TT and PM pistol comparison. History of TT and PM
In this article we will compare Soviet pistols TT and PM. Let's discuss the features and design differences of this weapon. First of all, it should be noted that PM this is the legal successor TT adopted for service in 1930. And when it was put into service in 1951 , TT production ceased. In addition, the TT took part in hostilities, and the PM, although nominally a military pistol, was still created as a peacetime weapon for police units.
Now for the characteristics. The first is, of course, the caliber. TT – 7.62x25 mm, PM – 9x18 mm. The TT cartridge is more powerful, the bullet's penetrating effect is stronger. By the way, this cartridge is also used in the PPSh (Shpagin submachine gun). The Makarov pistol has a bullet with a high stopping power, an ideal choice for police officers. The PM has a double-action self-cocking trigger mechanism. If the cartridge is in the chamber, then you just need to press trigger and there will be a shot. On the contrary, TT has a single-action trigger. To fire a shot with a cartridge in the chamber, you must manually cock the hammer. The PM, unlike the TT, has a blowback automatic. Both pistols have a slide stop.
So, what are the main advantages of PM compared to TT. The Makarov pistol is safer to use, since it has a safety lock, is comfortable to wear, reliable and easy to use. Disadvantages of PM: small sighting range shooting, low muzzle energy of the cartridge compared to TT and, as a result, low penetrating ability of the bullet.
The parents of the Tula Tokarev are considered to be the FN Browning M1903 and Colt M1911. But unlike the TT, which does not have a safety except for the safety cock, these pistols have 2 safeties: a standard flag and automatic on the back of the handle.
And if you are interested in a tactical holster for a TT or Makarov pistol, then we recommend products from the well-known company GearBest, such as the best option by price-quality: https://www.gearbest.com
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Currently in Russia there are a large number of models of small arms, including pistols. But the “veterans” - TT, PM and APS, who have served people for decades, are still of particular interest.
Currently in Russia there is a large number of models small arms, including pistols. They differ in caliber, in the principle of operation of the automation, and in the tasks for which they are intended. But the most significant authority is still possessed by the “veterans” - TT, PM and APS, who have served people for decades.
The most honored of the above is the “pistol of 1933”, more often called TT - Tula Tokareva.
It was adopted by the Red Army in 1930 to replace the Nagan 1895 revolver, which was both morally and physically obsolete. In terms of its tactical and technical characteristics, the TT was superior to all contemporary models. Exceptional simplicity, strength and reliability, as well as the low cost of its production - these are distinctive features this pistol.
In 1933, the TT underwent minor modernization. Minor changes were made to the trigger mechanism; the rear wall of the handle was made solid.
The TT automation worked using the recoil of the barrel during its short stroke. When the barrel moved back, the movable earring lowered its breech. At the same time, the weapon was reloaded (the same principle was used by the Colt M1911A pistol, which allowed Western authors writing about weapons to call the TT “Tokarev-Colt pistol”).
The pistol uses a 7.62x25 caliber cartridge (the same as in the Mauser pistol). Later, the PPD (1934), PPSh (1941), and PPS (1942) submachine guns were developed for this cartridge.
However, the pistol also has a rather significant drawback - it does not have a fuse as an independent part. Its role is played by the trigger safety cock. But if the pistol falls, a spontaneous discharge is possible as a result of a break in the safety cocking.
The pistol passed the tests of the Great Patriotic War with honor, proving itself to be a powerful, simple and reliable melee weapon. It remained in service for some time after the war. Its popularity is also evidenced by the fact that the production of the TT was established in China, Poland, Hungary, Yugoslavia and other countries. In some of them, the TT is still produced today.
High shooting accuracy is ensured due to the successful arrangement of pistol parts. Due to the fact that the center of gravity of the pistol and the axial axis of the barrel are shifted closer to the handle, the TT, with its fairly significant weight (940 grams), is practically not felt in the hand.
But the development of individual small arms required new solutions. At some point, the TT ceased to be a self-sufficient weapon, and in 1951 it was replaced by N.F. Makarov (PM) and I.Ya. Stechkin (APS) pistols.
Both of these automatic pistols use the simplest, and therefore more reliable, principle - blowback. Both pistols have a return spring mounted directly on the barrel (although in the first modification of the APS the return spring was located under the barrel, as in Browning system pistols). For both of these pistols, a 9x18 cartridge was developed, which is more powerful than that used in the TT.
