Continuing the theme of submachine guns in the modern system of domestic small arms, it is worth remembering another direction of their development. Whatever tasks the fighters armed with light automatic weapons solve: patrolling settlements and objects, releasing captured objects, individual hostages, etc., they, as a rule, have to conduct a fleeting but intense firefight, mainly at short ranges. And then interruptions in the operation of the weapon caused by the need to reload it must be minimized.
The solution options here are different - devices for coupling several magazines in order to speed up the replacement of a spent magazine with a full one, a return to drum magazines (in addition to the most commonly used box magazines), a transition to other types of magazines that allow combining a large "stock" of cartridges with compactness and ease of weapon control … An example of the latter approach is two domestic samples of submachine guns.
Bison family
The unification characteristic of the modern system of small arms was manifested, among other things, in the creation of submachine guns based on machine guns and assault rifles in service with the armies. Such submachine guns are usually designed for special purpose units that already use standard assault rifles (assault rifles). It would be strange if this method of obtaining a submachine gun was not used in our country, where, in fact, for the first time and in practice, the idea of a wide unification of automatic weapons on the basis of one system was realized.
At the beginning of the 90s, interest in automatic small arms with an actual firing range of up to 100-150 meters increased in Russian law enforcement agencies. The corresponding tactical and technical assignment was issued in 1993.
The designers of the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant used the well-proven and long-mastered Kalashnikov system. The development was carried out by V. M. Kalashnikov - the son of the outstanding designer-gunsmith M. T. Kalashnikov and A. E. Dragunov - the son of the famous creator of the sniper rifle E. F. Dragunov. By that time, however, both Viktor Mikhailovich and Aleksey Evgenievich were already experienced gunsmith designers. The result of their joint work is the 9-mm submachine gun PP-19 "Bizon-2", which became the basis for a kind of family of submachine guns.
In 1996, the 9-mm PP-19 "Bizon-2" entered service with the Ministry of Internal Affairs under the standard pistol cartridge 9x18 PM (57-N-181S). However, the high-impulse cartridge 9x18 PMM (7N16) with a bullet of increased penetration, which had appeared by that time, could also be used for firing from a new weapon.
While maintaining many of the "family" features "Bizon-2" has a number of significant differences. Automation works on the basis of the recoil of the free shutter. The valve stem serves only as a room for the return spring. The relatively long bolt travel allowed to soften the effect of recoil on the weapon and the shooter and to reduce the rate of fire. The reload handle is located on the right and is part of the bolt. The trigger mechanism, like that of the base sample, is assembled in a receiver, in terms of the device it is almost similar to a machine gun, and allows for single and automatic fire. The flag non-automatic translator-fuse in the “fuse” position blocks the trigger, sear for single and automatic fire and prevents the bolt carrier from moving back, blocking the slot for the bolt handle. There is an option in which the large lever of the safety translator is supplemented with a lever located directly above the pistol grip of the control. The frame stock folding to the left is borrowed from the AKS74 assault rifle. On the left side of the receiver there is a standard rail for mounting a collimator, optical or night sight.
The most interesting feature of the Bizon-2 was the power supply system. The submachine gun is supplied with a screw magazine with a cylindrical body and stacking cartridges in screw grooves parallel to the axis of the magazine. This design, with some complication, allows you to combine a large store capacity with sufficient compactness. The very idea of a screw magazine, in which cartridges are fed to the magazine window by rotating the screw surface (a principle familiar to any housewife from the screw of an ordinary meat grinder), is not new. Its history can be traced back to the first experienced magazine rifles. The Russian fleet, for example, in the 70s of the XIX century tested the rifles of the American Evans system of 1871 with a screw magazine located in the butt: such rifles were received together with cruisers built in America for Russia. However, the rifles were very soon handed over to warehouses due to their unreliability. But time passed, the technology improved, new materials appeared. Already in the 80s of the XX century, great interest in auger magazines was aroused by the American CALICO weapon system - widely advertised, but never adopted anywhere for service, in which a large-capacity magazine was located horizontally on top of the rear of the weapon.
The performance characteristics of submachine guns of the Bizon-2 family
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* In the numerator - for cartridges 9x18 PM, in the denominator - for 9x18 PMM ** With integrated silencer
The Bizon-2 developers have placed the store in front of the bottom. Such a mount, in addition to maintaining the compactness of the weapon, also shifts its center of gravity forward, contributing to the accuracy of shooting, and allows the magazine to be used as a forend. An essential point was the use of shock-resistant plastic in the design of the store, which limited the “dead” mass of the store.
A flame arrester is attached to the muzzle of the Bizon-2 barrel. The open sighting device includes a front sight with a safety lock and a sector sight. The sight bar is notched at a distance of up to 100 meters - for a standard 9x18 PM cartridge and up to 150 meters - for a high-impulse cartridge. PP-19 "Bizon-2" is distinguished by ease of holding and excellent accuracy of fire for submachine guns. Soon PP-19 "Bizon-2" acquired a considerable number of modifications.
"Bizon-2" Sat.03 (or "Bizon-2-03") belongs to the category of silent weapons. Its appearance is natural, given the role of the submachine gun as a special-purpose weapon. This sample is equipped with an integrated silencer: an expansion chamber is put on the barrel, into which powder gases are discharged through the holes made in the walls of the barrel along the bottom of the rifling to reduce the initial velocity of the bullet below the speed of sound. The camera is put on the barrel together with the front sight stand. A removable silent and flameless firing device (PBS or just a silencer) is attached to the muzzle of the barrel.
