Encyclopedia of weapons. Military history, weapons, old and military maps Caliber 5 45 what weapon

IN last years the Russian arms market is increasingly experiencing events that just a few years ago were considered impossible. Numerous carbines in pistol calibers went on sale, the limit on the number of carried cartridges was increased, shooting clubs appeared where you can train with short-barreled weapons, new calibers for hunting weapons were certified. One of the most unexpected and discussed changes was the certification of the 5.45x39 caliber, previously unavailable to civilian shooters.

The first certified weapon chambered for 5.45x39 ammunition was the Saiga 5.45 in several versions. Of course, "Saiga" in this caliber did not appear yesterday - for many years this sample was produced and exported, mainly to the USA. There, our caliber was and remains in high demand due to the low cost of ammunition, comfortable recoil and good ballistic characteristics.

At the very beginning of 2014, new Saigis, version 08, were put into the production plan of the Kalashnikov concern, the first samples of which were produced and sent to the warehouse in June of the same year. All Saigas that appeared in stores were produced specifically for the Russian market, and the high quality of the new carbine is standard for the new products of the Kalashnikov concern, which in 2014 began a large-scale modernization of production.

"Saiga" for the Russian market was produced in three main versions: version 01 with a hunting lodge, without muzzle device, version 08 without DTC and version 08 with DTC, which is now available in stores throughout the country.

The new Saiga has very few external differences from the machine gun: the fuse has two positions marked with the Latin letters “S” (Safety - fuse) and “F” (Fire - fire), there is no middle support for the ramrod, and there is a non-automatic shutter delay. The shutter button is located on the right side above trigger guard. The bolt lag allows the bolt carrier to be locked in the rear position, which makes it easier to control the status of the weapon and allows the chamber and barrel to cool down faster after intense firing.

Otherwise, the new Saiga appearance completely repeats the AK74M assault rifle. The barrel length and rifling pitch also do not differ from the combat prototype. Left on receiver, as on all samples of machines of the "hundredth" series, there is a side bracket for mounting optical sights, collimators and others sighting systems. The butt of the carbine is regular plastic, folding, with the folded butt of the carbine it is impossible to fire a shot.

The experience of using Saiga 5.45 carbines shows that regular army magazines for the AK74 assault rifle are suitable for this carbine without alterations, they snap in, feed, but the lack of a “rusk” leads to the fact that in some cases the last cartridge is not sent to the chamber. This problem is easily solved by bending the magazine feeder by 2–3 mm.

In the last few months, the carbine has been actively refined in accordance with the wishes of our customers. The following changes were introduced into the design documentation: the muzzle brake-compensator is no longer pinned, all carbines will be equipped with a "rusk" - a guide and equipped with ten-round magazines in an elongated case.

The operation of the carbine showed that in terms of reliability it is in no way inferior to the Kalashnikov assault rifle, and in terms of accuracy of fire, on average, it surpasses carbines in caliber 7.62x39. "Saiga 5.45" is great for practical shooting- reliable weapons will not let you down in a match, a good flatness of the trajectory of the ammunition makes it easier to hit targets at long distances, and the affordable price of cartridges allows you to train effectively. The new carbine will great weapon for those who would like to have in their personal use a civilian version of the machine gun, which is in service with the Armed Forces.

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Characteristics of the rifle Saiga 5.45 version 08

  • Caliber: 5.45x39
  • Overall length: 925 mm
  • Barrel length: 415 mm
  • Weight: 3.27 kg.
  • Magazine capacity: 10 rounds

Video review of the carbine Saiga 5.45 version 08

civilian weapons

Kalashnikov assault rifle AKS-74 with folded stock

AK-74 with a GP-25 underbarrel grenade launcher. Photo (c) Karden

Automatic carbine AK-74 (Index GRAU - 6P20) caliber 5.45 mm, developed in 1970 by designer M.T. Kalashnikov, was adopted armed forces USSR in 1974. It is a further development of AKM.

In the 1970s, following the NATO countries, the USSR followed the path of transferring small arms on low-pulse cartridges with reduced-caliber bullets to facilitate wearable ammunition (for 8 magazines, a 5.45 mm caliber cartridge saves 1.4 kg in weight) and reduce, as it was believed, the “excessive” power of the 7.62-mm cartridge. In 1974, a weapon complex chambered for 5.45 × 39 mm was adopted, consisting of an AK-74 and an RPK-74 light machine gun, and later (1979) supplemented by a small-sized AKS-74U, designed for use in a niche, which in Western armies were occupied by submachine guns, and in recent years - by the so-called PDW.

Main differences from its predecessor

  • a new cartridge of caliber 5.45 × 39 mm (instead of 7.62 × 39 mm), which has a flatter bullet trajectory, which led to an increase in the direct shot range by 100 meters, and is also lighter (weight savings of 1.4 kg with a wearable ammunition in 8 stores);
  • a new muzzle brake-compensator, which serves to increase the accuracy of the battle and reduce the recoil energy;
  • shop made of light and durable plastic.

For assault rifles produced in 1974-1986, the stock and fore-end are made of wood. Since 1986, they began to be made of black plastic. Longitudinal grooves were made on the wooden butt on both sides to facilitate total weight machine. They continue to be made on a plastic butt.

Can be used with grenade launcher GP-25 or GP-30 or GP-34.

The accuracy of automatic fire has improved compared to AKM by almost 2 times (in linear dimensions). The accuracy of a single fire is approximately 50%.

Sighting range firing AK 74 is:

For single ground and air targets - 500 meters;

For ground group targets - 1000 meters.

Direct shot range:

  • On the chest figure - 440 meters;
  • According to the growth figure - 625 meters.

Normal combat requirements for AK74

  • all four holes fit in a circle with a diameter of 15 cm at a distance of 100 m.
  • the mid-point of impact deviates from the control point by no more than 5 cm in any direction.