The undoubted advantage of the PM is the design of the firing mechanism. The self-cocking device allows you to fire the first shot (if there is a cartridge in the chamber) without first cocking the hammer. The safety lever is located in the rear part of the bolt casing, on the left, which allows you to operate the pistol with one hand (the right hand holding the weapon). Bringing the pistol into a firing position for its further wearing in this position is carried out as follows. Jerking the bolt forces the cartridge into the chamber. Then the safety is turned on, but no shot occurs. Now to fire the first shot you only need to remove the safety and pull the trigger.
APS
Despite the apparent similarity, APS and PM are completely different types individual small arms. The APS is intended to arm officers directly involved in combat operations. The trigger mechanism of this pistol is also self-cocking, allowing not only single fire, but also burst fire. The safety lever, located in the same way as on the Makarov pistol, also serves as a fire translator. The sight of this pistol is mobile, for shooting at distances of 25, 50, 100 and 200 meters. The magazine holds 20 rounds (staggered). The APS pistol is worn in a wooden or plastic holster, which, fastened to the back wall of the handle, acts as a butt when firing in bursts. In extreme cases, burst fire can be fired directly from the hand, without a butt (the cartridge used allows this to be done). Unfortunately, despite the perfection of the design, during operation, serious shortcomings of the APS were revealed (primarily its excessive weight and dimensions), so at present this pistol is no longer produced, giving way to submachine guns such as "Kedr", "Kashtan" " and "Cypress", using the same 9x18 mm cartridge.
The Makarov PM pistol, on the contrary, served as the base model for a number of new developments. In 1994, the PMM, a modernized Makarov pistol, was put into mass production. Externally, it is practically no different from the base model (except for the cheeks of the handle), but its magazine holds 12 57-N-181SM cartridges, which, although no different in size from the standard Makarov cartridge, has increased penetration and stopping power. The design of the chamber has been slightly changed - three helical grooves are made on its surface, providing inhibition of bolt recoil and smoothing out the difference in automatic dynamics when firing conventional and reinforced cartridges. Otherwise, the design, which has proven itself well over more than 40 years of operation, has not undergone any changes.
IZH-71
In the mid-1990s, the IZH-71 pistol was developed specifically for security personnel, based on the PM, which uses the 9x17 Kurz cartridge and has specially reduced characteristics (for example, the initial bullet speed of the IZH-71 is 290 m /s versus 320 m/s for PM). The IZH-71 magazine is available in 2 versions - 8 and 10 rounds (in the latter case the pistol is called IZH-71-10). Externally, the IZH-71 differs from the PM, again, in the cheeks of the handle.
PSM
Especially for arming the senior command staff of the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the KGB-FSB, the creative team consisting of T.I. Lashnev, A.A. Simarin and L.L. Kulikov developed the PSM pistol (small-sized self-loading pistol). This pistol is chambered for the new 5.45mm cartridge. The trigger mechanism is self-cocking. The location of the fuse is interesting (above the back of the bolt). When it is turned off, the hammer is cocked at the same time. The pistol has no protruding parts, so its thickness does not exceed 18 mm, which creates advantages when carrying it concealed. But due to the low penetrating ability of the cartridge, this weapon is of little use in real battle. Rather, its niche is as an individual self-defense weapon. All its design features point to this.
Of course, new types of pistols are now being produced, designed to perform completely different tasks in different conditions., but TT, PM, APS and PSM left their worthy contribution to history, faithfully serving the cause of defending the Motherland for decades.
TT or PM?
Sometimes you can witness a dispute between “experts” in the field of weapons. For example: until recently, it was customary to argue about which pistol was better, the Makarov pistol (PM) or the Tula Tokarev pistol (TT). In general, such disputes concerning absolutely any small arms, practically of the same class, are, to say the least, incorrect. Two different samples, in this case a pistol, can only be compared in a specific situation. And even then, all the disadvantages and advantages of one or another will be indirect. During use, not at the shooting range, but in a real life-and-death pistol fight, the advantages and disadvantages of a weapon are determined, first of all, by the qualifications and experience of the shooter, which also includes technical condition pistol and ammunition, that is, their reliability and quality at the current time. A performance characteristics weapons will be an advantage only if they are used correctly.
