Turret naval installations with a machine gun dshk. Russian machine guns

DShK(GRAU index - 56-P-542) - easel heavy machine gun chambered for 12.7 × 108 mm. Developed on the basis of the design of the DK heavy machine gun.

In February 1939, the DShK was adopted by the Red Army under the designation "12.7 mm heavy machine gun Degtyarev - Shpagin model 1938".

History of creation and production

The task to create the first Soviet heavy machine gun, designed primarily to fight aircraft at altitudes up to 1500 meters, was issued by that time to the already very experienced and well-known gunsmith Degtyarev in 1929. Less than a year later, Degtyarev presented his 12.7 mm machine gun for testing, and since 1932, small-scale production of a machine gun under the designation DK (Degtyarev, Large-caliber) began. In general, the DK repeated the design of the DP-27 light machine gun, and was powered by detachable drum magazines for 30 rounds, mounted on top of the machine gun. The disadvantages of such a power scheme (bulky and big weight shops, low practical rate of fire) forced to stop the release of the DC in 1935 and start improving it. By 1938, the designer Shpagin had developed a tape power module for recreation centers.

On February 26, 1939, an improved machine gun was adopted by the Red Army under the designation "12.7 mm heavy machine gun Degtyarev - Shpagin of the 1938 model - DShK."

The mass production of the DShK was launched in 1940-41.

DShKs were used as anti-aircraft weapons, as infantry support weapons, mounted on armored vehicles (T-40) and small ships (including torpedo boats). In accordance with the state of the rifle division of the Red Army No. 04 / 400-416 of April 5, 1941, the regular number of DShK anti-aircraft machine guns in the division was 9 pieces.

To the beginning of the Great Patriotic War The Kovrov Mechanical Plant produced about 2,000 DShK machine guns.

On November 9, 1941, GKO Decree No. 874 “On strengthening and strengthening air defense Soviet Union", which provided for the redistribution of DShK machine guns for arming the created units of the air defense forces.

By the beginning of 1944, over 8400 DShK machine guns had been produced.

Until the end of the Great Patriotic War, 9 thousand DShK machine guns were produced, in the post-war period, the production of machine guns continued.

Design

The DShK large-caliber machine gun is an automatic weapon built on the gas principle. The barrel is locked by two combat larvae, pivotally mounted on the bolt, for recesses in the side walls of the receiver. The fire mode is only automatic, the barrel is fixed, ribbed for better cooling, equipped with a muzzle brake.

Power is supplied from a non-loose metal tape, the tape is fed from the left side of the machine gun. At DShK, the tape feeder was made in the form of a drum with six open chambers. The drum, during its rotation, fed the tape and at the same time removed cartridges from it (the tape had open links). After the drum chamber with the cartridge arrived in the lower position, the cartridge was fed into the chamber by a bolt. The drive of the tape feeder was carried out using a lever located on the right side, swinging in a vertical plane when the loading handle, rigidly connected to the bolt frame, acted on its lower part.

In the butt plate of the receiver, spring buffers of the bolt and bolt carrier are mounted. The fire was fired from the rear sear (from an open bolt), two handles on the butt plate and twin triggers were used to control the fire. The sight is frame, the machine also had mounts for an anti-aircraft foreshortening sight.

The machine gun was used from the universal machine of the Kolesnikov system. The machine was equipped with removable wheels and a steel shield, and when using a machine gun as an anti-aircraft wheel, the shield was removed, and the rear support was bred, forming a tripod. In addition, the machine gun in the role of an anti-aircraft gun was equipped with special shoulder stops. The main disadvantage of this machine was its heavy weight, which limited the mobility of the machine gun. In addition to the machine gun, the machine gun was used in tower installations, on remotely controlled anti-aircraft installations, on ship pedestal installations.

Combat use

The machine gun was used by the USSR from the very beginning in all directions and went through the entire war. It was used as an easel and anti-aircraft machine gun. The large caliber allowed the machine gun to effectively deal with many targets, up to medium armored vehicles. At the end of the war, the DShK was massively installed as an anti-aircraft gun on the towers of Soviet tanks and self-propelled guns for self-defense of vehicles in case of attacks from the air and from the upper floors in urban battles.

Video

DShK machine gun. TV program. Weapon TV

The task to create the first Soviet heavy machine gun, designed primarily to fight aircraft at altitudes up to 1500 meters, was issued by that time to the already very experienced and well-known gunsmith Degtyarev in 1929. Less than a year later, Degtyarev presented his 12.7 mm machine gun for testing, and since 1932, small-scale production of a machine gun under the designation DK (Degtyarev, Large-caliber) began. In general, the DK repeated the design of the DP-27 light machine gun, and was powered by detachable magazines for 30 rounds. The disadvantages of such a power supply scheme (bulky and heavy stores, low practical rate of fire) forced them to stop producing the DC in 1935 and start improving it. By 1938, another designer, Shpagin, developed a belt feed module for the recreation center, and in 1939 the improved machine gun was adopted by the Red Army under the designation “12.7 mm Degtyarev-Shpagin heavy machine gun mod. 1938 - DShK. The mass production of DShK was started in 1940-41, and during the years of World War II, about 8 thousand DShK machine guns were produced. They were used as anti-aircraft weapons, as infantry support weapons, mounted on armored vehicles and small ships (including torpedo boats). According to the experience of the war in 1946, the machine gun was modernized (the design of the belt feed unit and the barrel mount were changed), and the machine gun was adopted under the designation DShKM.

