on the .351WSL cartridge but modified to accept standard 8mm Lebel pointed military bullets. The American attempt, known as the Winchester-Burton machine rifle, also used a cartridge based on the .351WSL. This purpose-designed round was called .345WMR (Winchester Machine Rifle).

During the 1920s and 1930s several other countries (e.g. Switzerland, Italy, Denmark and Germany) attempted to develop their own versions of intermediate power cartridges and automatic weapons to fire them, but none was ever adopted.

German soldier with MKb42(h) automatic carbine.

Overall, it appears that most militaries of the interwar period considered the “full power” semi-automatic rifle as a next logical step in the evolution of the infantry rifle. Some nations tried to create automatic rifles, but the majority were set on the self-loading only types. One notable attempt to reduce the power of the standard infantry rifle was made by the Americans during the late 1920s – early 1930s, when they tried to replace the old and powerful .30-06 (7.62×63) cartridge with a .276 (7×51) cartridge, developed specifically for the envisioned new semi-automatic military rifles. This attempt was cancelled, though, mostly on financial and logistic grounds.

Despite all these reasons not to adopt reduced power automatic rifles, military experts and industry engineers kept working on the new concept. Among these were the Germans, who took the intermediate cartridge route in 1935. By 1940 the German Army Department of Armaments had settled on the 7.92×33 intermediate round, developed by the Polte company. From the performance point of view, the nominal caliber of 7.9mm was inferior to the originally proposed 7mm caliber, but 7.9mm was chosen for its manufacturing benefits.

Even the most sophisticated sight on this M4 carbine would not turn a 300-meter weapon into the 600-meter one.

The 7.92×33 round, also known as the 7.92 Kurz (short), generated about 50% less recoil and weighed about 40% less than a standard German 7.92×57 rifle round with sS bullet. Once this promising new round was selected, contracts were issued to the Haenel and Walther companies to develop a new class of automatic weapons – so called “machine carbines”, or Machinenkarbiner in German (MKb in short). By 1942, two versions of the German MKb.42 machine carbines were tested at the Western front, and the concept was found to have its merits. By 1943, the next version of the Machinenkarabiner was renamed to Maschinenpistole (submachine gun) to circumvent Hitler’s aversion to new weapons, and entered production in 1943 as the MP-43. Once reports of the MP-43 success at the front reached German Headquarters in 1944, Hitler finally approved mass production of the new weapon and its associated ammunition, personally christening it “Das Sturmgewehr 44” (Stg.44 in short), which means “Storm” or “Assault” rifle. It was pure propaganda, as at the time Hitler’s’ Germany was all about defense instead of the earlier “Sturm und Drang” attitude. Overall, about 425,000 Sturmgewehr rifles were made before the war ended, and it made a sufficient impression on allied forces to warrant very close examination.

At the same time (1939-40) the American army issued a request for the development of a “lightweight rifle”, a handy .30 caliber automatic carbine, with the intention of using it as a more effective replacement for the military pistol. The resulting M1 carbine, adopted in 1941, was a semi-automatic only weapon. Despite its original concept of “Personal Defense Weapon” being exactly opposite to that of “Assault rifle”, the M1 carbine quickly became popular among fighting troops for its handiness, maneuverability and rapidity of fire. By 1944, it became apparent that a full-automatic version of the M1 would make sense for front-line troops, and the selective-fire M2 carbine was put into production toward the end of the war.

Comeback of the 7.62mm rifles in NATO started with Designated Marksmen roles, as seen in this 2003 USMC photo from Iraq

It must be noted that the evaluation of wartime lessons brought different practical results. The Soviet Union, whose army learned the value of massed automatic fire, took the intermediate cartridge concept to heart and after a series of trials, in 1949 adopted the world’s most successful “reduced power automatic carbine”, the Kalashnikov Avtomat or AK in short. In official Russian terminology, “Avtomat” means “automatic”, and historically this term was used to describe all sorts of hand-held automatic weapons, from the full-power Fedorov rifle of 1916, to a series of WW2 era submachine guns. The term “assault rifle” or its Russian equivalent never really caught on there.

Some western countries also attempted to develop an intermediate cartridge. Most notable of these was so called “BBC committee” (Britain – Belgium – Canada), which promoted a .280 caliber (7x43mm) cartridge of British design. However, this concept met with little interest in USA, where decision-makers still dreamed about long-range accuracy. As a result, the US Army adopted a slightly shorter and lighter .30 caliber cartridge, which, nonetheless, possessed the same key ballistic properties as the old .30-06 M2 round. Known as the 7.62x51mm NATO, this round was then forced upon all other NATO members.

Here we must stop again and re-evaluate the term “Assault rifle”. It was officially used to name several weapons in various countries after the WW2. First of these post-war “Sturmgewehr” rifles were the Swiss Stgw.57 (also known as SIG 510, caliber 7.5×55) and the Austrian Stg.58 (License-built Belgian FN FAL, caliber 7.62×51), both being selective-fire weapons firing full-power rifle ammunition. Probably the most ironic fact about these “Assault rifles” is that both Austria and Switzerland are neutral countries and their weapons serve primarily in the defensive role. In most English-speaking countries new weapons were (and still are) designated simply as “Rifle” (i.e. “Rifle, 7.62mm L1A1”, or “Rifle, 7.62mm M14”), without mentioning any specific role.

Lt Val Browning, son of the John Browning, posing with M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) in assault position.

Now we see that second generation of “assault rifles”, spawned by Stg.44, was in fact split into two groups – one firing “intermediate” ammunition, such as German Stg.44, Soviet AK-47 or Czechoslovak SA Vz.58, and another, firing full-power ammunition, such as American M14 and Ar10, Belgian FN FAL, German G3 or Swiss Stg.57. These might be better termed “Battle Rifles.”

As we noted above, the East (USSR and its satellite states) by early fifties began to arm their infantry with intermediate-cartridge weapons. Full-power rifle cartridges were kept mostly for platoon-level medium machine guns, as well as for sniper rifles. West (NATO and many other countries) went the “full-power” road with adoption of the 7.62×51 NATO round, developed in USA. Despite all stubborn efforts of US Army to prove that its choice of a new round was the right one, practice of the time proved that it was not the case. Full-automatic fire from newly designed 7.62mm NATO rifles was ineffective to say the least, and many countries either adopted new rifles as semi-automatic from the start (like the UK did with their L1A1 SLR), or later converted most selective fire rifles to semi-auto only (as the US Army did with their own M14 rifles). And in semi-automatic fire, the long range potential of the 7.62mm NATO round was basically lost due to limitations of the iron sights and Mk.1 eyeballs of typical infantrymen. In parallel, a lot of research was done to find ways to improve the effectiveness of infantry fire. Not surprisingly, this research pointed out what was already known by 1918 – the capabilities of an average soldier in a typical combat situation limit effective rifle fire to 300-400 meters maximum. This “old” finding, along with the new concept of the “salvo” firing (to achieve a hit-spreading “shotgun effect”, which could compensate for slight aiming errors) resulted in a decision to decrease the caliber of infantry weapon from a typical 7-8mm down to about 5-6mm or less. This decrease offers several advantages compared to “standard caliber reduced power” ammunition, including faster bullets with flatter short- to medium-range trajectories, decreased weight of ammunition and guns, and reduced recoil. Several ambitious but largely unsuccessful programs centered on sub-caliber flechette rounds, multi-bullet rounds, micro-caliber bullets (4mm and below) and caseless ammunition were conducted in the USA, Germany and elsewhere, but practical results were achieved only with conventional ammunition of .22” caliber (5.56mm), developed in USA during the late fifties in conjunction with the Armalite AR-15 / Colt M16 rifle design. This brought to life what could be called a “third generation of assault rifles”, however artificial this distinction is in reality. Technically, these “third generation” weapons were selective-fired automatic rifles or carbines, firing reduced power, reduced caliber ammunition. Inspired by developments in the USA, by the late seventies – early eighties this concept caught on both in the West (with adoption of an improved version of the American 5.56mm cartridge as a next NATO standard rifle ammunition in 1979) and in the East (with Soviet Army adopting its own version of the small-bore reduced power cartridge in the form of the 5.45×39 round in 1974).

One of Pre-WW2 attempts for full-power automatic rifles was the Colt Monitor rifle, seen here in the hands of an FBI agent.

Today, forty or so years later, most armies of the world still use this “third generation” rifle ammunition (reduced power, reduced caliber) for standard infantry rifles and squad support weapons. Basically, rifles designed in 2014 are not much different from rifles designed in 1964 or so, except for some more modern materials and finishes. And that’s because they all fire the same ammunition.

Another modern trend is an attempt to bridge the gap between full-power, standard caliber and reduced-power, reduced caliber ammunition with introduction of some “more powerful than intermediate” rounds such as 6.5 Grendel or 6.8 Remington SPC. These rounds are surprisingly close in some ballistic properties to century-plus old warhorses such as 6.5x50SR Arisaka, except that modern rounds have shorter and lighter cases (thanks to improvements in propellant chemistry) and bullets with better shape. Therefore, in terms of overall performance any modern 6.5mm – 6.8mm “assault rifle” is not that far from the 1916-vintage Fedorov Avtomat, which fired 6.5mm Arisaka ammunition. The same can be said about several modern 7.62×51 NATO select-fire rifles, such as the Belgian FN SCAR-H or Turkish MPT-76, which are not so far away, at least in terms of ballistic effectiveness, to the old “machine rifles” of the WW2 era, such as M1918 BAR or Tokarev AVT-40. The most notable differences between modern and century-old guns would be materials, manufacturing techniques and overall reliability, especially in harsh and adverse environment conditions.

US Navy SEAL firing 7.62mm FN SCAR-H rifle

The key factor that allows moderns soldiers to be noticeably more effective in terms of hit probability is, in fact, not the rifle or ammunition but sighting equipment. Modern telescopic day- and night sights greatly enhance shooter performance at medium and long distances, and red-dot sights bring short-range performance under dynamic conditions to a whole new level, compared to old-style iron sights. However, in most cases those sights are not unique to any given weapon, and, in theory, anyone with access to a near-century-old weapon such as a BAR or Fedorov 1916 could outfit it with modern sights with some minor gunsmithing.

