Belts for AK. Practice of use

This review describes the practice of using and applying belts for a Kalashnikov assault rifle during their intensive use.

Introduction:

The Shooting Manuals, developed back in Soviet times, do not fully take into account the requirements and ease of use of a machine gun belt for a serviceman.

Standard practice for using a belt according to NSD:

To be honest, holding a machine gun like this while crawling on your belly is not clear to me. When crawling, it is best to throw the machine gun on a belt behind your back or hold it in your hands, and crawling on your bellies in this way is very wrong because it leaves a lot of marks) but this is already lyric) Again, the machine gun is in this position (I’m still talking about Figure 55 ) is quite unstable and dangerous for injuries - to shine a front sight into your eye, and even successfully push the butt with your knee, and complete happiness. Unfortunately, “Manuals” and “Charters” in the RF Armed Forces are written by officers from high level staff culture, but lacking sufficient practical experience. To write such instructions, you don’t need to sit in an office, but wander around the garrisons and go from platoon commander to battalion commander. Then the practical component, safety precautions, and combat realities will be taken into account. Otherwise, the Instructions become the same abstraction as the concepts of “ideal liquid” or “ ideal gas"in physics.

VC. (resource expert, GRU special forces veteran):

In this situation, with a long line, the machine gun tends to lift up the barrel, which is dangerous for the surrounding comrades leading the battle; I personally almost became a victim of such a handsome guy.

VC. (resource expert, GRU special forces veteran):

Incorrectly holding the machine gun by the magazine - in the heat of battle, the magazine can be unfastened by accident. And the machine is not at all stable in this position.

VC. (resource expert, GRU special forces veteran):

Rembas in films and natives of the Caucasus, who usually shoot into the white light like a pretty penny, effectively shoot from this position.

Using an AK without a belt:

ak (vrazvedka.ru)
It's not more convenient without it. Without a belt, the weapon is simply constantly in the hands, and not on the neck, on the shoulder, or behind the back. Thus, a weapon without a belt is constantly ready to open fire when moving. This is the basis for the practice of carrying weapons without a belt. As far as I know, this practice takes place in the British SAS and some other special forces. Personally, I think that this is still an excess! There are a number of cases (an unexpected fall from a slope, an explosion, crossing rivers, carrying a wounded person, climbing/descending a rope, working with a short barrel, throwing a grenade) when a weapon without a belt will be thrown, dropped, put down, or even lost. For example, once two of us flew down a hill along a steep slope, so a VSSnik, even with a belt hanging around his neck, managed to lose it while falling; they then looked for it for more than an hour, climbing this slope, lowering the rope. But this was on a combat mission. No, I would never remove the belt from my weapon; in my opinion, holding a weapon in your hands is simply a matter of self-discipline and training.

Djuric (vrazvedka.ru, veteran of the Bosnian War in Yugoslavia, veteran of the RDO "White Wolves")

Guys, I'll just give my reasons why I mostly carried the AK without a belt. In Bosnia, in the mountains there is very dense bush, just a jungle. You have to wade through them, and the straps have a bad habit of catching on branches, don't they, mountain people? But you don’t walk much on the paths, mines! In our squad, only two were left without legs because of them. Ak correctly wrote that when you constantly carry an AK in your hands, you get used to it as if it were your own. And the automation, so to speak, is always at hand! In constant combat readiness! But I didn’t throw away the belt either, when I had to, that’s when I wore it.

Use in existing realities:

Transferring the rear swivel mount to the opposite side (similar to the type of swivel mount on the AK 100 series, AK74M and AKS74 assault rifles) on assault rifles with a wooden stock:

Using only the rear swivel to attach the sling:

Using an AK stock neck instead of a rear sling swivel to attach a sling:

The AK strap position behind the head can be used in different ways:

Relax on the belt...

"Work" AK (belt is very low):

Or work with your hand, maintaining the position of the machine gun and in readiness to open fire:

So that the sagging belt does not interfere with the machine gun in your hands, it is pulled to secure it on the butt:

And to prevent the metal parts of the carbine from “clattering” against the machine gun’s swivel, the carbine is wrapped with tape/duct tape/plaster:

There is a practice of using the so-called. "three-point" belts:

Members of illegal armed gangs on the territory of the Chechen Republic were great originals and went the furthest... Attaching an AK belt to the gas outlet pipe (for the entire unit)...:

The use of a bracket for attaching a butt stock instead of a rear swivel when attaching a belt did not help members of illegal armed gangs on the territory of the Chechen Republic operate effectively, as illustrated by:

The use of a machine gun and a belt for it as a spacer, as a basis for shelter during a “day” at combat exits (photo 668 OSN (422 RGSPn) 1988 Afghanistan):

Good day to all.

The idea was born to write an extensive series of articles “about everything”. I want to say right away that these articles do not claim to be the ultimate truth. Everything is individual, only what is most acceptable to me is collected and presented here.
One more disclaimer: everything described here is not my personal work. Something has been read somewhere, tested and used, something has been taught by comrades, something is truly a product of one’s own thoughts, trial and error. The latter will not stand alone, but will be served along with all the items.
Why am I doing this?
So that everyone who needs information on relevant topics can quickly and easily find it in one place.
Not everyone has comrades in law enforcement agencies who can advise and tell them what they are being taught (and not everything can be told), so the main source of knowledge is the Internet. Personally, I don’t think this is shameful, since on the Internet it often turns out to be from primary sources, from some books, etc., however, you shouldn’t think that after reading articles and watching enough videos from the Internet, you will become cooler than any egg.
However, due to the well-known events that occurred with our armed forces in the 90s, the literature available to the general public is very old, written in the USSR. It is not incorrect, but many of the things described and stated there have become obsolete many years ago.
I hope that this series will be useful to someone.

We can talk endlessly about weapons.
Serious units choose it for the task, additional equipment is also selected for the task, but we are not cool if we get our hands on any assault rifle, then most likely it will be an AK.
To begin with, you need to clearly understand that in addition to the AK, ideally it would be nice to have a pistol and, of course, a knife, but these are separate points.

Kalashnikov assault rifle.

Generally speaking, this is a reliable weapon with lame accuracy and disgusting ergonomics. Cheap, with decent weight, angular, rough, requiring certain dexterity and skills for quick and effective use.
In modern conditions, jambs are eliminated by purchasing the so-called. “body kit”, but this means money and additional weight, again, not everyone is comfortable.
Despite all these disadvantages, for me the AK has become quite convenient and practical.

Safety precautions (TB).

A sore subject, despite the fact that everything is simple.
As soon as you decide that you will master any weapon (and it doesn’t matter whether it’s pneumatic or combat), then you need to thoroughly master TB.

The main points that I would highlight:
1. ALWAYS treat the weapon as if it is loaded.
2. NEVER point a weapon where you do not intend to shoot.
3. NEVER touch the trigger with your finger until you have clearly decided to shoot.
4. ALWAYS double check that your weapon is unloaded.
5. If I don’t see, I don’t shoot.
6. You should wear glasses on your eyes.
7. This item is separate, specifically for AK. GLOVES. They are categorically necessary when working with it. Fingers sometimes bleed on the sharp edges of the legendary machine gun.

How to wear and hold.

There are a lot of options here. We considered that it is optimal to hold the machine gun with your left hand closer to the muzzle of the barrel (within reasonable limits, there is no need to grab the barrel), because in this way the inertia when turning the barrel is reduced and the weapon becomes more sharply and clearly on the target.
The right hand NEVER (I think everyone understands that there is no need to glue it there) is NEVER removed from the pistol grip. To do this, it is necessary to attach all instruments and accessories (PTT button, hydration hose, helmet light, etc.) under left hand.
The butt is installed closer to the collarbone.
You cannot “fold” and “squeeze” into the weapon, as this deprives you of mobility.

The elbows should not be moved to the sides, but they should not be pressed into the body either, for the same reason of deprivation of mobility.

The barrel of the weapon ALWAYS points in the same direction as the shooter. It should not be that you are looking to the right and the barrel to the left.

Carrying options should be divided into several sections, according to situations.

1. Marching (marching) position.

This is not a statutory method of carrying on the right shoulder. It makes sense to forget about this altogether.

The weapon is worn on the chest, within maximum reach, but at the same time comfortable.
The fuse MUST be on. The finger is either along the receiver or under the trigger.
If you have a simple two-point belt, then you need to stretch it so that the butt of the machine gun is under your shoulder. This will allow you to raise your weapon as quickly as possible.

One more condition is mandatory: when putting on a machine gun belt, you need to put your LEFT hand into it, and not your right hand (as is usually done). Try both options. Try to throw a weapon out of them - the difference is obvious.

