Pistols and revolvers. Pistols of the world

The pistol was invented back in the 15th century. Nothing complicated: a short tube mounted on wooden block with wick lock. The first pistols were single-shot and smooth-bore, while modern ones have a rifled barrel and a large magazine, sometimes holding up to 30 rounds. It’s clear that progress does not stand still; this applies to absolutely any industry, and weapons are no exception. Gradually, pistols are becoming more accurate, convenient, powerful, lightweight and practical. I propose to talk about the best pistols of our time.

Self-loading, army pistol, model 1972. The model at one time earned a reputation as a very reliable, albeit rather bulky weapon. Most of those who have ever picked up this pistol complain about the very thick and uncomfortable handle. But, high muzzle energy, incredible reliability, enormous penetrating and stopping effect, soft trigger and shooting accuracy make owners forget about the shortcomings of the 9 mm Beretta 92.

FN Five-seven

A pistol developed by the Belgian company Fabrique Nationale of Herstal in 1993. The main feature of this weapon model is the SS190 5.7x28 mm cartridge with a pointed bullet, specially developed for it. The pistol is equipped with a 10-, 20- or 30-round magazine. The initial speed of a bullet fired from Five-seven is 650 meters per second. The main goal when creating of this weapon the developers considered fighting an enemy who is protected by body armor.

Walther P99

A German pistol produced by Carl Walther Sportwaffen GmbH since 1996. Development began back in 1994, in the hope of creating an ideal weapon for police and civilian self-defense. The model is considered quite successful. The pistol is equipped with a magazine for 16 rounds of 9x19 mm Parabellum cartridges. The initial bullet speed is 380 meters per second, the target firing range is 100 meters.

QSZ-92

The weapon was developed in the mid-90s to equip the Chinese army. The pistol was produced for two types of cartridges - 5.8mm and 9x19mm. The target firing range of this weapon is about 50 meters, the initial bullet speed reaches 480 meters per second. The QSZ-92 double-row magazine holds 15 rounds. Under the barrel of the pistol there are mounts for a flashlight or laser designator.

FN-FNP45

First announced in 2007, but production and serial production began in 2008. The FN-FNP45 pistol is a service-type weapon, designed primarily for law enforcement services. The magazine holds 14 rounds of type 45 ACP 11.43. The FN-FNP45 is suitable for civilian shooters who prefer heavy, large-caliber pistols. It is very reliable and convenient. The handle is adjusted to suit different hand sizes by replacing the back part. Various modern components are attached to the barrel.

Heckler and Koch Mark 23

Developed by the German company Heckler and Koch specifically for the American division of US SOCOM. In 1996, the pistol was adopted by the United States, and to this day is used by American troops for special operations. The Heckler and Koch Mark 23 clip is designed for 12 rounds of 45 ACP, the sighting range is 50 meters, and the muzzle velocity is 380 meters per second.

Glock-17

Well, it's almost a classic. The very first pistol produced by Glock. This happened in the year of its founding - 1980. The 9-mm Glock actually turned out to be a very successful model. Due to its quality and good combat characteristics, it has become quite widespread as a civilian self-defense weapon. The main feature of this pistol model is the material from which it is made. The Glock-17 is made entirely of plastic, making it unusually light, like a toy, but very durable and reliable.

HS2000

Croatian pistol developed by IM Metal under the direction of Marko Vuković in 1998. Serial production began in 1999 and has not stopped to this day. These days it is produced in short batches under the designation Springfield 😆. Now you can find many modifications of this pistol, which indicates that it turned out to be very successful. Over the course of 16 years, the HS2000 was produced in different cartridges: .357 SIG, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, but the original is still 9x19 mm Parabellum.

Heckler and Koch USP

Universal Selbstlade Pistole, which means “universal self-loading pistol”, is exactly what the abbreviation “USP” stands for in the name of this weapon. USP was first introduced in 1993. The pistol is intended for arming the German army and police. Weapons were created for the American cartridge.40 S&W. Magazine capacity is 15 rounds, muzzle velocity is 350 meters per second, sighting range is 100 meters.

SIGP250

The full name is SIG-Sauer P250 Dc - a development by the German company J. P. Sauer & Sohn. The SIGP250 entered mass production quite recently - in 2008. The pistol is produced in only one caliber and one compact version, but with three different grip sizes to choose from. The success of this model was ensured by very good performance characteristics and simplicity of design. Cartridge - 9x19mm Parabellum, sighting line length -147 mm, clip capacity - 15 rounds.