Therefore we must admit that “Assault rifle” is an artificial moniker which offers little of value compared to more generic “automatic rifle” and “automatic carbine” terms. In some cases it is used to specifically separate “intermediate power” automatic rifles from their “full power” cousins (which also have their own class name of “Battle rifles”, equally pointless), but its actual historical use proves that it’s not the case. Possibly the most correct designation for a “reduced” or “intermediate” power automatic rifle from technical standpoint is the original German term “Maschinenkarabiner” or its English equivalents “Machine carbine” or “Automatic carbine”, because “carbine” in general means “short and light rifle”. The Russian term “Avtomat” in its modern sense is appropriately and officially defined in as “automatic carbine” as well. Despite that, the term “Assault rifle” however misleading it is, has certain gravitas, is in widespread use and, let’s accept it, sounds just cool, so, most probably, it still will be widely used to describe automatic carbines and rifles despite all facts pointed out above. The same applies to the “Battle rifle” term, which is often used to describe modern “full power” automatic rifles such as the M14, AR10, HK G3 or FN SCAR-H. In fact, there’s no significant tactical or ballistic difference between the old 7.62x54R AVS-36 or AVT-40 automatic rifles of the pre-WW2 era and most modern 7.62×51 automatic “Battle” rifles.

The Soviet AK was built as an ideal WW3 rifle, which could deliver volume of fire under any conditions.

Turkish Commandos still use venerable old G3 rifles, which soon will be replaced by MKEK MPT-76 rifles of same caliber

Until recently, Russian small arms were famous mostly for their ruggedness, durability and reliability, even under the harshest of conditions. Outstanding accuracy was rarely mentioned in relation to Russian (and before that, Soviet) small arms, but this has changed several years ago.

In 2010, a small group of precision shooting enthusiasts, led by experienced benchrest and precision shooter Alexey Sorokin and backed up by several private investors, bought an abandoned manufacturing building in Moscow. Less than a year later, this building became the home for a unique Russian small arms manufacturer, known as ORSIS.

ORSIS is the first privately-owned Russian small arms manufacturing company that can mass-produce firearms that are compatible, if not superior, to products of the world’s most famous brands, such as Sako, Accuracy International, Steyr, Remington and others. The primary goal, set by the founders of the ORSIS factory, was to build custom-grade precision rifles for civilian shooters and law enforcement, using the most modern mass production technologies – most notably CNC machining. Right from the start, great emphasis was put on self-dependence and quality control during all stages of production. Also, being run by the shooters, the company was built to be as much customer-oriented as possible, which is a most welcome change in the Russian gun industry. Within just a few years, ORSIS built itself an enviable reputation within the Russian
shooting community.

ORSIS factory: Bolt and receiver manufacturing area.

At this time ORSIS rifles are in the process of test and evaluation in several Russian elite law enforcement units. ORSIS also did excellent service in replacing worn-out barrels with new precision barrels of its own manufacture on imported sniper rifles, used by Sniper teams of Russian FSO (Federal VIP Protection Service) and several other agencies. Civilian shooters also bought hundreds of ORSIS rifles in great variety of models, from lightweight hunting rifles to African-caliber elephant stoppers, as well as tactical precision rifles and various varmint-style rifles.

With undisputed success in the domestic precision rifle market, ORSIS is now looking for export markets. Despite political tensions between Russia and the West caused by the Ukrainian crisis, ORSIS seems to be unaffected by Western sanctions against Russia, as it is not connected to the Russian government or any of its officials. It already works with several respected partners from the USA and Europe to assemble hunting and sport guns for Russian markets, including American ArmaLite AR-10 and AR-15 semi-auto rifles, Italian Marocci Si12 shotguns and Austrian Glock pistols.

ORSIS factory: CNC stock cutting machine.

ORSIS’ main and most successful product is a line of precision rifles, built on the classic bolt action and offered in a wide selection of calibers, stocks and other options. Their precision rifles are available in three major lines. Two lines are magazine-fed; these are ORSIS T-5000 tactical sniper rifles and ORSIS Hunter rifles. Both systems are based on the same receiver with detachable magazine and trigger system with the major difference being in the stock. The T-5000 uses an aluminum alloy chassis with side-folding shoulder stock, while the Hunter models are offered in a variety of traditional stocks, made from wood (laminate or walnut), plastic or carbon. The third line includes Benchrest and F-class rifles for target shooting. These rifles are based on a single-shot action of the same basic design.

ORSIS makes everything in-house, including actions and barrels. They buy premium stainless steel in bars and rods, and make barrels in almost any conceivable caliber (between .22 and .50), profile and length, plain or fluted. Barrels are manufactured to very high tolerances using old and proven cutting techniques, implemented by a CNC machine. Each groove is cut in 60 to 80 passes, and it takes up to two and half hours to completely rifle one barrel. Each rifled barrel blank is lapped and polished, and then inspected using gauges and a borescope. Barrels are chambered and contoured on separate CNC machines, providing highest possible quality through all steps of manufacture.

All ORSIS-made bolt action rifles are based on the same action of more or less traditional design. Tubular receivers are made from stainless steel on CNC electro-erosion machines, stainless steel bolts with dual opposite front lugs are CNC machined and then individually fitted to their receivers.

ORSIS factory: T-5000 rifles awaiting final QC inspection.

Barrels are installed into receivers using simple screw-in interface, which allows for simple replacement of worn-out or damaged barrels using a minimal amount of tools. In fact, many domestic customers prefer to order their ORSIS rifles with a spare barrel or two, which is convenient due to complications of Russian gun regulations.

Barreled actions are then set into appropriate stocks, also made in-house. Hunting rifles are normally set into wooden or carbon stocks; tactical rifles are assembled onto proprietary aluminum alloy chassis-type stocks.

Finalized rifles are then test-fired for accuracy. All ORSIS rifles, with exception of some African big-game calibers, are not allowed to leave the factory unless they can shoot 100 meter 3-round group not larger than 0.5 minute of angle (MOA). Each rifle is shipped with its own proof target, often showing groups as small as 0.3 MOA.

Over recent years, the ORSIS T-5000 rifle proved itself as a dependable tack-driver in hands of elite Russian law enforcement units and target shooters. Russian sniper teams armed with T-5000 rifles have won the Police and Military Sniper World Cup in Hungary in two consecutive years (2012 and 2013), and are looking forward to participating in the same event in 2014.

Author at the range with the T-5000 rifle.

Description of the ORSIS T-5000 Sniper Rifle

The ORSIS T-5000 is a manually operated, rotary bolt action, magazine fed rifle. It uses a stainless steel receiver of round shape, with a single massive recoil lug at the front. The recoil lug is a separate part that is tensioned between the barrel shank and receiver. The stainless steel bolt has dual locking lugs at the front that lock into the receiver body, and a plunger type ejector. The bolt body has spiral grooves to decrease weight. Bolt actions are available in two sizes – Standard, designed for 7.62×51 NATO / .308 Winchester and similar cartridges, and Magnum, designed for .338 Lapua Magnum cartridges and also available in .300 Winchester Magnum.

The trigger unit is fully adjustable with two alternate versions that allow setting trigger pull weight between 1,000 and 1,500 gram or between 500 and 900 gram. Early T-5000 rifles were designed to use widely available box magazines made by Accuracy International of the UK, but these magazines were found to be a bit short for some loads. For this reason, T-5000 rifles were redesigned to use proprietary single stack box magazines of composite design. These magazines have rugged polymer bodies with stainless steel feed lips and inserts, and are long enough to reliably feed all available factory-made ammunition in respective calibers.

Barrels are made from stainless steel and threaded at the muzzle to accept various muzzle brakes and other muzzle devices. The standard ORSIS muzzle brake is highly effective and is said to decrease felt recoil roughly by half. Typical barrel lengths are 66 centimeters for .308 Winchester and .300 Winchester Magnum and 70 centimeters for .338 Lapua Magnum.

T-5000 rifle in .300 Win Mag, complete.

Chassis type stocks are machined from aluminum alloy and feature steel bedding inserts and steel shoulder stock hinge and lock. The shoulder stock folds to the left, and allows the rifle to be operated when folded. Cheek rest and buttplate are adjustable, and optional rear monopod can be installed, if required. By default, T-5000 rifles are supplied without iron sights; scope mounting interface is provided by a Picatinny rail, securely bolted to the top of receiver. Optional forward rails can be bolted to the stock chassis to accept night vision adapters and o
ther accessories.

All rifles are finished with Cerakote finish. Standard color for T-5000 is black, and other colors are available on
special order.

Personal Observations from Range Trip with T-5000 rifles

First of all, I must admit that I am not an experienced target or sniper shooter, and my results are not completely indicative of rifles capabilities. However, my humble results show that these rifles are capable of very good accuracy even with an average operator.

During my range trip I was allowed to shoot two T-5000 rifles: one in .308 Winchester and another in .338 Lapua Magnum. Both rifles were set up with Harris bipods and Dedal NV 5-20x telescope sights. Supplied ammunition included .308 Winchester cartridges by Lapua with 185 grain FMJBT bullets and .338 Lapua Magnum cartridges by Hornady with 250 grain BTHP bullets.

Due to time restrictions, most shooting was done at 100 meters at an outdoor range with a light crosswind. All shooting was done from sitting position, using bipod and my own left hand for rear support.

T-5000 at sniper competition in Russia.

I enjoyed shooting both rifles. Felt recoil was very mild even with the powerful .338 Lapua Magnum; although muzzle blast was quite noticeable especially when trying to make photos from the side. The trigger was the best I ever tried – short and crisp, breaking cleanly at 1000 gram. Bolt operation was smooth and fast. Both rifles were fitted with similar Dedal DH 5-20×56 scopes of Russian manufacture, set into ORSIS-made rings and mounts.

I shot both rifles in strings of 5 rounds, and my best groups were similar for both calibers, measuring 24-25 millimeters across. This translates to slightly less than 1 minute of angle accuracy, and this was my first ever attempt to shoot a real precision rifle (my previous “sniper rifle” experience was limited mostly to a Russian army issue 7.62mm Dragunov SVD semiautomatic rifle). With more experienced shooters firing these rifles, 0.5 MOA or better accuracy is a norm. Over the entire course of fire I encountered zero malfunctions or any other issues.

After about an hour with the T-5000, I also got a little trigger time with .308 Win ORSIS / ArmaLite AR-10 rifle, which also proved to be a real tack diver. Recoil was almost negligible, and using the 5-20x Dedal scope and bipod I first shot 30mm 5-round group and then 40mm 10-round group in a rather rapid tempo – much better than my best results with Dragunov SVD rifles. Unlike the T-5000, ORSIS / ArmaLite rifles are offered only as sporting / hunting weapons, and I found them as much fun to
shoot as T-5000.