DShKM was or is in service with more than 40 armies of the world, is produced in China ("type 54"), Pakistan, Iran and some other countries. The DShKM machine gun was used as an anti-aircraft gun on Soviet tanks post-war period(T-55, T-62) and on armored vehicles (BTR-155).

Technically, the DShK is an automatic weapon built on the gas principle. The barrel is locked by two combat larvae, pivotally mounted on the bolt, for recesses in the side walls of the receiver. The fire mode is only automatic, the barrel is non-removable, ribbed for better cooling, and equipped with a muzzle brake. Power is supplied from a non-loose metal tape, the tape is fed from the left side of the machine gun. At DShK, the tape feeder was made in the form of a drum with six open chambers. The drum, during its rotation, fed the tape and at the same time removed cartridges from it (the tape had open links). After the drum chamber with the cartridge arrived in the lower position, the cartridge was fed into the chamber by a bolt. The tape feeder was driven by a lever located on the right side, swinging in a vertical plane when the loading handle, rigidly connected to the bolt frame, acted on its lower part. At the DShKM machine gun, the drum mechanism has been replaced with a more compact slider mechanism, also driven by a similar lever connected to the loading handle. The cartridge was removed from the tape down and then directly fed into the chamber.

In the butt plate of the receiver, spring buffers of the bolt and bolt carrier are mounted. The fire was fired from the rear sear (from an open bolt), two handles on the butt plate and a push-type spook were used to control the fire. The sight is frame, the machine also had mounts for an anti-aircraft foreshortening sight.

The machine gun was used from the universal machine of the Kolesnikov system. The machine was equipped with removable wheels and a steel shield, and when using a machine gun as an anti-aircraft wheel, they were removed, and the rear support was bred, forming a tripod. In addition, the machine gun in the role of an anti-aircraft gun was equipped with special shoulder stops. In addition to the machine gun, the machine gun was used in tower installations, on remotely controlled anti-aircraft installations, on ship pedestal installations.
At present, in the Russian Armed Forces, the DShK and DShKM are almost completely replaced by the Utes machine gun, as more advanced and modern.

DShK (Index GRAU - 56-P-542) - easel heavy machine gun chambered for 12.7 × 108 mm. Developed on the basis of the design of the DK heavy machine gun. In February 1939, the DShK was adopted by the Red Army under the designation "12.7 mm heavy machine gun Degtyarev - Shpagin model 1938".

DShK machine gun – video

With the start in 1925 of work on a machine gun with a caliber of 12-20 millimeters, it was decided to create it on the basis of a magazine-fed light machine gun in order to reduce the mass of the machine gun being created. Work began in the design bureau of the Tula Arms Plant on the basis of a 12.7-mm Vickers cartridge and on the basis of the German Dreyse machine gun (P-5). The design bureau of the Kovrov Plant was developing a machine gun based on the Degtyarev light machine gun for more powerful cartridges. A new 12.7-mm cartridge with an armor-piercing bullet was created in 1930, and at the end of the year the first experimental heavy machine gun Degtyarev with a Kladov disk magazine with a capacity of 30 rounds was assembled. In February 1931, after testing, preference was given to the DK ("Large-caliber Degtyarev") as easier to manufacture and lighter. DK was put into service, in 1932 the production of a small series was at the plant. Kirkizha (Kovrov), however, in 1933 they fired only 12 machine guns.

Military tests did not live up to expectations. In 1935, the production of the Degtyarev heavy machine gun was stopped. By this time, a version of the DAK-32 had been created with a Shpagin receiver, but tests of 32-33 showed the need to refine the system. Shpagin in 1937 redid his version. A drum feed mechanism was created that did not require significant changes to the machine gun system. The machine gun, which has a belt feed, passed field tests on December 17, 1938. On February 26 of the following year, by a decision of the Defense Committee, they were adopted under the designation “12.7-mm easel machine gun mod. 1938 DShK (Degtyarev-Shpagin large-caliber) "which was installed on the Kolesnikov universal machine. Work was also underway on the DShK aircraft installation, but it soon became clear that a special heavy-caliber aircraft machine gun was needed.

The work of machine gun automation was carried out due to the removal of powder gases. The closed-type gas chamber was located under the barrel, and was equipped with a pipe regulator. The barrel along the entire length had ribs. The muzzle was equipped with a single-chamber active type muzzle brake. By diluting the lugs of the bolt to the sides, the bore was locked. The ejector and reflector were assembled in the shutter. A pair of spring shock absorbers of the butt plate served to soften the impact of the moving system and give it an initial roll impulse. The reciprocating mainspring, which was put on the gas piston rod, actuated the percussion mechanism. The trigger lever was blocked by a safety lever mounted on the butt plate (setting the fuse - forward position).