The “oldest” pistol in service was created by designer D. Browning. Played main role in the development of pistols. Today it is the most popular pistol in the world and has the widest number of different clones. Key Features:

Automatic with short barrel stroke;

Locking at the top of the barrel with 2 lugs;

Using a steel earring to disengage the bolt and barrel;

Trigger trigger with single action open trigger;

Non-automatic fuse on the frame;

Automatic safety - button on the back of the handle;

Single-row magazine in the handle;

A magazine release designed as a button;

The caliber used is .45 APC.

The pistol turned out to be so successful that at one time various modifications of this pistol formed the basis of military personal weapons in many countries around the world.

Created by American and modified by Israeli designers. It was the first and today the only high-quality and powerful pistol. Oddly enough, the pistol gained popularity in the civilian arms market. If other pistols first conquered paramilitary units and only then conquered the rest, the powerful “Desert Eagle”, thanks to computer games and world cinema, quickly won the hearts of all connoisseurs of powerful personal weapons. The Desert Eagle variant with 50 AE ammunition is today one of the most powerful serial self-loading pistols. The design of the weapon is quite original. Feature - a gas exhaust propulsion circuit is used

GSh-18

Excellent domestic development of personal weapons. The gun is capable of reaching great heights in the gun market. But there is no chance for him to become one of the leaders of the best pistols in the world - the pistol is not a completely original design, but there is a variation of the Glock pistol. Perhaps the next modification of the GSh-18 pistol will bring him well-deserved fame and honor.

Browning Hi-Power.

self-loading pistol designed by J. Browning and Didier Sav with a single-action trigger. The design of the pistol is based on the locked bolt design with a short stroke developed by John Moses Browning.

This is one of the most famous models revolvers created by the Samuel Colt company. It was released in 1873, and since then its appearance has remained almost unchanged. The Colt M-1873 Single Action Army is commonly known as the Peacemaker. It is believed that this revolver owes its name to its truly terrifying destructive power. His bullet was equipped with a soft lead tip; it stuck in the person’s body, turning the full force of the shot against him. One hit in the arm or leg - and the person became crippled, unable to walk without crutches or use his arm. Where they started shooting from the Colt M-1873, peace was quickly established. By the way, not six, but five cartridges were usually inserted into the drum of the “Peacemaker”: the slot under the trigger was left empty so that the revolver would not accidentally fire.

Magnum, Caliber - 44, 6 charges, barrel length - 200 mm!

This weapon is made famous by American action films, most notably Dirty Harry. First, the magnum cartridge appeared, and only then did weapons designed to fire these cartridges appear. In 1935, the American arms company Smith & Wesson developed new revolver cartridges that were distinguished by increased power. The .357 magnum cartridges required a more powerful revolver design. This is how the Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum revolver appeared, and then several more models, including the legendary .44 Magnum. Until the 1950s, the magnum was a monopoly of Smith & Wesson, and then similar revolvers from other companies began to appear, for example, Colt Python.

Action movie directors love big “guns” - a hefty nickel-plated Smith & Wesson 44 caliber stainless steel or Desert Eagle is a plus 10 to the hero’s lethality and a plus 100 to his charisma. Fascinated by the magic of “Hollywood,” the average person also begins to believe in the wonderful capabilities of overgrown pistols. After the release of the movie “Dirty Harry” in the early 70s, Americans swept S&W .44 Magnum revolvers off the shelves, and stores bombarded the company with requests for new supplies.

However, Americans have been partial to large revolvers since the days of the “Wild West” and the triumphant march of the “Colt Peacemaker.” And from the first quarter of the 20th century, hunting with a revolver even became fashionable in the United States - it is believed that, primarily for its sake, powerful cartridges were created. 357 Magnum, .44 Magnum and revolvers for them.

As for military use, increasing the firepower of pistols by increasing the caliber and power of ammunition has long been recognized as a dead end. If the power of a 9 mm pistol is not enough, it is better to switch to another class of weapon - a submachine gun or a compact machine gun. Their combat effectiveness is in any case higher than that of an oversized pistol.