Right:


Wrong:

If you walk for a long time, sooner or later your neck and shoulder begin to ache. We are not terminators, so I want to talk about a method that will help make life easier without losing combat effectiveness.
We place the machine gun in the crook of the left arm. With our right hand we support the machine from below, under the magazine, placing thumb on the fuse. The butt is placed in the crook of the right arm.
This creates a stable mobile design that allows you to relieve the neck and shoulders, but at the same time leave the weapon in the maximum access zone.
Availability of straight front handles big size may interfere with this method, but if you want you can adapt (I managed).

UNDER NO EVENT should you put a machine gun magazine into your belt (this is not a pun, such individuals are real).

2. Combat ready position.
Let's call it this way.
Situation in which it is used:
You are in the zone of a likely meeting with the enemy, but this moment you don't see him.
Again, we are not terminators, and we cannot constantly keep our weapons raised to our shoulders, like in cool action films. And there is little point in this, it will only make your muscles tired.

Therefore, I propose the following:
The machine gun is removed from the safety, the finger is under the trigger, or on the receiver.
The butt is pinched in the right armpit.
The left hand is in a comfortable, predetermined position on the fore-end.
In this way, a comfortable position is achieved, from which it is not difficult to bring the weapon into a state of combat readiness.

3. Combat position.

The situation in which it is used is obvious: direct contact with the enemy, or its maximum probability, visual contact.
The safety is off and your finger is on the trigger.
Then there are two options.

- The most common (we use it).

The butt is near the shoulder, but the barrel is slightly lowered down. This is done in order to ensure the maximum viewing angle without blocking its lower part with the barrel of the weapon.
From the straight line corresponding to the aiming line, the barrel should be lowered 30-45 degrees.

- Israeli version (used mainly in urban areas).
The point here is that you need to have the skill to shoot from the hip and have a strong wrist if possible.
The weapon is held with the right hand below, directed in the same direction as the gaze.
The left hand remains free and serves to dampen speed during sudden dashes, for insurance during falls, etc. (sorry for the terrible grimace under the balclava, there was a strong wind).

This option exists and is widely used. This is usually what is given in short-range combat courses in private companies.

Aiming.

Here, it would seem, everyone knows everything. Combine the rear sight and front sight and everything like that. However, there are cases when soldiers shoot at the front sight, ignoring the rear sight, and hit the bullet catcher, located at a decent height above the ground.
I don’t see the point in talking about such things here (read the simplest shooting manuals), but I will point out one important “trifle”.
Learn to aim with both eyes with conventional iron sights. At first it seems impossible, but over time, if desired, it will turn out to be simple and familiar.
First, aim with one eye, begin to open the other slightly, leaving the rear sight in focus. Then keep both open.
Gradually move on to more difficult ones - aim with both eyes at once.
This is necessary in order not to lose peripheral vision and see what is happening from the side, outside the aiming line.

Belts.

There are a lot of gun belts out there at the moment. They are all different, made for different situations, operating conditions. Some even claim to be universal, but in our group there is a saying: “The universal is the enemy of the special.” And at the moment it justifies itself 200%.
I had to use different belts, the domestic “Dolg M2” belt turned out to be the best for me.

I would also like to say something about the rear swivel on the AK. On modern models it is located on the right so that the butt can be folded. If you don’t have to jump with a parachute, remove it and replace it with a soft swivel made of a sling and a metal half-ring, installing it so that the ring is on the left (where the front swivel is).

There are also swivels that are installed between the pistol grip and the receiver. So you fold the butt and the belt will be on the left. But it's more expensive.

Single point belts.
I also include safety belts built into body armor in this category.
These are the simplest belts that allow you to keep your weapon MAXIMUM ready for battle. They are easy to handle, the weapon is always on the chest, and it is easy to change to a pistol.
In my opinion, there is no better single point in the city, but at the intersection it will only be more difficult.
Three-point belts CANNOT fully replace a single-point belt.

Two-point belts.
The oldest, classic, but still in use.
Everyone is familiar with the Soviet canvas AK sling. Despite all its wretchedness, I like it. Having straight hands can make it very suitable for use.
What did I change in mine?
- I removed the front carabiner (this is probably the main drawback of the belt. They are very rigid and make a lot of noise), replacing it with paracord.
- I wrapped all metal fittings with electrical tape to avoid unnecessary noise.
- Additionally, I put rubber bands on the metal fittings (the same ones under which excess slings on equipment are removed), all with the same purpose of removing noise.
Let me remind you once again how to adjust the two-point belt:
The butt should be under the shoulder.
This type of belt is convenient to use on long weapons (machine guns, sniper rifles, etc.).

Three-point belts.

It seems to me that now they are considered almost a panacea and the height of universality.
Thanks to the variable length, one belt combines several positions: marching, combat, patrol, and they also allow you to carry weapons “biathlon style”. It's practical and convenient. My "Duty M2" is undoubtedly a very good belt. The soft shoulder straps on it help eliminate the fatigue of the neck and shoulders. Very successful model. However, it still will not provide the same ease of handling a weapon as a single-point weapon.

Such belts are optimal for rough terrain and are not bad in the city. They can be considered universal, but with some stretch.

Fuse.

The fuse is a sore subject with AKs. It is far away, it is sharp, and sometimes it is very tight.
There are many ways to remove an AK from the safety.
We tried a lot and chose the most suitable one:

1. The fingers on the hand holding the pistol grip are extended.
2. The wrist is brought forward and upward.
3. Use your middle finger to pull the safety down.

When I showed this method different people, I was told that someone has too short fingers, or a very tight fuse. This is all nonsense. In our group there are people a little over half a meter tall, with rather small hands - everyone succeeds.
A tight fuse is also not a hindrance (with the caveat of wearing gloves). Just recently we received a new AKSU with a VERY tight fuse. Nothing, it can be removed, you just need to put in more effort.

Recharge.

And again a sore subject.
The reset button is located far away, the magazines are curved, with a lot of protruding parts, which causes problems with the magazine getting stuck inside the pouch.
Here again there are a lot of options. They can be divided into 2 types, but before that you need to voice the main condition:
It is NECESSARY to reduce the period of time when the weapon is unloaded as much as possible.
This is achieved by the fact that you first need to take out a full magazine, and not unfasten the empty one. After all, if you first take out a full one, make a replacement, and at that moment a target appears, then throwing an empty magazine and opening fire will not be difficult.
If you first reach for the full one, unfastening the empty one, and at that moment, according to the law of meanness, a threat appears, then there will be nothing to throw, and an unpleasant situation will arise.
Unfortunately, the AK does not have a slide stop, so you have to jerk the shutter every time. There is a trick to avoid this:
Loading the last 3 tracer cartridges into the magazine. I saw the tracer and reloaded. The cartridge is in the chamber, there is no need to juggle the bolt.
You can, of course, count shots, but this is not always possible for obvious reasons.
It also makes sense to go down to the lower level, so as not to stand as a good target with an empty weapon, while you MUST watch the dangerous direction. You can't look at the weapon.

So, the types of reload:

- With the loss of a spent magazine.

It's simple here:
They took out the full one, knocked out the empty one, strapped it on, and pulled the bolt.

- With the preservation of the shot magazine.

This is somewhat more complicated, the method is slower, but wasting materiel is the lot of Hollywood action films.

As already said, main principle— first get a full magazine.

Step by step:

1. Go down.
2. Take out a full magazine and bring it to the empty one.
3. Grasp both magazines and replace.
4. Tighten the shutter (if necessary).
5. Remove empty magazine.

Body kit.
Everyone's favorite topic.
Everyone wants to make their weapon cooler, but not everyone understands that this does not always make sense.
It’s worth starting with the fact that before purchasing additional equipment, you need to learn how to work with a “naked” machine. It is possible that it will turn out to be absolutely unnecessary for you, and you will save your wallet.
If you have already come to the conclusion that your AK could use something else, then read on.

Forend.

Initially, the AK has a simple plastic (or wooden, depending on the model) handguard without any hint of picatinny rails.
There are a LOT of models, they are all different in price and ergonomics, so it’s quite difficult to choose.
I believe that any gadget that you decide to put on an AK should be MAXIMUM light, because the machine itself is quite weighty.
Therefore, preference should be given to plastic (for example, MVRI), or metal lightweight with cutouts and holes.
The main thing that is really needed on the forend is the bottom bar for installing the front handle. It is not necessary to have side rails along the entire length of the forend. Small areas are enough, which are enough to install a flashlight, laser, etc. These requirements are fully met by the already mentioned MVRI forend.

Butts.