Food - tape, supply - on the left side. Loose tape, having semi-closed links, was placed in a special metal box, fixed on the left side of the machine arm. The bolt carrier handle actuated the DShK drum receiver: while moving backward, the handle bumped into the fork of the swinging feeder lever and turned it. The pawl located at the other end of the lever turned the drum 60 degrees, the drum, in turn, pulled the tape. There were four cartridges in the drum at the same time. During the rotation of the drum, the cartridge was gradually squeezed out of the tape link and fed into the receiving window of the receiver. Moving forward shutter picked it up.

The folding frame sight, used for firing at ground targets, had a notch up to 3.5 thousand m in increments of 100 m. The marking of the machine gun included the stigma of the manufacturer, the year of manufacture, the serial number (series designation is two-letter, the serial number of the machine gun) . The stamp was placed in front of the butt plate on top of the receiver.

During operation with the DShK, three types of anti-aircraft sights were used. The annular remote sight of the 1938 model was intended to destroy air targets flying at speeds up to 500 km / h and at a distance of up to 2.4 thousand meters. The sight of the 1941 model was simplified, the range decreased to 1.8 thousand meters, but the possible speed of the target being destroyed increased (in the "imaginary" ring it could be 625 kilometers per hour). The sight of the 1943 model of the year was of the foreshortening type and was much easier to use, but allowed firing at various target courses, including pitching or diving.

The Kolesnikov universal machine of the 1938 model was equipped with its own loading handle, had a removable shoulder pad, a cartridge box bracket, and a rod-type vertical aiming mechanism. Ground targets were fired from a wheeled course, while the legs were folded. For firing at air targets, the wheel drive was separated, and the machine was laid out in the form of a tripod.

A 12.7 mm cartridge could have an armor-piercing bullet (B-30) of the 1930 model, an armor-piercing incendiary (B-32) of the 1932 model, sighting and incendiary (PZ), tracer (T), sighting (P), against anti-aircraft targets used an armor-piercing incendiary tracer bullet (BZT) of the 1941 model. The armor penetration of the B-32 bullet was 20 millimeters normal from 100 meters and 15 millimeters from 500 meters. The BS-41 bullet, with a tungsten carbide core, was capable of penetrating 20 mm armor plate at an angle of 20 degrees from a range of 750 meters. The dispersion diameter during firing at ground targets was 200 millimeters at a distance of 100 meters.

The machine gun began to enter the troops in the 40th year. In total, in 1940, plant No. 2 in Kovrov produced 566 DShKs. In the first half of 1941 - 234 machine guns (in total, in 1941, with a plan of 4 thousand DShK, about 1.6 thousand were received). In total, as of June 22, 1941, the units of the Red Army had about 2.2 thousand heavy machine guns.

From the first days of the Second World War, the DShK machine gun proved to be excellent as an anti-aircraft weapon. So, for example, on July 14, 1941, on the Western Front in the Yartsevo region, a platoon of three machine guns shot down three German bombers, in August, near Leningrad, in the Krasnogvardeisky region, the Second Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun Battalion destroyed 33 enemy aircraft. However, the number of 12.7 mm machine gun mounts was clearly not enough, especially given the significant enemy air superiority. As of September 10, 1941, there were 394 of them: in the Oryol air defense zone - 9, Kharkov - 66, Moscow - 112, on the Southwestern Front - 72, Southern - 58, Northwestern - 37, Western - 27, Karelian - 13.

Since June 1942, the staff of the anti-aircraft artillery regiment of the army included a DShK company, which was armed with 8 machine guns, and from February 43, their number increased to 16 pieces. The anti-aircraft artillery divisions of the RVGK (zenad) formed since November 42 had one such company in the regiment of small-caliber anti-aircraft artillery. Since the spring of 1943, the number of DShKs in zenad has decreased to 52 units, and according to the 44th state updated in the spring, zenad had 48 DShKs and 88 guns. In 1943, regiments of small-caliber anti-aircraft artillery (16 DShK and 16 guns) were introduced into the cavalry, mechanized and tank corps.

US infantrymen firing DShKM on Romanian URO VAMTAC during joint US-Romanian maneuvers, 2009

Typically, anti-aircraft DShKs were used in platoons, often introduced into medium-caliber anti-aircraft batteries, using them to cover against air attacks from low altitudes. Anti-aircraft machine gun companies, armed with 18 DShKs, were introduced into the state at the beginning of 1944 rifle divisions. During the entire war, the loss of heavy machine guns amounted to about 10 thousand pieces, that is, 21% of the resource. It was the smallest percentage of losses in the entire system. small arms, however, it is comparable to the losses in anti-aircraft artillery. This already speaks of the role and place of heavy machine guns.

In 1941, with the approach of German troops to Moscow, backup plants were identified in case plant No. 2 stopped producing weapons. The production of DShK was delivered in the city of Kuibyshev, where 555 fixtures and machine tools were transferred from Kovrov. As a result, during the war, the main production was in Kovrov, and in Kuibyshev - "backup".

In addition to easel, used self-propelled units with DShK - mainly M-1 pickups or GAZ-AA trucks with a DShK machine gun installed in the back in anti-aircraft position on the machine. Anti-aircraft light tanks on the T-60 and T-70 chassis did not advance further than the prototypes. The same fate befell the integrated installations (although it should be noted that the built-in 12.7-mm anti-aircraft installations were used to a limited extent - for example, they served in the air defense of Moscow). The failures of the installations were associated, first of all, with the power supply system, which did not allow changing the direction of the tape feed. But the Red Army successfully used 12.7-mm American quad mounts of the M-17 type based on the M2NV Browning machine gun.