In the ranking of the largest revolvers and pistols, we took into account the factors of weapon power, originality of design, its prevalence and popularity. Working models of weapons are excluded from the list, so, for example, the revolver of the Pole Ryszard Tobis, who in his workshop made a copy of the Remington 1858 on a scale of 3:1, was left out. Today it is considered the largest shooting revolver in the world: weight 45 kilograms, caliber 28 millimeters, bullet weight - almost 140 grams. During testing, this monster hit a target from a distance of 50 meters.

The army and police do not like pistols that are too large and powerful, but almost every rule has exceptions. One of them is the Russian assault revolver RSh-12 chambered for a powerful 12.7x55 mm cartridge. An unusual weapon was developed in 2000 by the Tula TsKIB SOO for special forces of the Federal Security Service. The creators of the RSh-12 positioned it as a powerful individual weapon for storming premises. Along with it, the FSB special forces were offered the ASh-12 assault rifle chambered for the same cartridge. The range of ammunition for both types includes two-bullet and armor-piercing cartridges.

In addition to its size, the RSh-12 is distinguished by its futuristic design and unusual layout. The shot is fired not from the upper chamber of the drum, as in most other revolvers, but from the lower one. According to the developers, this should reduce the noticeable recoil and tossing of the weapon. For greater convenience, the revolver can be equipped with a butt.

Above the RSh-12 barrel there is a reinforced casing with ventilation holes; at the top and bottom of the barrel there are Picatinny rails for installing sights, flashlights and other attachments. It was not possible to find any information about the testing of the revolver, its introduction into service and use, and therefore only seventh place.

In sixth place is the Freedom Arms .454 Casull revolver, which appeared in the USA in 1959 and for more than half a century was the most powerful serial revolver in the world. When creating the cartridge, the elongated cartridge case of the .45 Colt cartridge was taken as the basis. Some samples of the .454 Casull are capable of accelerating a 16-gram bullet to a speed of 600 meters per second, giving it a muzzle energy of up to 2.7 thousand joules - more than that of the AK-47. The revolver was produced in a design reminiscent of the 1873 Colt Army (“Peacemaker”), its main purpose was as an expensive (several thousand dollars) toy for wealthy shooting enthusiasts. Revolvers were made in small batches to order.

Fifth place is the heavy-duty AMP pistol (Auto Mag Pistol), created as a competitor to hunting revolvers of .44 Magnum caliber. For a long time it was believed that automatic pistols are, in principle, unable to “hold” large calibers like the same “magnums” - they say, this is the lot of large revolvers. Designers Harry Stanford and Max Gera decided to refute this postulate, and in the 60s they began work on their own powerful .357AMP and .44AMP cartridges (the latter was based on the .308 Win rifle cartridge) and weapons for it. Ten years later, the first prototypes appeared, and soon serial production of the new seven-shot AMP pistol began.

Experts noted the excellent quality and high accuracy of the weapon - when shooting hand-held at a distance of 25 meters, the bullets could be placed in a circle with a diameter of 3.5 centimeters. The power is 1375 joules - almost 400 joules more than Dirty Harry's Magnum. But the AMP was very expensive, and it was not easy to get cartridges for it. As a result, AutoMag Corp. itself first went bankrupt, and by 1982 its successors curtailed weapons production, having produced about 10 thousand pistols in ten years.

Like many big and bad guns, the AMR managed to appear in Hollywood action films - in particular, in the film Death Wish 3 with Charles Bronson.

In fourth place is perhaps the most powerful serial revolver: the five-shot Smith & Wesson chambered for the 500 SW Magnum cartridge. First introduced in 2003. It was developed for hunting large game, including grizzly bears. Muzzle energy is up to 3.5 thousand joules (some sources indicate up to 4.1 thousand joules), approximately the same as the 7.62x51 cartridge, which is used in NATO rifles and machine guns. For comparison: one of the most powerful hunting cartridges- 9.3x64 Brenneke, created specifically for hunting the African “Big Five” (elephant, rhinoceros, buffalo, lion, leopard), has an energy of 4.8-5.8 thousand joules.

The Smith & Wesson barrel is equipped with a muzzle brake-compensator - strong recoil can easily knock out the hand of an inexperienced shooter. On weapon forums it is said that powder gases breaking into the gap between the barrel and the cylinder can tear off a shooter’s finger, and such cases allegedly occurred. The authors of the “MythBusters” program even conducted a corresponding experiment, making a dummy finger from a chicken bone and meat. Experience confirmed: the finger was torn off. Despite this, there are videos on the YouTube channel in which ladies fire Smith & Wesson .500 SW Magnum with one hand, and they do it very confidently.