Up until the 1960s all machine guns manufactured in China were of foreign design. The first heavy machine gun to be produced in China was the 12.7mm Type 54, a straight-up copy of the Soviet DShKM 1938/46, made on Soviet machinery, using Soviet documentation and assistance. This weapon fired the 12.7x108mm round of Soviet origin, which was roughly similar in performance to the American .50 BMG round. Four years later it was joined by its younger but more powerful comrade, the 14.5x114mm Type 58 heavy machine gun. It was another licensed copy of the Soviet weapon, in this case the Vladimirov KPVT. 14.5mm ammunition of Soviet origin brought this weapon to a wholly new level of power delivering 60-80% more muzzle energy compared to contemporary 12.7mm rivals. The latter gun was very useful as a low level anti-aircraft defense weapon, especially when used on specially designed twin and quadruple AA mounts, known as ZPU-2 and ZPU-4, or on lightweight mountain-type single gun ZGU-1 mounts. More than a few of these guns were used during Vietnam War to shoot down numerous U.S. aircraft and helicopters flying at low level. Following political and tactical trends, Chinese designers were then tasked to create more modern replacements for these weapons, starting with the 12.7mm.

Chinese soldiers firing 12.7mm Type 54 HMG, a copy of Soviet DshKM.

During the mid-1970s it was decided to develop a lighter 12.7mm weapon, suitable for mobile AA applications, from ground and vehicle mounts, as well as for ground troop support. The new weapon was officially adopted by the PLA in 1977 as the 12.7mm Type 77 HMG with mass production commencing in 1980. This weapon had a somewhat unusual (for a machine gun) direct impingement gas operated action, apparently in an attempt to save on the weight of the moving parts. Its basic locking system and belt feed were adaptations of the proven Degtyarov DShKM solutions, and the entire gun with a universal tripod weighs some 56 kg (120 lbs) – less than half that of the Type 54 / DShKM on its mount. The Type 77 HMG has a very heavy barrel with a prominent muzzle brake and a slender, tubular receiver. The Type 77 was usually issued with a low-magnification optical sight suitable for both anti-air and ground applications. It seems, however, that this gun left something to be desired as just five years after its entrance into service it was replaced in production by a newer weapon, known as the 12.7mm Type 85 HMG. The Type 85 can be considered as a further evolution of the Type 77 as most of the improvements concentrated at either end of the basic weapon. The “business end” of the new gun received an updated muzzle brake and the dual spade grips and separate cocking handle of the “rear end” were replaced with a sliding trigger unit with horizontal grips of Czechoslovak ancestry. The Type 85, like its predecessor, was also used as a ground and vehicle weapon.

12,7mm (.50BMG) W95 HMG, an export-only derivative of the Type 85 HMG.

There is another weapon in this line-up, which has no official “Type” designation. Known as W-85, at first glance it looked much like the Type 77 HMG, but closer examination reveals certain differences, such as very thick gas tube below the barrel (which conceals a conventional gas piston, as opposed to piston-less system of the Type 77 and Type 85), and the receiver is of generally rectangular cross-section, while the receivers of the Type 77 and Type 85 are more or less of tubular design. It is believed that the W-85 was built in parallel with the Type 85 HMG, most probably on a competitive basis, but lost in the PLA trials. Apparently, it survived as a commercial venture, as available information suggests that the Norinco Corporation sold for export at least some armored vehicles armed with a “W-85 12.5mm machine gun.” Recently, information has surfaced in Chinese publications about the “new” 12.7mm QJC 88 tank machine gun, which looks exactly like the tank version of W-85.

One of the few available photos of the new 14.5mm externally powered machine gun of Chinese origin.

Still, the PLA was not yet satisfied with the Type 85 HMG, as it was too heavy to be considered as a “high-end” replacement for the 7.62mm GPMGs as used by mobile infantry on foot. Just two years after the adoption of the Type 85 HMG, the PLA adopted an entirely new 12.7mm machine gun, which can be defined as a “lightweight heavy machine gun.” Officially type-classified as the QJZ-89 (12.7mm Type 89 heavy machine gun), this remarkable weapon weighs only 26 kilograms complete with its universal tripod. This is significantly less than the weight of the widely promoted Russian 12.7mm “Kord” machine gun, which weighs 32 kg – on a bipod mount. The only 12.7mm machine gun that weighs less that the QJZ-89 is the U.S.-made XM312, which weighs only 19 kg on its tripod, but, because of its low rate of fire, cannot be effectively used against low-flying targets such as combat helicopters. The remarkable weight reduction of the QJZ-89 is achieved, according to official information, by the use of a combination gas / recoil action. This system is not unique, although it is most often encountered in automatic cannons, where gas action is used to unlock the breech, and recoil can be used to operate the feed, and, more importantly, to decrease the peak recoil forces induced on the firearm housing and the mount. Not much technical information is available on the QJZ-89, and it is yet to prove its worth as a mobile infantry support weapon. According to Chinese sources, the QJZ-89 is capable of using the newly developed 12.7mm APDS ammunition, which increases its performance against lightly armored vehicles.

Up until recently, the most powerful machine gun in the PLA inventory was the 14.5mm Type 58 – a straightforward copy of the Soviet Vladimirov KPV, used on single, twin and quad AA mounts. Only recently has the PLA bothered with a replacement for this old, but still effective weapon, and in 2002 it adopted the new QJG 02 14.5mm HMG. This weapon is of indigenous design, and it looks somewhat like an enlarged W-85. So far it has been observed only on low-profile, single-gun AA mountings, which also can be used for ground applications. However, it seems that Chinese designers decided to go a step further and develop an even more formidable weapon. This resulted in a prototype three-barreled Gatling-type gun firing the 14.5mm ammunition. Externally, this gun looks like a proportionally enlarged GAU-19/A machine gun of American origin, but it is not known if the new 14.5mm weapon is a direct copy of it or not.

12.7mm Type 77 HMG.

Type 77 Heavy Machine Gun
Caliber: 12.7×108
Weight: 28 kg / 62 lbs (gun) + 28.3 kg / 63 lbs (tripod)
Overall length: 2,150 mm / 85 inches
Barrel length: 1,016 mm / 40 inches
Cyclic rate of fire: 650 – 700 rounds per minute
Feed and capacity: Belt, 60 rounds

The Type 77 heavy machine gun is a gas operated, air cooled, belt fed weapon that fires from an open bolt and in automatic mode only. It has a very slim, tubular receiver machined from steel, and uses a direct-impingement gas system with no separate gas piston. The powder gases are fed from the gas block through a three-position gas regulator, which is located at the middle of the barrel, and are then fed through the gas tube to the receiver, where they strike the bolt carrier. The locking system is based on the Degtyarov / Kjellman system, with two pivoting locking flaps located at either side of the bolt.

The barrel is quick-removable; the carrying handle, which is normally attached to the gun at the junction of the receiver and barrel, is used as a barrel lock. To remove the barrel, the carrying handle is rotated counter-clockwise until it can be removed, thus unlocking the barrel; then the carrying handle is attached to the front sight base / gas block and is used to remove the hot barrel from the gun. The front of the barrel is fitted with a large, cylindrical muzzle brake.

The belt feed module is similar to that of the Soviet DShKM system, and is operated through the oscillating arm by the projection on the bolt carrier. Feed is from the left side only. The feed system uses DShK-type belts with open pockets and single-stage, push-through feeding. The belt box can be attached to the weapon to provide better mobility.

Controls include dual spade grips and thumb-triggers; the charging handle is located below the receiver.

The gun is usually issued on a universal tripod, which can be used for both ground and AA missions. This has an adjustable-length front leg, which is retracted for low-profile “anti-ground” use, or extended for AA missions, for which it can be fitted with a special shoulder stock made from steel tubing. The Type 77 is fitted with fully adjustable open sights, plus it has provisions for mounting various telescopic, night vision and special AA sights.

12.7mm Type 85 HMG installed on a Chinese truck, exported to an unidentified African country.

Type 85 Heavy Machine Gun
Caliber: 12.7×108
Weight: 24 kg / 53 lbs (gun) + 17.5 kg / 39 lbs (tripod)
Overall length: 2,150 mm / 85 inches
Barrel length: 1,003 / 39.5 inches
Cyclic rate of fire: 650 – 700 rounds per minute
Feed and capacity: Belt, 60 rounds

The Type 85 heavy machine gun is broadly based on the Type 77, but with certain improvements. It uses the same direct-impingement gas system with flap-locking bolt. The belt feed system is also similar to the Type 77, as well as the barrel change procedure that involves the removal of the carrying handle.

The key difference between the Type 85 and its predecessor is in the arrangement of the trigger and cocking system, which is patterned after the pre-WW2 Czechoslovak ZB 53/vz.37 machine gun. The trigger module of the Type 85 HMG is a separate unit that is attached below the receiver and can slide forward and back. To cock the bolt (as the gun fires from an open bolt) one must release the trigger unit lock, then push the trigger unit forward using the horizontal spade grips, which are attached to the unit. Once the trigger unit is in its forward position, its sear engages the bolt, so retraction of the trigger unit causes the bolt group to unlock and go rearwards. Once the trigger group is fully retracted, it is locked in place by its own lock and holds the bolt in a cocked position until the trigger is released.

The Type 85 HMG is fitted with open sights and has mountings for telescopic, night or special AA sights. It is used from either special vehicle mounts or from a special lightweight infantry tripod. It is also normally fitted with a tubular shoulder stock.

Modifications
W-95: an export version, adapted for .50 BMG/12.7×99 ammunition.

12.7mm QJC-88 tank machine gun.

Type 88 (QJC 88) Tank Heavy Machine Gun
Caliber: 12.7×108
Weight: 18.5 kg/41 lbs (gun body)
Overall length: 1,500 mm / 59 inches
Barrel length: n/a
Cyclic rate of fire: 540 – 600 rpm
Feed and capacity: Belt, 50 rounds

The QJC 88 tank machine gun is a gas operated, air cooled, belt-fed, automatic only weapon. Its design is loosely based on the Soviet DShKM heavy machine gun of 1946, although there are many differences in various subsystems.