The "anti-tank" role of the DShK machine gun, which received the nickname "Dushka", was insignificant. The machine gun was used to a limited extent against light armored vehicles. But the DShK became a tank one - it was the main armament of the T-40 (amphibious tank), BA-64D (light armored car), in the 44th year, a 12.7-mm turret anti-aircraft gun was installed on the heavy tank IS-2, and later on heavy self-propelled guns. DShK machine guns anti-aircraft armored trains were armed on tripods or pedestals (during the war, up to 200 armored trains operated in the air defense forces). DShK with a shield and a folded machine could be dropped to partisans or landing forces in a UPD-MM parachute bag.

The fleet began to receive DShKs in 1940 (there were 830 of them at the beginning of the Second World War). During the war, the industry transferred 4018 DShKs to the fleet, another 1146 were transferred from the army. In the navy, anti-aircraft DShKs were installed on all types of ships, including mobilized fishing and transport ships. They were used on a twin single pedestal, tower, turret installations. Pedestrian, rack and tower (paired) installations for DShK machine guns, adopted for service navy, developed by I.S. Leshchinsky, designer of plant No. 2. The pedestal installation allowed for circular firing, vertical guidance angles ranged from -34 to +85 degrees. In 1939 A.I. Ivashutich, another Kovrov designer, developed a twin pedestal mount, and later the DShKM-2, which appeared later, gave a circular fire. The vertical guidance angles ranged from -10 to +85 degrees. In 1945, the twin deck installation 2M-1, which has an annular sight, was adopted. The twin turret mount DShKM-2B, created in TsKB-19 in 1943, and the ShB-K sight made it possible to conduct circular fire at vertical guidance angles from -10 to +82 degrees.

For boats of various classes, open twin turrets MSTU, MTU-2 and 2-UK were created with pointing angles from -10 to +85 degrees. The "sea" machine guns themselves differed from the base sample. So, for example, in the turret version, a frame sight was not used (only an annular one with a front sight was used), the bolt carrier handle was lengthened, and the hook was changed for the cartridge box. The differences between machine guns for twin mounts were in the design of the butt plate with the frame handle and trigger lever, the absence of sights, and fire control.

The German army, which did not have a full-time heavy machine gun, willingly used the captured DShK, which received the designation MG.286 (r).

At the end of the Second World War, Sokolov and Korov carried out a significant modernization of the DShK. The changes primarily affected the power supply system. In 1946, a modernized machine gun under the DShKM brand was put into service. The reliability of the system has increased - if at the DShK according to the specifications 0.8% delays were allowed during firing, then at the DShKM this figure was already 0.36%. The DShKM machine gun has become one of the most widespread in the world.

Production

Iran: licensed production at the Defense Industries Organization under the symbol MGD;

PRC: former manufacturer, produced under the Type 54 index;

Pakistan: Manufactured by Pakistan Ordnance Factories as Type 54;

Romania: as of the beginning of 2015, DShKM is produced at the Kudzhirsky Mechanical Plant enterprise (a branch of Romarm) in the city of Kudzhir;

USSR: former manufacturer;

Czechoslovakia: produced under the designation TK vz. 53 (Těžký kulomet vzor 53);

Yugoslavia: former manufacturer

DShK converted into a single-shot sniper rifle

In service

DShKM was or is in service with more than 40 armies of the world, was produced in China (Type 54), is produced in Pakistan, Iran and some other countries. The DShKM machine gun was used as an anti-aircraft gun on Soviet tanks of the post-war period (T-55, T-62) and on armored vehicles (BTR-155). At present, in the Russian Armed Forces, the DShK and DShKM machine guns have been almost completely replaced by the Utyos and Kord heavy machine guns, which are more advanced and modern.

The performance characteristics of the DShK

- Adopted: 1938
- Constructor: Georgy Semyonovich Shpagin, Vasily Alekseevich Degtyarev
- Designed: 1938
- Manufacturer: Tula Arms Plant
– Options: DShKT, DShKM

DShK machine gun weight

- 33.5 kg (body); 157 kg (on a wheeled machine)

DShK machine gun dimensions

– Length, mm: 1625 mm
– Barrel length, mm: 1070 mm

DShK machine gun cartridge

- 12.7 × 108 mm

DShK machine gun caliber

DShK machine gun rate of fire

- 600-1200 shots / min (anti-aircraft mode)

DShK machine gun bullet speed

— 840-860 m/s

Sighting range of the DShK machine gun

– 3500 meters

Work principles: removal of powder gases
Gate: sliding lugs locking
Type of ammunition: cartridge belt for 50 rounds
Aim: open/optical

Photo DShK

Anti-aircraft machine gun DShKM on the T-55 tank

Anti-aircraft installation (three 12.7-mm DShK machine guns) in the center of Moscow, on Sverdlov Square (now Teatralnaya). The Metropol Hotel is visible in the background.