The standard AK stock is quite narrow and short, which is a problem, but only at first and not for everyone. It’s better to keep silent about AK skeleton stocks with “C” indices.
I have had the opportunity to use a telescopic stock on an AK. This is indeed very convenient and practical, but on the other hand it is seriously burdensome. My choice was made in favor of lightness.
If you decide to purchase a buttstock, then take a wide one with a soft butt plate, with a comfortable cheek piece, and a plastic one. I like the Magpul stock.

Front handles.

At the moment, the handles are placed larger so that there is a stop that will help you quickly find a comfortable hand position on the forend. An AK is not a Tommy gun, and we are not brave mafia guys to fire from the hip while holding it by the vertical handle.
There is a serious problem that limits the choice of grip for those who place it quite close to the magazine (this is especially noticeable on AK caliber 7.62). Due to the bending of the magazine, when reloading, it sticks into the handle and, as a result, there is a delay. Therefore, you should choose short, compact handles. I like the company's products Magpul, Zenit

There are a lot of handles with built-in bipods. I had occasion to use the American one, in which they are fired from below. I didn’t understand the meaning of such crap on AK. But again, to each his own.

Separately, I want to install an inclined handle Magpul. After some time, having tried several absolutely different options, I settled on her. For me personally, this is the most convenient of all the models I have ever used. With it, the machine becomes very usable and convenient.

Pistol grips.
The standard handle on an AK is very narrow and uncomfortable (in my opinion).
Therefore, it is advisable to replace it with a more comfortable and wider one.
I am an opponent of anatomical handles with finger grooves, because if you buy one on the Internet, you cannot be 100% sure that it will fit your hand.
It is best to buy plastic handles, with a notch, or with a rubber coating.

Lanterns.
A flashlight is undoubtedly a necessary thing. But not always, so this option didn’t catch on with me. I used it quite rarely, only in urban conditions, or on patrol at night.
The main requirement for a flashlight for me is length. It should not be huge, extending beyond the fore-end.
An external control button mounted on the pistol grip under the thumb will also not be superfluous - it’s convenient.
It is necessary that the flashlight has a strobe function. It is very useful indoors, it dazzles at once.
I don’t see the point in talking much about power, everyone decides for themselves, but personally, 1100 lumens is enough for me.
Changing focus is also a very useful feature.

DTK, mufflers.
There are DTKs that reduce the recoil of a shot to nothing. Unfortunately, you have to search for this by trial and error, something suits everyone differently (for example, there are people who are satisfied with the DTK TsSN, but at 7.62 it turned out to be nasty for us).

Silencers are necessary for head patrols. Often these are PBSs at 7.62.

Underbarrel grenade launchers.
In the RG, the phenomenon is frequent, the fire capabilities are seriously increased, but the machine gun experiences serious loads during use and, as a result, “breaks.”

Sights.
In rough terrain, in my opinion, only scopes with magnification make sense. This is either a domestic collimator “Nit”, or some other samples (for example ACOG) . Holographic sights with a magnifer are heavy and cumbersome.
In urban conditions, in fast-paced combat, holographic sights are good helpers, as they allow you to quickly aim with both eyes, without any training.
In my opinion, open sights are the best (the most common are Eotech ).
Night sights, of course, are an extremely necessary thing.

"Crisis Pouch."
This is the name of the pouch located on the butt of the machine gun. It serves to place an additional magazine, or some additional equipment (for example, an extra IPP).
I had to use such a device and was not particularly delighted, although they say that it does not interfere at all.

Other little things.

Shutter levers.
The standard bolt lever on an AK can be awkward, but there are many attachments available to solve this problem.

Store guides.
It does exist, but in my opinion it is absolutely useless.

Overlays for the safety, allowing you to quickly remove the AK from the safety with your index finger.

PHOTO
Overlays for the magazine reset button.

Anti-dirt pads for picatinny rails.
If there is any free space left, it is better to cover it with these wonderful trinkets. They are cheap, but the benefits are obvious.

With this I consider the first part of my series completed.
Questions can be written in the comments, or in a private message on VK.

