Stechkin and tt comparison. Comparison of pistols tt and pm

Currently in Russia there are a large number of models of small arms, including pistols. But "veterans" are still of particular interest - TT, PM and APS, who have served people for decades.

Currently in Russia there is a large number of models of small arms, including pistols. They differ both in caliber, and in the principle of operation of automation, and in the tasks for which they are intended. But the "veterans" - TT, PM and APS, who have served people for decades, still have the most significant authority.

The most deserved of the above is the "pistol of 1933", often called the TT - Tula Tokarev.

It was adopted by the Red Army in 1930 to replace the 1895 Nagant revolver, both morally and physically obsolete. In terms of its tactical and technical characteristics, the TT surpassed all contemporary models. Exceptional simplicity, strength and reliability, as well as the low cost of its production - that's distinctive features this pistol.

In 1933, the TT underwent minor modernization. Minor changes were made to the trigger mechanism, the rear wall of the handle was made one-piece.

The TT automation worked using the recoil of the barrel during its short stroke. The movable earring, when the barrel moved back, lowered its breech. At the same time, the weapon was reloaded (the same principle was used by the Colt M1911A pistol, which allowed Western authors writing about weapons to call the TT "Tokarev-Colt pistol").

The pistol uses a cartridge of caliber 7.62x25 (the same as in the Mauser pistol). Later, under this cartridge were developed PPD submachine guns(1934), PPSh (1941), PPS (1942).

However, the pistol also has a rather significant drawback - it lacks a fuse as an independent part. His role is performed by a safety cocking of the trigger. But in the event of a fall of the pistol, a spontaneous shot is possible as a result of a break in the safety platoon.

The pistol passed the tests of the Great Patriotic War with honor, having proven itself to be a powerful, simple and reliable melee weapon. He remained in service for some time after the war. Its popularity is also evidenced by the fact that TT production was established in China, Poland, Hungary, Yugoslavia and other countries. In some of them, TTs are still produced today.

High accuracy of shooting is ensured by the successful layout of the parts of the pistol. Due to the fact that the center of gravity of the pistol and the axial barrel are shifted closer to the handle, the TT, with its rather significant weight (940 grams), is practically not felt in the hand.

But the development of individual small arms required new solutions. At some point, the TT ceased to be a self-sufficient weapon, and in 1951 it was replaced by the pistols of N.F. Makarov (PM) and I.Ya. Stechkin (APS).

Both of these pistols in the operation of automation use the simplest, and therefore more reliable principle - the recoil of a free shutter. Both pistols have a return spring mounted directly on the barrel (although in the first modification of the APS, the return spring was located under the barrel, as in Browning pistols). For both of these pistols, a 9x18 cartridge was developed, which is more powerful than that used in the TT.

The undoubted advantage of the PM is the design of the trigger mechanism. The self-cocking device allows you to fire the first shot (if there is a cartridge in the chamber) without first cocking the hammer. The safety lever is located in the back of the casing-bolt, on the left, which allows you to control the pistol with one hand (the right one holding the weapon). Bringing the pistol into combat position for its further wearing in this position is carried out as follows. By jerking the shutter, the cartridge is driven into the chamber. Then the fuse is turned on, while the shot does not occur. Now, to carry out the first shot, you only need to remove the fuse and pull the trigger.

APS

Despite the apparent similarity, APS and PM are completely different types individual firearms. APS is designed to arm officers directly involved in hostilities. The trigger mechanism of this pistol is also self-cocking, which allows not only single fire, but also bursts of fire. The safety lever, located in the same way as the Makarov pistol, also serves as a fire translator. The sight of this pistol is mobile, for shooting at distances of 25, 50, 100 and 200 meters. The magazine holds 20 rounds (staggered). The APS pistol is carried in a wooden or plastic holster, which, fastened to the rear wall of the handle, acts as a butt when firing in bursts. In extreme cases, bursts of fire can be fired directly from the hand, without a butt (the cartridge used allows this). Unfortunately, despite the perfection of the design, serious shortcomings of the APS were revealed during operation (primarily, its excessive weight and dimensions), therefore, at present, this pistol is no longer produced, giving way to submachine guns such as "Kedr", "Chestnut". " and "Cypress", using the same cartridge 9x18 mm.