The battle is checked by shooting single at a test target or a black rectangle 35 cm high and 25 cm wide, mounted on a white shield 1 m high and 0.5 m wide. cartridges - with an ordinary bullet, sight - 3.

In general, one can note a significant improvement in the accuracy of fire relative to the AKM, and even more so the AK. As an example, consider the total median deviation at a distance of 800 m (vertical and widthwise, respectively):

AK - 76 and 89 cm.

SKS - 47 and 34 cm.

AKM - 64 and 90 cm.

AK-74 - 48 and 64 cm.

Variants of the Kalashnikov assault rifle

AK-74 is the main variant.

AKS-74 (GRAU index - 6P21) - a variant of the AK74 with a side-folding triangular metal buttstock. Designed for use in airborne troops(an assault rifle with a non-folding buttstock cannot be conveniently and safely placed in suspension system parachute).

AK-74N - "Night" version of the AK-74 with a side rail for mounting night sights.

AKS-74N - "night" version of the folding AKS-74, with a side rail for attaching night sights.

AK-74M - Modernized AK74.

Used cartridges

  • 7N6 (1974, bullet with steel core, lead jacket and bimetallic jacket).
  • 7N10 (1992, increased penetration bullet, with heat-strengthened core). Armor penetration - 16 mm from a distance of 100 m.
  • 7U1 (subsonic bullet for silent shooting).
  • 7N22 (1998, armor-piercing bullet with a core made of U12A high-carbon steel by cutting with subsequent grinding of the ogive part). Armor penetration - 5 mm from a distance of 250 m (grade 2P), 1.9 times better than 7N6.
  • 7Н24 (increased manufacturing accuracy, heat-strengthened tungsten carbide core)

A bullet with a steel core of a 5.45-mm cartridge when fired from AK74 provides the following penetrating effect [source not specified 1165 days]:

Penetration with a probability of 50% of steel sheets with a thickness of:

  • 2 mm at a distance of 950 m;
  • 3 mm at a distance of 670 m;
  • 5 mm at a distance of 350 m.

Penetration with a probability of 80-90% of a steel helmet at a distance of 800 meters;

Penetration with a probability of 75-100% of body armor at a distance of 550 meters;

Penetration of 50-60 cm into the parapet of dense compacted snow at a distance of 400 meters;

Penetration of 20-25 cm into an earthen barrier from compacted loamy soil at a distance of 400 meters;

Penetration with a probability of 50% of a wall made of dry pine beams with a section of 20x20 cm at a distance of 650 meters;

Penetration of 10-12 cm into brickwork at a distance of 100 meters.

In 1986, new bullets were developed with a heat-strengthened core of increased hardness, which provides a significant increase in penetrating action: a new bullet pierces a steel helmet at a distance of 960 meters, and a body armor with titanium plates - at a distance of 200 meters.

The next improvement of the bullet in 1992 again increased the armor penetration (army bulletproof vest Zh85-T breaks through at a distance of 200 m, and the heavy Zh95-K at a distance of 50 m) at a constant initial speed. The new cartridge, superior in armor penetration to 7N6 by 1.84 times, received the index 7N10. 7H10 provides penetration of 16 mm at a distance of 100 meters.

Advantages

High reliability in harsh environments. Simplicity and cheapness in production. In the AK-74M variant, support for the installation of modern sighting and tactical devices, which is essentially a way to upgrade the assault rifle, and support for double-row box magazines similar to Steyr AUG, made of high-impact plastic, with transparent polymer side inserts, for visual control of the amount of ammunition in the magazine .

Since one of the reasons for the creation of the AK-74 was the change in the caliber of the cartridge used by the machine gun, from 7.62 × 39 mm to 5.45 × 39 mm, the weapon has less recoil and, accordingly, greater shooting accuracy, a more flat bullet flight path.

Flaws

Compared to the American M4A1 carbine, the AK-74 has lower single fire accuracy.

Compared to weapons with balanced automatics AEK-971, AK-107/AK-108, AK-74 has a 1.5-2 times lower accuracy of firing bursts from unstable positions.

The AK-74 lacks the quick barrel change capability of the FN SCAR, Steyr AUG, HK 416, and Bushmaster ACR; as well as a fixed-length burst firing mode, which was later added to the AK101-2, AK102-2, AK103-2, AK104-2, AK105-2 “hundredth series” assault rifles.

Other advantages and disadvantages are similar to those for the entire AK family.

Specifications AK-74

  • Caliber: 5.45x39
  • Weapon length: 940 mm
  • Barrel length: 415 mm
  • Weight without cartridges: 3.3 kg.
  • Rate of fire: 600 rds / min
  • Magazine capacity: 30 rounds
  • Sighting range: 1000 m

Specifications AKS-74

  • Caliber: 5.45x39
  • Weapon length: 940/700 mm
  • Barrel length: 415 mm
  • Weight without cartridges: 3.4 kg.
  • Rate of fire: 600 rds / min
  • Magazine capacity: 30 rounds

assault rifles

Here, there are a few. Maybe someone is interested or useful. If someone has additions or I made typos or inaccuracies --- correct me.

What they are, cartridges 5.45x39

5.45x39 М74
---5.45x39 PS(index 7N6) - with a bullet with a steel core (steel 10) weighing 3.30–3.55 g. When using this type of cartridge, shortcomings began to appear and a year later 7N6M appeared, attempts to increase the penetration and stability of the bullet. Since 1986\87 they have been produced with a heat-strengthened (up to 60 HRC) steel (steel 65G / 70G / 75G) cylindrical core (index 7N6VK). This is mainly due to the widespread use of infantry personal protective equipment. Bullet unpainted. Roughly like this...