Wearing and making

The most striking drawback is the inability to properly carry a weapon and quickly prepare it for battle. The commonly used methods of carrying weapons do not allow one to quickly prepare for battle when an armed enemy suddenly appears at close range. I will give two cases that characterize similar situations that occurred in Grozny. The mortar battery was located on the flat roof of the house and fired at the positions of the militants. Two soldiers went down to the courtyard of the house to the well for water. They carried buckets in their hands, and the machine guns were in the “behind their back” position. Militants suddenly entered the courtyard of the house, pointed guns at the soldiers, disarmed them and took them prisoner. The soldiers were unable to use their weapons.
Second case. During the period of pacification and dual power in Grozny, an officer of the commandant’s office photographed the burial of Russian soldiers. His hands were busy with equipment, the machine gun was hanging on his right shoulder with the barrel down, the pistol was on his right side in a holster. Two militants approached from both sides, threatening with weapons, disarmed and took prisoner. And such cases occur quite often in military conflict zones. Soldiers and officers find themselves unprepared for sudden encounters with the enemy and do not have time to use their weapons.
I would like to suggest some ways to carry and use standard small arms, allowing you to position them comfortably while having your hands free. And, at the same time, these methods allow you to quickly prepare for battle and repel an enemy attack.
1. On the left shoulder - this is an old hunting method. To prevent the machine from slipping, it is necessary to properly fit the weapon belt. This method allows you to quickly prepare for battle, but if the enemy is close and a hand-to-hand fight awaits, this position of the weapon interferes. In this case, you should remove the belt from your shoulder and drop the machine gun on the ground.
2. On the chest - the belt is thrown over the neck, the machine gun hangs with the barrel down. This method is more convenient and allows you to quickly prepare for battle. This position of the machine gun does not interfere with hand-to-hand combat, it makes it possible to freely strike with hands and feet, grapple, fall and roll.
In addition, machine guns can block enemy blows and inflict strong blows butt and magazine. With this method of carrying a machine gun, the gun belt should be released quite firmly so that the butt is slightly below the right shoulder.
3. When marching in armored vehicles, the landing force is usually located on top of the armor. Typically, paratroopers sit with one leg down in the open hatch, and the other kept on top of the armor. From this position it is easy to “go down” into the hatch if shelling starts, and it is easy to jump from the vehicle to the ground if the vehicle is blown up by a mine or hit by an anti-tank grenade. In this case, the weapon is usually held in the hands, and the machine gun greatly interferes when diving into a hatch, and is also easily lost if the paratroopers are thrown off the armor by an explosion or sudden braking. To prevent this from happening, you should loosen the gun belt and put it over your head; the machine gun is located on the body with the barrel up. At the same time, the machine gun is located quite conveniently, does not interfere with jumping from the car and quickly aims at the target.
4. Both military personnel and police officers often have to serve at checkpoints, checkpoints, and traffic police posts. The nature of the service at these facilities requires a long stay at the post, and it is necessary to have free hands to give signals and to check documents, inspect cars and search people. The weapon must be in a position that allows its rapid use, and at the same time, the people being tested must not be able to block the use of the weapon. Typically, traffic police officers place the machine gun on the right side. Machine guns cannot be thrown to the shoulder from this position; you can only shoot from the belt and without aiming. And if the guard is dressed in winter clothes, then the machine gun becomes an extra weight that hinders movement. For a more convenient location of the machine gun, you should unhook the belt from the receiver swivel and hook its carbine to the butt swivel, forming a loop. This loop is customizable and fits over the shoulder and back. The machine gun with the butt folded down is located under the right shoulder and can be easily thrown with one hand. When conducting a check, I recommend putting your left foot forward half a step, turning your body with your left side forward so that the machine gun is furthest away from those being tested and they cannot grab it.
Shooting
The technical rate of fire of the AK-74 is very high. A thirty-round magazine is fired in one burst in 3 seconds, a 45-round magazine in 4.5 seconds. Therefore, experienced shooters in battle put the safety on for single fire and shoot with frequent shots, refining the aim after each shot. The rate of fire remains quite high, and the accuracy becomes much higher compared to burst fire. To illustrate the disadvantages of shooting in long bursts, I will give the following example.
When the 81st Motorized Rifle Regiment was surrounded in Grozny in January 1995, some of the personnel took up defensive positions in the station building. Chechen militants who were shelling the station ran up to the building and jumped into the window openings. Having let them out into the building, standing on the windowsill, they fired a magazine in one burst, jumped back onto the street, changed the magazine and again, jumping out of the window, shot inside the building without much harm to the defenders. Our soldiers fired intensely at these jack-in-the-boxes, but also without much success.
However, in some situations, shooting in long bursts is preferable. These are cases when several armed opponents appear at once in front of the scout at close range. For example, the reconnaissance group conducted a search in the area of ​​the village of Chechen-Aul. One of the forward reconnaissance patrols suddenly came out from the rear to a trench in which there were 4 militants. The militants had not yet seen the scout, but could turn around at any moment. The scout crossed out the trench with a burst, releasing the entire magazine, and hit all the militants. In such cases, there is no time to aim.
But you can roughly aim at the barrel of the machine gun, and not at the front and rear sights. The AK-74 assault rifle points to the right and up when firing in bursts. Therefore, it is advisable to start shelling from the closest left target.
When conducting combat operations in populated areas, in mountainous and wooded area There is always a high probability of meeting the enemy at close range. In this case, the fighter may need to retreat to the main group or to cover, and there is no one to cover him at this moment. It is inconvenient to run backwards while firing at the enemy, and there is no shooting accuracy whatsoever. A method of firing a machine gun backwards while running, if before this the weapon was held using methods 1 or 2. In this case, the machine gun is fixed quite stably even while running; by moving the butt with your right hand, you can aim approximately left-right and up-down. Although this is not aimed fire, at close range it will force the enemy to seek cover.
What if the target appears at ultra-short distances (one or two steps)? For example, if a patrolman or a patrolman comes close to one militant, skills can help hand-to-hand combat or a knife. What if there is one enemy in front of you and his hands are clutching your machine gun, and behind him there are 2-3 more militants standing one or two steps away? For such cases, it is necessary to have an auxiliary melee weapon (pistol).
If a shooter armed with a machine gun also has a pistol, he can quickly move on to using it. You just need to carry the gun so that it is not conspicuous. I will give two examples to illustrate the usefulness of carrying a concealed pistol. Both cases occurred in the Republic of Tajikistan.
In the first case, at night, an officer, accompanied by one soldier, returned to a strong point after checking the posts. Both were armed with machine guns (the officer had the machine gun hanging on his chest, the soldier had it on his shoulder). The officer, in addition, had a pistol with a cartridge chambered in the barrel, with the safety on, which he tucked on the right side under “belt A” (in the army this belt is also called a bib or bra).
Already upon approaching the strong point, two Islamist militants armed with machine guns came out to meet our servicemen. One militant stood opposite the officer and started a conversation on the topic: “Where are you coming from, why did you go?” The second one moved to the side and ended up on the side. At this time, the soldier also moved to the side, as if hiding behind the officer, and prepared his machine gun for battle. The militant, who was standing to the side, removed the safety of his machine gun (a characteristic click was heard), and another militant rushed to the officer and tried to grab his machine gun. The officer shot him directly through his breastplate, and with a second shot (almost simultaneously with his soldier, who also opened fire), he hit another militant, who was raising his machine gun to his shoulder.
In the second case, two special forces officers entered a small store. They were armed with pistols, which hung openly on their belts in holsters. While the officers were examining the counter, 7 militants entered the store, one of them with a machine gun. One militant ordered to raise his hands up. An attempt to get a weapon with such a location could not go unnoticed and was immediately stopped by a machine gun burst overhead. The militants disarmed the officers, disabled one with a blow to the head with a rifle butt, and jumped out of the store and drove away in their cars. In the first case, carrying a concealed weapon helped destroy the enemy. In the second case, open carrying provoked criminals to seize weapons and did not allow them to successfully use pistols.
Quite often in hot spots you can see “cool” fighters whose machine guns are equipped with magazines linked in pairs. I would like to warn against this method of carrying stores. When shooting, fighters often rest the magazine of the machine gun on the ground. In this case, the lower magazine feeder becomes clogged with dirt, and this causes delays when firing. In a combat situation, you can pay for such a delay with your life.
To everyone who has ever shot from military weapons, the command “UNLOAD, WEAPON IS FOR INSPECTION!” is familiar! And how to discharge the weapon if, for example, a reconnaissance group went to the location of its troops after completing the task. The scouts did not sleep or eat for several days; their fingers were swollen and did not bend because they were frostbitten. And there is no way to line up in one line, to point the weapon in a safe direction, because there are people and equipment around.
In this case, the so-called combat discharge is used. Scouts stand in a circle (to control each other). The machine guns are raised with their barrels up so that the bolts are at eye level. The magazine is detached and placed in the pouch, and the soldiers pull the bolt 5-6 times in a row. If someone forgets to remove the magazine, it will be immediately noticeable, because the bolt will begin to eject cartridges, and they will hit someone in the face. If an accidental shot occurs in this position, the bullet will go vertically upward without causing harm. After such a check, each fighter performs an independent control release and puts the weapon on safety. The magazine is not connected to the weapon, since in a combat situation one quickly develops the habit of connecting the magazine and immediately sending the cartridge into the chamber.
The basic rule in war is to never part with your weapon. As soon as you leave the protected area, do not let go of the weapon, always keep it where it is easy to take it from, so that you are always ready for battle.
In addition to the fact that the commander should have 1-2 magazines with tracer cartridges, it is desirable that each fighter also have one such magazine. This is a store intended as a last resort, to indicate your location or for target designation.
The Kalashnikov magazine mount is inconvenient for quick reloading. It is impossible to detach an empty magazine while simultaneously holding a loaded one with the same hand. Therefore, in a tense battle, do not expect the store to be completely empty. If the magazine is partially empty and there is a pause in the battle, change the magazine and leave the partially used one in reserve. In order not to waste time juggling the bolt when loading, when starting to load the magazine, insert three tracer cartridges first. Then, when you shoot and notice that the tracer bullet has gone through, you will know that there are only two cartridges left. You can shoot again and, having disconnected the empty magazine, replace it with a full one. Since the last cartridge has already been chambered, there is no need to jerk the bolt. An empty magazine is usually thrown on the ground in battle so that it does not interfere and so as not to be confused with full magazines. If necessary, an empty magazine can be thrown at the enemy, simulating a grenade throw to cover reloading. In hand-to-hand combat, you can also throw an empty magazine, aiming at the enemy's face. With a little practice, you can learn to throw a magazine so that its prong hits the enemy’s forehead or temple. If the throw is strong, then the hit incapacitates the enemy.
It is advisable to divide the personnel of the unit not into pairs, but into combat trios, and add one more person to the crews of machine guns, RPGs, AGS. It’s easier for three fighters to interact: if one gets wounded, it’s easier to pull him out from under fire together. If someone has a delay in shooting (due to a malfunction or while reloading), it is easier to cover him with two people. (In this case, the signal “Cover!” is given, the covering person must answer “I’m holding”).
During the fighting in Grozny, we often had to inspect attics, basements and other rooms. Often it was necessary to work in the dark. Domestic night devices, operating on the principle of enhancing the natural illumination of the area, are not suitable for indoor use. During the Great Patriotic War Soviet soldiers used this method. An ordinary electric flashlight was packaged in a piece of rubber cut from a car tire. When inspecting dark rooms or during a battle in a basement, sewer network, tunnel, etc., the fighters turned on these “shockproof” flashlights and threw them towards the expected location of the enemy. Thus, they illuminated the target and were able to conduct aimed fire.
A few words about the NSPU-1 and 2 night sights. It should be taken into account that these devices do not start working immediately after switching on; in cold weather they require 1 to 2 minutes to warm up. But immediately after turning on, the eyepiece of these devices begins to give off a greenish light reflection, giving the shooter away to enemy observers and snipers. Therefore, after turning on the device or taking your eye away from the eyepiece, immediately cover the eyepiece with your palm or make a special shutter for this.
These devices are easily illuminated by open light sources. There was a case when, in the area of ​​​​the village of Komsomolskoye in Chechnya, our reconnaissance group was monitoring a fire near which militants were sitting. The scouts watched for a long time using night instruments, but were unable to discern that behind the fire there was an entire stronghold with fortifications, firing points, significant forces and firepower. The light from the fire illuminated the instrument screens, interfering with observation. As a result, the group opened fire and came under return fire from superior enemy forces.
There are also little tricks when firing from the GP-25 under-barrel grenade launcher. It is inconvenient to press the GP-25 trigger with your right hand; it is located too far away. To make it more convenient to shoot from a grenade launcher, you should rest the pistol grip of the machine gun rather than the butt on your shoulder. This position of the weapon is especially convenient when shooting while lying down. When shooting with mounted fire, the butt of the machine gun should be rested on the ground. In this case, an assistant must insert grenades into the barrel of the GP-25, and the shooter fixes the position of the machine gun, remembers it, and depending on where the flash from the previous shot was, changing the tilt of the barrel, makes adjustments to the shooting. When fighting in the city, do not forget that the GP-25 grenade is cocked 10-20 meters into the flight after the shot. When shooting at the windows of buildings at a shorter distance, the grenades may not explode.
When moving on the battlefield or at the shooting range, shooters usually hold the machine gun at stomach level, pointing the barrel forward. To quickly prepare for shooting and not waste time raising the machine gun to your shoulder, you should move without lifting the butt from your shoulder, while lowering the barrel slightly down. From this position, the shooter is quickly prepared for combat and aimed shooting.
Of course, you can fire from the stomach, but then you can hit the target with the first shots only at very short ranges (5-10 meters). Good shooters, having specially trained in shooting from the stomach, can hit a tall target with their first shots at a distance of 20-50 meters. If the target is located further away, then it can be hit from the stomach only with a significant number of shots (5-10), and then only if the fire is adjusted along the paths or splashes of the soil.