The Makarov PM pistol, on the contrary, served as the base model for a number of new developments. In 1994, the PMM was put into mass production - a modernized Makarov pistol. Outwardly, it practically does not differ from the base model (with the exception of the cheeks of the handle), but its magazine holds 12 rounds of 57-N-181SM, which, not differing in size from the standard "Makarov" cartridge, has increased penetrating and stopping power. The design of the chamber has been slightly changed - three helical grooves are made on its surface, which provide braking of the recoil of the shutter and smooth out the difference in the dynamics of automation when firing conventional and reinforced cartridges. Otherwise, the design, which has proven itself well for more than 40 years of operation, has not changed.

IZH-71

In the mid-1990s, the IZH-71 pistol was developed specifically for security personnel, based on the PM, which uses the 9x17 Kurz cartridge and has specially low characteristics (for example, the muzzle velocity of the IZH-71 bullet is 290 m / s versus 320 m / s for PM). Magazine "IZH-71" is available in 2 versions - for 8 and 10 rounds (in the latter case, the pistol is called "IZH-71-10"). Outwardly, "IZH-71" differs from the PM, again, in the cheeks of the handle.

PSM

Especially for the armament of the senior command staff of the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the KGB-FSB, a creative team consisting of T.I. This pistol is chambered for the new 5.45mm cartridge. The trigger mechanism is self-cocking. The location of the fuse is interesting (above the back of the shutter). When it is turned off, the trigger is simultaneously cocked. The pistol has no protruding parts, so that its thickness does not exceed 18 mm, which creates advantages when it is hidden. But due to the low penetrating ability of the cartridge, this weapon is of little use in real combat. Rather, its niche is an individual self-defense weapon. All of it design features point to it.

Of course, new types of pistols are now being produced, designed to perform perfectly various tasks in different conditions., but TT, PM, APS and PSM left their worthy contribution to history, faithfully serving the cause of protecting the Motherland for decades.

Currently in Russia there are a large number of models of small arms, including pistols. But "veterans" are still of particular interest - TT, PM and APS, who have served people for decades.

Currently in Russia there are a large number of models of small arms, including pistols. They differ both in caliber, and in the principle of operation of automation, and in the tasks for which they are intended. But the "veterans" - TT, PM and APS, who have served people for decades, still have the most significant authority.

The most deserved of the above is the "pistol of 1933", often called the TT - Tula Tokarev.

In 1933, the TT underwent minor modernization. Minor changes were made to the trigger mechanism, the rear wall of the handle was made one-piece.

The pistol uses a cartridge of caliber 7.62x25 (the same as in the Mauser pistol). Later, submachine guns PPD (1934), PPSh (1941), PPS (1942) were developed under this cartridge.

APS

Despite the apparent similarity, APS and PM are completely different types of individual small arms. APS is designed to arm officers directly involved in hostilities. The trigger mechanism of this pistol is also self-cocking, which allows not only single fire, but also bursts of fire. The safety lever, located in the same way as the Makarov pistol, also serves as a fire translator. The sight of this pistol is mobile, for shooting at distances of 25, 50, 100 and 200 meters. The magazine holds 20 rounds (staggered). The APS pistol is carried in a wooden or plastic holster, which, fastened to the rear wall of the handle, acts as a butt when firing in bursts. In extreme cases, bursts of fire can be fired directly from the hand, without a butt (the cartridge used allows this). Unfortunately, despite the perfection of the design, serious shortcomings of the APS were revealed during operation (primarily, its excessive weight and dimensions), therefore, at present, this pistol is no longer produced, giving way to submachine guns such as "Kedr", "Chestnut". " and "Cypress", using the same cartridge 9x18 mm.

IZH-71

PSM

Of course, new types of pistols are now being produced, designed to perform completely different tasks in different conditions, but the TT, PM, APS and PSM have left their worthy contribution to history, serving the cause of defending the Motherland for decades.

The Stechkin automatic pistol has become the same “calling card” of the Soviet weapons school as the Kalashnikov assault rifle. It was adopted more than 60 years ago, but still enjoys stable popularity among special forces soldiers.