Production of TT pistols (model 1930) began in 1933. Mass production fell during the Great Patriotic War. Pistols produced during this period do not differ in quality of manufacture and assembly. At that time there was not always a place near weapons conveyors. qualified personnel(teenagers, women), and the necessary steel for making weapons was not always at hand. Pistols were also received from the front for repair. In addition, pistols produced before 1943 suffered from design flaws and defects. The firing of such pistols, as a rule, amounted to no more than 700 - 750 shots, after which malfunctions in the operation of the automation began. Malfunctions such as the magazine falling out and the firing pin being lost were also common. TT pistols found at the sites of former battles and restored by “black diggers” may also be on hand, more often in the criminal world. The reliability of such specimens is extremely low. To date, the TT pistol remains in service in separate divisions various law enforcement agencies, these are usually pistols produced in post-war period, however, the technical condition of many of them leaves much to be desired. The main disadvantage of the “modern” TT, compared to the PM, is low reliability. But this unreliability is not related to the design of the pistol; it is the result of poor-quality manufacturing, assembly and harsh operation, which significantly affects the reliability and time factor. Disadvantages compared to PM include weight and dimensions. TT is heavier and larger (with a magazine without TT cartridges - 850 g. PM - 730). Another disadvantage is the inability to fire by self-cocking. The advantage of the TT over the PM is its ammunition, which has a fairly high penetrating effect. The TT uses a 7.62X25 cartridge with a bullet weighing 5.5 g and initial speed 420 - 450 m/s. From the TT you can hit an object wearing body armor up to class II armor protection (PM only up to class I). Therefore, the TT is in great demand among killers. One of the advantages is that it is a fairly common and cheap ammunition (cheap and cheerful).
The PM pistol was put into service in 1951 to replace the TT pistol, and is actually in service to this day. Armed Forces, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and other law enforcement agencies of Russia, although more advanced and responsive ones have already been officially put into service modern requirements samples (PYa “GRACH”; GSh-18, etc.). PM differs from TT primarily in its high reliability. To this day, the PM is one of the most reliable pistols in the world. In terms of reliability, it is on a par with pistols such as GLOK. The main disadvantage compared to the TT is the ammunition with a relatively low bullet penetration. Therefore, for the Armed Forces the PM pistol is like modern weapons of little use. It is also not suitable as a means of disabling or stopping vehicles, if used, for example, in traffic police departments. However, during a shootout within the stairwell, the PM is still preferable to the TT. Since practically no modern door can withstand a bullet fired from a TT if it is not armored in the appropriate class, third parties may therefore suffer, which is not acceptable when carrying out operational activities by employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. There is such a thing as action-stopping bullets. Here, theoretically, an equal sign can be placed between PM and TT. But in practice (according to statistics), the stopping effect of PM bullets is considered higher. This is due to the cross section of the bullet. The cartridge used in the PM is 9X18 with a bullet weight of 6.1 g and an initial speed of 315 m/s. The advantage over the TT is the presence in the PM of a self-cocking firing mechanism, as well as automatic blowback action.
Conclusion. Of course, the PM is a more modern and reliable weapon than the TT. But in modern conditions, the Makarov pistol is more suitable only as a police or security weapon, and even then not always, but for the army it is already outdated. If there is nothing to choose from, then the TT pistol can be used to hit protected targets, where the PM is of little use due to the low penetrating effect of the bullet. Reduced to normal combat, well-debugged TTs are good to use as training and sports weapons. Ammunition is cheap and there are still plenty of cartridges of this caliber.
So, what is better - PM or TT? The question remains open.
Firearms are an integral attribute of civilization. Since ancient times, weapons have served as a tool for defense, obtaining food, and conquering territories. And always a weapon is an instrument that fulfills the will of its owner, a criminal or a servant of the law, an invader or a defender of the Fatherland.
For eighteen years, small arms have been my constant companion. In heat and cold, day and night, on different areas terrain, in different regions, at the shooting range, at the training ground, in battle, in everyday life - it is always with me. Over the years, many samples of domestic products have passed through my hands. military weapons and very little foreign. I know what each sample is capable of, what to expect from it, what to hope for and what to fear.
And, of course, everyone has their own opinion, which often does not coincide with the common one. Not without my active participation in combat situations. And I can judge weapons, perhaps with more right than other “experts” on the Internet and some “weapons” magazines, who write at length about the advantages and disadvantages of this or that type of weapon. The main problem with domestic small arms is mediocre and sometimes simply terrible ergonomics, and, of course, low workmanship (to Soviet period this does not apply).