Even with the advent of the first long muskets, it became clear that carrying a weapon in your hands was very inconvenient. And then weapon belts were invented - strips of leather that were attached in a special way to the musket and fixed its position. Much has changed since then - the belts have become different, made of durable polymer materials and a more comfortable design.

This device helps to quickly bring a machine gun, machine gun or rifle into battle. It is worth noting that sometimes a delay of even half a second can become fatal. Take, for example, airsoft, where one moment sometimes decides the outcome of the game. Therefore, a correctly configured and correctly used belt becomes a good assistant to the player.

Sometimes you have to travel long distances. Anyone who has experienced this will confirm that carrying a weapon on a belt is much easier. After all, it can be hung on your shoulder, over your shoulder or even behind your back. At the same time, your hands remain free and do not get tired.

Varieties

These systems have long become one of the parts of hunting and sports equipment, and military uniforms. Belts are attached to the weapon in one, two or three places. In accordance with this, they are divided into three types, which are discussed below.

OR - otherwise, single-point belts

Owners of small weapons (up to a meter long) prefer to buy this type of belt. This simple device can be in the form of a ribbon or a loop. There are also products whose shape is V-shaped and Y-shaped. For attachment to weapons, they are all equipped with one carbine.

The attachment point is the stock neck or the back of the barrel box. Less commonly, the belt is attached close to the butt plate.

After all, the suspension is not very tight, so you should try to place the suspension point higher (on the neck of the butt).

By the way, with this arrangement, the shift between the suspension point and the belt is also reduced when the weapon is thrown onto the other shoulder.

The looped belt is closed by a ring. It is designed to be worn on the shoulder and neck. A straight belt is a piece of sling (sometimes rope) with a carabiner at the end. It is attached to the RPS, unloading or backpack strap. The V-shaped strap attaches to two shoulder straps and allows you to hang the weapon on your back. The Y-shaped belt is similar to the previous one and is equipped with an additional piece of sling (with its help, the height of the suspension can be changed).

To improve the convenience of using belts, there are additional devices:

• So that, if necessary, you can instantly detach (drop) the weapon, a quick release system was invented. It’s easy to implement – ​​use a special buckle with three teeth, which snaps and releases at high speed. It is called fastex.
• The shock absorber is an elastic band in a braided or woven cover.
• Function of quick adjustment of the length of the main part of the belt.

The main disadvantage of a belt that is attached at one point is that you have to constantly monitor the weapon. Let's say the owner of the machine runs and automatically lowers it down. He immediately begins to “revenge” - hitting the legs and torso, getting tangled in the legs. By crouching, you can accidentally lower the trunk, which will bury itself in the ground, becoming clogged with debris. To prevent such incidents from happening, use one of these methods:

1. On the right, where the weapon is worn (for left-handers, respectively, on the left), a clamp is attached to the belt or on clothing in the abdomen area using Velcro.
2. A weapon catcher is fixed in the same place. This way you can instantly attach the weapon to the front swivel.
3. Hunters often use the "waistband holster" method. A low butt pocket made of hard material is attached to the belt. To simplify the design, the pocket can be replaced with a metal hook.

DR - otherwise, point-to-point

This is the oldest type of tactical belt. For example, the classic canvas belt for a Kalashnikov assault rifle is precisely two-point. It hooks onto two swivels.

Alas, with such a device you cannot instantly transfer the weapon to a combat position. You can open fire more or less quickly only if the machine gun or rifle is hanging on one shoulder. But walking for so long is very tiring. So two-point models are gradually going out of use. But not always. For example, for left-handed people the single-point option is inconvenient to use, and the three-point option closes important elements controls or a window where empty cartridges are thrown out.

Two-point slings have two carabiners that attach to the weapon. The front suspension of the PP is made higher on the left, but not very far in front. The classic is the attachment of the rear suspension to the swivel located on the butt. This is convenient when the weapon is carried on one shoulder. However, in Lately many began to wear two-point shoulder straps. In this case, it is better to place the rear suspension high, near the butt plate (so that the machine does not tip over).

Additional features and elements:

• The shoulder strap (hard or soft padded) can be either removable or part of the belt. It often covers knots and loose ends.
• Quick release is carried out by a fastex located near the rear carabiner.
• Quick adjustment of the belt length is made at the front end and is designed for one-handed adjustment.
• The possibility of converting to a single-point belt can be done in several ways: by inserting a half-ring, a ring, a double-slit buckle.

TR - otherwise, three-point

This type of tactical belts is the most popular. Of course, they are free of all the shortcomings of previous models and are suitable for all types of weapons. Such a belt not only secures tightly while crossing terrain, but also allows you to instantly open fire. In this case, the weapon can be easily moved to the other shoulder. And from such a belt you can quickly create a single-point or two-point belt.

It is very convenient to use three-point models with a long rifle, especially if you need to walk with it for a long time.

However, the guide strap prevents the use of three-point harnesses with some weapons. For example, owners of pump-action shotguns cannot use them, since with them, due to the presence of a sling, it is inconvenient to distort the fore-end. The sling also interferes with left-handed people.

A special feature of these models is the presence of a third point for attaching the belt to the weapon. Its position can change (relative to the front and rear swivel):

• It can be rigidly fixed with a fastex at the front - then when the fastex is opened, it will reset to the rear position.
• Or this point is slightly fixed in the middle, in the most convenient place. It can be changed.

As for additional elements and devices, this type of belt usually does not have them - it is already convenient. The only thing that is available on almost all models is the quick reset function.

To protect fingers from possible pinching by mechanisms, as well as from the appearance of calluses, they are used. Among other things, they are able to provide the most reliable and comfortable grip.

The operating principle of a smoke grenade for airsoft, composition, design and application can be found out. Review of all types of airsoft grenades.

Tactical belts Debt - a Russian invention

Vladimir Kharlampov, who is one of the founders of the Tactical Solutions company, has developed a reliable system for carrying weapons. He named his three-point tactical belt “Duty.” Note that both models in our review (Dolg M2 and Debt M3) are patented.

Debt M2

This belt is used in conjunction with machine guns and semi-automatic smoothbore weapons. It is fundamentally different from classic three-point belts - because it does not have a sling. Instead, there are two parts: a pull-up band and a main girth, connected into a ring and covering the shooter's body. It has a three-slit buckle - a pull-up tape attached to the front swivel passes through it. The end of the tape protruding from the buckle serves to move the suspension point.

Detailed video review of the capabilities and installation of the tactical weapon belt Dolg M2 from the creator himself:

There are two positions for carrying weapons: under the arm and on the chest. The belt fits like a glove, but the weapon does not move anywhere. It’s just that the ribbon from the buckle hangs down, which doesn’t look very aesthetically pleasing. And some users complain that it gets caught on branches and other objects. And one more thing: the main girth loop is made of two parts connected by fastex (for quick release). This detail, coupled with several double-slot buckles, ends up at the back and prevents you from wearing the belt behind your back - it’s inconvenient.

However, these shortcomings are not so significant. But this system gives the weapon owner complete freedom and comfort, and the speed of all actions is simply impressive. However, there is an even more “advanced” model from the same manufacturer.

Debt M3

This is the same three-point belt, only improved. All the advantages of the previous model remained, but the developer decided to eliminate the shortcomings. Judging by the reviews, he succeeded quite well. The scope of the Debt M3 model is very extensive. It can be carried with smooth-bore and pump-action weapons, submachine guns, machine guns, grenade launchers, and machine guns.

The video shows the use tactical belt Debt M3 on different types weapons:

Features of the Debt M3 model and its differences from the Debt M2 model:

1. By slightly changing the design of the main belt part, V. Kharlampov made his product universal. Now it can easily be converted into an adjustable two-point or biathlon (worn behind the back) belt.
2. A soft, wide shoulder strap has appeared that can be quickly removed and put on.
3. The number of double-slot buckles has been significantly reduced.
4. The standard kit includes a low-noise lining, as well as a “Riga” carabiner.