The second half of the 1940s was marked by an explosion of activity Soviet designers small arms. The Great Patriotic War showed the need for a qualitative change in the system of personal weapons of fighters, and the military and political leadership of the USSR tried to create conditions for these changes to be embodied in metal. For example, in a competition for new machine, which then, as a result, was won by Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov with the famous product AK-47, six weapons schools and designers participated. in competition for a new self-loading pistol, which was held in 1947-48, was attended by ten weapons designers, including the creator of "TT" Fedor Vasilyevich Tokarev and the creator of "SKS" Sergei Gavrilovich Simonov. However, in the end, a 9-mm pistol designed by Nikolai Fedorovich Makarov was adopted for service in 1951.

The Makarov Pistol (PM), created according to the general layout of the Walther PP pistol, turned out to be easy to operate and manufacture, reliable and small-sized. At that time, it became the optimal personal weapon for senior officers, and was perfect for arming the police. Therefore, several million units were produced by PM back in Soviet times, and the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant still continues, although not on the same scale, to produce various modifications of this product.

However, "PM", with its effective range of up to 50 meters (in reality, it is, of course, much less) and a magazine for 8 rounds, was not "strong" enough in a real clash with a trained enemy. In addition, the short barrel of the Makarov at a distance of 25 meters already gave a significant dispersion of bullets. Therefore, in order to arm the crews of combat vehicles, the first numbers of heavy weapons crews, as a weapon for individual defense of snipers, grenade launchers and officers of the “platoon-company” link at the same time - at the end of the 40s of the last century, it was decided to develop an automatic pistol, but under the same pistol cartridge - 9x18 PM. The APS, designed by a young talented Tula gunsmith Igor Stechkin, became such a pistol.

In fairness, it must be said that in the history of the APS pistol there is still a lot of incomprehensible and even mysterious. Let's start with the fact that Igor Yakovlevich himself was a very outstanding person. For example, the members of the commission remembered for a long time the defense of his thesis on the topic "Self-loading pistol caliber 7.65 mm" (Stechkin graduated from the weapons and machine gun department of the Tula Mechanical Institute). According to the memoirs of contemporaries, the project was so original that one of the members of the diploma commission publicly expressed doubt that this weapon would work. In response, the student pulled out a hand-made pistol of this design from his jacket pocket and fired three times with blank cartridges at the ceiling of the auditorium where the defense was going on ...

As a result, Stechkin received a "red" diploma and was sent to work straight to one of the main "weapons" of the country - TsKB-14 (now - the Tula Instrument Design Bureau). Furthermore. The 26-year-old graduate of the institute at the Central Design Bureau was almost immediately instructed to create a new army 9-mm pistol, which, with single and automatic firing modes, could effectively hit the enemy at distances up to 200m. Moreover, this happens at the end of 1948, when the battle between ten weapon designers for the right to arm the Soviet army and navy with a new self-loading pistol reaches its climax. And already, in principle, it is clear that the victory in this battle is won by Nikolai Fedorovich Makarov, who, by coincidence, has been working at TsKB-14 for the fourth year, and, moreover, was a scientific consultant of such a sensational thesis of a student of the Tula Mechanical Institute Igor Stechkin.

Now it’s hard to say what kind of participation Nikolay Makarov, in addition to developing and “finishing” his pistol, could take in the creation of the “Stechkin automatic pistol” (APS). Some design features and the order of assembly and disassembly of the APS are similar to the PM. Both pistols, despite the fact that work on the Makarov began several years earlier than on the Stechkin, were put into service at the same time - in 1951. And both designers also received the Stalin Prize together - in 1952. Stechkin - for APS, Makarov - for PM. But at the same time, in the memoirs of Igor Yakovlevich Stechkin, it was nevertheless clear that APS was his own engineering brainchild. “The assignment I received was to design a 9mm pistol capable of single and automatic fire at distances up to 200 meters, with a large capacity magazine and using a holster as a stock. After the development and approval of the project, a sample was made, which successfully passed factory tests. After refinement and elimination of shortcomings, field tests of two pistols were carried out in comparison with the Mauser, Astra pistols and the Sudayev submachine gun. My pistol showing excellent results, noticeably surpassed Mauser and Astra, and practically did not concede to the teaching staff, ”recalled Igor Stechkin in 1966.

