Evolution of the Russian carbine - from Mosina to the present day

XX century can rightly be called the century of wars. But war is not only on the battlefield, the war went on, and design offices. Figure engineer-inventor came to the fore. Among the firearms Carbine is one of the most effective means of fighting. Let's see how it has changed over the last century.

In 1885. Russian military designer Sergei Ivanovich Mosin (1849-1902) created at the time a unique rack and application store to 8 mm repeating rifle. It was rumored that the French firm of "Richter" wanted to buy for the development of 600 thousand. Francs, but Mosin refused to sell his invention. Final design of the rifle "ustakanilos" after the hard work of testing magazine rifles Commission. To store Mosin added cartridge and barrel, developed by Colonel NF Rogovtseva and other members of the commission, chaired by N. Chagin and charging system cartridges bought from Belgian Leon Nagant.

The rifle entered the Russian army in 1891 and served as a great Fatherland in Russian-Japanese, First World, Russian-Finnish and World War II.

The infantry rifle Mosin 1891

Key Features:

Caliber: 7, 62 * 54R

weapons Length 1306 mm

Barrel length: 800 mm

Empty weight: 4 kg

Magazine capacity: 5 rounds

During his more than fifty years of the life of the rifle was modified several times. At first there were a few of its varieties: infantry, dragoon and Cossack. By 1930, there was a single model - the rifle Mosin sample 1891/1930 biennium.

The rifle Mosin sample 1891/1930 of the pre-war construction

Highlights: Caliber: 7, 62 * 54R

weapons Length 1232 mm

Barrel length: 729 mm

Empty weight: 4 kg

Magazine capacity: 5 rounds

Later, the rifle was modified to a carbine sample 1944

The carbine sample 1944 with the integral with a bayonet in the firing position

Highlights:

Caliber: 7, 62 * 54R

arms length: 1,020 mm

Barrel length: 517 mm

Empty weight: 4, 1 kg

Magazine capacity: 5 rounds

In 1944 Mosin rifle was discontinued. However, it was she who was the basis for many subsequent developments samples sports, hunting and ballistic weapons, and still produced at the famous factory "Izhmash", is part of the state corporation "Russian Technologies".

On duty Mosin rifle was replaced by SKS (SCS). His first designs started to arrive in the army back in 1945. It was designed specifically to put into service in 1943, the intermediate cartridge 7, 62 * 39 mm, created NM Elizarov and BV Semin.

SKS (SCS)

Key Features

Caliber: 7, 62 * 39

arms length: 1,020 mm

Barrel length: 520 mm

Empty weight: 3, 8 kg

Magazine capacity: 10 rounds

In the Soviet army SCS was in service at the same time with the legendary Kalashnikov assault rifle. He conceded it in the density of fire, but a few excelled in accuracy. In the late 50's it was decided to unify the small arms and "Kalashnikov" finally ousted SCS from the armed forces. But his production has been established in many friendly countries of the USSR. SCA still remains popular in the world and is widely used, primarily for civilian purposes. In our time at the "Izhmash" is carried out on the basis of SCS production model OP-SKS.

carbine SCS-OP

Key Features

Caliber: 7, 62 * 39

arms length: 1025 mm

Barrel length: 520 mm

Empty weight: 3, 7 kg

Magazine capacity: 10 rounds

7, 62-mm Dragunov sniper self-loading rifle was developed in 1958-1963. under the leadership of Eugene Dragunov. rifle mechanism is based on the action of the propellant gases discharged from the bore to the gas piston. Created especially for aimed fire from cover, destruction of moving single targets.

Sniper rifle Dragunov SVD structure

Key Features

Caliber: 7, 62 * 54R

weapons Length 1225 mm

Barrel length: 547 mm

Empty weight: 4, 3 kg

Magazine capacity: 10 rounds

SVD sniper rifle is still composed by the Russian Army. Today at the "Izhmash", "Russian Technologies" produce such variants rifle Dragunov SVD and how SIDS (with folding stock).

SIDS sniper rifle with folding stock and shortened barrel

Key Features

Caliber: 7, 62 * 54R

weapons Length: 1135/875 mm

Barrel length: 565 mm

Empty weight: 4, 7 kg

Magazine capacity: 10 rounds

A prototype of the machine appeared in Russia in the early XX century. It was created by Captain of the Russian Imperial Army VG Fedorov from 1913-1916.