The QJC 88 uses a long-stroke gas piston, located below the barrel. The piston is rigidly attached to the bolt carrier, which carries a compact breech block (bolt). The locking system can be described as an “inverted” Degtyarov / Kjellman flap lock; it uses two pivoting flaps, one at either side of the bolt, to engage cuts in the receiver walls. The key difference between the QJC 88 and DShKM is that, in the QJC 88, the flaps are pivoted at the rear and have special locking projections that lock into the receiver walls.

The feed is also broadly based on that of the DShKM. The feed module is a detachable unit attached to the top of the receiver. It is operated by a swinging arm that projects down at the right side of the feed. The fork-shaped bottom end of the arm engages a reciprocating charging handle, which is attached to the bolt carrier. Feed is from the left side.

12.7mm W85 heavy machine gun.

The gun fires from an open bolt, in automatic mode only. The firing pin is operated by a projection on the bolt carrier; the same projection forces the locking lugs outwards so the gun cannot fire unless the bolt is fully locked. A manual trigger is fitted to the rear of the receiver and an electrical solenoid trigger is provided as a part of the tank mounting.

So far the gun has been observed on a roof-top tank mount, with an electrical trigger and a collimating sight installed on the gun cradle.

Modifications
W-85: the original version of the same machine gun, available in either tank or infantry versions. The latter was installed on a universal tripod, and the gun was fitted with dual spade grips and a tubular shoulder stock.

12.7mm QJZ-89 lightweight heavy machine gun.

Type 89 (QJZ 89) Heavy Machine Gun
Caliber: 12.7×108
Weight: 17.5 kg/39 lbs (gun body) + 8.5 kg / 19 lbs (tripod)
Overall length: 2,119 mm / 83 inches
Barrel length: 1,003 / 39.5 inches
Cyclic rate of fire: 450 – 600 rpm
Feed and capacity: Belt, 50 rounds

Very little information is available on this machine gun. It is claimed to use combination gas / recoil operated action, with gas system cycling the bolt group and the receiver being allowed to recoil inside the outer gun housing to decrease peak recoil, which must be significant for such a light but powerful gun. The gun uses a direct impingement gas system, apparently borrowed from the Type 77 HMG.

Type 89 HMG uses standard belt feed with belt movement direction being left to right. The barrel is quick-detachable and is fitted with a massive muzzle brake. Standard furniture includes a pistol grip with rifle-type trigger and a tubular shoulder stock. The gun is used from a lightweight tripod of adjustable height, which can be used for both ground and AA applications.

14.5mm QJG-02 heavy machine gun on low profile AA mount.

Type 02 (QJG 02) Heavy Machine Gun
Caliber: 14.5×114
Weight: About 75 kg/165 lbs (w/ universal AA mount)
Overall length: n/a
Barrel length: n/a
Cyclic rate of fire: n/a
Feed and capacity: Belt

The Type 02 is a gas operated, air cooled, belt fed machine gun that fires from an open bolt. It uses a rotary bolt locking system.

The Type 02 is associated with a special low profile mount, which consists of an adjustable tripod with a turntable that hosts the gunner’s seat, traverse and elevation mechanisms and the gun cradle with built-in recoil dampers. When traversing, the entire turntable with gunner and gun is rotated; the rotation is controlled by a horizontal wheel located in front of the gunner. Elevation of the gun is controlled by another wheel, located to the left of the traverse control. The gun’s trigger is operated by the pedal. The entire system is said to be easily disassembled into five man-packs, each weighing 20 kg or less.

The Type 02 is typically fitted with a special telescope sight, installed on a parallelogram mount well above the barrel. The sight mount is attached to the gun cradle.

14.5mm QJG-02 heavy machine gun on low profile AA mount.

Modifications
QJG 02G: export version with minor changes The tripod can be mounted with two small rubber wheels on two legs, with the third being used as a towing boom for transportation using a jeep-type vehicle.

ABOVE: PLA soldiers practicing with Type 67-2 GPMG (front) and Type 81 LMG (in background).

Up until the 1960s, all machine guns manufactured in China were of foreign design.  Earliest of these were well known copies of the German Maxim MG 08, generally known as Type 24 machine guns, chambered for 7.9mm Mauser ammunition of German origin.  Lesser known weapons were locally made copies of the Browning M1917 and Schwarzlose M1907/12 machine guns, made between the two World Wars in very limited numbers.  Light machine guns included domestic copies of Czechoslovak ZB-26 and ZB-30, as well as the Swiss SIG KE-7 machine guns, also chambered for 7.9mm Mauser ammunition.

When the communists took over mainland China in 1947, they switched to Soviet-pattern weapons, producing a number of Soviet designs using machinery, plans and technical assistance provided by the Soviet Union.  These weapons included local copies of the Degtyarov DPM and RP-46 light machine guns in 7.62x54R, Goryunov SGM medium machine guns in the same caliber, and Degtyarov RPD light machine gun in 7.62×39.

It is hard to imagine the shape of the world had the close relations and warm friendship between the USSR and China continued up to the present.  However, because of the political changes initiated after Stalin’s death by the new Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev during the late 1950s and early 1960s, the relationship quickly cooled down and soon friendship was forgotten.  Political disputes based on different views on Communists ideology and Stalin’s cult of personality split the two states like a sword.  The former allies started a series of border disputes that included human wave attacks, tank incursions and the use of artillery and rocket salvos.  In most of these encounters, Chinese soldiers had their butts handed to them by numerically inferior, but far better trained and motivated Soviet troops.  From that time, Chinese small arms manufacturers were left on their own in the hard task of supplying the huge and poorly-trained conscript Chinese army with new weapons and equipment.

It is believed that at about that time the Chinese political leaders decided that copies of foreign weapons are good only for foreign users; there is nothing wrong in making some yuans or dollars by selling copies of foreign weapons to foreigners, but domestic demand must be satisfied with indigenous arms of Chinese origin.  Most probably, the first Chinese military weapon developed and adopted under this concept was the Type 63 assault rifle.  The first indigenous machine gun to be adopted by the PLA was the Type 67 universal (general purpose) machine gun.

5.8mm Type 88 GPMG on sustained-fire tripod.

Work on the new medium machine gun commenced in about 1959, with the intention of replacing the somewhat obsolete machine guns of Soviet design.  First prototypes were ready by 1963, and, according to official Chinese reports, proved to be superior to existing weapons.  At about the same time PLA experts received their first samples of the U.S. M60 general purpose machine gun from Vietnam.  Close examination proved the value of the general purpose machine gun (GPMG) concept to Chinese experts, and the new machine gun was redesigned from the medium to the universal role.  While the entire weapon was an original design, most of its parts were copies or adaptations of previous foreign designs, all of which were made in China before.  There was a sound rationale behind this “Frankenstein” design.  First, a lot of effort was saved in the design of many parts, as copying is always faster than designing new components; second, and not less important, was the fact that the “copycat” parts of the new gun could be produced on existing machinery and with existing tools and gauges, originally used for earlier guns.  The Type 67 combined parts and features of guns like ZB-26 (bolt group), Maxim (belt feed), RPD (gas regulator), and SGM (removable barrel with adjustable headspace).  The basic design, which was adopted for PLA service in 1967, went through several modifications, first in 1978 (type 67-1) and then in 1982 (Type 67-2).  This weapon is still the primary company- and platoon-level machine gun of the PLA.

The general dissatisfaction with the 7.62×39 Type 56 (Degtyarov RPD) LMG / squad automatic weapon resulted in the development of a new light machine gun, which took place during the 1970s.  This initially resulted in the Type 74 LMG, which, while being somewhat similar in appearance to Soviet Kalashnikov RPK LMG, was of completely original design.  It seems that the Type 74 LMG was never adopted on a large scale and only small numbers of this weapon were produced for troop trials (which, according to Chinese sources, proved this weapon to be inherently inaccurate).

Further PLA plans apparently included adoption of a new infantry small arms system, which would consist of a standard infantry assault rifle and a machine rifle / squad automatic weapon, based on the same design.  Such a system appeared in 1981, in the form of the Type 81 assault rifle and Type 81 light machine gun, both chambering the 7.62×39 Soviet cartridge.  The Type 81 rifle bore certain resemblance to the Soviet Kalashnikov AKM rifle, and, similarly, the Type 81 LMG looked somewhat like the Kalashnikov RPK.  It must be noted, however, that internally these weapons were different from the Kalashnikov, being of more or less indigenous design.  Tactically, these weapons were on par with their Soviet counterparts.  Like the RPK, the Type 81 LMG also lacked a quick-replacement barrel facility and used a large-capacity drum magazine.  This combination of assault rifle and squad automatic weapon became the primary infantry armament of the PLA for the following decades.

At about the same time the Chinese army decided to pursue the worldwide trend towards smaller caliber, low impulse ammunition for infantry small arms.  A development program, which commenced during the late 1970s, centered on cartridges of calibers between 5.6 and 6 millimeters; again, foreign cartridges of the same class, the 5.45×39 Soviet and 5.56×45 U.S. were ruled out of the competition from the start, most probably due to political reasons, despite the fact that both types of ammunition were already produced in China for export.  The final design of the cartridge appeared in 1987.  It was a new design, with a nominal caliber of 5.8mm (actual bullet diameter 6mm), and with a lacquered steel case 42mm long, officially known as the DBP87.  Early military tests were conducted with the Type 87 assault rifle, a small-bore adaptation of the 7.62mm Type 81 rifle.  Having selected the new ammunition, Chinese immediately began development of an entire family of infantry small arms, with the intention of replacing both 7.62×39 and 7.62x54R rifles and machine guns then in service.  The new generation of Chinese small arms included a sniper rifle, an assault rifle / carbine / squad automatic family, and a general purpose belt-fed machine gun, all firing the same ammunition.  Since the original DBP87 cartridge proved to be satisfactory only at ranges of up to 400 meters, Chinese experts developed a special ‘sniper / machine gun’ version of the basic round, loaded with a heavier, longer bullet with better geometry.  This ‘long range’ cartridge is said to be compatible with standard DBP87 in all weapons, although long-range trajectory will be certainly different for either round.  Recently, the Chinese press announced development of the new, all-purpose DBP10 5.8mm cartridge, with better long range capabilities than the original DBP87.  Detailed specifications of this new round are yet to be discovered.