But, as they say, there are as many opinions as there are people. So, let's begin…
Self-loading pistol Small-sized PSM
Can be deciphered as “Gun for Self-Calm.” Maybe you'll get lucky." There is a known case when a wounded man, with five bullets in the stomach fired from a PSM, independently walked to a medical facility located one and a half kilometers away.
5.45 mm self-loading pistol PSM
Moreover, he was of slight build. A very accurate pistol, at the level of sporting small-caliber pistols. Very compact. James Bond would be pleased with him. A combat pistol would benefit from a spur on the lid of one of the magazines. Suitable as a backup pistol, but not as a primary weapon. Plus the problem with the shortage of ammunition.
Makarov PM pistol
A legendary pistol, without a doubt. The standard of reliability, relatively compact, always ready for battle. Even despite its venerable age, it still remains in service and is actively used both in the shooting range and in battle. A classic pistol for civilian and police use. Of course, this is not a pistol for target or high-speed shooting, but placing three bullets in the center of a standard target (a circle with a diameter of 10 cm) from 25 m is not a problem for this “old man”. He is capable of more. Some of our PMs allow you to place five holes in a 6 cm circle. As for the low stopping effect of a bullet, I can say that this is what individuals say, including best case scenario killing paper targets, and have never fired in a combat situation. It is important to hit the vital organs of the “target”, otherwise even a rifle bullet will not guarantee a reliable hit.
9-mm self-loading pistol PM
Some problems are caused by bullets with a steel core Pst, which sometimes ricochet from solid obstacles. In recent years, the situation with ammunition for PM has changed; cartridges with bullets with increased stopping power and increased penetration ability of PBM (7N25) have appeared. For example, a cartridge for law enforcement PPO allows the use of weapons (pistols and submachine guns) in enclosed spaces, in populated areas, with a low probability of dangerous ricochets, due to the absence of a solid core in the bullet. There is information about the poor quality of PPO cartridges and unstable characteristics, but the cartridges supplied to our unit do not present any unpleasant surprises and the weapon works with them like a clock.
Makarov pistol Upgraded PMM-12
Modernization of PM for increased power cartridge. Improved handle ergonomics, increased capacity magazine. It is used with both Pst and PPO cartridges, since standard 7N16 cartridges are very rare and have not been produced for a long time.
9-mm self-loading pistol PMM
Springs in magazines work under overstress, so they quickly lose their elasticity, which leads to delays when shooting. Poor quality plastic from which the feeder is made will cause cracks and wear or breakage of the feeder tooth.
Pistol Tula Tokarev TT
Another weapon legend. A lot has been said about him, but very little can be added. More suitable for military applications when brought into combat readiness. For its relatively small dimensions, one of powerful pistols in the world.
7.62 mm TT self-loading pistols
And it’s much nicer to the touch, for example, than PY and all sorts of Glocks. Completely unsuitable for urban shootings and self-defense. The bullet's high penetrating power and lack of self-cocking can lead to prison (shooting right through to a random passerby) or to a cemetery (you have to have time to cock the trigger).
Automatic pistol Stechkin APS
The same age as PM, even more popular. Pistol with a capital letter. Reliable, powerful, accurate, with a large ammunition load and the ability to fire automatically. Often used as the main weapon during operations in tight quarters, when using bulletproof shields, when only one hand is free. Automatic mode is used when shooting at close ranges to create a high density of fire and a greater probability of destruction.
APS pistols with standard holsters, stocks and pouches.
APS pistols in a converted hip holster with a rubber grip and a twisted pistol strap
Employee Favorite special units, still in demand today. Even before the pistol arrives at the unit, a real “hunt” is already underway for it. Some, having tasted the “delights” of PYa, prefer to exchange them for old, sometimes dismantled APS. The pistol has a streamlined shape and does not catch on anything when quickly removed from the holster. Some problems when holding it are caused by the pistol grip, which has been polished over the years by palms and clothing. In hot and cold weather, the gun tends to “slip” out of your hands. But this minor nuisance can be eliminated by putting a piece of a bicycle inner tube or pad, such as Uncle Mike’s, on the handle.
The pistol is not small, but with proper skill and experience it can be carried concealed, like all pistols. I usually carry it in a self-made belly holster, without any fasteners, for quick removal, and with a coiled pistol strap, or in a suitable cross-body bag.