Crew members of the torpedo boat TK-684 of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet pose in front of the aft turret of a 12.7-mm DShK machine gun

Anti-aircraft gunners of the armored train "Zheleznyakov" (armored train No. 5 of the Coastal Defense of Sevastopol) with 12.7-mm DShK heavy machine guns (machine guns mounted on naval bollards). 76.2-mm guns of 34-K ship turrets are visible in the background

The Dnieper is being crossed. The calculation of the DShK heavy machine gun supports those crossing with fire. November 1943

Soviet tankers of the 62nd Guards Heavy Tank Regiment in a street fight in Danzig. The DShK heavy machine gun mounted on the IS-2 tank is used to destroy enemy soldiers armed with anti-tank grenade launchers

DShK on an armored train, 1941

Privates of the Luftwaffe near the captured DShK, 1942

DShKM of the Vietnamese army

The crew of Sergeant Fyodor Konoplev fires at aircraft, Leningrad, October 9, 1942.

Please note that this article is about DShK and DShKM. Machine guns have significant design and technical differences, so you should not combine both models into one model. DShK.
Legendary machine gun DShK deciphered as Degtyarev-Shpagin Large-caliber. In the Russian army, a machine gun passes through the GRAU-56-P-42 index. Among Soviet and foreign soldiers is often called " Dushka". The machine gun was designed to use a large-caliber cartridge 12.7x108 mm. The main designers of the machine gun were famous gunsmiths V.A. Degtyarev and G.S. Shpagin. The machine gun was taken as the basis of the machine gun Degtyarev Large-caliber-DK. Shpagin designed a drum tape receiver for a machine gun. Machine gun DShK It was adopted by the Red Army on February 26, 1938. I.N. was adopted as a machine gun machine. Kolesnikov sample 1938. The machine gun is designed to destroy aircraft flying at speeds up to 550-625 km / h (depending on the model of the anti-aircraft machine gun) at a distance of up to 2000-2400 meters and an altitude of 2500 meters. DShK effective as infantry support to fight lightly armored vehicles (armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles), enemy manpower located in various shelters at a distance of up to 3500 meters.

Ammunition for DShK/DShKM.

For firing from a machine gun, a cartridge designed by domestic gunsmiths of 12.7x108 mm caliber (50 caliber) with a shot power of 18.8-19.2 kJ (cartridge for AK 5.45x39 mm-1400 J) is used. The cartridge was created after the appearance of the 12.7x99 mm cartridge adopted by the United States, which is still widely used. Thanks to such energy, the B-32 cartridge for DShK capable of piercing a steel armor plate 20 mm thick at a distance of 750 meters at 20 degrees of plain steel. With such characteristics of the cartridge DShK is capable of delivering effective fire at air targets with enhanced cockpit protection, medium armored vehicles and fortified firing points. When shooting at 100 meters, the dispersion of bullets is 200 mm. Machine gun DShK/DShKM can use about 10 types of 12.7x108 mm cartridges: armor-piercing, incendiary, incendiary-armor-piercing, tandem, explosive, etc.

Automation DShK and DShKM

As in all designs of Degtyarev machine guns (DP-27, RPD, DT / DA, DS-39), the automation works by using part of the powder gases from the barrel bore, and the barrel is locked by lugs ("chip" Degtyarev). The DK machine gun (designed in 1932) was taken as the basis - an enlarged copy of the DP-27 machine gun chambered for a 12.7 mm cartridge with drums for 30 rounds. The DK machine gun turned out to be bulky with a low combat rate of fire. For machine gun DShK Shpagin designed a drum tape feeder. To increase the resource of the machine gun and accuracy when firing, a buffer with a spring was placed in the butt plate of the machine gun, which absorbs the recoil force of the bolt. The machine gun has a rate of fire of 600 rounds per minute, the firing mode is only automatic, bursts, and experienced machine gunners do not interfere with firing one shot at a time. The machine gun has a quick-detachable barrel with transverse fins to improve cooling. The supply of cartridges is carried out using a massive drum with semi-chambers for 6 cartridges, which scrolls machine gun belt with a cartridge. When the cartridge in the belt is against the chamber, the bolt pulls the cartridge out of the belt with forward pressure towards the chamber. Having driven the cartridge into the chamber, the lugs are moved apart with the help of a pin blocking the cartridge, then the striker pierces the primer - a shot occurs. During the shot, part of the gases, just before the bullet takes off, go into the gas outlet and push the piston, which pushes the bolt. During the rollback of the shutter, the lugs are simultaneously shifted to their original position, the sleeve is removed, the mainspring is compressed for a new cycle. During the shift of the reload lever, which is associated with the drum, the drum scrolls for the next shot. The fire is conducted from the rear sear - the cartridge is not in the chamber before the start of the fire. A damper spring is provided in the butt plate of the machine gun to absorb part of the recoil energy, as well as a bolt spring for the operation of automation. The barrel of the machine gun is quick-detachable. The safety of the weapon is provided by a safety lever on the right side of the machine gun. A muzzle brake is provided at the end of the barrel to disperse powder gases in different directions when a cartridge leaves the barrel, which reduces recoil. For reloading the machine gun there is a handle in the back of the machine gun. For firing at air targets, an anti-aircraft sight and shoulder rests were used. To move the machine gun on the march and the battlefield, I.N. Kolesnikov. The Kolesnikov machine was a cart with two wheels for moving it on the march and during the fighting. The machine had a shield for protection against fragments and rifle cartridges. The machine can also be used in addition to infantry use as an anti-aircraft gun. To do this, the armored shield was removed, the tripods were moved apart and the machine gun turned into an anti-aircraft gun. The weight of the machine and the machine gun itself reached 180 kg, this mass is called a disadvantage, but this disadvantage was created intentionally, since the large mass of the machine gun holds the machine gun in place during recoil during firing. So when using a machine gun on an anti-aircraft tripod, it was recommended to press the legs of the machine with sandbags. Perhaps it was worth the designers to create infantry options DShK- a light machine on a bipod with a butt and a pistol grip, perhaps this option was not created, since the troops during the Second World War had a sufficient number of PTRD and PTRS chambered for 14.5 mm. Something similar was created on the basis of DShKM during the civil war in Ukraine in the mid-2010s. Most likely this is due to the lack of weapons, since the NSV "Utes" is better suited for such modernization, since it weighs 9 kg less. Machine gun total weight Weight details DShK and his constituent parts look to the horse of the table. Photo with modernized DShKM can be found at the end of the article. On the modern tanks the machine gun has a collimator sight.