Starting in 1952, "APS" went to the troops. Its serial production was deployed at the facilities of the Vyatka-Polyansky Molot plant. However, already in 1959, the production of the "Stechkin automatic pistol" was discontinued. And this became another mystery of this gun.

The performance data of the APS, as an individual weapon intended for use in a combat situation in a collision with a trained enemy, suited the Soviet military. The lengthening of the barrel to 140 mm (93.5 mm for the PM) made it possible to partially compensate for the weakness of the 9x18 PM pistol cartridge, and, together with the greater mass and smoother operation of the automation compared to the Makarov, made it possible to achieve good shooting accuracy - dispersion of bullets by single shots at a distance of 50 meters from the APS did not exceed 5 cm. At a distance of 200 meters, the dispersion radius of bullets when firing from the APS increased to 22 cm, but for a trained shooter, effective fire from this pistol at distances of more than 100 meters was not particularly difficult .

A magazine for 20 rounds and an originally designed slower rate of fire made it possible to conduct automatic fire from the APS. At the same time, Stechkin provided a mechanism that made reloading the pistol almost instantaneous. After the ammunition is used up, the magazine feeder tooth raises the bolt stop, which holds the bolt in the rear position. And after replacing the magazine, the shooter remains to press the shutter stop head in order to be ready to fire again - the shutter stop will go forward and send the cartridge into the chamber, while the trigger will remain cocked.

Beyond the Armed Forces Soviet Union, "APS" and its modifications, according to foreign experts, were supplied to Angola, Cuba, Bulgaria, Libya, Mozambique, Zambia, etc. Photos are known where Ernesto Che Guevara poses with APS, it is reliably known that the Stechkin was one of Fidel Castro's favorite weapons. And not in vain. “Unlike the Makarov pistol, the recoil of which is felt by the hand as sharp, it is very pleasant to shoot from the Stechkin. Accuracy is also excellent. The shop is very easy to equip. Very good for military weapons trigger mechanism and its characteristics, ”the American small arms specialist Nick Steadman evaluated this pistol. In addition, the APS turned out to be a very reliable weapon. There are known cases of shooting 40 thousand shots without any damage to the main parts of this pistol.

However, in Soviet army in mass quantities, "APS", paradoxically, did not take root. The most common version is the inconvenience of wearing this weapon. In order to ensure the stability of automatic fire, especially at long distances, a wooden holster was attached to the Stechkin, which also played the role of a butt. The mass of a pistol with a holster - butt was almost 2 kg. In addition, army requirements suggested that each serviceman armed with the Stechkin had to carry 4 more equipped stores with 20 rounds each. Therefore, in army environment At that time, a murmur arose on the topic that the new weapon was too "heavy and cumbersome." As a result, in the 60s of the last century, most of the army "Stechkins" migrated to the arms depots, and in return, in the 70s, the crews of military vehicles, aircraft and gun crews were armed with "clamshells" - a shortened modification of the AK-74 - AKS-74U.

However, "Stechkin" did not die, because by that time he had already managed to fall in love with employees for his power and accuracy. special units Ministry of Defense and the State Security Committee. Moreover, at the end of the 60s, specifically for them, on the basis of APS, the designer A.S. Neugodov (TsNIITOCHMASH) developed a "silent" version of the "APS" - "APB" (silent automatic pistol). The reduction in the sound level when fired in it was achieved due to the perforation of the barrel and a special expansion chamber worn on the barrel, ease of wearing and use - due to a removable wire shoulder rest and a soft holster. Of course, the use of a silencer reduced the effective range of the shot. But at a distance of 50 meters "APB" and now there are few equals.