Key Features

Caliber: 6, 5 * 50SR

arms length: 1040 mm

Barrel length: 520 mm

Empty weight: 4, 3 kg

Magazine capacity: 25 rounds

Mass production of it has not been established. Machine lacked reliability, it has been difficult to manufacture and use. However, he became the first model of individual automatic weapons and has played an important historical role in the subsequent development of small arms. The Kalashnikov rifle is probably the most well-known Russian weapons. It was designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1947-1949 and adopted by the Soviet Army in 1949.

Kalashnikov AK-47, 1947-1949

Key Features of AK-47

Caliber: 7, 62 * 39

arms length: 870 mm

Barrel length: 414 mm

Empty weight: 3, 8 kg

Magazine capacity: 30 rounds

AK - the most common weapon in the world. Over the past 60 years, more than 70 million Kalashnikovs of various modifications were produced in the world. This weapon is worth in service in 50 countries. For comparison, the US M16 rifle made in the amount of 10 million units, it is used in 27 countries worlds.

Today there is a huge amount of machine modifications.

Kalashnikov AK-47, 1949-1954.

Kalashnikov AKS-47, 1954-1959.

In recent years, a large number of Kalashnikovs so-called "one-hundredth series" (AK-101, AK-102, AK-103 and AK-104) produced specifically for export. For example, in 2006 the "Izhmash" through "Rosoboronexport" signed a contract with Venezuela to supply 100 thousand. AK-103. This contract was the largest for the "Izhmash" for the past 25 years.

Kalashnikov AK-103

Main characteristics:

Caliber: 7, 62 * 39

weapons Length: 943/700 mm

Barrel length: 415 mm

Empty weight: 3, 4 kg

Magazine capacity: 30 rounds

AK-105 series machines are created specifically for the armed forces and law enforcement bodies of Russia.

Kalashnikov AK-105

Main characteristics

Gauge: 5 45 * 39

weapons Length: 824/586 mm

Barrel length: 314 mm Empty weight: 3, 4 kg

Magazine capacity: 30 rounds

The newest model of Kalashnikov assault rifle was released on the "Izhmash" in 2012. Machine designer was Vladimir Zlobin. AK-12 will need to replace outdated models (AK-74, AK-74M AK-103) by the Russian Army.

Kalashnikov AK-12

Caliber: 5, 45x39, 5, 56x45, 7, 62x39; 7, 62x51 NATO

arms length in mm: 945/725

Barrel Length, mm: 415

Empty weight: 3, 3 kg

Magazine capacity, rounds 30 or 60

On the basis of the Kalashnikov assault rifle produced a huge number of military and civilian weapons. In recent years, the "Izhmash" has successfully developed a series of rifles and carbines "Saiga". The latest model carbine Saiga-12 is now even purchased for US armed police units. Thanks to the efficiency improvement program, which is implemented in the "Izhmash" Corporation "Russian Technologies", over the last year have been greatly expanded markets. For example, the volume of shipments to the US market increased by 50%.

Saiga-12

Saiga-12 - a shotgun 12 caliber. Can fire shot or slugs, including "Magnum" with a case length of 70 and 76 mm. A rifle can be carried out single light, equipped with an automatic recharging. There are 4 different "Saiga" "Saiga-12", "Saiga-12C", "Saiga-12K", "Saiga-12C EXP-01."

Saiga-12K

Automatic Nikonov - another fine example of an assault rifle. It was developed by Gennady Nikonov at the beginning of the 90s. AN-94 Model 1998 is also available at Izhmash.

AN-94 - a new generation of automatic weapons. By improving the accuracy of fire from unstable positions it in 1, 5 times higher than the previous samples of combat effectiveness. Machine allows firing single shots, bursts of fixed and continuous fire. Rate of fire up to 1,800 rounds per minute.

Nikonov AN-94 Automatic

Main characteristics

Gauge: 5 45 * 39

weapons Length: 943/728 mm

Barrel length: 405 mm

Empty weight: 3, 85 kg

Magazine capacity: 30 rounds

Sniper rifle SV-99 chambered for rimfire caliber 5, 6 mm was developed at the "IZHMASH" in 2001, a special for anti-terrorism applications. Base served as a sports rifle "Biathlon-7-2". Crank locking mechanism, which is equipped with a CD-99 allows shooting at a rapid pace. The rifle is in service with riot squads.

The sniper rifle SV-99

Main characteristics

Caliber: 5, 6 * 15

arms length: 1030 mm (butt and silencer)

Barrel length: 350 mm

Empty weight: 3, 8 kg

Magazine capacity: 10 or 5 rounds

It is clear that the production of weapons - it's not the most innocent activity. But on the other hand, who knows what would have happened to us and our country, if not the war production?