According to type designations, the first weapons to be adopted in this new caliber were QBU-88 (Type 88) sniper rifle and QJY-88 (Type 88) universal machine gun.  However, the PLA apparently delayed issuing these arms until the completion of the development of the standard infantry rifle and squad automatic weapon.  These weapons were adopted in 1995 as QBZ-95 (Type 95) assault rifle and QBB-95 (Type 95) light machine gun.  These new weapons were first observed in 1997, when a Chinese garrison entered Hong Kong, after its return to Chinese administration.  The Type 95 family of small arms is intended to replace all 7.62×39 rifles and light machine guns still in service with the PLA, and probably the PAP (Chinese police).  What is more interesting; it seems that new Chinese doctrine has no place for a “full power” sniper rifle / machine gun cartridge like the 7.62×51 NATO or 7.62x54R Russian.  All infantry needs are to be fulfilled with a single 5.8×42 cartridge – a sensible decision, at least from the logistical point of view.  However, there will be a significant gap in the ammunition power spectrum between the 5.8×42 and the 12.7×108 heavy machine gun cartridge, and it is yet to be seen if this gap will put Chinese troops to any tactical disadvantage.

7.62x54R Type 67-2 universal machine gun on sustained fire tripod.

Type 67 universal machine gun
The Type 67 machine gun is a gas operated, air cooled, belt fed machine gun that fires from an open bolt and in automatic mode only.  The barrel is fluted and quick-detachable.  The Type 67 uses a ZB-26 type vertically-tilting bolt to lock the barrel.  The gas system features an RPD-type gas regulator, and the trigger unit is generally patterned after the Soviet DPM machine gun.

The feed is from the right side only, using steel, non-disintegrating belts with open pockets (type 67-2 belts are assembled from 25-round pieces using the cartridge as an inter-link).  To avoid using the two-stage feed that is usual with rimmed ammunition, the Type 67 uses a push-out type feed, where cartridges are pushed down and out of the link by cams in the feed module, then fed forward and into the chamber by the closing bolt.  The standard belt capacity is 250 rounds, but for the LMG role 100-round belts can be loaded into a drum-type container that can be clipped to the receiver.  The belt is said to be incompatible with any other weapon.  The design of the belt traction unit has a certain resemblance to the Czechoslovak Vz.59 machine gun.

Furniture (pistol grip and shoulder stock) is made from wood.  Original Type 67 machine guns were fitted with an integral, non-detachable, folding bipod, attached to the gas tube.  For sustained or long-range fire missions, the Type 67 can be installed on an infantry tripod.  Sights are of the open type, with a fully-adjustable rear sight; additionally, a special base for an anti-aircraft rear sight is installed at the front of the receiver, just ahead of the feed cover.

7.62x54R Type 67-2 universal machine gun on integral bipod.

Modifications

Type 67-1: Barrels with a plain (non-fluted) profile; the bipod is clamped to the barrel (below the front sight) and can be easily removed.  Furniture is made from plastic instead of wood.

Type 67-2: Barrels also of plain, non-fluted profile, and somewhat lighter than on earlier models.  A new tripod is issued with the Type 67-2, which is significantly lighter because it uses stamped steel instead of steel tubing for the legs.  Provisions are made for the installation of a telescope or night sight.  On late production Type 67-2 guns the AA sight base is omitted.

7.62x39 Type 74 LMG.

Type 74 light machine gun
The Type 74 light machine gun is a gas operated, magazine fed, air cooled weapon, which fires from an open bolt.  The gas system is located above the non-removable barrel, and consists of a gas block with a four-position gas regulator, a gas piston tube and a gas piston.  Locking of the barrel is achieved by the laterally tilting bolt, apparently copied from the Soviet SGM machine gun.  The cocking handle and ejection port are located on the right side of the stamped steel receiver, and fitted with separate dust covers.

The feed is from magazines; the standard magazine is a 100-round drum.  Alternatively, Type 56 assault rifle (Kalashnikov AK) 30-round magazines can be used.

The Type 74 LMG is normally fitted with a non-detachable folding bipod mounted below the front sight base on the barrel.  The pistol grip and handguard are made from plastic while the buttstock is made from wood.

7.62x39 Type 81 LMG with unusual 20-round box magazine.

7.62x39 Type 81 LMG with drum magazine.

Type 81 light machine gun
The Type 81 is a gas operated, magazine fed, selective-fired machine rifle / light machine gun.  It uses a short-stroke gas piston located above the barrel and a two-position gas regulator.  The Type 81 fires from a closed bolt.  The gas system, as well as the bolt group with the three lug rotating bolt, is reminiscent of that of the Type 63 rifle.  The Type 81 LMG also retains the bolt hold-open device, which catches the bolt in the open position after the last round has been fired from the magazine.  The fire selector / safety switch is located at the left side of the receiver, just above the pistol grip, and can be easily operated with the right hand thumb.  The open sights are marked from 100 to 500 meters, with the front sight being mounted on the muzzle end of the barrel.  Ammunition is fed from 75-round drum magazines or from 20- and 30-round curved box magazines intended for the Type 81 assault rifle.  Furniture (handguard, pistol grip and buttstock) is made from wood; additionally, a folding carrying handle is provided at the center of mass of the weapon.  A folding bipod is permanently attached to the barrel, just behind the front sight base.

Modifications

WQ 112: an export version of the Type 81, adapted for Type 56 (Kalashnikov AK) compatible magazines, and with minor cosmetic changes in furniture.

5.8mm Type 88 GPMG on integral bipod.

Soldier training with 5.8mm Type 88 GPMG.

Type 88 (QJY 88) universal machine gun
The QJY 88 is a gas operated, air cooled, belt fed machine gun with a quickly-detachable barrel.  It fires from an open bolt in automatic mode only.  The design is rather conventional, with a long-stroke gas piston, located below the barrel, which operates the bolt group with a rotary locking bolt.  The feed is from non-disintegrating steel belts from the left side only.  Belt is of open-pocket type, with single step, push-trough feed.  A special plastic container can be attached to the left side of receiver, or below it, to hold the belt while on the move.  The gun is fitted with a skeletonized shoulder stock, made of polymer, and an integral folding bipod attached to the gas block.  For sustained fire missions, the QJY 88 can be installed on a special lightweight tripod.  The standard sights are of the open type, but a telescopic or IR sight can be attached to the weapon if required.

Modifications

QJT 88: vehicle (tank) version of the basic weapon.  It has a heavier barrel with a longer flash hider and is fitted with an electric solenoid trigger that replaces the buttstock.

Modified 5.8mm Type 95-1 squad automatic weapon / LMG, with optional telescope sight.

Type 95 (QBB 95) light machine gun
The Type 95 is a gas operated, selective fire, air cooled, light machine gun, which fires from closed bolt.  It uses a short stroke gas piston located above the barrel.  The rotary bolt has three lugs that lock into the barrel extension.  The receiver is made from polymer and is of a bullpup layout.  The charging handle is located at the top of the receiver under the carrying handle.  The safety / fire mode selector switch is located at the left side of the buttstock, close to the rear end of the weapon.  Ejection is to the right side only.  The standard magazine is a proprietary 80-round drum with an asymmetrically located mouth.  The QBB-95 can also accept standard 30 round box magazines from the QBZ-95 assault rifle.

Modifications

Type 95-1: An improved version of the basic weapon developed from the Type 95-1 assault rifle.  Major changes include more ergonomic manual safety / fire mode selector switch relocated to the top of the pistol grip, manual gas regulator, strengthening of certain parts, and improved ejection pattern (forward and to the right), which allows to fire the weapon from the left shoulder more or less safely.

Type 97: An export version of the QBB-95 that is offered through the NORINCO Corporation.  It is basically the same weapon but adapted to fire the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge from M16-compatible (STANAG) magazines.

However, the heavy 30-round drum proved to be unsatisfactory in service, and by 1938 the gun designer Shpagin developed an ‘add-on’ belt feed unit for the DK.  The modified DK with belt feed passed the usual trials and was subsequently adopted as DShK-38 (Degtyarov – Shpagin Krupnokalibernyj – Degtyarov and Shpagin large caliber, model of 1938).  While the DShK was a satisfactory weapon with reasonable power (at least to deal with low-flying aircraft and lightly armored vehicles), it had some peculiar properties, of which the most notable was the very heavy universal wheeled mount, which, despite its weight, could not provide the necessary gun stability and vibration dampening for accurate long range fire.  Overall, the DShK was a decent weapon, but it was built in relatively small numbers – by 1945 the USSR had only about 40,000 HMG’s in land and naval service (including U.S. made Browning M2HB supplied through the lend-lease program), mostly in Army AA units and on smaller naval crafts.  However, like the SG-43 it also was upgraded during the immediate post-war period, and also experienced a long service life, especially in so-called ‘Soviet satellite’ countries, as well as in many other Asian and African countries.

During the late 1930s, Soviet army experts developed a very powerful round for anti-tank rifles.  Known as 14.5×114, this round provided significant penetration and flat trajectory, and as soon as first anti-tank rifles entered the service, the Army requested development of a machine gun firing this potent round.  The first machine gun firing 14.5mm ammunition was developed in 1941 at the Red Army Small Arms Proving Ground near Moscow.  Designed by Simonin, it was a gas-operated weapon fed by Hotchkiss-type rigid strips with 10-round capacity.  Ten specimen of this gun were produced early in 1942, with five tested on T-60 light tanks and five more – on Kolesnikov mounts originally produced for DShK HMG.  The Simonin machine gun proved to be a formidable weapon, but was far too expensive for mass production.  It set the base for official requirements, issued by Army, and at least three design teams entered the race to produce an effective 14.5mm machine gun.

The eventual winner of the contest was designer Vladimirov, who quickly developed a belt-fed, air-cooled 14.5mm machine gun using the short-recoil action of his own experimental 20mm aircraft cannon V-20.  Development of the new HMG commenced in 1942, and the first working prototypes of the KPV were built by 1944.  They were initially tested on DShK wheeled mounts.  It must be noted that this design had some opponents in the Red Army ranks, who believed that a recoil-operated firearm would be less reliable than a gas-operated one.  Despite that, the KPV won the trials and after much refinement work it was adopted in 1949 in an infantry version (on a wheeled mount) and in three towed AA mountings (single, twin and quad).  Later on, its ‘tank’ version was used as the primary armament of some armored reconnaissance and personnel carrier vehicles such as BRDM, BTR-60D, BTR-70 and BTR-80.  In the AA role, KPV guns saw considerable action in the hands of the North Vietnamese armed forces, supplied from the USSR and China as military aid.  Later on, AA mounts with KPVT guns were used by the Soviet Army in Afghanistan, to fire up at Mujahidin hiding in the mountains and firing at Soviet bases and convoys from above.