In third place is the Desert Eagle pistol. Its considerable power and extremely brutal design have made the Eagle a darling of Hollywood and computer shooter manufacturers, and all gun channels are sure to devote at least one review to this pistol. Because of such popularity, the development company does not even need to spend money on advertising.

The Eagle is often called an Israeli pistol, but it was developed by the Americans. In 1970, three enthusiasts from Minnesota decided to create an automatic pistol that could reliably fire powerful .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum revolver cartridges. They opened a small company, Magnum Research, for the project, in the early 80s they received the first patents and produced samples, but the final development and mass production of the Desert Eagle was carried out in Israel, on the basis of the IMI (Israel Military Industries) company.

When mass production began in 1985, the Desert Eagle was the largest and most powerful semi-automatic pistol in the world and was positioned as a weapon for hunting large and medium game, as well as for protection against wild animals. Its automation scheme (powder gas removal) is more typical of machine guns than pistols.

Since 1996, the mark XIX model appeared under the “drag” cartridge .50 Action Express (12.7x33 RB), developed specifically for the Desert Eagle. Its muzzle energy reaches 2.1 thousand joules - not bad, but almost half that of the Smith & Wesson .500 SW Magnum, so going against a bear or rhinoceros with the Desert Eagle is unsafe.

Video: Platon Zvonkov / YouTube

Weapons experts say they know of no cases of the Eagle being used by the army or intelligence services. The weapon is too bulky and heavy, the magazine capacity is small, and the recoil, on the contrary, is too high. The sound of a shot in a closed room can deafen the shooter. In addition, the pistol is sensitive to contamination - army reliability was not required from a hunting weapon. The price in the basic configuration exceeds 2-2.5 thousand dollars.

By the way, despite the strong recoil, the famous American shooter Jerry Miculek fired a series of five shots from the Desert Eagle mark XIX in 0.84 seconds, accompanying his experiment with the comment “kicks like a horse.”

The Pfeifer Zeliska can be considered the absolute leader in power among revolvers. It was manufactured by the small company Pfeifer in 1955 according to the order and sketches of the Austrian gun enthusiast Adolf Zeliska (Zeliska) chambered for the powerful 600 Nitro Express cartridge. The ammunition appeared in Britain at the end of the 19th century for hunting elephants and rhinoceroses, hence the nickname “elephant cartridge”. For almost a hundred years, the 600 Nitro Express remained the most powerful hunting ammunition, with muzzle energy exceeding 10 thousand joules.

The reference books claim that one shot is enough to knock down an elephant or easily stop an attacking lion. True, the shooters themselves sometimes get concussed - after a shot, bleeding from the ears or nose may begin.

Typically, expensive single- and double-barreled cartridges are loaded with such cartridges, and firing is carried out from a distance of up to 100 meters. The price of one cartridge is about $100.

The first Zeliska revolvers did not have any recoil reduction features. It is almost impossible to shoot from it handheld - the arrow is thrown back by the recoil. It is known that a number of such revolvers were produced for individual orders. This is second place.

Now the leader of the rating. In 2004, gunsmith Janos Lakatos from Utah, at the Shot Show, presented a single-shot hunting pistol Thunder .50 BMG (“Thunder”) chambered for 12.7x99 mm NATO - such ammunition is used in heavy sniper rifles like the Barret M82A1 and heavy machine guns like the Browning M2. The muzzle energy of a bullet is up to 20 thousand joules. Now there is a pistol for it.

The Thunder .50 BMG is produced by Triple Action LCC. The weapon resembles a small space cannon mounted on a pistol grip. "Thunder" could be called not only the most powerful, but also the most useless pistol: there are no practical areas of application for it. The true goal of the designer was supposedly to draw attention to the recoil compensation system of his own invention. The pistol is equipped with a muzzle brake and a hydraulic barrel recoil system, like an artillery gun. It is also loaded like a cannon: the bolt in the breech of the barrel is tilted to the side, a cartridge is inserted into the chamber, and the bolt is closed.

Video: Daniel Abrantes / YouTube

There is a story floating around gun forums about a shooter who had both arms broken by the recoil of a Thunder .50 BMG. It was not possible to find confirmation of this fact. American gun enthusiasts buy it as the most powerful pistol.