---5.45x39 T(index 7ТЗ) with a tracer bullet. Subsequently, Schaub didn’t shoot hard at those who shoot tracers at night, but that’s how they teach to shoot at night — at boys who love a tracer, they came up with a modernized tracer (index 7ТЗМ, the tracer starts burning after flying 50 meters from the barrel, which immediately brought +3 or even +4 - it's not so easy to spot you, not such a \\\"flare\\\" when you shoot, the barrel does not clog up in your eyes (there is less wear and less cleaning too !!!) The green top of the bullet. Something like this ...

---5.45x39 US(index 7U1) A cartridge with a reduced bullet speed for firing from weapons with silent firing devices contains a bullet weighing 5.15 g, which has initial speed 303 m/s. The coloration is a black bullet top with a green rim. Something like this ... 5.45x39 PP
---5.45x39 PP(index 7N10) Cartridge with increased penetration bullet (1992) The 7N10 cartridge bullet differs from the 7N6 cartridge bullet in that it uses a stamped pointed core, the diameter of the upper end is no more than 1.8 mm, the mass of the bullet is increased by 5%, in the head parts, by analogy with the 7H6 bullet, a cavity is left. The new bullet provided penetration of alloy plates at a distance of 100 meters - 100% and steel plates with a thickness of 14 mm at a distance of 100 meters - at least 80%. 1993\94, another modernization of the 7N10, whose bullet weighing 3.49-3.74 g pierces a 16-mm steel plate at a distance of 100 meters, elements of body armor made of titanium alloys at a distance of 200 meters. The sealant varnish is dark purple, unlike the red in 7H6. A cartridge with a modernized 7N10 bullet of increased power, the main difference of which is that the cavity in the nose is filled with lead, which prevented the shell from being pulled into the hole punched in the barrier by the core. Upon contact with the barrier by the pressure of lead, compressed between the head of the core and the bullet shell, the latter is destroyed. Such a device eliminates the pulling of parts of the shell into the hole, which increases the penetrating power of the bullet. Unfortunately, the line for the production of cartridges remained on the square and it was necessary to invent and place the production of other cartridges, such as BP. Bullet unpainted. Roughly like this...

---5.45x39 BP(index 7Н22) Cartridge with an armor-piercing bullet. After the upgraded 7N10 cartridge of increased power was adopted in 1994, the bullet / bulletproof vest confrontation made another round. 96\97 year of work and samples of the 7N20 armor-piercing cartridge resulted in the adoption of the 7N22 cartridge in 1998. A bullet weighing 3.68 g that pierces 5 mm thick armor plate at a distance of 250 meters. In the 7N22 pool, a pointed core is used, made of U12A high-carbon steel, by cutting with subsequent grinding of the ogival part. The sealing varnish is red, the bullet has a black nose. Roughly like this...

---5.45x39 BS(index 7N24) A cartridge with a bullet with an armor-piercing core, (beginning of the 200s) which is made of VK-4 alloy, weighing 3.93-4.27 g, pierces an armor plate 5 mm thick at a distance of 350 meters. Bullet unpainted. Roughly like this...

---5.45x39 PRS Cartridge with a bullet with a lead core. RRS = with reduced ricochet ability. - designed for shooting in thickets, reeds. In rain and dense fog: llol: Bullet without coloring. Roughly like this...

5.45x39 VN - auxiliary cartridges.

---5.45x39 UZ Cartridge with enhanced charge. For factory testing. The entire bullet is entirely black. Roughly like this...

---5.45x39 VD High pressure cartridge. For factory testing. The entire bullet is entirely yellow. Roughly like this...

---5.45x39 Exemplary Exemplary cartridge - designed for comparative verification of the ballistic characteristics of cartridges stored in warehouses. (For factory testing.) Corresponds to the standard cartridge (7H6), but made with increased accuracy. Bullet nose painted White color. Roughly like this...

Well, there's more to study.

---5.45x39 Idle(index 7ХЗ \ 7Х2З) Blank (with a hollow white plastic bullet, 0.22-0.26 g), with a charge of fast-burning gunpowder and (index 7ХЗМ) blank, with compression of the muzzle in the form of a star ( presumably index 7НЗ). It's like this plastic...

---5.45x39 U(index 7X4) Training (without charge). It is distinguished by the presence of four longitudinal stampings on the sleeve and a double annular crimp of the bullet in the muzzle of the sleeve. MMG is shorter.

I'll try pictures...

Under a low-pulse cartridge, it was a materialized expression of the spirit of fierce rivalry in military area between the Warsaw Pact and NATO in the era cold war. The appearance of a new "ammunition-weapon" complex in the main enemy required an urgent and effective response from our side. Possessing impeccable reliability, the AKM 7.62-mm Kalashnikov assault rifles, however, did not fully meet the increasing requirements of the Armed Forces for the probability of hitting the target due to increased dispersion when firing bursts, as well as the high steepness of bullet trajectories. This was due to the fact that the large recoil momentum of the 7.62 mm automatic cartridge model 1943 (0.78 kgf / s) did not allow even the modernized Kalashnikov assault rifle to achieve high accuracy of combat with automatic fire, especially when firing from unstable positions. For a long time, domestic experts have been working on an intensive search for ways to increase the combat effectiveness of a regular Kalashnikov assault rifle. Studies have shown that the accuracy of firing from an assault rifle is determined not only by the ballistic impulse of the cartridge and the recoil energy of the weapon, but also by the design characteristics of the sample itself (mass, moment of inertia, location of the centers of mass of the weapon and moving parts of automation), as well as dynamic characteristics(rate of fire and impacts of moving parts).

In the Soviet Union, the expediency of switching to manual automatic weapons smaller than the existing 7.62 mm, the caliber was scientifically substantiated by V. G. Fedorov already in 1939, when he wrote that the range of a direct shot of an “intermediate” cartridge should be no less than that of a standard rifle cartridge. To reduce the weight and size characteristics of cartridges, he proposed to reduce their caliber to 6–6.25 mm. Back in 1945, V. G. Fedorov, in his work “Study of further ways to increase the efficiency of shooting from small arms,” proved that the development of automatic small arms would become the most promising only if it developed in the direction of reducing the caliber of cartridges. However, the official line pursued at that time by the leadership of the USSR People's Commissariat of Armaments and the Main Artillery Directorate of the USSR People's Commissariat of Defense, aimed at testing a small arms complex designed to use a 7.62-mm "intermediate" cartridge, did not take into account Fedorov's conclusions. Along with subjective factors, this was also due to objective reasons - in the Soviet Union in the mid-1940s, the arms industry enterprises lacked the technical and technological base for the manufacture of both small-caliber live ammunition and the weapon itself.