A removable tactical silencer can be installed instead of a flame arrester on other modifications of the Bizon-2. If the initial velocity of the bullet exceeds the sound velocity, such a muffler plays the role of a low-noise firing device, moreover, it completely eliminates the fire of the shot. This not only reduces the visibility of the shooter for the enemy, but also makes it easier to work with night vision devices and simplifies voice communication within the unit, especially in urban areas, in underground communications, etc. - on the receiver cover.
In 1997, the Bizon-2 Sb.07 (Bizon-2-07) submachine gun appeared chambered for 7, 62x25 TT. It should be noted that in the 90s a number of developers tried to "return to service" the old teteshny cartridge, especially since it differs from 9x18 PM and PMM cartridges in a higher initial speed and penetrating action of a bullet, a more flat trajectory, which means that it allows you to achieve better accuracy and increased damaging effect. Bizon-2-07 stood out for its box magazine.
However, at the same time, a domestic pistol cartridge of the 9x19 type appeared and was standardized. The creation of a submachine gun for this cartridge was a natural step. And in 2001, the Ministry of Internal Affairs adopted the "Bizon-2-01" chambered for 9x19 cartridges.
The performance characteristics of the PP-19 "Bizon-2"
- 9x18 Cartridge
- 2, 8 kg Weight without cartridges
- 460 mm Weapon length with butt folded
- 690 mm Weapon length with unfolded stock
- 230 mm Barrel length
- 340 m / s (PM), 460 m / s (PMM) Bullet muzzle velocity
- 680 rounds / min Rate of fire
- 40/100 (rds / min) Effective rate of fire
- 100 m (PM), 150 m (PMM) Sighting range
- 64 rounds magazine capacity
The performance characteristics of the PP-90M1
- 9x19 Cartridge
- 1, 6 kg Weight without magazine
- 410 mm Weapon length with folded stock
- 620 mm Weapon length with unfolded stock
- 500-600 rounds / min Rate of fire
- 200 m Sighting range
- 64 rounds magazine capacity
One more cartridge, new for the domestic weapon system, 9x17 "kurts", adopted in Russia for the so-called service weapon, also showed itself in the Bizona-2 family. Under this cartridge, a modification of the Bizon-2-02 submachine gun was performed. The self-loading modification "Bizon-2-06" chambered for the 9x17 cartridge was presented as a service carbine. Self-loading modifications also appeared for 9x18 and 9x19 cartridges.
Taking into account different variants of the buttstock, firing mechanism, the presence or absence of an integrated muffler and other elements, "Bizon-2" can be presented in 12 modifications.
An experimental version of a submachine gun with a removable adapter for installing box magazines was shown. However, another branch was developed in this direction - submachine guns PP-19-01 "Vityaz", equipped only with box magazines.
Tula option
The designers of the Tula Instrument Design Bureau also used a screw magazine in one of their submachine guns, but they approached its development a little differently. A completely new design was initially developed here, moreover, modular, in which the compactness and lightness of the weapon would be combined with the advantages of box and auger magazines. The result was the PP-90M1 submachine gun, designed for the powerful 7N31 and 7N21 cartridges of the 9x19 type. Can be used and other 9-mm cartridges of the "Lugger" ("Parabellum") domestic and foreign production. It is worth noting that the PP-90M1 system is not connected with the PP-90M submachine gun presented by the KBP somewhat earlier.
PP-90M1 has an automatic system based on the recoil of a free shutter and a classic layout with the location of the store window in front of the trigger guard. The barrel and bolt group were made in a separate assembly, with the guides for the bolt movement and the reflector located on the barrel. The system is designed in such a way that there is practically no impact of the bolt at the rearmost point when it moves under the influence of recoil. This made it possible to use a plastic body in the design, made at the same time as the pistol grip and trigger guard, reducing the weight and cost of the weapon, and shifting the center of gravity forward. The duration of the automatic cycle made it possible to optimize the rate of fire, increasing the controllability of the PP-90M1. Together with the balance of the weapon, this contributes to the accuracy of the shooting.
Instead of the bolt handle, a rarely used technique was used - a notch is made on the end of the front part of the bolt protruding from the body above the barrel. The result is a "button" for cocking. In addition to reducing the size of the weapon, this increased the tightness of the hull.
The firing mechanism is of the hammer type, allows for single and automatic fire. The shot is fired from the rear sear (that is, with the shutter closed). The fuse translator is located on the left above the trigger guard. The stamped metal stock folds up and down. The PP-90M1 turned out to be lighter and more compact than the various-caliber "Bizon-2".
The auger magazine with a plastic body resembles the stores of PP-19 Bizon-2 and CALICO submachine guns. Double-row metal box magazines were offered for weapons. The auger magazine was attached directly to the barrel and body, the box magazine - using a removable adapter-forend. As they were being finalized, the KBP decided to abandon the adapter, and the submachine gun was presented only with a screw magazine.
However, in 2005, the KBP showed a reinforced version of the PP-90M1 with the replacement of the plastic case with a metal receiver. Instead of a "button" in the front of the valve stem, a more convenient rotary handle appeared - similar to the one used on the PP-2000 developed by the same KBP. The screw magazine has also changed somewhat. This version of the PP-90M1 is equipped with a plastic pistol grip, a magazine serves as a forend, a buttstock is bent from a wire, folding upward forward or sideways, in the form of a rod with a folding shoulder rest. In addition to the open sighting device, an optical or collimator sight can be installed on the submachine gun, and a silencer can be attached instead of a flame arrester.
The use of the 7N31 cartridge with a bullet of increased penetrating action makes it possible to hit the enemy's manpower, protected by personal body armor, located in a car or behind light cover: when firing with this cartridge from PP-90M1 at a distance of up to 30 meters, the bullet pierces a steel plate 8 mm thick, up to 60 meters - 5 millimeters.