It is noteworthy that in the early 2000s, Time magazine named the small five-shot Smith & Wesson Model 60 (38 caliber) the deadliest pistol in America. According to the American Armaments Bureau (ATF), the largest number of crimes are committed with it, and it has killed more people than from any other short-barreled weapon.

This section contains detailed information about the history of creation, design, distinctive features, technical specifications, advantages and disadvantages, as well as aspects of the practical use of self-loading pistols from around the world. There are also valuable personal impressions from owners of various models of this type of weapon. The section is regularly updated with new material.

• Austria
• Japan

Pistols are weapons of defense and attack at short distances, from point-blank shooting to 50 m. A pistol is a short-barreled personal firearm that can be fired with one hand, without additional rest. Due to their small size and weight, pistols and revolvers can be carried with you at all times and allow you to quickly open fire. Compact models such as the Kel-Tec PF-9, Kahr MK9, Glock 26 or Walther PPS allow you to carry them concealed without attracting the attention of others. Full-size models designed for the military, such as the Colt M1911, FN Browning High Power, Walther P.38, Beretta 92FS or the Stechkin APS pistol, in most cases can only be carried openly in a designated holster. Medium-sized pistols - Sig Sauer P229, Glock 19, Springfield Armory XD(M) Compact or CZ 75 P-06, are quite versatile and allow both open and concealed carry, with the right selection of holster and clothing.

The operation of the automation of all self-loading combat pistols is based on the use of part of the energy of powder gases. The mechanism of a self-loading pistol ensures automatic cocking of the hammer or firing pin, extraction spent cartridge case and sending the next cartridge from the magazine into the chamber. The most significant difference between various types of self-loading pistols is the barrel bore locking system. Today, locking with a short barrel stroke and with a blowback bolt is mainly used, in various versions. Pistols are divided into two types - self-loading and automatic. Self-loading pistols can fire only single shots, while automatic pistols can fire in continuous bursts. In Western countries, these types of weapons are called semi automatic and full automatic, respectively. All self-loading pistols are equipped with a disconnector that separates the trigger and sear during a shot, which ensures that the hammer or firing pin is cocked when the bolt-casing sends the next cartridge into the chamber, despite the fact that the shooter’s finger is still pressing on the descent As a result, automatic shooting, that is, fire in a continuous burst, is eliminated. That is, to fire the next shot you need to release the trigger and press it again.

Frames of combat pistols are made primarily of plastic, but frames made of alloy and stainless steel, as well as light alloys based on aluminum, continue to be produced. The advantages of a plastic frame are light weight, corrosion resistance, and significantly lower cost. But pistols with polymer frames are nothing more than practical and technologically advanced tools for temporary use. The advantages of a frame made of alloy weapon steel are long service life and strength. Most modern pistols are equipped with double-action, self-cocking triggers, which allow you to fire the first shot by simply pulling the trigger, without the need to pre-cock the hammer. The striker-type firing mechanism is widely used, with preliminary, partial cocking of the firing pin when the bolt-casing moves back and additional cocking when the trigger is pressed. This trigger is used in Glock pistols. Only self-cocking firing mechanisms have become very popular, in which the hammer or striker is cocked only by pressing the trigger. The popular modern Springfield Armory XD and XD(M) series pistols use the old and simplest trigger system - single action, when cocking is carried out only manually or when the bolt-casing moves back.

Safety in handling weapons is ensured by automatic fuses of various types and designs, as well as manually controlled safety catches. Currently, many models of modern self-loading pistols do not have safety catches. Some pistols with only self-cocking triggers are not equipped with a safety at all, as a separate device. Self-loading pistols are fed with cartridges from detachable box magazines located in the handle. Their capacity depends on the way the cartridges are placed and the length of the magazine. Compact pistols for concealed carry are equipped with magazines with a single-row arrangement of cartridges, full-size pistols with magazines where the cartridges are placed in two rows, in a checkerboard pattern. Modern self-loading pistols are equipped with sights with white round inserts for more accurate and faster aiming of the weapon in low light conditions. Instead of the standard ones, a front and rear sight with glow-in-the-dark tritium dots or light-collecting fiber-optic inserts can be installed. In addition, the frames of most modern self-loading pistols have Picatinny slots in the front for attaching various additional accessories to the weapon, such as a tactical flashlight or laser designator.