Combat history.

Cause of creation DShK became a new showiness of combat aviation in the early 1930s, which became faster, more powerful, and some aircraft already had bulletproof engine and cockpit protection. At the time of its creation as an anti-aircraft machine gun, the Soviet Army could only oppose the Maxim machine gun and the Maxim quad machine gun and other modifications of 7.62-mm machine guns based on the Maxim machine gun. It was clear that anti-aircraft machine guns chambered for 7.62 mm were not effective enough. In 1932, Degtyarev introduced the first domestic machine gun chambered for 12.7 mm ZhK (Large-caliber Degtyarev), but a machine gun with a capacity of only 30 rounds did not meet the tasks set as an anti-aircraft machine gun. A machine gun was put into service with the Red Army DShK was adopted by the Defense Committee of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR on February 26, 1938 under the designation "12.7-mm heavy machine gun Degtyarev-Shpagin sample 1938-DShK. Mass production was established in 1940-41 at the Kovrov Mechanical Plant. Before the start of the Second World War, about 2000 machine guns were fired DShK. During the war, the Kuibyshev plant was also engaged in the production of a machine gun. The machine gun was produced throughout the Second World War. For the entire time of the Second World War, 9000 machine guns were fired DShK. During the war, torpedo boats, ships, armored trains, armored vehicles, infantry, etc. were armed with machine guns.

The difference between DShK and DShKM

In 1946, the Soviet army adopted DShKM under the index GRAU-56-P-542M. DShKM (Degtyarev Shpagin Large-caliber Upgraded) became deeply modernized DShK. The first 250 DShKMs were handed over to the troops back in February 1945. The work on the creation of the DShKM was carried out by K.I. Sokolov and A.K. Cows.
According to the author of the article DShK and DShKM can be called different machine guns, as they have significant technical differences in machine gun automation and its production. Also in terms of the number of machine guns fired. So DShK was produced until 1945 in the USSR and was not in service with other countries of the world, approximately 9000 pieces were produced. Unlike DShK DShKM was / is in service with more than 40 countries of the world, and the number of machine guns produced DShKM possibly overcame the bar of 1 million pieces and continues to be produced in 6 countries of the world.
At DShK stem is connected to receiver through a threaded connection, and DShKM castle turn. The lugs mechanism has design differences, so DShKM the shot will not fire until the lugs are extended. The presence of a buffer spring in the butt plate DShK, and at DShKM shutter roller brake. Tape drum feeder DShK from left to right, and DShKM sliding feeder with universal tape feed. muzzle brake at DShK and DShKM outwardly different. For food DShK tapes of 50 rounds are used with direct supply of a cartridge from the tape into the chamber, and DShKM the tape consists of links of 10 cartridges and digs into the edge of the cartridge. Same way interesting point why modernized DShK in its abbreviation has the letter " W", because Shpagin's belt feeder was abolished and it has nothing to do with the new machine gun.

Combat use.

DShK It was used as an anti-aircraft machine gun for tanks and self-propelled guns, they were armed with various combat and auxiliary vessels. The machine gun was in service with all armored trains, protected the sky from enemy aircraft near strategic objects. On the base DShK quad and twin anti-aircraft machine guns were created.
During the Second World War, the combat crew of the machine gun consisted of 3-4 fighters: the commander, the shooter, an additional 1-2 fighter for the tray and transportation of the machine gun. Often machine guns DShK worked in groups in various groups, so the commanders of the calculations had to know by heart the calculation tables (ranges, speeds, altitudes, corrections) for firing at ground and air targets.
For its history DSh/DShKM adopted practically in all military conflicts after WWII. Fought in Vietnam against aircraft and US Army soldiers. In Afghanistan, it was used by the Mujahideen against helicopters, aircraft, armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles Soviet troops. During the Chechen campaign in 1995, it was used by the Russian army and militants of the unrecognized Republic of Ichkeria. It was actively used during the civil war in Ukraine in 2014-2016 on both sides of the conflict. Actively used on the "cart" (a pickup truck with a machine gun DShK or KPVT) during military conflicts in different countries Peace.
Recently, the machine gun has become popular as a machine-gun "cart", the machine gun has become very mobile, a large amount of ammunition can be immediately messed around in the "cart", and the turret welded to the car significantly dampens recoil, which increases accuracy when shooting. The machine gun proved to be very effective for dagger fire on various light armored vehicles of the enemy, especially in the lateral projection, since most light armored vehicles are designed for side protection against 7.62 mm cartridges. The machine gun is often used against enemy manpower at long range, even if the targets are behind various covers. DShKM capable of destroying field bunkers, able to break through walls, fences made of brick and concrete. It poses a threat to military helicopters with armor protection.