Still, the very idea of ​​creating a more effective "ammunition-weapon" complex was not shelved. By the beginning of the 1960s, domestic gunsmiths had gained some experience in creating advanced automatic infantry weapons systems, which consisted of an automatic rifle and a single machine gun. They were developed under an experienced powerful 7.62-mm single machine-gun cartridge designed by S. I. Vetoshkin. In this direction, Soviet designers moved parallel to our opponents, whose bitter negative experience was taken into account when carrying out subsequent work on promising small arms systems in the USSR.

The US military, which had only recently rearmed itself with 7.62 mm M-14 automatic rifles, designed for the powerful 7.62 x51 NATO rifle and machine gun cartridge, was already reaping the sad fruits of such a hasty decision by this time. And this, in turn, forced the American military command already in 1957 to make a fundamental decision to start developing automatic weapons for a low-pulse cartridge, which thus became turning point throughout the subsequent modern small arms. Soviet designers came to a similar conclusion about the low effectiveness of new normal rifle caliber ammunition after extensive R&D. High level the technical solution of new domestic cartridges and the certain decrease in the recoil momentum achieved at the same time, nevertheless, did not allow solving the main task assigned to the new “ammunition-weapon” complex: to achieve an increase in the effective firing range by one and a half times in relation to the standard small arms complex, designed for 7.62 mm automatic cartridge mod. 1943.

Along with this, research was also carried out in the Soviet Union in the field of the patterns of dispersion of bullets depending on the recoil impulses, the design of muzzle compensators, etc. New ammunition of 4.5 mm and 6.5 mm caliber was being developed, various design options for non-classical bullets and weapons under them.

So, in 1960-1962, engineers and designers of NII-61 V. P. Gryazev, A. G. Shipunov, D. I. Shiryaev, I. Kasyanov, O. P. Kravchenko and V. A. Petrov created low-pulse cartridges with sub-caliber feathered (arrow-shaped) bullets with leading elements separating in flight (plastic pallets). D. I. Shiryaev developed for this cartridge prototype AO-27 assault rifle, relatively light and stable when firing with automatic fire. The large flatness of the trajectory of the arrow-shaped bullet to a certain extent compensated for the low accuracy of the battle. However, the accuracy results shown when firing from the AO-27 turned out to be much lower than planned, so all work on similar weapons was stopped. But this did not mean a complete rejection of the idea, since it was able to increase the efficiency of fire of individual automatic weapons, and after a few years a new modified rifle cartridge with an arrow-shaped bullet appeared, designed by the engineer of the same NII-61 V. N. Dvoryaninov under the converted machine gun Goryunova SGM and sniper rifle Dragunov SVD. Similar studies were also widely carried out in the United States, however, the negative results shown by these munitions during tests forced the Americans to curtail all work in this direction.

Simultaneously with the failure that ended work on the creation of a new domestic "ammunition-weapon" complex, the leadership of the USSR Ministry of Defense received information about the new high-performance rifles AR 15 (XM 16), developed for the low-pulse cartridge 5.56 x45 M 193, adopted for experimental operation in american army. Soon, the spoils of war from South Vietnam - the weapons themselves and ammunition - also ended up in the hands of Soviet military specialists. And these facts forced the military to think seriously about the fact that the enemy is ahead of us in this area of ​​​​military-technical research, since the Americans in 1961 were already conducting the final stage of military tests of a new weapon designed for a cartridge with a reduced recoil momentum. While in the Soviet Union, the 7.62-mm AKM assault rifle was only recently adopted, which was already inferior to the promising AR 15 rifle in some respects.

The evolution of small arms has led to the conclusion that while maintaining the classical scheme, which uses a powder charge as an energy source for throwing bullets, a decrease in caliber will increase the initial speed of the bullets. Thus, it will be possible to achieve a flat trajectory of the bullets, reduce the mass of the weapon itself and increase the ammunition carried by the shooter (without increasing the total weight load). The use of new designs of bullets and cartridges, new materials of bullet cores made it possible to provide the required damaging properties of bullets of reduced calibers. At the same time, theoretical calculations showed that the characteristics of the 5.6 mm cartridge are not the same for various conditions fight. In close combat, usually offensive, when firing from unstable positions at short ranges, bullets of this caliber have a maximum penetrating effect, therefore, to increase the effectiveness of hitting targets, a decrease in dispersion became of primary importance, which could be achieved both by reducing the power of the cartridge and by reducing the momentum recoil, but at the same time it also affected the decrease in the initial velocity of the bullet. In a defensive battle, firing was carried out at much greater ranges and mainly from stable positions, so the dispersion here is much less, and decisive factor the flatness of the trajectory and penetrating action became, which could only be achieved by increasing the power of the cartridge. The contradiction between an increase in the muzzle velocity of a bullet and its mass and a decrease in these characteristics for different conditions battle forced the Soviet gunsmiths to look for the best option.

Therefore, in 1961, in the Soviet Union, NII-61 specialists began comprehensive research to reduce the recoil momentum of weapons and develop a new 5.6 mm cartridge with a high initial velocity based on a recompressed cartridge case of a 7.62 mm automatic cartridge mod. 1943.