This modification of the "APS" was put into service in 1972, and from that time on, the "Stechkin" began, in fact, a "second life". "APS" and "APB" were actively used by Russian special forces during the war in Afghanistan (1979-1989) and in all local conflicts that arose in the post-Soviet space. Furthermore. In the 90s, during the rampant banditry in Russia, the structures of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia began to actively arm themselves with the army "Stechkins". And this is also understandable, since this automatic pistol just occupies a niche between two other types of standard Russian weapons law enforcement- Makarov pistols and Kalashnikov assault rifles. However, the Russian police were not original in this respect - after the fall of the Berlin Wall, some of the German police officers also armed themselves with the Stechkins.

Thus, the “Stechkin automatic pistol” outlived its creator for a long time (Igor Yakovlevich died in November 2001) and still remains a popular weapon in the structures Russian Ministry defense, FSB, FSO, Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as special forces of a number foreign countries. Probably, this is one of the most important signs of a designer's genius - when the product he created, despite the emergence of new ideas and samples, continues to work even after the death of the creator.

Firearms are an essential attribute of civilization. Since ancient times, weapons have served as a tool for protection, obtaining food, and conquering territories. And always a weapon is a tool 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 the heat and cold, day and night, in different parts of the area, in different regions, in 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 quite a 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, it happened about everyone personal opinion, which often does not coincide with the common one. Not without my active participation in combat situations. And I can judge about weapons, perhaps with more right than other "specialists" on the Internet and some "weapons" magazines, who write at length about the advantages and disadvantages of a particular type of weapon. The main trouble with domestic small arms is mediocre, and sometimes just terrible ergonomics, and, of course, low workmanship (to Soviet period this does not apply).
But, as they say, how many people - so many opinions. So, let's begin…

Pistol Self-loading Compact PSM

Can be deciphered as “Pistol for Complacency. Maybe you'll get lucky." There is a known case when a wounded man, with five bullets in his 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 a slender build. Highly precision pistol, at the level of sports small-caliber pistols. Very compact. James Bond would be pleased with it. On a combat pistol, a spur on the lid of one of the magazines would not hurt. Suitable as a spare pistol, but not as a primary weapon. Plus the problem with the shortage of ammunition.

Pistol Makarov PM

Legendary, without a doubt, a pistol. 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 putting three bullets into 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 put five holes in a circle of 6 cm. As for the small stopping effect of a bullet, I can say that this is what people say, at best, killing paper targets, and never shooting 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 defeat.

9mm self-loading pistol PM

Some problems are created by Pst steel-core bullets, which sometimes ricochet off solid obstacles. AT last years the situation with ammunition for PM has changed, cartridges with bullets have appeared that have an increased stopping effect and increased penetration ability of the PBM (7N25). For example, the PPO law enforcement cartridge allows the use of weapons (pistols and submachine guns) in enclosed spaces, in settlements, with a low probability of dangerous ricochets, due to the absence of a solid core in the pool. There is information about the poor quality of PPO cartridges, unstable characteristics, but the cartridges supplied to our unit do not present unpleasant surprises and the weapon works with them like clockwork.

Makarov pistol Modernized PMM-12

Modernization of PM chambered for increased power. Improved handle ergonomics, increased magazine capacity. 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.

9mm self-loading pistol PMM

The springs in the stores work with overvoltage, so they quickly lose their elasticity, which leads to delays in firing. Poor-quality plastic, from which the feeder is made, is the cause of cracking, as well as wear or breakage of the feeder tooth.

Pistol Tula Tokarev TT

Another weapon legend. Much has been said about him, but very little can be added. More suitable for military use when it is on alert. For its relatively small size, one of the most powerful pistols in the world.

7.62 mm self-loading pistols TT

And it is much more pleasant to the touch, for example, PYa and all sorts of Glocks. Completely unsuitable for urban shooting and self-defense. The large penetrating power of the bullet and the lack of self-cocking can lead to prison (through and into a random passerby) or to the cemetery (you need to have time to cock the trigger).

Automatic pistol Stechkin APS

The same age as PM, even more popular. Pistol with capital letter. Reliable, powerful, accurate, with a large ammunition load and the ability to conduct automatic fire. It is often used as the main weapon in operations in tight spaces, when using bulletproof shields, when only one hand is free. The 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 stock holsters and pouches.