Conclusion

Despite his honorable age of 70 years DShK/DShKM continues to be in service with more than 40 countries of the world, is currently being produced in 4 countries of the world. The machine gun managed to visit almost all military conflicts after WWII, which indicates its combat effectiveness and reliability. Historically, it turned out that the machine gun DShK and DShKM in all information sources they call DShK, but in practice these are technically different machine guns. Currently being replaced DShKM came machine guns 12.7-mm "Utes" and "Kord". The combat history of the machine gun will not end soon, and we will often see its silhouette in various news from military conflict zones.

Modifications DShK / DShKM
1. DShKT / DShKMT-machine guns mounted on armored vehicles
2. DShKM-2B-coaxial anti-aircraft machine gun DShK mounted in a bulletproof tower on armored boats and ships.
3. MTU-2 coaxial machine gun DShK on a turret for use on ships.
4. DShKM-4 anti-aircraft version of the quad machine gun DShKM.
5. P-2K machine gun DShK installed in the mine of a submarine. Raised when the submarine surfaced.

The DShK heavy machine gun was created in the USSR even before the start of World War II. Despite its venerable age, this weapon turned out to be so effective that it is still used in the armies of dozens of countries around the world.

Having gone through the Second World War from beginning to end, the DShK participated in almost all subsequent military conflicts in the world. Having shown his outstanding qualities during the Second World War, he brilliantly demonstrated them during the war in Afghanistan. The last use of this assault machine gun was recorded during Syrian war and conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Development of the first heavy machine gun in the USSR

After the USSR ended Civil War, the leadership of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army faced the question of creating a heavy machine gun, since this weapon niche was completely empty. The designers were given the task of creating a powerful machine gun of 12-20 mm caliber. Starting in 1925, the 12.7 mm cartridge was chosen as the main caliber. First attempts Soviet designers cannot be called successful, since until 1931 none of the presented models could pass the tests.

Only at the beginning of 1931, the commission received two samples of heavy machine guns that deserved attention:

• Dreyse machine gun;
• Machine gun system Degtyarev.

The German machine gun showed itself not in the best way, besides, it was difficult to manufacture, so it was decided to abandon its copying and production. Weapons from Degtyarev proved to be more technologically advanced, so already in 1932 the first attempt was made to start mass production of these weapons. A year later, the designers managed to create 12 samples of such machine guns, but already in 1934 production was almost curtailed. The Degtyarev machine gun in the army showed itself not in the best way. It would seem that the fate of the DK machine gun, which stands for "Large-caliber Degtyarev", is a foregone conclusion.

The second birth of the Degtyarev machine gun

Military tests showed that the new weapon was completely unsuitable for combating high-speed targets, and it was supposed to be used as an anti-aircraft machine gun. The weapon had the following disadvantages:

• Extremely low rate of fire;
• Great weight;
• Heavy and uncomfortable ammo magazines.

In 1935, a decree was issued to stop the production of new weapons. It was possible to revive the machine gun thanks to the talented Soviet designer-gunsmith Shpagin, who became interested in promising development. He was able to invent a new tape feed mechanism in 1937. The following year, a new machine gun, called DShK (Degtyarev-Shpagin large-caliber), was successfully tested, and in 1939 its mass production began.

Weapon features

The DShK machine gun has the following design features:

• Automation works according to the standard scheme due to powder gases. A feature of the system is the presence of three holes in the gas chamber. Due to the regulator, it was possible to adjust the amount of powder gases, setting up the operation of the automatic weapons;
• The machine gun barrel received ribs along its entire length, they were intended to prevent overheating. The muzzle of the weapon received a specific muzzle brake in the form of a parachute. After some time, the muzzle brake became flat;
• The machine gun barrel channel was securely locked due to the lugs, the design feature of which was that they were bred in different directions;
• The gas piston rod was equipped with a return spring. Due to the spring shock absorbers, which were located in the butt plate of the machine gun, it was possible not only to significantly reduce the recoil, but also to significantly increase the resource of the weapon. In addition, these shock absorbers played another important role - they accelerated the reverse movement of the bolt carrier. It was thanks to this design feature that the rate of fire was significantly increased.

Since the new machine gun "jumped" a lot due to the peculiarities of its design, it was soon equipped with a special device that dampened the rebound.

Features of shooting from DShK and reloading weapons

The handle for reloading the weapon has a rigid hitch with the bolt frame. interacts with the frame special mechanism reloading the system, although if you insert a cartridge with a cartridge case head, you can completely do without it. The DShK machine gun is capable of firing only in automatic mode. For safe handling of weapons, the design provides for a flag-type fuse, when placed on which the trigger is completely blocked.