Modified 12.7mm DShKM heavy machine gun on Soviet tank.

Quest for Squall Firepower
It is a well-known fact that Soviet designers routinely tried to produce various super-fast-firing machine guns (and later automatic cannons) since the late 1930s.  The prime use for such guns was to arm airplanes, although anti-aircraft tasks were also proposed for such weapons.  After much experimenting with single-barreled weapons and mechanically coupled ShKAS guns, another solution was tried.  Around 1936, designer Slostin developed a prototype rotary machine gun in 7.62x54R.  This weapon had a rotary cluster of 8 barrels a-la Gatling, but unlike most such systems it was self-powered, using gas pistons attached to each barrel.  Development of this “squall-firing gun” (in contemporary Russian terminology) with rates of fire reaching 6-8 thousands of rounds per minute, continued up until 1944 or 1945.  In 1944 the same designer started development of a much more formidable weapon, a 6-barreled self-powered (gas-operated) Gatling-type gun chambered for the powerful 14.5x114mm API and API-T ammunition.  This monstrous weapon was intended to serve as remotely-operated AA weapon for the super-heavy IS-7 tank then in development. At least one prototype machine gun was built, but tank designers choose the slower-firing but significantly lighter and probably more reliable KPVT instead.

In fact, the prototype IS-7 tank (as made in 1947) was one of the most heavily armed tracked vehicles of its time – in addition to its rifled 130mm main gun it carried two 14.5mm KPVT machine guns (one on a remotely-controlled AA mount and one co-axial with the main gun) and six 7.62mm SGMT machine guns.  Development of the Slostin multi-barrel machine guns was terminated shortly after WW2, but the general idea lived on.  During the 1970s, Soviet designers Yakushev and Borzov developed a 4-barreled self-powered (gas operated) rotary machine gun, known as YakB-12.7.  It was and still is widely deployed as a primary armament of the Mil Mi-24 “Hind” attack helicopter.  To ensure increased effectiveness of this weapon against massed unprotected infantry (typical for Chinese army of 1960s and 1970s), Soviet Air force adopted special duplex loading for YakB-12.7 along with more common ball, API and API-T rounds in 12.7×108.

Post-WW2 Developments
The venerable 12.7mm DShKM served well into the 1960s, but it was far too heavy for mobile warfare, and proved to be insufficiently accurate over longer ranges.  Therefore, a new requirement was drawn up for an improved 12.7mm HMG, which could be used as an infantry support weapon (on a tripod), as a tank defensive weapon (cupola-mounted) or as a short-range AA weapon (on dedicated mounts).  Development of a new weapon was initiated in 1969, and in 1972 the Soviet Army adopted the design by Nikitin, Sokolov and Volkov.  Known as the NSV-12.7, this weapon is also known as “Utjos” (Cliff; the original codename of the development program).  This weapon was significantly lighter than the DShKM especially in its infantry support configuration.  On a tripod and with 50 rounds in a belt the NSV weighed some 100 kg / 220 lbs. less than the DShKM on its wheeled mount with the same amount of ammunition.  It was also more accurate and better suited for contemporary production techniques.  The NSV quickly replaced the DShKM on Soviet tanks, as well as with infantry units as a heavy support weapon and in certain non-infantry units as a short-range AA weapon (on dedicated low-profile AA mounts).  It saw considerable action in Afghanistan, and later in Chechnya, being used at stationary posts and, sometimes, mounted on the MT-LB tracked armored vehicles and army trucks to provide convoys and small mobile units with additional firepower.

The last decade of the 20th century was rather turbulent.  The fall of the Soviet Union left some military factories located outside Russia; worse still, some of these factories were the primary makers of certain weapon types, such as the 12.7mm NSV and NSVT HMGs.  The Metallist factory that made these guns for the Soviet army remained in the now-independent Kazakhstan, and it kept all master drawings and other manufacturing documentation for this important weapon.  It was therefore decided to take the opportunity to develop an improved HMG for use both by infantry and on vehicles (mostly tanks), and this task was handed over to the designers of the Degtyarov plant (ZID, the former Degtyarov machine gun factory) in the city of Kovrov.

The new 12.7mm weapon was to retain the same mounting interfaces as the NSV, while providing better long-range accuracy.  The ZID team did not have to start from the ground up – actually, the factory’s design team had been working on an improved 12.7mm HMG since 1987 – but the fall of the USSR delayed its development.  The new Russian Army requirement allowed them to shake the dust from their older design drawings, and while development was rather slow (because of the constant lack of funding), the finalized gun was adopted by the Russian Army in 1997 and put into mass production in 2001.  Known as KORD (Konstruktsija ORuzheinikov-Degtyarovtsev – design of Degtyarov plant team), or under the official index 6P50, this weapon is now issued to infantry troops and is mounted on most modern Russian tanks, such as the T-80U and T-90, as well as on jeeps and on ground mounts.  Because it uses the same firing and mounting interface, KORD can be also retrofitted to older tanks (i.e. T-64 and T-72), to replace worn-out NSVT-12.7 weapons.  One unusual feature of the KORD is its relatively low recoil, which allows it to be used not only from the same lightweight tripod as the NSV, but also from a proprietary bipod mount, creating what could be called a lightweight heavy MG.  In this configuration the KORD weighs ‘only’ 31kg / 68 lbs. less ammunition, thus allowing it to be carried on the battlefield by a single soldier, although obviously for short distances only.  This makes the KORD useful during ‘limited warfare’ operations in urban and forest environments, as the HMG team can change positions almost as fast as the infantry it supports, and is able to fire from almost anywhere, including the high stories of urban buildings (through the windows) or even from the rooftops.

Over the last several decades, counter-terrorism operations became very important for most ‘civilized world’ law enforcement organizations.  Increased terrorism threats plagued Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union, and in recent years local law enforcement organizations, especially the FSB – Federal Security Service, formulated requirements for some specialized equipment to deal with modern threats.  One type of such threat is a well-armed terrorist, equipped with relatively long-range weapons and wearing body armor or hiding behind some sort of a barrier, such a car body.  To engage such threats at stand-off ranges without causing unnecessary alert, in around 2002, FSB requested development of a silenced sniper rifle, with effective range of up to 600 meters.  Existing silenced weapons, such as VSS or VSK-94 sniper rifles, which fire 9×39 subsonic ammo, are not up to the task, as their effective range is limited to 300-400 meters maximum against unprotected targets and is only about 200 meters or less against targets wearing body armor.  Their accuracy at extended ranges also is not entirely sufficient.

The development program, codenamed “Vychlop” (exhaust) was handed over to the design team at the State-owned Central Design and Development bureau of Hunting and Sporting arms (TSKIB SOO), located in the city of Tula.  The team started its work with development of a new subsonic sniper round, provisionally titled as STs-130.  It is built upon a .338 Lapua Magnum case, shortened to 54 mm (2.125-inches) and necked out to 12.7mm (0.5-inch).  Three types of projectiles were developed for this round – PT, PT2 and VPS.  The first two are standard jacketed ball and solid brass bullets respectively, intended for sniping and the latter is a composite AP bullet with hardened steel / tungsten core exposed at the nose.  Muzzle velocity with all bullets is about 295 m/s (970 fps).  Bullet weight is about 48 grams (740 grains) for the least expensive solid brass PT2 bullet, 59 grams (910 grains) for jacketed PT bullet (with typical Russian steel / lead core and gilding metal jacket) and 76 grams (1,173 grains) for the VPS armor-piercing bullet.

VKS rifle, less scope and silencer, is quite compact and well balanced and could be a formidable CQB weapon.

With ammo at hand, the design team developed a new weapon, which was first displayed to the Russian public in 2005.  Known officially as VKS – “Vintovka Krupnokalibernaya Specialnaya” – special large caliber rifle, it was originally built in very small numbers and issued to elite anti-terrorism units of Russian FSB.  As the time progressed, the VKS and its ammo apparently proved itself well enough to warrant more extensive acquisition and issue to regional SWAT-type law enforcement teams across Russia, such as OMSN, SOBR and OMON.

The VKS rifle is a manually operated, bolt action rifle of bullpup layout.  The receiver is made from stamped steel with a polymer stock / housing.  The straight-pull bolt action employs a four-lug rotary bolt, which locks into the barrel extension.  The charging handle can be installed by the user on either side of the rifle, according to his preference.  Feed is from a detachable box magazine, made of plastic, with 5-round capacity.  A manual safety is located on the left side of the stock, behind the magazine.  Obviously, this is not the best position for a safety switch, but Russian users are used to poor ergonomics optimized by and for production engineers rather than end user shooters.  The rifle is provided with a detachable, screw-on silencer of impressive size and rather conventional design, made of steel.  The front part of the silencer body contains a multi-baffle assembly, while its rear part is filled with a spool of fine steel mesh.  Apparently, the rifle can be safely fired with the silencer removed, although this is not listed in the manual.

Disassembled STs-130 rounds with PT2 solid brass bullet on the left and jacketed ball PT bullet on the right.

To provide necessary stability when firing, the rifle is equipped with an integral folding bipod, which can be folded up rearward to be stored in the recess made at the bottom of the stock, in front of the trigger guard. The lever at the front of the trigger guard is the bipod lock / release.

Sighting equipment includes an integral Picatinny rail on top of the receiver and a set of back-up iron sights on folding bases.  Unlike most Russian firearms, VKS has an aperture-type rear sight, adjustable through a micrometer screw and with two range scales on either side, for ball and AP rounds (which, due to different projectile weight, have noticeably different ballistics).  The rifle is usually supplied to users with two sights – daytime variable-power 4-12x telescope of local manufacture or image-intensifying night sight with 6x magnification (also of Russian manufacture), with Gen 2+ or Gen 3 sensor, depending on particular departments’ funding.  Other standard accessories include spare magazines, soft carrying bag, cleaning kit and manual.  Ammunition is supplied in plastic boxes each containing five rounds, with bullet type pressed into the box cover.

VKS rifle field-stripped into major components.