I never use a safety, even if there is a cartridge in the chamber; no one is outraged by the lack of safety on most revolvers, and a loaded self-cocking pistol is as safe as a loaded revolver. When working in urban conditions, I carry the pistol in a converted hip holster, and not fastened - the design of the holster allows me to hold the pistol even in an upside-down position. I carry spare magazines on my left hip in a homemade pouch. One magazine always with an open valve for quick removal.
Pistol Yarygin PYA
A miracle of Russian weapons thought. Although, undoubtedly, a long-awaited type of army pistol. Powerful, moderately ergonomic, with a capacious magazine. But... I doubt that in Soviet times it would have been adopted. The gun is frankly “raw”. Angular, with protruding parts, as if carved out with an axe. The workmanship is appropriate. When shooting ten new pistols with sports cartridges issued for shooting practice, two pistols had cartridge cases stuck, one misfired, and after re-puncture, it fired. When equipping magazines, the sharp edges of the sponges cut your fingers, and in order not to die from periodic bleeding, you have to pick up a file. When increasing the magazine capacity by one cartridge, the holes would have to be moved to control the number of cartridges (the Ministry of Internal Affairs adopted an 18-round pistol). The holes themselves are located with right side, and in order to visually determine the number of cartridges, the magazine must be completely pulled out of the handle or you must be left-handed. It was probably not possible to move the holes to the left wall of the store or to the back.
The magazine latch is not protected in any way; accidental pressing while wearing is not uncommon. At best, you can lose the magazine, at worst, you can be left in danger with an empty chamber, because when you accidentally press the magazine release button, it moves down from the chambering line and the bolt slips past the cartridge. And the magazine seems to be in the handle, pressed with a latch. The store itself should be made like an APS store, with large windows, or like a PSM store, to make it easier to load with cartridges. The bolt stop lever is located close to the safety and when you press one of the levers, the other one also falls under your finger, which requires additional effort. On some relatively new pistols, the bolt spontaneously breaks off the slide stop. The back of the shutter is of an openwork design. Probably specially made for collecting various types of garbage. (Unlike PM and APS).
9mm automatic pistols APS
The notch in the front of the bolt is probably a tribute to fashion and nothing more. When using this notch, your fingers will encounter sharp edges on the front of the frame. Maybe it is used to check the presence of a cartridge in the chamber, as is done on foreign pistols? But for this there is an indicator of the presence of a cartridge in the chamber.
Double-sided safety lever. Good decision. But if there is only a right-handed standard holster, this solution remains unclaimed. The same can be said about setting the safety with the hammer cocked. A completely unnecessary feature. When removing the pistol from the holster, cocking the hammer at the same time does not present any problems. Moreover, self-cocking on the PJ is soft and does not greatly affect the accuracy of the first shot.
9-mm self-loading pistol PYA
What cannot be taken away from the PY is the smooth descent and quick return to the aiming line after the shot. It is more suitable for high-speed shooting. The similarity between USM PI and PSM is obvious and noticeable even to a non-specialist. Why not make the safety the same as on the PSM design and place it on the bolt, ensuring simultaneous removal of the safety and cocking the hammer. And at the same time close the back of the shutter from possible clogging with foreign objects. Protrusion on the front trigger guard for the index finger. Maybe it improves shooting accuracy - I didn’t notice much of a difference. The pistol throws in the same way as with a normal grip. And with such a wide bracket, for a normal grip you need not an index finger, but a tentacle. Sights it was necessary to make it streamlined in order to prevent snagging on clothing or an operational holster.
The pistol comes with only one spare magazine. Standard cartridges with the Pst bullet differ from the 9x19 Luger sports cartridges used during shooting practice in the level of acoustic impact on the shooter, greater recoil force and strong flash when fired. As a result, the shooter learns about these features only when using the pistol in combat conditions. When using cartridges with a Pst bullet in enclosed spaces, dangerous ricochets were observed, which can be corrected by replacing half of the carried ammunition with cartridges with bullets with a lead core. In general, this is the case with this pistol. Complete analogy with domestic and foreign cars. Similar, but something about ours is not the same...
Self-loading pistol Special PSS
Here we can say with complete confidence the phrase that is abused in our country - “has no analogues.” Compact pistol, flat enough for concealed carry. Accurate, unpretentious, always ready for battle - no need to attach a silencer.
Used as a second or third weapon. Rarely, but if necessary, he is ready at your service. A pistol is not uncommon among those who are entitled to one. There are no problems with cartridges either.