APS pistols in a modified hip holster with a rubber grip and twisted pistol strap

A favorite of employees of special units, in demand even now. Even before the pistol enters the unit, a real “hunt” is already underway for it. Some, having tasted the "charms" of PY, prefer to change them for old, sometimes understaffed APS. The pistol has a streamlined shape, does not cling to anything when quickly removed from the holster. Some problems when holding are created by the pistol grip, polished over the years by palms and clothes. In heat and cold, the gun tends to "slip" out of the hands. But this minor annoyance is eliminated by putting a piece of a bicycle inner tube or lining on the handle, for example, from Uncle Mike's.
The pistol is rather big, but with due skill and experience it can be carried discreetly, like all pistols. I usually carry it in a trouser holster. own production, without any clasps for quick removal, and with a twisted pistol strap, or in a suitable shoulder bag.
I never use a safety catch, even with a cartridge in the chamber, no one is outraged by the lack of fuses on most revolvers, and a loaded self-cocking pistol is as safe as a loaded revolver. When working in urban conditions, I carry a pistol in a converted hip holster, and not fastened - the design of the holster allows you to hold the pistol even in an upside down position. I carry spare magazines on my left thigh in a homemade pouch. One magazine always with the valve open for quick retrieval.

Pistol Yarygin PYa

A miracle of domestic weapons thought. Although, undoubtedly, a long-awaited type of army pistol. Powerful, moderately ergonomic, with a capacious store. But ... I doubt that in Soviet times he would have been adopted. The gun is frankly "raw". Angular, with protruding parts, as if carved with an axe. The build quality is appropriate. When shooting ten new pistols with sports cartridges issued for training shooting, two pistols had stuck shells, one misfired, and after a second injection, a shot was fired. When equipping magazines, the sharp edges of the sponges cut your fingers, and in order not to die from periodic bloodletting, you have to pick up a file. With an increase in the capacity of the magazine by one cartridge, it would be necessary to move the holes to control the number of cartridges (the 18-round pistol was adopted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs). 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 be left-handed. It was probably not possible to move the holes to the left wall of the store or to the back.

The store latch is not protected by anything, accidental pressing while wearing is not uncommon. At best, you can lose the magazine, at worst, you are left in the face of danger with an empty chamber, because if you accidentally press the magazine latch button, it moves down from the chambering line and the bolt slips past the cartridge. And the store is sort of like in a handle, pressed by a latch. The store itself should have been made like an APS store, with large windows, or like a PSM store, in order to facilitate loading with cartridges. The shutter delay lever is located close to the fuse and when you press one of the levers, the other gets under your finger, which requires additional effort. On some relatively new pistols, the bolt spontaneously breaks off the bolt stop. The back of the shutter - downright openwork design. Probably specially made for collecting various garbage. (Unlike PM and APS).

APS 9mm automatic pistols

The notch in front of the shutter is probably a tribute to fashion and nothing more. When using this notch, the fingers run into the sharp edges of the front of the frame. Maybe it is used to check the presence of a cartridge in the chamber, as they do 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 a cocked trigger. Completely redundant feature. When drawing a pistol from a holster, simultaneously cocking the hammer does not present any problems. Moreover, the self-cocking on the PJ is soft and does not greatly affect the accuracy of the first shot.

9mm PYa self-loading pistol

What can not be taken away from the PJ is a smooth descent and a quick return to the aiming line after a shot. It is more suitable for high-speed shooting. The similarity of USM PYa and PSM is obvious and noticeable even to a non-specialist. Why not make the fuse the same as on the PSM design and place it on the gate, ensuring that the safety is removed and the trigger is cocked at the same time. And at the same time close the back of the shutter from possible clogging with foreign objects. Ledge on the front of the trigger guard for the index finger. Maybe it improves the accuracy of shooting - I did not notice much difference. The pistol throws up in the same way as with a normal grip. And with such a wide bracket, for a normal grip, you need to have not an index finger, but a tentacle. Sights it was necessary to make it streamlined in order to prevent snagging on clothing or an operational holster.

The pistol comes with only one spare magazine. Regular cartridges with a Pst bullet differ from the 9x19 Luger sports cartridges used in training firing by the level of acoustic impact on the shooter, greater strength recoil and a 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 wearable ammunition with cartridges with lead-core bullets. In general, such things with this gun. Full analogy with domestic and foreign cars. Similar, but something in ours is not right ...