Unfortunately, limited availability and high cost of the STs-130 ammo precluded informal test firing of VKS at the time of this writing, but it appears that in trained hands the VKS can live up to expectations, delivering deadly and accurate sniper fire to ranges of up to 600 meters.  Another interesting aspect of this rifle is that it is rumored to serve as a starting point for ongoing development of several new sniper weapons, including a long-range sniper rifle with similar hand-operated action and bullpup layout, chambered in .300 Lapua Magnum and .338 Lapua Magnum, as well as semiautomatic rifles of similar layout, also chambered for potent .338 Lapua ammunition.  So far, no official info emerged on these weapons, but it appears that TSKIB SOO is making good progress with at least some of these prototypes.

Weight, with empty magazine and silencer, less cope: 6.5 kg (14.3 lbs)
Overall length: 1,125 mm (44.3”) with silencer, 650mm (25.6”) less silencer
Magazine capacity: 5 rounds
Muzzle velocity: 290-295 m/s
Maximum effective range: 600 m

Accuracy at 100 meters, R100:
With PT and PT2 ‘sniper’ ammo – 35mm or less (1.5 MOA or less in five-shot groups)
With VPS ‘enhanced penetration’ ammo – 70mm or less (3 MOA or less)

It must be noted that listed accuracy is ‘factory guaranteed,’ that is, every rifle fresh out of the factory, shoots no worse than listed above. Many rifles can shoot noticeably better but actual accuracy may vary depending on many factors.

By the late 1980s, special operations elements of the Soviet Army, Internal Affairs Ministry and KGB were well equipped with silenced weapons which covered most bases and practical ranges.  However, the rise of organized crime and political disturbances in the USSR during the late 1980s increased demand for other types of weapons, previously overlooked by Soviet “Force Departments.”  In 1989, the 9th Department of the KGB, which was responsible for VIP protection, issued a request for a compact, easily concealable automatic weapon which would be significantly more powerful than the old Stechkin APS machine pistol, the preferred weapon of many Soviet VIP security teams of the time.  The request was handed over to the Central Institute of Precision Machine Building (TsNII TochMash), a state-owned organization that was responsible for the development of most specialized small arms.

The feasibility study at TsNII TochMash began by converting a silenced 9×39 AS assault rifle.  The bulky integral suppressor was discarded and the ports in the barrel blocked by a compact steel jacket, pressed over the muzzle part of the barrel.  A new front sight was fitted and the weapon was tested as the MA – “Malogabaritnyj Avtomat Vikhr” (small-sized automatic rifle, code-name “Whirlwind”).  The test of the MA showed enough promise to warrant further development, which was commenced under the factory designation RG051.  The main goal was to make the new weapon as compact and concealable as possible.  To achieve this, the rigid side-folding shoulder stock was replaced by a somewhat less comfortable but less space-consuming top-folding stock, and the fixed charging handle, which protruded from the right side of the gun, was replaced by dual sliders located above the fore end.  To achieve faster transition from carry to combat mode, the safety lever was redesigned to provide easier handling, and was made ambidextrous.  The top-folding stock was fitted with a powerful spring that automatically opened it into the ‘ready’ position once the user hit the lock button.  The latter feature didn’t survive for long, however, as during one of the early demonstrations to senior KGB executives, one unlucky officer hit the lock button without knowing its effect, and got hit in the face with the automatically unfolding buttstock.

The first pre-production RG-051 weapons were delivered to the KGB in 1991, and after extensive field testing in 1996 the new weapon was designated SR-3 and adopted by the KGB’s successors, the FSB (Federal Security Service) and FSO (Federal VIP Protection Service).  The weapon was manufactured by the same TsNII TochMash organization and on the same machinery that was (and still is) used to manufacture the suppressed AS and VSS weapons.  Like many other TsNII TochMash products, the SR-3 was a ‘niche’ weapon.  It was mostly intended for VIP protection, although some elite counter-terror units in Russia also got hold of these compact but powerful guns, which are well suited for CQB scenarios when opponents could be wearing body armor or hiding behind hard barriers.  Despite the lack of the sound suppressor it was an excellent weapon for many police duties, but it was too expensive and too optimized for concealed carry.  A demand arose for a weapon with similar capabilities, firing similar 9×39 ammo, but of more affordable cost and with better tactical flexibility.  The famous Instrument Design Bureau (KB Priborostroenija or KBP in short) decided to fill this niche.

OMON (SWAT-type unit) operators practice with their 9-A91 rifles at the range. Note that officer at the front has the new production suppressed weapon, while other officers are armed with old production, unsuppressed guns with spoon-type muzzle compensators.

The goal of the new development, which was carried out with the company’s own funds, was to create a new CQB weapon for police use that would be lighter than the ubiquitous Kalashnikov 5.45mm AKS-74U compact assault rifle, while offering better stopping power and barrier penetration.  Additionally, the new weapon had to be relatively inexpensive to make and maintain.  These desired targets were achieved by selecting the 9×39 subsonic AP ammo as the core of the new system, which was designated 9-A91.  Other goals were achieved by designing a new weapon from scratch, using standard manufacturing techniques and dispensing with the Kalashnikov heritage.

The new weapon was also gas operated and utilized a more or less conventional rotary locking bolt, but it was almost a kilogram lighter than AKS-74U without the magazine.  Extensive use of steel stamping and forming technologies helped to keep the cost down, and the first batches of the 9-A91 weapons were delivered to the MVD users in 1994.  Since the original 9×39 SP-6 AP ammunition was quite expensive, KBP also took the time and effort to design a less expensive alternative, the PAB-9 AP cartridge in the same caliber.  It also used a steel core but this was made by stamping rather than machining, and other cost-saving measures were introduced in the bullet manufacture.  As a result, this cartridge worked well in the 9-A91, but caused excessive wear to the barrels of the AS, SR-3 and especially VSS weapons in the same caliber.  For this reason, production of the PAB-9 ammunition, which was manufactured at the Tula Cartridge works, ceased by the late 1990s.

Following initial field testing of the 9-A91, KBP responded to user requests by improving the weapon.  The primary changes, introduced in 1995, included a quick-detachable suppressor and a side-rail for mounting optical sights.  Since the rail occupied most of the left receiver wall, the safety/fire selector lever was moved to the right side of the gun.

9-A91 rifle disassembled into main components.

In view of the initial success of the 9-A91, KBP decided to build a family of weapons using the same basic design.  One approach they tried was to convert the 9-A91 to fire pistol-caliber ammunition, such as the 7.62×25, but only one or two prototypes were built.  Another approach was to try and develop a more economical alternative for the VSS silenced sniper rifle, firing the 9×39 SP-5 sniper ball ammunition.  Work on this version commenced in 1994, and shortly afterwards a new weapon was offered to all law enforcement organizations across Russia.  Designated VSK-94, it was nothing more than the 9-A91 rifle, hand-picked at the factory for best accuracy, and fitted with a non-folding skeletonized shoulder stock and a PSO-1-1 4X telescopic sight, calibrated for 9×39 ammunition.  VSK-94s were also equipped with the same quick-detachable suppressors as the post-95 9-A91 rifles.  These sniper rifles also retained the selective-fire capability of their parent weapon.  Both the 9-A91 and the VSK-94 became quite popular among Russian law enforcement units, especially various OMON and SOBR SWAT-type teams that were engaged in fighting terrorism and organized crime.  Since 2004, the VSK-94 has also been officially adopted by the Russian Army to complement the somewhat more accurate, but also more expensive, VSS sniper rifles used by Army Spetsnaz and reconnaissance units.

During the early 2000s, TsNII TochMash decided to develop a similar weapon to the 9-A91 to extend its market presence.  The new SR-3M compact assault rifle, which is now in limited use by various FSB and police Spetsnaz units across Russia, is a mix of the original features of the AS and SR-3 weapons.  Basically, it’s the AS rifle fitted with a non-ported barrel, a new fore end with an integral folding fore grip, and the new quick-detachable suppressor, so it can be fired in both suppressed or standard configurations depending on the mission profile.  Also, in response to end user requests, TsNII TochMash developed a new 30-round magazine to complement the older 10- and 20-round magazines, manufactured for the AS, VSS and SR-3.

According to end user reports, both the SR-3M and 9-A91 weapons are excellent CQB tools.  Both have the traditional high reliability of Russian military small arms and provide significant stopping power and hard barrier penetration at ranges of up to 100-150 meters (the SP-6 AP bullet can go through 6mm of mild steel at 100 meters range).  Both can be used with suppressors as required, and both are often fitted with low-magnification telescopic or red-dot sights.  The VSK-94 is also popular for short-range precision work, although its accuracy is certainly not up to the demanding standards of Western police snipers.  With SP-5 ball ammo it can deliver 2-4 MOA accuracy at ranges of up to 300-400 meters, which is usually enough for its intended role.  For more accurate work, police units are usually equipped with more traditional sniper rifles firing more powerful 7.62x54R ammunition, such as SVD or SV-98.

As discussed in previous articles on the subject, Soviet Army Spetsnaz troops and specialized KGB personnel (which acted both in and out of country) possessed a significant arsenal of silenced and noiseless handguns.  The nature of the Spetsnaz operations, however, was much broader and often required the engagement of targets at longer ranges without attracting undue attention.  The simplest and earliest approach was tried during World War II, when NKVD and Army recon units were issued with the so called “Bramit device” – a clip-on silencer for a Mosin-Nagant M1891/30 rifle, developed shortly before the war by the Mitin brothers.  This was a more or less conventional expansion type silencer with two rubber baffles.  It was to be used only with a special reduced charge 7.62x54R ammunition, loaded with standard “L” type ball bullet and about 1/3 of the standard powder charge.  Rifles equipped with Bramit silencers were used throughout the war to good effect behind German lines, taking out sentries, guard dogs and other obstacles.

After the war the Soviet Army changed its main rifle from the long and powerful but slow-firing bolt-action rifle to the much more compact and somewhat less powerful (in terms of bullet energy, not firepower) assault rifles.  During the late 1950s Soviet designers developed the first quick-detachable silencer for the Kalashnikov AK assault rifle.  Known as the PBS (Pribor dlya Beshumnoj Strelby – device for noiseless firing), this device had a cylindrical body made of two halves, like a clam-shell, with the hinge at the front of the cylinder.  Inside it had 12 baffles, machined integral to the semi-cylindrical walls of each half of the device.  The halves were held together at the rear by the screw-on end-cap, which also had an interface (threads) for the rifle barrel.  The device was also fitted with an additional rubber baffle, which was used to increase barrel pressure during the discharge and thus ensure reliable gas operation with reduced subsonic loads.  During the early 1960s this design was improved – the silencer body was made as a hollow steel cylinder, closed at the front, and the baffles were made as separate units, inserted from the rear and held inside by the screw-on end cap.  The rubber baffle (which has a service life of about 200 rounds) was retained.  These silencers were to be used only with “US” type reduced charge ammunition, which fired a specially designed bullet of increased weight at subsonic velocities.  The typical 7.62×39 “US” round was loaded with a bullet weighing 12.5 grams (193 grains), propelled to a muzzle velocity of about 270-290 m/s (885-950 fps).