NRS-2 knife, PN14K glasses, PSS pistol, SP4 and 7N36 cartridges
Revolver TKB-0216
A thoroughly degraded version of the Smith and Wesson revolvers. Its only advantage is its smooth and soft descent. Given its large dimensions, it would be possible to use more powerful ammunition, for example SP10, SP11.
9-mm revolver TKB-0216(OTs-01 Cobalt)
Poorly fitted handle cheeks. The drum axis often unscrews spontaneously.
Submachine gun PP-93
Compact submachine gun with good firing capabilities. With some experience, you can “plant” the entire magazine into a target. Good accuracy even when firing automatic fire with one hand. The APB modification includes a PBS and a powerful LP93 laser target designator. Unfortunately, either a PBS or a laser can be attached to the barrel at the same time. Fastening is carried out using a latch and has a large backlash. The shoulder rest is a masterpiece. Thanks to the low recoil, it is still possible to deal with the embryo of the butt plate, but due to poor fixation of the shoulder rest in the firing position, the bullets do not always go in the desired direction. And over time, this knot becomes even more loose.
9-mm APB submachine guns (modification PP-93) with installed PBS (top) or laser pointer (bottom)
The magazine release button is very good. No complaints, which cannot be said about the cocking handle, located very interesting place. To quickly cock the shutter, you need to practice for a long time, since you have to not only pull the handle, but before that you also have to push it down and remember to return it back, like on a PC. Otherwise, during a shot, you can hit your fingers with the handle returning with the bolt. The safety switch is located on the “right” side, but the flat shape does not always allow you to quickly change fire modes, especially in winter time, wearing gloves.
9 mm submachine gun SR-2M "Veresk"
A powerful submachine gun, accurate, with large ammunition capacity. The samples purchased for the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation do not have a standard collimator sight - one of the main attributes of this weapon. Instead of a standard case, there is a case for an AKS-74U assault rifle and a bag for AK-74 magazines. Apparently, the Ministry of Internal Affairs did not have enough money, or the responsible officials did not consider it necessary to purchase weapons as standard.
9-mm SR-2M submachine gun with a 30-round magazine. There's a 20-round magazine nearby.
SR-2M submachine gun - safety and reloading handle are located on the right side
At the first communication, one is surprised by the ill-conceived arrangement of controls. The fuse is located on the right side, although if you place it on the left side, under thumb, then it would be possible to quickly bring the weapon into combat readiness, and also quickly transfer it to a safe state. And all this - with one hand. The fire mode translator, on the contrary, is most often used once, and quick access to it is not necessary. For quick reloading, the bolt handle should be moved to the other side or made double-sided. With the butt folded, on some samples, the right rod overlaps the folded cocking handle by a couple of millimeters, and the handle has to be pulled out from under the butt.
When the Vereski arrived at the unit, everyone who picked them up noticed that the shoulder rest was too long. When shooting in a bulletproof vest, this is very noticeable, especially when holding the front handle.
By the way, about the handle. The thing is, of course, necessary. When using the handle lock, sooner or later it pinches the skin on index finger. The handle itself is located close to the muzzle, which gets very hot during intense shooting and does not add comfort to the hand. It would be a good idea to install a plastic pad at the bottom of the muzzle. A muzzle with compensation holes would be nice. When holding the weapon by the front handle, the sharp edges of the lower part of the fore-end cut into the hand. Tolerable, but unpleasant. Just recently, during an operation, I tried to silently chamber a cartridge. That is, guide the bolt frame with your hand, avoiding hitting the moving parts in the forward position. I did this out of habit, since this trick works on 9A-91.
The bolt pushed out the upper cartridge, which along the way pulled the lower one along with it. As a result, the upper cartridge buried itself in the breech section of the barrel, the lower cartridge half crawled out of the magazine, supported the upper cartridge from below and jammed the magazine, which turned out to be impossible to remove. I had to hold the bolt frame with my left hand, pick out the upper cartridge with my right finger, and push the lower one back into the magazine. The owner's manual attributes this delay to a magazine malfunction. And this is - on a new SMG with several rounds fired. In general, in terms of size, ease of use and power, the SR-2M is inferior to the proven and reliable 9A-91 assault rifle.
The Stechkin automatic pistol became the same " business card"Soviet weapons school, like the Kalashnikov assault rifle. It was adopted more than 60 years ago, but still enjoys stable popularity among special forces soldiers.