A distinctive feature of this type of weapon has always been the ability to fire with one hand, however, most combat shooting schools teach shooting a pistol with two hands, when the second hand is supporting and stabilizes the weapon, which achieves significantly higher accuracy and accuracy of fire, as well as several advantages. In relation to this type of weapon, the terms “combat pistol” and “service pistol” are often used, a single and generally accepted definition of which does not exist. These terms may be used to describe weapons designed or used for military or police purposes. However, any pistols, even if originally created to equip the armed forces and law enforcement agencies, can also be used as civilian self-defense weapons or sporting weapons. At the same time, like other types of firearms, pistols and revolvers can be used both as defensive and offensive weapons.

Pistols are used primarily as defensive weapons, this applies to both the service weapon of an army officer and the personal weapon of civilians. Currently, pistols are used as offensive weapons, in most cases, by special forces, for example, during operations to destroy terrorists or free hostages. In relation to these conditions, the undeniable advantage of pistols is their small dimensions, which allow them to work effectively in cramped close combat conditions inside residential and industrial buildings. The high maneuverability of this weapon is currently combined with the use of modern ammunition, equipped with highly effective armor-piercing, expansive, as well as bullets of other types and purposes.

For pistols used as offensive weapons, the most important qualities are shooting accuracy, reliability and large magazine capacity. Pistols used as self-defense weapons require, first of all, constant combat readiness, maximum ease of use, light weight, small dimensions, ease of maintenance, and of course the same reliability. Military and police weapons differ primarily in their ammunition requirements. Bullets from pistol cartridges used by the police should not have high penetration power, and the likelihood of ricochet should be minimized. However, police bullets must stop an attacker as quickly as possible.

Modern cartridges with expansive bullets meet these requirements. Such bullets are prohibited by international conventions for use in the armed forces, but for military weapons the more important quality is the bullet’s penetrating effect, since the possibility of colliding with an enemy wearing a bulletproof vest is much higher. For ammunition used in civilian weapons for the purpose of self-defense, the requirements are almost the same as for police cartridges. In order to reduce the sound of a shot, silent-flameless shooting devices, also called silencers, which were developed back in the late 19th - early 20th centuries, are used in conjunction with pistols. Today, pistols with silencers are used in special units of law enforcement agencies and the armed forces to combat armed terrorists and organized criminal groups. In addition, pistols with the option of being equipped with a silencer and the PBS themselves are partly available to civilians, depending on local legislation.

In most cases, to install a silencer on a weapon, a thread is used on the muzzle part of the elongated barrel protruding from the bolt-casing. There are also silent pistols that do not require the installation of PBS. For the first time, such a pistol, which fires cartridges with the cutoff of powder gases inside the cartridge case using a piston, was adopted by the KGB of the USSR and is still used in Russia by various special forces units. Except silent pistols, automatic pistols are also occasionally used in special forces. Automatic weapons include pistols with the ability to fire in continuous bursts.

In order to increase the efficiency of shooting from this type of weapon, work on pistols with automatic fire mode has been carried out since the beginning of the 20th century. For example, in Germany, during the First World War, such development work was carried out with self-loading pistols Parabellum LP.08 and Mauser model 1896. However, pistols with automatic fire mode are significantly inferior to compact submachine guns in most combat and service-operational qualities, except perhaps for compactness. As a result, the most successful of all mass-produced automatic pistols was the Austrian Glock 18, now out of production. In Russia, various special forces units use the Stechkin automatic pistol - APS, which, however, is more valued for other qualities than for its ability to fire in bursts.

The most popular calibers currently are from 9 to 11.43 mm. The most common pistol cartridge in the military is the 9mm Parabellum. Police pistols today often use a larger caliber cartridge - .40 S&W. American army cartridge.45 ACP is the most widely used, on this moment, has a presence on the civilian arms market, mainly in the United States. And besides, it is used in American special forces units. In the civilian market of ammunition for personal short-barreled self-defense weapons, both in Europe and in the United States, the most popular cartridges are 9mm Short, 9mm Parabellum, .40 S&W and .45 ACP, of course, not taking into account revolver cartridges .38 Special and .357 Magnum. Revolvers today are used mainly by civilians as weapons for self-defense, sport shooting and hunting.

Today no one is safe from attacks by bandits and hooligans, including representatives of government agencies. So you have to constantly carry a gun with you. Therefore, the main requirements for weapons for civilian use and the performance of special missions by units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are minimum dimensions and weight.