“A dagger is good for those who have it, and bad for those who do not have it at the right time.”
(Abdullah, “White Sun of the Desert”)

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, in different parts of the 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 military weapons and very few foreign ones have passed through my hands. 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 it. 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 said by individuals who, at best, kill 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, the PPO cartridge for law enforcement agencies 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.
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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, it is one of the most 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).
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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.
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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 on the 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 clicks when worn are not uncommon. At best, you can lose the magazine, at worst, you can be left in the face of 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 of the 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. The sighting devices had to be made 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...
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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 deserve it. There are no problems with cartridges either.

NRS-2 knife, PN14K glasses, PSS pistol, SP4 and 7N36 cartridges
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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.
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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, but the same cannot be said about the cocking handle, located in a 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 the fire modes, especially in winter, while wearing gloves.
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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 the standard case, there is a case from the AKS-74U 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 safety is located on the right side, although if it were placed on the left side, under the 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 “Heathers” entered the unit, everyone who took their hands 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 the 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.
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Kalashnikov assault rifles

As for any “authoritative” statements about the best machine gun in the world, the most reliable, the strongest, which can not be cleaned, thrown from any height, and so on, I will say the following. Kalashnikov assault rifles, I think, are not the best in the world. Otherwise, the whole world and the nearest inhabited planets would be armed with them. In the eighties, the most common rifle in the world was the Belgian FN FAL. This speaks to its fighting qualities, since Belgium is a small country and cannot afford, like the USA and the USSR, to give, sell cheaply or use weapons as a reward for loyalty to itself.

7.62 mm AKMS and AK assault rifles manufactured in 1954

In this situation, in addition to the reasonable price, quality plays a decisive role. A lot of material has appeared in the press about the developed types of weapons, which at one time were superior to the AK family in many respects, but it turns out that at that time the combat qualities of these models were not decisive in choosing the best. And it’s difficult to call Kalashnikov (personally, I respect him very much) the sole author of the design, because, again, according to media materials, dozens of institutes and enterprises participated in the creation of the AK family and its development. Undoubtedly, the Kalashnikov assault rifle is beautiful, reliable and convenient for some, but for my work it turned out to be not very suitable.

In my job, I often have to carry my gun loaded. The situation is interesting: on the one hand, you must be prepared to immediately open fire - therefore the safety is removed, the cartridge is in the chamber. On the other hand, there is no obvious threat, there are citizens of the Russian Federation around, you have to move around, perform some manipulations with your hands, and therefore it is better to keep the weapon on safety. To open fire, one movement is desirable, and preferably the shooting hand. The Kalashnikov assault rifle is not a weapon that can instantly open fire. To do this, I either have to keep the fuse off (and constantly shake at the thought of accidental shot). Or take the machine gun in your left hand, remove the right hand from the pistol grip and remove the machine from the safety catch. A lot of time and a lot of manipulation. The reloading handle is also on the right side and again forces you to remove your hand from the trigger. A short, low butt, an uncomfortable pistol grip, the junction of which with the receiver rubs the skin between the thumb and forefinger.

7.62 mm assault rifle L1A1 - English modification of the Belgian FN FAL

The butts of the AKS-74 and AKS-74U assault rifles don’t bring much joy to the hand either. I understand that the right location of the butt swivel is very convenient when the butt is folded, but the weapon is mainly worn in the combat position, and this location of the swivel is not very convenient for me personally, especially if you carry it with the barrel down. The magazine has many protruding parts that make it difficult to remove the magazine from the equipment and insert an empty one back. I don’t understand the reluctance of people responsible for supplies (at least the police) to adopt increased-capacity magazines. Four-row and drum magazines are used all over the world, except for our dear ones. Twin stores are not used for a good life. If you don’t go to the mountains or shoot at targets, all the “authoritative” statements about imbalance and weight of the weapon are forgotten during a close-range shooting. When clearing premises, when it is necessary to create a high density of fire and the enemy is so close that any normal person has a natural desire to have as many cartridges in the magazine as possible (and it is desirable that they do not run out). And no one will remember about imbalance and excess weight.
If some factory or company would come up with drum magazines or ties for pairing AK-74 magazines, I think I wouldn’t be the only one who would buy such magazines for a reasonable price.

7.62 mm AKM assault rifle (with PBS-1 and GP-25 installed) and 5.45 mm shortened AKS-74U assault rifle
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Reliability of AK and M16

The most important feature of the AK (compared to the M16 family) is reliability. There are no questions - you don’t have to clean the AK, you don’t have to force it however you want, but it will shoot and shoot. Well, first of all, weapons still need to be cleaned - any weapon. Secondly, the reliability of the AK is based on the high speed of rollback of the moving parts and the large gap between them. Hence the main drawback - increased dispersion during automatic shooting. Personally, I think that for the army or for those who use weapons mainly by carrying them on the shoulder or firing a few rounds at the shooting range, the Kalashnikov assault rifle is even too good. This weapon is unpretentious, allowing for a somewhat barbaric attitude. I think the AK fully meets the requirements for mass-produced weapons.

5.45 mm AK-74M assault rifle, improved by the owner

And for my work I need a 5.45 mm assault rifle, with a thickened barrel 30 cm long, with a high-capacity magazine, a low-noise firing device, a bolt stop, a double-sided safety, an automatic safety on the trigger, an adjustable butt and Picatinny rails for the front handles, collimators, optics, flashlights and target designators. Perfect option such weapons - the presence of replaceable barrels (standard and compact lengths for indoor operations). The presence of a replaceable barrel will lead to a more complex design and increased cost. But it is cheaper to have one machine gun with two barrels than two machine guns of different sizes. We sometimes have situations when we are forced to take with us on operations, in addition to the standard AK-74M, both small-sized weapons such as 9A-91 and silent ones, depending on the situation, which often changes during one individual operation.

5.56 mm American M16 assault rifle

As for reliability... Designer Korobov said that he wanted to create an assault rifle that would help a soldier survive in a trench, and not outlive all the soldiers in the trench... Comments, as they say, are unnecessary. Personally, I don't need 200% reliability. 100% reliability and 100% ergonomics are enough for me. Now about the eternal dispute between AKM and AK74. Without any doubts. Only 5.45 mm! (During my military service, I had a lot of weapons in my hands. There was an AKMS with PBS-1 and GP-25. There was also an AK-74. And after the army there were and are many different models, including the AK-74M, and AKS-74U.) First, ammunition. I can take much more 7N10 (5.45 mm) cartridges, carry them further, and shoot more cartridges before the barrel overheats than PS mod. 1943 (7.62 mm). Secondly, the flight path of the AK-74 bullet is much flatter, which in battle has great importance, and bullets have no less penetration and lethality. Thirdly, the accuracy of the AK-74 is in no way worse than that of the AKM. As for ricochets and boring discussions about shooting through branches, all pointed bullets ricochet - these are the laws of physics. And you need to aim better through the branches. And in general, there is an old principle: if I don’t see, I don’t shoot.

We conducted a spontaneous experiment once. At the training ground, we made several shots offhand, at a high tempo, at chest targets located in different directions from the shooter, which is similar to life. It turned out that the AK-74M (5.45 mm) returns to the aiming line much faster than the AKMS assault rifle (7.62 mm). If you fire a long burst from an AKMS, which normal people often do in a difficult situation, then most of the bullets will simply pierce the sky. But the AK-74 allows such liberties, including hand-held shooting. It’s not serious to give AKM a big plus for having a muffler. Even in my office, far from Moscow and supply bases, 100% of the personnel have silent weapons, and of various modifications. And there is plenty of ammunition for it. And the fact that the AKM fires US and PS cartridges is also not a special plus. Almost any silent weapon is better than an AKM assault rifle with PBS-1 - more compact, lighter, more compact. And the bulk cartridges PAB-9 and BP penetrate what AKM with PS and US cartridges cannot. Not to mention the 5.45 mm PP and BP cartridges, which we have in abundance, and they are not inferior to the BZ cartridge and the like. So here AKM is not a leader either. And the knock of moving parts on the AKM with PBS, and the same on the OTs-14, is not drowned out by the clap of the PBS.
And again about ricochet when shooting from an AK-74. I read and hear about this all the time. It seems that all those shooting only hit branches, they run out of cartridges, and they helplessly throw their AK-74s to the ground and look with envy at the happy owner of the AKM. And he mows down the bushes with hooligans hiding behind them, like a machine gunner with a Minigun mows down the jungle in Predator. By the way, in films this is presented as truth. In fact, no person on earth can do this, because this machine gun does not have sighting devices, is powered by batteries, such as car batteries, has a recoil of more than 100 kg, and spits out in a small burst as much ammunition as a person is not able to carry. I'll repeat it again. All pointed bullets ricochet. AKM has no advantages. Are the ricochets really so strong that one magazine won’t even hit the target? Or maybe find some light? Or maybe it's better to aim?
From any machine...