The second half of the 40s of the last century was marked by an explosion of activity among Soviet small arms designers. Great Patriotic War showed the need for a qualitative change in the system of personal weapons of fighters, and the military and political leadership of the USSR tried to create conditions for these changes to be embodied in metal. For example, in a competition for new machine, which was then ultimately won by Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov with the famous AK-47 product, six weapons schools and designers participated. Ten gunsmith designers took part in the competition for a new self-loading pistol, which was held in 1947-48, including the creator of the TT, Fedor Vasilyevich Tokarev, and the creator of the SKS, Sergei Gavrilovich Simonov. However, as a result, a 9-mm pistol designed by Nikolai Fedorovich Makarov was adopted for service in 1951.
The Makarov Pistol (PM), created according to the general layout of the Walther PP pistol, turned out to be easy to operate and manufacture, reliable and small-sized. At that time, it became the optimal personal weapon for senior officers, and was perfect for arming the police. Therefore, “PM” is still in Soviet time Several million units were produced, and the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant still continues, although no longer on the same scale, to produce various modifications of this product.
However, the “PM”, with its effective firing range of up to 50 meters (in reality it is, of course, much less) and a magazine for 8 rounds, was not “strong” enough in a real combat clash with a trained enemy. In addition, the short barrel of the Makarov at a distance of already 25 meters gave significant dispersion of bullets. Therefore, to arm the crews of combat vehicles, the first numbers of heavy weapons crews, as a weapon of individual defense for snipers, grenade launchers and officers of the platoon-company level, at the same time - in the late 40s of the last century, it was decided to develop an automatic pistol, but under the same pistol cartridge - 9x18 PM. The APS, designed by the young talented Tula gunsmith Igor Stechkin, became such a pistol.
In fairness, it must be said that in the story of the APS pistol there is still a lot of incomprehensible and even mysterious things. Let's start with the fact that Igor Yakovlevich himself was a very extraordinary person. For example, members of the commission remembered for a long time the defense of his thesis on the topic “Self-loading pistol of 7.65 mm caliber” (Stechkin graduated from the weapons and machine gun department of the Tula Mechanical Institute). According to contemporaries, the project was so original that one of the members of the graduation committee publicly expressed doubt that this weapon would work. In response, the student pulled out a pistol of this design that he had personally made from his jacket pocket, and fired it with blank cartridges three times into the ceiling of the auditorium where the defense was taking place...
As a result, Stechkin received a “red” diploma and a job assignment straight to one of the main “weapons factories” of the country - TsKB-14 (now the Tula Instrument Design Bureau). Moreover. The 26-year-old graduate of the institute at the Central Design Bureau is almost immediately tasked with creating a new army 9-mm pistol, which, with single and automatic firing modes, could effectively hit the enemy at distances of up to 200m. Moreover, this happens at the end of 1948, when the battle between ten weapons designers for the right to arm the Soviet army and navy with new weapons reaches its climax. self-loading pistol. And, in principle, it is already clear that the victory in this battle is won by Nikolai Fedorovich Makarov, who, by coincidence, has been working at TsKB-14 for four years now, and, moreover, was the scientific consultant of such a sensational thesis of a student at the Tula Mechanical Institute Igor Stechkina.
Now it is difficult to say what kind of participation Nikolai Makarov, in addition to the development and “fine-tuning” of his pistol, could have taken in the creation of the “Stechkin automatic pistol” (APS). Some design features and the procedure for assembling and disassembling the APS are similar to the PM. Both pistols, despite the fact that work on the Makarov began several years earlier than on the Stechkin, were put into service at the same time - in 1951. And both designers also received the Stalin Prize together - in 1952. Stechkin – for “APS”, Makarov – for “PM”. But at the same time, in the memoirs of Igor Yakovlevich Stechkin, it was still clear that APS was his own engineering brainchild. “The task I received was to design a 9 mm pistol that allows single and automatic shooting at distances of up to 200 meters, has a large capacity magazine and uses a holster as a butt. After development and approval of the project, a sample was manufactured, which successfully passed factory tests. After modifications and elimination of shortcomings, field tests of two pistols were carried out in comparison with Mauser, Astra pistols and the Sudaev submachine gun. My pistol, showing excellent results, was noticeably superior to Mauser and Astra, and practically not inferior to PPS,” recalled Igor Stechkin in 1966.
Since 1952, "APS" went to the troops. Its serial production was launched at the facilities of the Vyatsko-Polyansky plant "Molot". However, already in 1959, the production of the “Stechkin automatic pistol” was discontinued. And this became another mystery of this pistol.