The first stage of research work, which began in the Soviet Union in 1963, to create a new “ammunition-weapon” complex, was carried out on converted 5.6 mm AKM assault rifles. As a result of the research, it turned out that the new 5.6 mm cartridge had a 35 percent lower recoil momentum than the 7.62 mm cartridge mod. 1943, and this made it possible to reduce the recoil energy of weapons by 1.8 times. Research artillery test site of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR in the Vsevolozhsk region Leningrad region, analyzing the possibilities of using new, most optimal design schemes for small arms, in his conclusion he indicated that "the most effective way to improve the accuracy of the machine gun when firing from unstable positions is to reduce the recoil momentum when fired."

An important factor that contributed to such a conclusion of our military experts was the fact that the AR 15 rifle was superior to the AKM assault rifle not only in one of the main parameters - the accuracy of the battle, but also in the probability of hits. Thus, the most realistic way to increase the combat effectiveness of individual automatic weapons could be the adoption of a new intermediate cartridge with a reduced recoil momentum and the development of a next-generation machine gun for it.

As a result of long-term work by a group of specialists - ammunition workers of TSNIITOCHMASH (Klimovsk, Moscow Region) under the leadership of V. M. Sabelnikov, consisting of L. I. Bulavskaya, B. V. Semin, M. E. Fedorova, P. F. Sazonov, V . I. Volkova, V. A. Nikolaeva, E. E. Zimina, P. S. Koroleva and others created a completely new domestic 5.6-mm low-impulse cartridge with a bullet with a steel core and with a sleeve length of 39 mm, which received originally the name "13 MZhV". Subsequently, when the designation of the caliber was adopted, corresponding to the actual diameter of the bore along the rifling fields - 5.45 mm, the cartridge received the GRAU index - 7 H6.

With a lower bullet weight (3.42 g instead of 7.9 g for the AKM and 3.56 g for the AR 15), the designers managed to achieve a reduction in the maximum allowable level of the recoil momentum of automatic cartridges (0.49 kgf / s versus 0.78 and 0, 58 kgf / s, respectively) and at the same time increase the range of a direct shot, i.e. the range at which the height of the trajectory is equal to the height of the target (440 m instead of 350 and 426 m, respectively), which, by the way, exceeded a similar characteristic of 7.62- mm rifle cartridge arr. 1908. The peculiarity of his bullet was that the steel core of the 5.45-mm cartridge 7 H6 had a lead jacket, and the bullet shell was steel, clad with tompak. A similar arrangement of bullets ensured its better strength and greater penetrating effect than the 5.56 x45 M.193 cartridges. The excellent aerodynamic shape of the bullet of the new Soviet 5.45 mm cartridge contributed to its high ballistic performance (muzzle velocity 900 m/s). In addition, its design was similar to the 7.62 mm bullet taken as a sample from a single submachine gun cartridge. It also had a void in the head, which, along with the optimally selected rifling pitch for this ammunition, provided the small-caliber bullet with the same bullet as the 7.62-mm cartridge mod. 1943 lethal action at the entire range of a direct shot. Only by the end of the 1960s were the recommendations of V. G. Fedorov, who 30 years earlier defended his point of view on the development of intermediate cartridges of small calibers, finally implemented.

Perfection of the mass type small arms of the Soviet army - Kalashnikov assault rifles was largely determined by the successful development of new 5.45-mm automatic cartridges. For firing from the AK 74 assault rifle, 5.45 mm low-pulse cartridges mod. 1974 with steel sleeves:
- with an ordinary bullet with a steel core (PS),

With a tracer bullet (T)
- with a bullet of reduced speed (US).

To simulate shooting, blank cartridges were used (initially without a bullet, and later with a plastic bullet), which were automatically fired using a special sleeve screwed onto the muzzle of the barrel instead of a muzzle brake-compensator.

At an initial speed of 900 m / s of the AK 74 machine gun, the bullet received a rotation speed of 4500 revolutions per second, and RPK 74 at an initial speed of 960 m / s - 4530 revolutions per second). This ensured the high stability of the bullet in flight, almost equivalent to the stability of the bullet cartridge 5.56 NATO (adopted to supply the armies of the North Atlantic bloc only in 1980). To increase the damaging effect in terms of manpower, the layout of the bullet was chosen so that the bullet in flight was “on the verge of stability” and lost stability when it hit a denser medium.

The new 5.45-mm cartridge 7 H6 with a flat trajectory made it possible to increase the range of a direct shot at a full-length figure from 525 (for AKM) to 625 m (for AK-74). The effective firing range of 5.45 mm machine guns (machine guns) was 1,000 m. on airplanes, helicopters and paratroopers - from a machine gun and a machine gun - up to 500 m.

Concentrated fire on ground group targets can be fired from machine guns and light machine guns at a distance of up to 1000 m. at light machine gun RPK 74–460 and 640 m (respectively).

However, in the AK 74 assault rifle, compared to the AKM, due to a decrease in caliber, the lethal range of the bullet was also reduced from 1500 to 1350 m, i.e. the ratio between the lethal action range and the effective firing range decreased from 3.75 to 2.7 times. Dispersion when firing from AK 74 in short bursts from stable positions (lying from a stop or standing from a trench) at a distance of up to 800 m began to be: the median deviation of the dispersion in height was total - 0.48 m, the lateral total - 0.64 m. Weight reduction cartridge allowed the soldier to increase the wearable ammunition load from 100 rounds of 7.62 mm caliber to 165 rounds of 5.45 mm caliber without increasing the mass of the weapon. An increase in the initial velocity of the bullet, a flat trajectory, and a decrease in the recoil momentum made it possible to increase the combat effectiveness of the 5.45 mm AK 74 assault rifle by 1.2–1.6 times compared to the 7.62 mm AKM assault rifle. A bullet with a steel core of the 7 H6 cartridge, when fired from an AK 74 assault rifle / RPK74 light machine gun, provided penetration of a 5-mm steel sheet (with 80-90 percent through penetration) at a distance of 350 m, steel helmets (helmets) - at a distance of 800 m, standard domestic army body armor Zh86–5 - at 550 m.