Pistol Self-loading Special PSS

Here we can say with full confidence about him 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 to serve you. A pistol is not uncommon for those to whom it is supposed. There are no problems with ammo either.

NRS-2 knife, PN14K goggles, PSS pistol, SP4 and 7N36 cartridges

Revolver TKB-0216

A fundamentally degraded version of the Smith and Wesson revolvers. Its only advantage is a smooth and soft descent. Given its large dimensions, it would be possible to use more powerful ammunition, such as SP10, SP11.

9mm revolver TKB-0216(OTs-01 Cobalt)

Poorly fitted handle grips. Often the drum axle unscrews spontaneously.

Submachine gun PP-93

Compact submachine gun with good fire capabilities. With some experience, you can "plant" the entire store in the target. Good accuracy and when firing automatic fire with one hand. In the APB modification, it comes with a PBS and a powerful laser designator LP93. Unfortunately, either PBS or LCC 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 still a masterpiece. Due to the low recoil, the buttplate germ can still be dealt with, 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 loosens even more.

9 mm APB submachine guns (PP-93 modification) with PBS (above) or LCC (below) installed

The magazine latch button is very good. No complaints, which can not be said about the cocking handle, located in a very interesting place. To quickly cock the shutter, you need to train for a long time, since you need to not only pull the handle, but before that also drown and remember to return it back, like on a PC. Otherwise, during the shot, you can get the handle returning along with the bolt on your fingers. The fuse translator is located on the “correct” side, but the flat shape does not always allow you to quickly rearrange fire modes, especially in winter time, wearing gloves.

9 mm submachine gun SR-2M "Veresk"

A powerful submachine gun, accurate, with a large ammunition load. Samples purchased for the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation do not have a regular collimator sight- one of the main attributes of this weapon. Instead of a regular case, there is a case from the AKS-74U assault rifle and a bag for AK-74 magazines. Apparently, the Ministry of Internal Affairs did not have enough money, or the responsible officials did not consider it necessary to purchase weapons in standard configuration.

9 mm SR-2M submachine gun with a 30-round magazine. Nearby lies a 20-round magazine

SR-2M submachine gun - fuse and reload handle are located on the right side

At the first communication, the ill-conceived arrangement of the controls is surprising. The fuse is located on the right side, although if you place it on the left side, under thumb, then it would be possible to quickly put the weapon on alert, and also quickly transfer it to a safe state. And all this with one hand. On the contrary, the fire mode translator is used most often once, and quick access to it is optional. For quick reloading, it would be necessary to move the bolt handle to the other side or make it 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 Vereskov entered the unit, everyone who took them in their hands paid attention to the too long shoulder rest. When shooting in body armor, this is very noticeable, especially when held by 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 nice to install a plastic pad at the bottom of the muzzle. A muzzle with compensation holes would not hurt. When holding the weapon by the front handle, the sharp edges of the lower part of the forearm cut into the brush. Tolerable, but annoying. More recently, during an operation, I tried to silently send a cartridge into the chamber. That is, accompany the bolt carrier with your hand, avoiding the impact of moving parts in the forward position. I did it out of habit, since this trick “rolls” on 9A-91.

The shutter pushed out the upper cartridge, which along the way pulled the lower cartridge along with it. As a result, the upper cartridge stuck into the breech section of the barrel, the lower cartridge half crawled out of the magazine, propped up the upper cartridge from below and jammed the magazine, which turned out to be impossible to remove. I had to, holding the bolt frame with my left hand, pick out the upper cartridge with my right finger, push the lower one back into the store. In the instruction manual, this delay is explained by a magazine malfunction. And this is on a new PP with a few shots. In general, in terms of dimensions, ease of use and power, the SR-2M is inferior to the proven and reliable 9A-91 machine gun.

TT or PM?