The firing principle is implemented as follows:

1. The shutter stops, coming close to the breech breech. The shutter frame continues its movement;
2. Due to the thickening on the drummer, a platoon of lugs occurs. They go into recesses that are specially designed for this;
3. The barrel is locked, but the bolt carrier continues to move forward. The drummer of the frame hits the striker;
4. When the bolt frame moves back, the bolt is unlocked.

Features of the ammunition supply of a heavy machine gun

Ammunition DShK comes from a metal link tape on the left side of the weapon. For ease of use, the tape is folded into a special metal container, which is attached directly to the machine gun mount. The drum receiver of the tape on the machine gun works due to the handle of the bolt carrier. The feeder lever is equipped with a special “dog”, which turned the receiver drum 60 degrees. Due to this, the cartridge belt was stretched.

As for the ammunition that was used on the DShK machine gun, they had the widest range of names, ranging from armor-piercing to incendiary.

Sights DShK

Until 1938, a simple folding frame sight was installed on the machine gun. Its main purpose was to shoot at enemy manpower and lightly armored ground equipment. Other types of sights appeared later:

• In 1938, an annular anti-aircraft sight was installed on the DShK. With its help, it was possible to shoot at enemy aircraft located at a distance of up to 2,400 meters. At the same time, the target speed should not exceed 500 km / h;
• In 1941, the anti-aircraft sighting device underwent modernization, which greatly simplified it. Now the fire could be fired at targets whose speed could be 625 km / h. The distance to the target decreased to 1,800 meters, but in fact, effective shooting was carried out at distances not exceeding 1,500 meters, therefore this characteristic changed nothing;
• Since during the Second World War the DShK was most often used as a weapon to fight enemy aircraft, a new type of anti-aircraft sight appeared in 1943. The new device helped to conduct effective fire on enemy aircraft even during their dive.

Soon, on the basis of the DShK machine gun, they tried to make a special anti-aircraft machine gun.

Anti-aircraft version of the DShK

As a specialized weapon designed specifically for combating aircraft, the machine gun proved to be not a very convenient weapon. Although its power was more than enough, the anti-aircraft machine was of a very imperfect type. His stability left much to be desired. It is for this reason that the designers of the Second World War tried to develop new anti-aircraft machines for the DShK.

Among these developments came across convenient and functional devices, but their design turned out to be too complicated for mass production during the war. That is why at the front there were often handicraft works of local Kulibins, which were not inferior to factory prototypes, often even surpassing them. Twin machine guns were especially popular.

Sometimes there were installations made of three or four machine guns, but due to their weight they were only suitable as a defense weapon.

Production of DShK and its combat use

Large-caliber machine guns began to massively enter the USSR army from 1940. Although the annual plans for the production of this machine gun did not exceed 1,000 in 1940 and 4,000 in 1941, a completely strange picture was observed in production. In 1940, only 566 pieces were produced. Although next year machine guns were supposed to be produced 4 times more than planned in 1940, in fact the plant managed to give the army only 234 machine guns.

With the outbreak of the war, the production of weapons accelerated significantly, since severe reprisals were expected for failure to fulfill the plans of all factory workers. In 1942, 7,400 machine guns were produced, and in the next two years, 15,000 each.

For what purposes were machine guns used during WWII?

Since there were quite a few machine guns during the Second World War, they were used mainly against enemy aircraft. Although in the first year of the war German troops often used light armored vehicles, which the DShK perfectly pierced. There were also frequent cases when they were handed over to infantry fighting against tanks, so this machine gun was used in the first war years as follows:

• Most were with anti-aircraft gunners;
• The anti-tank units had quite a lot of machine guns;
• The minimum number was in simple infantry.

AT last years During the war, weapons began to be very actively used in urban battles, since a powerful machine gun easily pierced various shelters. It was possible to escape from the fire only in a concrete fortification. As for brick houses, such walls did not always save from destructive fire.

In the second half of the Second World War, the machine gun began to be actively installed on domestic armored vehicles. And often it was a personal initiative of the crew. First production tanks with a DShK turret began to appear only in 1944. Unlike the United States, where the production of machine guns for armored vehicles was put on stream, the Soviet army experienced a huge shortage of these weapons. That is why Lend-Lease deliveries included a large number of large caliber machine guns.

Basic performance characteristics of weapons

The DShK machine gun has the following performance characteristics:

• Weapon caliber - 12.7 mm;
• The weight was 33.4 kg, and the weight of the ammunition load was not included in it. Together with the machine, the weight could reach up to 150 kg. It is clear that with such a weight, it is very difficult to call a weapon mobile, but it was perfect for defense. For Soviet armored vehicles this weapon also suited perfectly;
• The length of the weapon is 1,626 mm, of which 1,070 mm fell on the barrel;
• The rate of fire could be as high as 600 rounds per minute, although about 125 rounds per minute were most commonly fired in combat;
• The actual range of the shot was 2,000 meters, although theoretically it could shoot at 3,500 meters;
• The bullets could penetrate armor 16 mm thick. In this case, the distance to the target was supposed to be about 500 meters.

The cartridges were placed in iron bands, which contained 50 cartridges. Since the design of the machine gun is quite simple, disassembly and cleaning is not difficult.