However, work to improve the "ammunition - weapons" complex in the Soviet Union did not end there. New trends in military affairs, as well as the combat operation of the 5.45 mm AK 74 Kalashnikov assault rifles by the Soviet army in Afghanistan, led to the need to seriously modernize both the weapon itself and the 5.45 mm cartridge. The widespread use in the 1980s in the armies of many countries of personal armor protection (in particular, bulletproof vests) showed that their defeat when firing from machine guns is not guaranteed. Further development individual funds protection, the use of bulletproof vests with plates made of durable titanium alloys drastically reduced the effectiveness of the 7 H6 bullet with a heat-strengthened core due to the imperfection of the shape of the core, which is not able to penetrate a titanium alloy plate even at close range. Therefore, Soviet gunsmith designers had to look for new ways to increase the penetration action of bullets of low-pulse automatic cartridges. Already in 1986, the penetrating effect of 5.45-mm cartridges was significantly increased due to the use of a heat-strengthened core of increased hardness 7 N6 M in the bullet design: the penetration range of protected targets, in particular steel helmets (helmets), increased from 800 to 960 m, body armor with titanium plates from 20 to 200 m. Since the beginning of the 1990s, almost simultaneously with the adoption of 5.45 mm modernized machine AK 74 M (in 1991), cartridges with new increased penetration bullets are also entering service, complementing the infantryman's weapon system along with the newly developed machine gun. So, in 1992, the core was improved again, making it more pointed and heavy. At the same initial speed, a bullet with an increased penetration action (PP) with a heat-strengthened core (index 7 H10) now ensured penetration of the regular domestic army bulletproof vest Zh85-T (with 40 percent through penetration) at a distance of 200 m, and heavy bulletproof vest Zh95-K - at a range of 50 m, while a bullet with a steel core of a 5.45-mm cartridge 7 N6 M pierced the Zh85-T body armor only at a distance of 90 m, and the penetration of the Zh95-K body armor was not provided at all firing ranges. As a result, the 5.45-mm cartridge 7 H10 with a PP bullet came close to the 7.62-mm rifle cartridge mod. 1908, and their effectiveness in breaking through obstacles increased 1.84 times compared to the bullet of the 7 H6 cartridge. However, ensuring a given level of direct shot range and penetrating action required an increase in the power of the 5.45 mm cartridge, which in a certain way affected its increased recoil momentum and a sufficiently large dispersion of bullets when firing AK 74. In addition, the adoption of a new cartridge with a bullet increased penetration action had and reverse side. The survivability resource of AK 74 M assault rifle barrels has sharply decreased when firing with a new cartridge. Therefore, the designers had to carry out a number of research works to increase the survivability of the bore. It should be noted that the reserves of the 5.45 mm bullet in terms of increasing the effectiveness of hitting obstacles are far from exhausted, work in this direction continues. In recent years, new modifications of 5.45-mm automatic cartridges have been created and accepted for supply to the Russian Armed Forces: with an armor-piercing bullet BP (index 7 H22); with armor-piercing bullet BS (index 7 H24); cartridge with an armor-piercing tracer bullet (index 7 BT4); - upgraded cartridge with a tracer bullet (index 7 T3 M); with a bullet of reduced ricochet ability (index 5.45 PRS).
Currently, the Russian Armed Forces use the following main variants of 5.45-mm low-impulse automatic cartridges.

5.45 mm automatic cartridge mod. 1974 with a bullet with a steel core PS (index 7 H6)

Live cartridges with bullets of all types are produced only with a steel, bottle-shaped sleeve coated with dark green varnish with a non-protruding flange and groove. The propellant charge is SFO33 spheroid powder, since 1989 it has been replaced by SSNf30 / 3.69 grade gunpowder.
A pointed bullet with a diameter of 5.65 mm, with an elongated head part with a rear cone without a belt, consists of a stamped steel core (St10 steel) weighing 1.43 g; lead jacket and bimetallic (steel, tompac-clad) shell. The lead jacket does not reach the end of the shell, and in the front of the bullet, between the inner surface of the shell head and the lead jacket, there is a cavity 5 mm long, which helps to shift the center of gravity of the bullet somewhat backward, which reduces the stability of the bullet when it meets the target. The edges of the shell in the tail of the bullet are rolled up with support on the bottom of the core. The bullet is not painted. In all 5.45 mm caliber live cartridges, except for cartridges with PP bullets, red varnish is used to seal the junction of the bullet with the edge of the muzzle of the case and the junction of the primer, which does not have a distinctive color. Currently out of production.

5.45 mm automatic cartridge mod. 1974 with a high penetration bullet PP (index 7 H10)

In 1992, a new modification of the 5.45 mm automatic cartridge mod. 1974 with a bullet of increased penetration PP, developed by the creative team of designers and technologists of the Barnaul Machine Tool Plant. The increased penetration bullet PP received a stamped elongated heat-strengthened steel core of a larger mass. The core, made of steel St70 (weighing 1.72 g) or St75 (weighing 1.8 g), has a head part of a more streamlined ogive shape, a flat top with a diameter of 1.8 mm and a recess in the center of the bottom (unlike the PS bullet) . The PP bullet with increased penetration ensured the penetration of alloy plates at a distance of 100 meters - 100 percent and steel plates with a thickness of 14 mm at a distance of 100 meters of at least 80 cents.

5.45 mm automatic cartridges mod. 1974 are sealed in regular cartridge wooden boxes of 2160 pieces each. Each box holds two metal roll-up boxes containing 1,080 rounds. There is also a closure option, in which packs of cartridges are placed not in steel boxes, but in paper moisture-proof bags (120 cartridges each), four packs of 30 cartridges each. At the same time, the inscription “moisture-proof bags” is made on the wooden box. The closure contains special abbreviated alphanumeric designations. On boxes and boxes containing cartridges with special bullets, an additional color strip is applied, corresponding to distinctive coloration cartridge.