The tactical and technical data of the APS, as an individual weapon intended for use in a combat situation in a collision with a trained enemy, suited the Soviet military. Lengthening the barrel to 140 mm (93.5 mm for the PM) made it possible to partly compensate for the weakness of the 9x18 PM pistol cartridge, and, together with the greater weight compared to the Makarov and smoother operation of the automation, made it possible to achieve good shooting accuracy - dispersion of bullets with single shots at a distance of 50 meters from the APS it did not exceed 5 cm. At a distance of 200 meters, the dispersion radius of bullets when firing from the APS increased to 22 cm, but for a trained shooter, effective fire from this pistol at distances of more than 100 meters was not particularly difficult .
A 20-round magazine and an original fire rate retardant made it possible to conduct automatic fire from the APS. At the same time, Stechkin provided a mechanism that made reloading the pistol almost instantaneous. After the ammunition is used up, the magazine feeder tooth raises the bolt stop, which holds the bolt in the rear position. And after replacing the magazine, the shooter only needs to press the bolt stop head to be ready to fire again - the bolt stop will go forward and send the cartridge into the chamber, while the hammer will remain cocked.
In addition to the Armed Forces Soviet Union, "APS" and its modifications, according to foreign experts, were supplied to Angola, Cuba, Bulgaria, Libya, Mozambique, Zambia, etc. There are photographs of Ernesto Che Guevara posing with the APS; it is reliably known that the Stechkin was one of Fidel Castro’s favorite weapons. And not in vain. “Unlike the Makarov pistol, the recoil of which is felt by the hand as sharp, the Stechkin is very pleasant to shoot. Accuracy is also excellent. The store is very easy to equip. The trigger mechanism and its characteristics are very good for a military weapon,” American small arms specialist Nick Steadman assessed this pistol. In addition, the APS turned out to be a very reliable weapon. There are known cases of firing 40 thousand rounds without any damage to the main parts of this pistol.
However, in Soviet army“APS”, paradoxically, did not catch on in mass quantities. The most common version is the inconvenience of carrying this weapon. In order to ensure the stability of automatic fire, especially at long distances, a wooden holster was attached to the Stechkin, which also served as a butt. The weight of the pistol with a holster and butt was almost 2 kg. In addition, army requirements stipulated that each soldier armed with a Stechkin had to carry with him 4 more loaded magazines of 20 rounds each. Therefore, in the army environment of that time there was a murmur that the new weapon was too “heavy and cumbersome.” As a result, in the 60s of the last century, most of the army “Stechkins” migrated to weapons depots, and in return, in the 70s, the crews of combat vehicles, aircraft and gun crews were armed with “clamshells” - a shortened modification of the AK-74 - AKS-74U.
However, “Stechkin” did not die, because by that time, for its power and accuracy, it had already become loved by employees of special units of the Ministry of Defense and the Committee State Security. Moreover, in the late 60s, especially for them on the APS basis, designer A.S. Neugodov (TsNIITOCHMASH) developed a “silent” version of the “APS” - “APB” (silent automatic pistol). Reducing the sound level when firing was achieved due to the perforation of the barrel and a special expansion chamber placed on the barrel, ease of wearing and use - due to a removable wire shoulder rest and a soft holster. Of course, the use of a silencer reduced the effective range of the shot. But at a range of 50 meters, the APB still has few equals.
This modification of the APS was put into service in 1972, and from that time on, the Stechkin began, in fact, a “second life.” “APS” and “APB” were actively used by Russian special forces during the war in Afghanistan (1979-1989) and in all local conflicts that arose in the post-Soviet space. Moreover. In the 90s, during the rampant banditry in Russia, the structures of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs began to actively arm themselves with army Stechkins. And this is also understandable, since this automatic pistol occupies a niche between two other types of standard weapons of Russian law enforcement agencies - Makarov pistols and Kalashnikov assault rifles. However, the Russian police were not original in this regard - after the fall of the Berlin Wall, some German police officers also armed themselves with Stechkins.
Thus, the “Stechkin automatic pistol” outlived its creator for a long time (Igor Yakovlevich died in November 2001) and still remains a popular weapon in the structures Russian Ministry defense, FSB, FSO, Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as special forces of a number of foreign countries. This is probably one of the most important signs of a designer’s genius - when the product he created, despite the emergence of new ideas and designs, continues to work even after the death of the creator.