OTs-14 rifles in silenced/sniper (top) and GL (bottom) configurations.

As time passed, the nature of typical targets and the potential operation profiles for Spetsnaz troops changed.  For one, the NATO forces began to issue body armor on increased scales, and the basic combination of the AKM + PBS + US ammo was no longer effective enough.  As a result, during the late 1970s an R&D program for new Spetsnaz long arm was ordered.  The task was handed over to the Central Institute of the Precision Machine building (TsNII TochMash), which was responsible for most of the developments in the field of special purpose small arms and ammunition in the USSR.  By 1983 the two prime customers for the proposed weapons, the GRU (Army Intelligence Department) and KGB finally agreed on a set of technical requirements for a new silenced sniper rifle.  The new R&D program was named “Vintorez” (“thread cutter,” as usual, the name has no practical meaning).

According to the specification, the new weapon was to be effective against enemy personnel at ranges of up to 400 meters.  It also had to reliably penetrate a typical steel helmet at the same range.  Live fire trials proved that the readily available 7.62×39 US ammo was not up to the task, and new ammunition had to be developed.  Several approaches were tried, including combinations of the 7.62×25 TT case and 7.62 7N1 bullet (a sniper-grade bullet for the 7.62x54R cartridge).  This ‘Frankenstein’ round was accurate enough, but lacked the necessary penetration and was soon abandoned.  A shortened (to 28mm) and necked up 5.45×39 case combined with specially designed 7.62mm AP bullet was tried next.  This round showed much potential, but a change in requirements, which happened in 1985, effectively killed it.  The reason for this was that the GRU and KGB now also requested a silenced assault rifle, firing the same type of subsonic ammunition, but capable of penetrating military-grade body armor (with steel or titanium armor plates).  After examination of the updated requirements the developers decided to create a completely new family of rounds, capable of the necessary accuracy, range and penetration while maintaining subsonic muzzle velocities.

The new ammunition was based on the readily available 7.62×39 M43 steel case, necked up to 9mm and loaded with long and heavy bullets.  For sniper work, the developers created the standard steel/lead core jacketed ball bullet.  For assault work they also created a special AP round with a hardened steel core that projected forward from the jacket.  Upon impacting armor plate, the bullet jacket is stripped off and the penetrator is then free to punch a neat hole through the plate, the underlying Kevlar and the poor guy who happened to cross the path of the Spetsnaz operator.  The sniper ball round was designated 9×39 SP-5, and the assault/AP round the 9×39 SP-6.  With ammunition now available, the designers quickly finalized the design of the sniper rifle, which was officially adopted by the Army and KGB in 1987 as the 9mm Vintovka Snayperskay Specialnaya VSS – 9mm Special Sniper Rifle.

Left to right: fired SP-5 ball bullet; SP-5 sniper ball cartridge; fired SP-6 AP bullet with two types of hardened steel penetrator cores above; SP-6 AP cartridge (black tip); SPP improved penetration sniper cartridge (blue tip); SP-6 AP cartridge (black tip); 7.62x39 commercial ball cartridge for scale.

This rifle was quite unusual by typical western standards for a sniper rifle.  It was not only semiautomatic, but actually a select-fire weapon, issued with 10- and 20-round magazines.  Noise reduction was achieved by using a fairly conventional silencer, made of steel and integrated into the gun design.  The rifle was normally equipped with a 4X PSO-1-1 telescopic sight (the same as used on the Dragunov SVD rifle but with a different reticle, adapted for the 9mm round) or the NSPU-3 night sight.  Both sights were installed using a standard side rail on the left side of the receiver.  Iron sights were provided in the standard configuration as a back-up measure.  The rifle was quite compact, reliable, and accurate enough for its intended purpose, and quickly became very popular among its users.  Once the design of the sniper rifle proved itself satisfactory, it was quickly modified into a silenced assault rifle, with a minimum of modifications.  The basic gas operated action remained the same, but the wooden skeletonized stock was replaced with a metal side-folding stock, and some minor changes were made to the barrel to better withstand automatic firing (the VSS was to be used in full automatic mode only under emergency conditions).  The new rifle was designated 9mm Avtomat Specialnyj AS (AS Special Automatic rifle), and put into production alongside the VSS at the Tula arms factory.  The AS is also often referred in literature as ‘Val’ (“Shaft”), as it was the codename for the project used during its development.  Like the VSS, AS became quite popular among its users, and is still widely used by special elements of the Russian army and law enforcement units.  The VSS and AS were used during the closing years of the Soviet campaign in Afghanistan, but earned their real fame during several bloody campaigns against separatists, Muslim terrorists and various bandits in Chechnya, a mountainous semi-independent republic within the Russian Federation.  The AS and VSS were prized by both sides for their stealthiness and excellent stopping power, especially when compared with the “tiny” 5.45 bullets fired from standard issue AK-74 assault rifles.  The AS became very popular for MOUT operations, especially for house clearing, as it was not so loud as to deafen the operators and their teammates when firing indoors, and was lethal even when firing through barriers and body armor.  The opposite side also respected these weapons and paid premium prices for 9×39 guns and ammo on the black market.  (Some sources said that one could buy a used car in good shape for the money offered by terrorists for an AS or VSS plus a useable amount of ammunition back in the mid-1990s).  These weapons also became quite useful for other police operations, mostly against organized crime such as drug trafficking.  The problem was that both the AS and VSS were relatively expensive to produce, and during the turbulent 1990s funds were scarce for many (if not most) law enforcement organizations throughout Russia.

There was the market niche, and there were other organizations willing to fill it and earn some much needed cash to survive the hard times. One such organization was the Central Design Bureau for Sporting and Hunting Arms (TsKIB SOO), located in the city of Tula.  During the early 1990s, the design team, lead by V. Telesh, designed two 9×39 weapons, intended for law enforcement use.  To ensure a low cost of development and manufacture, both were based on the proven and tried Kalashnikov action, or, to be more precise, on the AKS-74U compact assault rifles, which were manufactured at the Tula Arms factory (TOZ) located nearby.  The first of two weapons, known as the OTs-12 “Tiss,” was no more than the standard AKS-74U, rebarreled for the 9×39 ammunition, fitted with a new bolt with an enlarged breech face, and with newly developed 20-round magazines made of steel.  The design of the OTs-12 was finalized by 1993, and a pilot batch was manufactured by TsKIB SOO, which had its own small-scale production facility.  This pilot batch was distributed to some LE organizations across Russia, but mass production never commenced, and the “Tiss” quickly faded out of sight.

OTs-14 rifles in GL configuration with grenade sight in raised position.

The other weapon from same design bureau earned much more fame, despite the fact that its production life was hardly any more successful.  The OTs-14 “Groza” (Thunder) was created as a modular weapon for urban combat and special operations, and was widely publicized in the Russian gun-related press during mid- and late 1990s.  The same AKS-74U action adapted for 9×39 ammo (as used in OTs-12), was put into the bullpup configuration to reduce the overall length in the ‘combat’ position.  Modularity was achieved by supplying the gun with a detachable 40mm underbarrel grenade launcher firing standard Russian VOG-25 ‘caseless’ FRAG grenades, a quick-detachable silencer, an assault forward grip and a telescopic sight.  That allowed the operator to configure his basic weapon according to the upcoming mission profile.  Typical configurations were an ‘assault carbine’ with the forward grip, a ‘grenadier’s rifle’ with the underbarrel grenade launcher, a ‘silenced carbine’ with the silencer installed and, finally, a ‘para-sniper’ with a 4X telescopic sight fitted and a silencer where necessary.  This sounded very promising but the basic design had some serious issues, some inherent to its parent Kalashnikov-type action, and some not.

The first issue was that the rifle ejected to the right and it was impossible to fire it from the left shoulder (a feature that can be quite useful during MOUT/CQB operations).  Second, all the basic controls (bolt handle and safety/fire selector) remained in their original places on the receiver, way out of reach for the bullpup layout.  Third, for some unknown reason, Telesh decided to use a single trigger for both rifle and grenade launcher.  In the GL configuration, the user had to switch the single trigger between the rifle and the GL by rotating a lever, located on the left side of the trigger unit, through a 180 degree arc – hardly an intuitive operation, which can take precious seconds during the stress of combat.  Nevertheless, TsKIB SOO managed to manufacture several hundred of the OTs-14 rifle kits, and sell these to some LE units and organizations across Russia.  Production of the OTs-14 lasted between 1995 and 1998, with several hundreds made, and some OTs-14 rifles still can be found in various law enforcement armories across Russia.  It must be noted that today OTs-14 rifles are seldom used in real operations, due to the lack of spares and the overall wear and tear of the guns, without even considering the ergonomic flaws listed above.  The AS and VSS rifles, on the other hand, are still in production and in active service with the Russian Army and various law enforcement agencies.

Specifications and technical descriptions: Ammunition
All 9×39 ammunition is loaded into Berdan-primed steel cases with lacquer coating.  No headstamps are provided on SP-5 and SP-6 ammunition.  SP-5 bullets are fully jacketed, with a tombac-plated steel jacket.  The core is of the combination type – the front part of the core is made from steel, the rear part from lead.  SP-6 bullets are semi-jacketed with the same tombac-plated steel jacket, but the pointed steel core/penetrator projects from the front of the bullet and the space between the penetrator and the jacket is filled with a thin layer of lead.  The penetrator is made from hardened tool-grade steel and usually separates from the jacket when hitting armor plate or other hard barriers: the penetrator goes inside the target while the jacket remains outside of the barrier/armor plate.  When hitting soft armor or body tissue, the SP-6 bullet normally stays intact, thus ensuring conformity with international conventions on warfare.  Penetration for the SP-6 cartridge is usually listed as 7-8 mm (about 1/3 of an inch) of mild steel at 100 meters, or “guaranteed penetration of Class Three body armor at 400 meters.”  The “class 3” body armor, according to Russian standards, ensures protection against all conventional pistol rounds as well as against standard 7.62×39 ball bullets, fired from an AK assault rifle.