This cartridge owes its birth to the success American program re-equipment of their army with weapons chambered for a small-caliber cartridge (5.56x45 mm NATO). As a result, in the mid-1970s, Soviet army a complex of small arms is accepted, consisting of a cartridge, an AK-74 assault rifle (AKS-74) and an RPK-74 light machine gun. Later, a shortened AKS-74U assault rifle joined this family. At present, the assessment of this step (transition from caliber 7.62 mm to caliber 5.45 mm) is rather ambiguous.

In recent years, there has been an opinion (not without taking into account the experience afghan war and recent local conflicts) that the lethal effect of the 5.45x39 mm cartridge is not enough. Despite the fact that the transition to the 5.45 mm caliber cartridge made it possible to improve the accuracy of fire (due to reduced recoil and an increase in the range of a direct shot by almost 100 meters), many fighters operating in the Chechen conflict zone prefer the 7.62 mm AKM over their great penetrating ability and lethal force. Supporters of the 5.45 mm cartridge argue that the problem is in the outdated 7N6 cartridge, and that with the new 7N10 (increased penetration) and 7N22 (armor-piercing) cartridges, 5.45 mm weapons are comparable in their combat characteristics with old samples chambered for 7.62x39 mm.

PS (7N6) with a bullet with a steel core, weighing 3.45 g.

T tracer.

The cartridge for firing from weapons with a silent firing device (PBS) has a 7U1 bullet, weighing 5.15 g, which has an initial speed of 303 m / s.

There is also a blank with a plastic bullet and a training one without a powder charge.

In 1993, the 7N10 cartridge with a tungsten carbide core was released, the bullet of which weighs 3.56 g and pierces a 16 mm steel plate at a distance of 100 meters.

5,45 mmIntermediate cartridge with steel bullet

core(7 H6, 7 H6 M)

Cartridge characteristics

Caliber 5.45×39

Chuck length, mm 56.6…57.0

Cartridge weight, g 10.2…10.4

The type of gunpowder is smokeless, pyroxylin. Gunpowder grade Sf033fl

Weight of powder charge, g 1.43…1.45

Density, loading, g/cm3 0.929

thickness, mm 0.24…0.26

Bullet characteristics

Bullet type jacketed

Bullet weight, g 3.40 ... 3.42

Bullet length, mm 25.50…25.65

Bullet ballistic coefficient, m2/kg 3.77

Bullet core material steel St10, St65G, St70, St75

Bullet core weight, g 1.42…1.45

Sleeve characteristics

Sleeve shape and type. bottled, wafer

Sleeve length, mm 39.5…39.7

Sleeve free volume, cm2 1.74

The volume of the sleeve with a planted bullet, cm3 1.56

additional information

Muzzle energy of a bullet (automatic AKM-74), J 1286.7 ... 1416.1

5,45 mmIntermediate cartridge with increased bullet

penetration(7HI0, 7HI0M)

Cartridge characteristics

Caliber 5.45×39

Chuck length, mm 56.6…57.0

Cartridge weight, g 10.55… 10.64

Powder charge characteristics

The type of gunpowder is smokeless, pyroxylin. Gunpowder brand Sf0ZZfl, VUfl

Powder charge mass, g 1.49 ... 1.51

Loading density, g/cm3 0.967

Maximum pressure of powder gases, MPa 306.5

The shape and size of the powder grain (Sf0ZZfl) cylindrical plate (flat cake)

outer diameter, mm 0.38.. .0.87

thickness, mm 0.24…0.26

Bullet characteristics

Bullet type jacketed

Bullet weight, g 3.56 ... 3.62

Bullet length, mm 25.50…25.65

Diameter of the leading part of the bullet, mm 5.72 ... 5.75

Bullet ballistic coefficient, m2/kg 3.58

Bullet shell material steel clad with tombac

Bullet shell weight, g 1.30 ... 1.45

Bullet core material steel St70, St75

Bullet core weight, g 1.72 ... 1.80

Sleeve characteristics

Sleeve length, mm 39.5…39.7

Free volume, cm3 1.74

The volume of the sleeve with a planted bullet, cm3 1.56

Sleeve material varnished steel. Bullet mounting method tight fit

additional information

Cross-sectional area of ​​the bore 0.242 (automatic AKM-74), cm2

Muzzle velocity (automatic AKM-74), m/s 900…960

Muzzle energy of a bullet (automatic AKM-74), J 1441.8 ... 1668.1

The edge of the neck of the sleeve is varnished in purple

5,45 mmIntermediate cartridge with armor-piercing bullet (7H22)

Cartridge characteristics

Caliber 5.45x39 mm

Chuck length, mm 56.6…57.0

Cartridge weight, g 10.60…10.72

Powder charge characteristics

Weight of powder charge, g 1.43…1.45

Loading density, g/cm3 0.929

Maximum pressure of powder gases, MPa 294.2

The shape and size of the powder grain is a cylindrical plate (flat cake)

outer diameter, mm 0.38…0.87

thickness, mm 0.24…0.26

Bullet characteristics

Bullet type jacketed

Bullet weight, g 3.65 ... 3.69

Bullet length, mm 25.50…25.65

Diameter of the leading part of the bullet, mm 5.72 ... 5.75

Bullet ballistic coefficient, m2/kg 3.51

Bullet shell material steel clad with tombac

Bullet core material U12A tool steel

Bullet core weight, g 1.75…1.80

Sleeve characteristics

The shape and type of the sleeve bottle, flangeless

Weight of cartridge case with primer, g 5.50…5.57

Sleeve length, mm 39.5…39.7

The volume of the sleeve with a planted bullet, cm3 136

Sleeve material varnished steel. Bullet mounting method tight fit

additional information

Cross-sectional area of ​​the bore 0.242 (automatic AKM-74), cm2

Muzzle velocity (automatic AKM-74), m/s 870…910

Muzzle energy of a bullet (automatic AKM-74), J 1381.3 ... 1527.8

Bullet tip painted black

5,45 mmIntermediate cartridge with reduced bullet speed(7 At1)