Sometimes you can become a witness to a dispute between "specialists" in the field of weapons. For example: until recently, it was customary to argue about which of the pistols is better, the Makarov pistol (PM) or the Tula Tokarev pistol (TT). In general, such disputes concerning absolutely any small arms, practically of the same class, are at least not correct. Two different samples, in this case a pistol, can only be compared in a particular situation. And even then, all the shortcomings and advantages of this or that will be indirect. During use, not at the shooting range, but in a real pistol fight not for life, but to death, the advantages and disadvantages of weapons are determined, first of all, by the qualifications and experience of the shooter, this also includes technical condition pistol and ammunition, that is, their reliability and quality at the current time. BUT performance characteristics weapons will be an advantage only if they are used correctly.

The production of TT pistols (model 1930) began in 1933. Mass production fell on the years of the Great Patriotic War. Pistols produced during this period do not differ in the quality of workmanship and assembly. Arms conveyors at that time were not always qualified personnel (teenagers, women), and the necessary steel for making weapons was not always at hand. Pistols for repairs also came from the front. In addition, pistols issued before 1943 suffered from design flaws and defects. The shot of such pistols, as a rule, was no more than 700 - 750 shots, after which the automation began to malfunction. There were also frequent malfunctions such as the magazine falling out and the loss of the drummer. On the hands, more often in the criminal world, there may also be TT pistols found at the sites of former battles and restored by "black diggers". The reliability of such instances is extremely low. To date, the TT pistol remains in service in separate units of various law enforcement agencies, as a rule, these are pistols produced in post-war period However, the technical condition of many of them leaves much to be desired. The main disadvantage of the "modern" TT, compared with the PM, is low reliability. But this unreliability is not related to the design of the pistol, it is the result of poor-quality manufacturing, assembly and harsh operation, which significantly affects the reliability and time factor. The disadvantages compared with PM include weight and dimensions. TT is heavier and larger (with a magazine without cartridges TT - 850 g. PM - 730). Relate to the shortcomings and the impossibility of self-cocking firing. The advantage of the TT over the PM is its ammunition, which has a fairly high penetrating effect. The TT uses a 7.62X25 cartridge with a bullet weighing 5.5 g and initial speed 420 - 450 m/s. From TT it is possible to hit an object in a bulletproof vest up to class II of armor protection (PM only up to class I). Therefore, TT is in great demand among killers. It can be attributed to the advantage of a fairly common and cheap ammunition (cheap and cheerful).

The PM pistol was put into service in 1951 to replace the TT pistol, and is actually in service to this day. Armed Forces, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and other law enforcement agencies of Russia, although more advanced models that meet modern requirements have officially been put into service (PYa "GRACH"; GSh-18, etc.). PM differs from TT primarily in high reliability. To date, PM is one of the most reliable pistols in the world. In terms of reliability, it is on a par with such a pistol as the GLOCK. The main disadvantage compared to the TT is the ammunition with a relatively low bullet penetration. Therefore, for the Armed Forces, the PM pistol is like modern weapons unsuitable. It is also not suitable as a means of incapacitating or stopping vehicles, if used, for example, in traffic police departments. However, during a firefight within the stairwell, the PM is still preferable to the TT. Since almost no modern door can withstand a bullet fired from a TT, if it is not armored in the appropriate class, third parties may suffer, which is not acceptable when conducting operational activities by employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. There is such a thing as stopping bullets. Here, theoretically, an equal sign can be put between PM and TT. But in practice (according to statistics), the PM that stops the action of a bullet is considered higher. This is due to the cross section of the bullet. The cartridge used in the PM - 9X18 with a bullet weight of 6.1 g and an initial speed of 315 m / s. The advantage over the TT and the presence in the PM of a self-cocking shock-trigger mechanism, as well as automatic free shutter.

Conclusion. Of course, the PM is a more modern and reliable weapon than the TT. But Makarov's pistol modern conditions it is more suitable only as a police or security weapon, and even then not always, but for the army it is already outdated. If there is nothing to choose from, then the TT pistol can be used to destroy protected targets, where the PM is of little use due to the low penetrating effect of the bullet. Brought to normal combat, well-adjusted TTs are good to use as training, sporting weapons. Ammunition is cheap and there are still a lot of cartridges of this caliber.

So, which is better - PM or TT? The question remains open.