And finally, the simplest example. You have an AKM, and other ignoramuses have an AK-74. Ammunition - only those that are with you. Sometimes you run out of ammo. However, not all. AK-74 owners can easily share cartridges with each other. And you? I have a 1992 AK-74M. With a stock that won’t fold out the first time, with a gas piston on which the layer of chrome is thinner than a child’s hair, with a Saiga pistol grip and a pirated copy of the fore-end with a handle, with a Cobra sight that can’t stand being next to an under-barrel grenade launcher, and the main advantage of this machine is that it exists.
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Special automatic machine AS "Val"

Very comfortable, practical. It just begs to be picked up. The butt itself finds a point of emphasis in the shoulder, the cheek lies in Right place on the butt. Of the domestic folding stocks, the AC stock is the best. The rough surface allows you to firmly hold the fire control handle, which is also facilitated by the shape of the handle itself. A relatively long sighting line has a beneficial effect on shooting accuracy. The handguard, despite its small size, is comfortable and has the same non-slip surface as the handle. The forend is completely blocked by the folded stock and in this position it is difficult to shoot, for example, in a tight space, while holding the weapon securely. To correct this shortcoming, I installed a handle on the muffler body. Almost every detail in the machine helps improve accuracy and reduce noise when firing. According to these parameters, it surpasses all domestic machines of the same type. For example, I am at a distance of 100 m, lying down using optical sight, hit the bottom of the VOG-25 inert shot. Of course, not from the first shot.

9-mm automatic rifle with additionally installed front handle and flashlight.

Spare magazines and clips with cartridges for their equipment.

The machine gives a lot to its owner, but also requires special attention. This concerns maintenance, or rather cleaning. Anyone who has dealt with cleaning AC and BCC after shooting will understand what I mean. P-45 gunpowder, used in standard cartridges, produces a lot of carbon deposits, which after some time hardens, you have to sweat to get rid of it. The lion's share of time is spent cleaning the separator and inner surface muffler as the most susceptible to the destructive effects of powder gases. Here various powders and gels for cleaning dishes are used. But, despite all these little things, the machine is very good. Although it requires delicate handling. I love this machine and it loves me back.
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Sniper rifle Special VSS"Vintorez"

Great rifle. Compact, handy, accurate. In our division it is used with AS machine magazines.

9-mm sniper rifle VSS. The muffler has space for installing additional equipment

Standard SP-5 and SPP cartridges have, to a small extent, different ballistics, so our snipers, depending on preferences, bring their rifles to normal combat under the type of cartridge they like. The only depressing thing is the absence of a cheekpiece on the butt, which, apparently, was done for the sake of a quick transition to mechanical sights when shooting.
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Small-sized assault rifle 9A-91

A real workhorse. Compact, powerful machine gun. Streamlined shapes. In the dashing nineties, it was widely used as a concealed weapon when capturing criminals inside a vehicle or in a residential area. Due to its small thickness, weight, and folding charging handle, it was often carried secretly, under a jacket, behind a belt or on the side on a belt loop over the shoulder. The stock in the folded position does not extend beyond the dimensions of the machine gun. Easily and quickly transferred from traveling to combat position and back. Super reliable. Shoots in any degree of contamination. The sights are very clearly “outlined”, but due to the short length of the aiming line, it is ineffective to shoot more than 50 m, and it is unrealistic to shoot more than 100 m.

Upgraded 9A-91 with red dot sight

The machine has several modifications: The first is equipped with a compensator and has a fuse-translator on the left side. The second one is equipped with a silencer and translator of reduced size. There is no compensator. The third (1995) - equipped with a silencer and a bracket for mounting optical sights. In this regard, the safety translator flag has been moved to the right side. There is a version of this modification in which there is no bracket for mounting optics. The latest modification has a larger handguard. Moving the safety switch to the right side made it more difficult to manipulate. Small magazine capacity. A larger-capacity magazine or a coupler for two magazines would be nice. Difficulty in replacing it. Availability of one spare magazine. The magazines of some machine guns are not fixed in the necks of other machines due to the excess thickness of some magazines and the discrepancy between the windows for the magazine latch and the latches of some machines.

Magazines were produced with feeders of different designs and different locations of holes to control the availability of cartridges. At first, feeders with a right-handed upper cartridge were produced. Then they produced feeders with the upper cartridge located on the left. Magazines with feeders of the second type have a hole for controlling the number of cartridges, made one cartridge thicker than with feeders of the first type. As a result of poor quality control at the manufacturing plant, magazines with type 1 feeders with late model magazine bodies began to arrive. When such magazines are loaded with cartridges, a cartridge case is visible in the hole, which indicates that the magazine is fully loaded with 20 rounds. There are actually 19 rounds in the magazine. All this leads to problems when receiving and handing over weapons and ammunition.

There are no guides on the forend for attaching the flashlight and the front handle. After the abolition of the compensator, the front handle would not be superfluous. The bolt handle is poorly fixed in the firing position and folds spontaneously, which creates difficulties when reloading in a combat situation and when using gloves. When firing SP5, PAB-9, BP cartridges into the ground and hard obstacles at an angle, almost one hundred percent ricochets are observed.
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Rifle-grenade launcher complex OTs-14-4A “Groza”

Impossibility of shooting from the left shoulder. The shooter's face is above the ejection port spent cartridges and, accordingly, escaping powder gases. Inconvenience of replacing a magazine.

9/40-mm rifle-grenade launcher system OTs-14-4A

Variant OTs-14-4A silent sniper rifle

Just one spare magazine. The translator-fuse does not allow them to be used quickly. When shooting in a helmet and body armor, it is quite problematic to “attach” normally. After shooting, you will have a tedious cleanup. It turns out that after several magazines, cleaning the “Groza” is even more tedious than the AC assault rifle and the VSS rifle due to the many hard-to-reach places in the receiver.
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Dragunov SVD sniper rifle

There's nothing bad to say. An excellent rifle, time-tested. When using plastic forend pads, it was not possible to achieve a tight fit to the forend assembly, which slightly distorts the elegant appearance of this beauty. To mitigate recoil, the butt plate of the GP-25 grenade launcher is often used. The stock sight basically satisfies the requirements for the rifle.

7.62 mm sniper rifle SVD

7.62 mm SVD-S sniper rifle with folding stock

Dragunov sniper rifle SVD-S

Compact version of SVD. A thicker barrel gives more consistent results. The shape of the fire control handle does not allow it to be held firmly. The rifle “kicks” sensitively when firing.
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Sniper rifle SVU-AS

Dimensions and accuracy are better than those of the SVD. My SVU-AS has a factory shooting range of 2.5 cm at 100 m, LPS bullet, 4 shots. You can stand next to it when shooting, unlike the SVD. The recoil is not strong compared to the SVD. Weight - 5.5 kg, but not very heavy. Due to the fact that the trigger rod is a long, thin plate, and is hidden under a high, poorly secured cover, when the trigger is pressed, it bends and rests against the cover. And then it transfers the force to the trigger. Therefore, the descent is long and unpredictable. When shooting, especially from a bipod, the power of the compensator is such that it blows the rifle several centimeters to the side, and the target is lost from view. Without optics, with a mechanical sight - a very accurate, convenient type FG42, especially since the sight and front sight were copied from it and the front sight guard was added. It's strange that no one mentions this anywhere.

7.62 mm shortened sniper rifle SVU-AS
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Sniper rifle SV-98

It's a club, but it shoots well. In passport - the best group out of 10 shots - 8.8 cm at 300 m. Assembly - in the best domestic traditions. When assembling the shutter at the factory, pins were inserted into the holes from below, and a guide bar was placed on top, which should be attached to the shutter with these pins. When attaching the bolt to the rifle, the bar fell down and jammed the bolt. I could barely take it apart. Then I wondered how this bar was attached. Bulky stores, obviously overcomplicated in design. The sporting unified case included is long for a rifle only, but does not accommodate a rifle with a silencer. A whole epic happened with the sights for this rifle. They entered the unit only with night sights. So they stood idle. Then alone good man donated an expensive Zeiss sight to the unit - Diavari 2.5-10-50T. A year later we received PPO 5-15x50.