Cartridge characteristics

Caliber 5.45x39

Chuck length, mm 56.6….57.0

Cartridge weight, g 10.75…11.00

Powder charge characteristics

The type of gunpowder is smokeless, pyroxylin. Gunpowder brand P-45

Weight of powder charge, g 0.25…0.30

Loading density, g/cm3 0.194

Shape and size of powder grain tube

outer diameter, mm 0.7…0.9

length, mm 0.7…1.1

Bullet characteristics

Bullet type jacketed

Bullet weight, g 5.0…5.2

Bullet length, mm 24.5…24.8

Diameter of the leading part of the bullet, mm 5.72 ... 5.75

Bullet ballistic coefficient, m2/kg 3.11

Bullet shell material steel clad with tombac

Bullet shell weight, g 1.35 ... 1.45

Bullet core mass, g 0.69 ... 0.74

Sleeve characteristics

The shape and type of the sleeve bottle, flangeless

The mass of the sleeve with the primer, g 5.50 ... 5.57

Sleeve length, mm 39.5…39.7

The volume of the sleeve with a planted bullet, cm3 1,548

Sleeve material varnished steel. Method of fastening the bullet tight fit and crimping of the edge of the neck of the case

additional information

Cross-sectional area of ​​the bore 0.242 (automatic AK-74UN2 with PBS-4), cm2

Muzzle velocity 300…303 (automatic AK-74UN2 with PBS-4), m/s

Muzzle energy of a bullet 225.0 ... 238.7 (automatic AK-74UN2 with PBS-4), J

Bullet tip painted purple with green belt

5,45 mmIntermediate cartridge with tracer bullet (7TK,7 T3 M)

Cartridge characteristics

Caliber 5.45×39

Chuck length, mm 56.6…57.0

Cartridge mass, g 10.23…10.30

Powder charge characteristics

The type of gunpowder is smokeless, pyroxylin. Gunpowder grade Sf033fl

Powder charge mass, g 1.3…1.4

Loading density, g/cm3 0.915

Maximum pressure of powder gases, MPa 294.2

The shape and size of the powder grain is a cylindrical plate

(cake)

outer diameter, mm 0.38…0.87

thickness, mm 0.24…0.26

Bullet characteristics

Bullet type jacketed

Bullet weight, g 3.20 ... 3.23

Bullet length, mm 25.0…25.2

Diameter of the leading part of the bullet, mm 5.72 ... 5.75

Bullet ballistic coefficient, m2/kg 5.01

Bullet shell material steel clad with tombac

Bullet shell weight, g 1.30…1.45

Bullet core material lead with an admixture of 1 ... 2%

Bullet core weight, g 1.33…1.35

Sleeve characteristics

The shape and type of the sleeve bottle, flangeless

The mass of the sleeve with the primer, g 5.50 ... 5.57

Sleeve length, mm 39.5…39.7

Sleeve free volume, cm3 1.74

The volume of the sleeve with a planted bullet, cm3 1.53

Sleeve material varnished steel. The method of fastening the bullet is a tight fit and crimping of the edge of the muzzle of the sleeve

additional information

Cross-sectional area of ​​the bore 0.242 (automatic AKM-74), cm2

Muzzle velocity (automatic AKM-74), m/s 870…910

Muzzle energy of a bullet (automatic AKM-74), J 1211.1 ... 1337.4

Bullet tip painted green

5,45 mmIntermediate blank cartridge with bullet– imitator(7X3)

Cartridge characteristics

Caliber 5.45×39

Chuck length, mm 56.0…56.3

Cartridge weight, g 6.4…6.6

Powder charge characteristics

The type of gunpowder is smokeless, pyroxylin. Gunpowder grade Sf033fl, P-45

Powder charge mass, g 0.60…0.61

Loading density, g/cm3 0.356

Maximum pressure of powder gases, MPa 94.7

The shape and size of the powder grain (P-45) tube

outer diameter, mm 0.7…0.9

inner diameter, mm 0.10…0.15

length, mm 0.7…1.1

The shape and dimensions of the powder grain (Sf033fl) cylindrical plate (flat cake)

outer diameter, mm 0.38…0.86

thickness, mm 0.24. ,.0.26

Bullet characteristics

Bullet type unsheathed

Bullet weight, g 0.24 ... 0.25

Bullet length, mm 21.2…21.6

Diameter of the leading part of the bullet, mm 5.5 ... 5.6

bullet material polymer

Sleeve characteristics

Shape and type of sleeve, bottle, wafer

The mass of the sleeve with the primer, g 5.50 ... 5.57

Sleeve length, mm 39.5…39.7

Sleeve free volume, cm3 1.74

The volume of the sleeve with a planted bullet, cm3 1.71

Sleeve material varnished steel. The method of fastening the bullet is a tight fit and segmented crimping of the case mouth and 4-point punching.

5,45 mmTraining intermediate cartridge(7X4)

Cartridge characteristics

Caliber 5.45×39

Chuck length, mm 56.6…57.0

Cartridge weight, g 8.9…9.0

Bullet characteristics

Bullet type jacketed

Bullet weight, g 3.40 ... 3.42

Bullet length, mm 25.50…25.65

Diameter of the leading part of the bullet, mm 5.72 ... 5.75

Bullet shell material steel clad with tombac

Bullet shell weight, g 1.30…1.45

Bullet core material St10 steel

Bullet core weight, g 1.42 ... 1.45

Sleeve characteristics

The shape and type of the sleeve bottle, flangeless

The mass of the sleeve with the primer, g 5.50 ... 5.57

Sleeve length, mm 39.5…39.7

Sleeve material varnished steel. The method of fastening the bullet is a tight fit and crimping of the barrel of the sleeve.

mob_info