Submachine guns yesterday, today, tomorrow. There is another direction for improving submachine guns, which, by the way, we also talked about, but practically did not consider specific examples (except in the material about the Austrian submachine gun based on the AUG rifle), and which consists in using a worked out scheme of some an automatic rifle by turning it into a submachine gun. Or we can talk about the development of some new weapon based on it. The most famous example of such a design is the Soviet AKS-74U, which, being a shortened version of the AKS-74 assault rifle, ended up in the Soviet Army and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, where it is used to this day.
Very specific model
Actually, all the problems of this clone of the Kalashnikov assault rifle turned out to be associated with its patron. For the PP, it was too powerful, had an unsatisfactory stopping effect, the bullets fired from it ricocheted strongly, so we even had to develop a special bullet (which did not solve the problems, by the way, speaking!), That is, it was a good weapon of total war, but for limited, "surgical" operations are quite of little use. Yes, but what was it about him that was captivating? His design bribed him in it. That is, the details from which it was assembled. After all, the production technology of the Kalashnikov assault rifle was by this time extremely worked out, which guaranteed the new weapon and manufacturability, and cheapness, and rapid development in the army. That is, in principle, it was enough just to change the cartridge, barrel, bolt and … in this way it was possible to get a new and quite decent submachine gun, which, when used with a 9-mm cartridge, could have a very good stopping effect. But in Soviet times, such "delights" were not in demand, which is why the Kalashnikov clones did not appear.
Everything changed after 1991. There appeared, for example, the PP-19 "Bizon" submachine gun with an original under-barrel screw magazine for 64 and 53 rounds, depending on the modification. The cartridges used were very different: 9 × 18 mm, 9 × 17 mm, 9 × 19 mm "Parabellum" and even the good old cartridge from TT - 7, 62 × 25 mm, that is, all according to the principle "any whim for your money."
But it looked very unusual and, apparently, that is why there was also a Vityaz submachine gun (known as PP-19-01), with a traditional “horn” magazine for 30 rounds.
The principle of operation of the automatics was chosen as the simplest: the recoil of the free bolt, but for the sake of accuracy, firing from it is carried out with the bolt closed. Both the trigger and the safety device - everything, everything, including the receiver, is taken from the AKS-74U and AK-104. There is a translator from single to automatic fire.
Two magazines can be combined into one block, which reduces the time for reloading. The use of the submachine gun is also made easier by the fact that it is practically "omnivorous". It can use 9x19 mm cartridges, both commercial samples and military ones, including our Russian ones with an armor-piercing bullet.
Outwardly, the new submachine gun is very similar to the AKSU-74, but it is clear that it has Picattini strips and a tactical grip, in a word, the entire modern "gentleman's set". Nevertheless, the manufacturers claim that the new sample is 70% unified with the Kalashnikov assault rifle.
There is an option with a reloading handle on the left side, which is considered a more convenient solution for a submachine gun. The switch for fire and fuse modes in this version is also on the left. Due to the abundance of metal in the design, the submachine gun turned out to be somewhat heavy, about 3 kg, but in Russian it was durable and, of course, reliable. The barrel length is small - 230 mm, the total length with the stock is 690 mm, with the stock folded - 460. The rate of fire is quite high and is 750 rds / min. The effective firing range can reach 200 m, but it is best to fire no further than 100 m anyway!
Today, this PP goes into service with the units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and, most likely, will remain their weapon for a long time. So the “Kalashnikov traditions” in our country still live and win, but who said that there is something better than the “good old traditions”? No, there is, of course, but the time to discard them has clearly not come yet!
But this was done not only in the USSR and in Russia. When in the United States there was a need for submachine guns for arming special units, the Colt company immediately reacted and created a 9-mm sample of such a weapon chambered for 9 × 19 mm, based on the M16 automatic army rifle. And, by the way, the very same company produces this rifle. So it was not at all difficult to release a clone of this rifle for a pistol cartridge, it reduced labor costs and made production cheaper.
The design of this submachine gun is very similar to a rifle: its automatic mechanism works on the principle of a closed bolt, but differs from the M16 in that it has a straight gas outlet pipe. A closed bolt is a very advantageous thing in that it makes it possible to produce more accurate shooting compared to PPs with an open bolt automation. Well, externally, like our AKSU-74, the American submachine gun is also very similar to the M16, only in a correspondingly shortened form. One notable difference is the large plastic deflector next to the sleeve removal hole. The carrying handle, which is also a sight, allows you to mount several types of optical sights on it, as well as night vision devices. There is no front pistol grip.
Interestingly, the magazine receiver was not even reduced for smaller magazines, but a corresponding insert was made inside. It allows the use of both 32-round magazines and 20-round magazines - which are no different from the magazines used in Uzi-type submachine guns.
There are two types of this submachine gun available. The first one has the designation RO635, and it differs in that its fire translator has three positions: setting on safety, fire with single shots and fire with bursts. The second type RO639, instead of continuous fire, provides for firing with a cutoff of three shots. There is also an option for the Drug Enforcement Special Forces 633 with a shorter barrel and a simplified scope. The most common model is the 635, which is designated SMG 9mm NATO.
The Colt firm also produces a carbine based on the AR-15 rifle, and also in 9mm caliber. It differs in the presence of a gas piston, and so it has the same rotating shutter. This specimen features a 16.1-inch barrel, black anodized finish, 4-position M4 telescopic stock, sleeve cover and many traditional attachments for attachments. Store for 32 rounds.
Another clone of the AR-15 rifle chambered for a 9-mm pistol cartridge - the UDP-9 submachine gun was developed and launched on the market by the young American company Angstadt Arms, which first announced itself in 2015. This is the most demanded sample, although there is also a modification for the 11, 43 mm pistol cartridge. Company owner Rich Angstadt played by equipping his submachine gun with a built-in silencer, which works successfully with subsonic ammunition. It turned out to be simple and reliable, and it looks like a very modern submachine gun, compatible with all accessories from the AR-15, as well as - and this is constantly emphasized in the company's advertising brochures - with all the magazines from the pistols of the Glock family. By the way, to ensure reliable feed, the magazines are inserted into the PP receiver at the same angle as the pistols of this system. Model UDP-9 in a variety of configurations, which certainly increases its competitiveness in the arms market.
That is, in this way, in principle, you can take the automation of any rifle you like, the most, so to speak, time-tested and without much hassle, making it easier accordingly, create on its basis a quite decent submachine gun for one of the most common type of store in the world and caliber. That's all!
As always, the question of prices for such "products" is interesting. Well, these weapons are not cheap! Depending on whether it has an integrated or removable silencer, as well as the length of the barrel, the price of a sample can fluctuate between $ 1, 395.00–1, 995.00, that is, have a very decent cost. But the ultra-modern materials and technologies used in the submachine guns of this company are believed to redeem everyone! And today these submachine guns are sold in 25 countries around the world. And what will happen when this company gains momentum?