7.62 mm sniper rifle SV-98

Then, after a considerable period of time, we received a Belarusian POSP 4x12-42W sight with mounts for a Weaver rail. Although the rifle has a Picatinny rail. The fixing pins on the sight bracket, which prevent longitudinal displacement, did not fit the guide on the rifle, which was corrected with a file. It turns out that for a couple of years the rifles were not used for their intended purpose. Due to the lack of sights. The rifle is bulky and inferior to the SVD in terms of maneuverability. In practice, the accuracy of the SVD is quite at a level corresponding to the conditions of its use. In mountainous areas, the weight of the SV-98 is a noticeable burden.
Reliability, untested by time and operation, forces a sniper to take SVD, SVD-S or VSS, VSK-94 for an operation. They are proven and reliable. And the SV-98 is often relegated to the role of a competition rifle.
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Sniper rifle SV-99

I think the reason for its appearance in service is as follows. Izhevsk had to sell something. And then one of the responsible officials, who had read or heard from their entourage about the use of small-caliber rifles in the USA as “dog killers” and “light bulb destroyers,” came up with the idea of ​​purchasing such things. And Izhevsk is right there. The rifle is a doll, but practically suitable only for sporting and recreational shooting. I don’t think the powerful “Marmot” cartridge will hold up, and with weaker cartridges you won’t knock anyone down right away. Since it is in service as a sniper, ammunition for shooting is issued according to standards corresponding to normal-caliber rifles. That is, it makes no difference what to shoot from - from the SV-99 or from the SVD and SV-98. So it is better to shoot from normal caliber rifles. The optical sight bracket does not have a locking pin and it is impossible to install it in exactly the same place after removing the sight.

5.6 mm sniper rifle SV-99
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Kalashnikov light machine gun Modernized RPK-203

Has sufficient firepower at close ranges. Place the forend like on the Vepr-12, the bipod on the rail, the front handle, the collimator, and the drum magazine. If you go deep, then the trigger should be made like on the American IAR with a “front and rear sear.” If desired, conditions for the use of PKK can be found. In close combat, in the city, to create a fire curtain if the PC is too lazy to carry a machine gun. In general, you need a machine gun chambered for machine gun cartridges, belt-fed, with interchangeable barrels of different lengths and a folding butt. At one time he was very good machine gun RPD-44. The prototype of all today's machine guns chambered for a cartridge less powerful than a rifle cartridge. Compared to a machine gun, the PC is more compact and allows the machine gunner to carry more ammunition. Modern conditions of warfare, for example in populated areas, and the tactics of special units give this type of machine gun the right to exist. Minor modernization by installing a new plastic forend of greater length, a system of straps for the front handle and bipod, a lightweight butt (possibly a skeletal design).

7.62 mm light machine gun RPK-203

It’s a pity that due to the presence of a recoil spring in the buttstock, it will not be possible to make it foldable. Place the bipod closer to the breech of the barrel to facilitate transfer of the direction of fire. And be sure to place the sight rail on the receiver cover. That's it - the mini-PC is ready.
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Kalashnikov Machine Gun Modernized Easel PKMS

Powerful machine gun. Doesn't like the tape bending back when shooting - there is a possibility of delay. Lack of a folding stock and a full-fledged forend. And this machine gun is often fired from hand. All boxes for 200 rounds are included. And it is used, as a rule, without a machine. Large dimensions; if worn for a long time, the carrying handle becomes loose. The best way to remake it is like the Americans, like SPW. You can install a muzzle brake-compensator, otherwise it bounces when shooting from a hard surface. And the box for cartridges is more compact. Underbarrel grenade launchers: GP-25. It still remains the best in its class.

7.62 mm PKMS heavy machine gun

Compact and fast-firing. Of no small importance is the ability to shoot at a distance of less than 100 m. The scope allows this. Over time, the connection between the barrel and the trigger body becomes loose. On some frequently used grenade launchers, the clamps became loose due to rust. When fired, they broke and the grenade launchers flew off the machine guns. Features of the self-cocking trigger negatively affect shooting accuracy.
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My favorite grenade launcher. Convenient sight, almost “pistol” trigger, smooth and relatively soft. Convenient fuse. There is no installation on the sight for shooting at a distance of 50 m. When shooting at short distances, when you press against the butt, you can get hit.

5.45 mm AK-74 assault rifle with GP-25 grenade launcher

5.45 mm AK-103 assault rifles with GP-30 and GP-34M grenade launchers

5.45 mm AK-103 assault rifle with GP-30M grenade launcher

GP-30M

Almost the same. There is no fuse, which I'm very disappointed with. An extractor that acts as a cleaning rod. Doesn't understand the stowed position. The high pressure chamber is now firmly attached to the barrel of the GP-34. The descent is like a water pistol. Can't compare with GP-30. The sight is more difficult to handle. When setting the scope to 50 m, you have to press your cheek against the ridge of the butt, and recover after the shot. Like a blow to the jaw. The butt plate is twice as thick as the old one and it is almost impossible to shoot in a bulletproof vest and unloading vest. And most importantly, during installation the cleaning rod is removed, and the kit comes with a prefabricated one, but there is nowhere to put it.
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Hand Grenade Launcher Special RGS-50M

Multifunctional weapon, with appropriate ammunition. There are no sling swivels for attaching a belt. Have to carry it in a bag. During the application, repeated cases of discrepancies between shot trajectories and sight settings were revealed.

50-mm hand grenade launcher special RGS-50M
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Handheld Anti-personnel Grenade Launcher RG-6

The high density of fire is negated by the time spent loading. Together with the ammunition, 20 rounds represent a large load on the shooter, especially in personal armor protection. Moreover, a normal grenade launcher, in his right mind, would never refuse a machine gun with ammunition. With the shoulder rest folded, the butt plate prevents you from properly grasping the control handle and opening fire. Although such situations do occur. It would be possible to make another hole in the base of the grenade launcher to extend the shoulder rest by about five centimeters. Swivels on the left side, like on the GM-94, would also be nice. On the right side of the shooter there is a machine gun. On the left is a grenade launcher as an additional weapon.

40-mm hand-held anti-personnel grenade launcher RG-6
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Store grenade launcher GM-94

Can successfully replace RG-6 and RGS-50. Very ergonomic. Fully double sided. There is an indicator of the presence of a shot in the grenade launcher. Allows you to shoot at a distance of closer than 50 m. At one time, US Navy S.E.A.L. fighters. they would have given a lot for the GM-94, since when conducting combat operations on the territory of South Vietnam they had to use the heavy (more than 8 kg without shots), inconvenient EX-41 grenade launcher.

43 mm GM-94 manual repeating grenade launcher
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Carbine Special 18.5 KS-K

At one time, the KS-23 carbine was developed as a weapon that made it possible to deliver a projectile of greater volume and mass to the target than a 12-gauge weapon. Weapons are now being adopted for service for a reason that is clearly the opposite of what was the basis for the transition to 23 mm weapons. Moreover, 12-gauge weapons are often presented as perfect weapon for close-range operations. Apparently, not without regard to foreign experience. But there criminals usually use pistols, revolvers, and shotguns. And the use of smooth-bore weapons to neutralize them is quite adequate. In addition, their city buildings are made of less thick and durable material than ours. Our situation is different. Criminals are usually armed automatic weapons, and the doors in apartments are most often made of iron. Our smoothbore weapons are an inadequate response to the threat.

Special carbine 18.5 KS-K 12 gauge

Cumbersome weapon. The dimensions, even with the stock folded, do not allow working with it in tight spaces. The design of the weapon does not allow the installation of a forend with straps for the front handle and attachments, since the standard forend contains a spring for locking the buttstock in the folded position. And when fast pace shooting or shooting with the butt folded, the front handle is not at all an unnecessary detail. The rubber butt pad is designed in such a way that it is possible to lock the buttstock in the folded position after a couple of strikes with the palm of your hand, due to the fact that the rubber does not allow the lock to engage with the buttstock. When the magazine is loaded with eight rounds, it is impossible to lock it in the weapon. To attach even an empty magazine to a carbine, you again need to hit it with your palm from below to secure it.

In conclusion, I can say that everything described above is not only my personal opinion, it is the opinion of my colleagues and colleagues from other departments. We work with weapons not only at the training ground or at the shooting range. Very often it is necessary to use weapons for their main and historical purpose. These are the realities of our life. It may seem that I am too critical of some samples. Or I’m too pampered and want a “comfortable” weapon. But there are no trifles in my work. Especially those related to weapons. Any little thing, a hitch with manipulations, an uncomfortable application is even worse - a delay in shooting can have a detrimental effect on the integrity of my skin. And I trust only those weapons that I have personally tested at the training ground or in battle.