Initially, this problem was solved by creating small copies of large pistols, and they tried to reduce everything, but not the caliber. For if your life depends on one shot, then you need to shoot for sure, using a multi-shot weapon, since one shot is often not enough. Very popular among the population different countries They use small double-barreled pistols, called “derringers” after the name of the famous American inventor. These were simple and reliable mechanisms.

Description of combat pistols and revolvers and their design features

But since two shots are also not enough, a type of “derringer” was developed, known as the Sharps pistol, with a fixed block of four barrels. Further development of pocket weapons followed the path of improving small revolvers. Due to their short trunk, which gave them a unique appearance, they received the name “bulldog”.

At one time, models were developed that did not have a barrel at all - the so-called “piper boxes” with an elongated drum. But the weapon was still too big and heavy. The heyday of portable self-defense came after the ingenious invention of the famous American gunsmith Browning: his self-loading pistol of the 1906 model can be considered a breakthrough in this area. The small flat weapon had very good characteristics: length 114 mm, height 76 mm, width 23.5 mm with a barrel length of 54 mm and weight of only 0.386 g with a full magazine for six rounds, caliber 6.35x16.

Reloading was carried out automatically, so the rate of fire was very high. However, it should be noted that, after all, a large caliber of pocket weapons was not always an end in itself, and many pistols were developed for low-power cartridges, since for such weapons the main criterion is the speed of drawing, flat, with “sleek” shapes. Therefore, the Browning had practically no sighting devices that could get caught on clothing. Small flat "Brownings", called "ladies' pistols", became popular in Tsarist Russia, where they quite actively replaced pocket revolvers.

In Russia, small-sized weapons were practically not produced; they made do with foreign models. A new achievement in the design of personal weapons was created in 1971-1972. creative team consisting of T.I.Lashnev, A.A.Simarin and L.L.Kulikov PSM pistol (small-sized self-loading pistol).

The PSM pistol was developed at TsKIB SOO (Tula, USSR) on the basis of the decision of the Military-Industrial Complex under the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 277 of November 10, 1970 in accordance with the approved tactical and technical requirements No. 02968 of May 14, 1971, the main requirement of which) was “flat, without protruding parts on the side surfaces; thickness with Matchbox(17 mm), lightweight, weighing with a loaded magazine no more than 0.5 kgf; with "pocket" overall dimensions- length 155 mm, height 106 mm, thickness 17 mm.

The collective thought of the designers made it possible to conduct a thorough engineering and analytical development of the design and technical documentation of the PSM pistol at a higher level, as evidenced by the fact that the first samples of the PSM pistol passed State tests with excellent results from the first presentation, which does not happen often, and that so surprised the experts. According to the MVK acceptance act dated December 29, 1972 and order No. 0588 dated December 21, 1972, the PSM pistol was adopted into service by the services of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the KGB of the USSR and the Higher command staff Soviet army.

Introduced into production at the beginning of 1974 at the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant. It should be noted once again that the analytical development of the technical documentation was so high that implementation into production was painless and quick.

It is important to note that the model from the former Soviet Union compares favorably with well-known pistols for similar purposes. The positive qualities of the PSM pistol design include:
- elimination of protruding parts from the side surfaces of the gun;
- the small thickness of the pistol is 17 mm (about the size of a matchbox), and the Makarov pistol is 30 mm, the RRK pistol is 25 mm. pistol TRN - 23 mm;
- speed of opening fire from a cocked position with the pistol on safety;
- the rear sight does not interfere with the shooter when removing the pistol from storage and does not injure the shooter when carrying it concealed and ensures a clear aiming process;
- the possibility of concealed carrying of a pistol due to its small dimensions, especially in thickness;
- the reliability of the automation is not inferior to the best known examples of similar purposes;
- safety of the pistol due to the mandatory separation of the magazine during disassembly and assembly;
— the design of the pistol made it possible to create documentation for manufacturing and acceptance, suitable for serial and mass production.

A distinctive feature of the PSM pistol is the location of the head of the safety flag above the back of the bolt next to the top of the trigger, which makes it possible to simultaneously turn off the safety and cock the hammer (this is achieved by simultaneously pressing the thumb of the hand holding the pistol or the palm of the other hand).

It is also important to ensure safe removal of the cocked hammer and locking of the bolt and trigger when the safety is turned on, and to prevent a shot if the pistol is accidentally dropped due to the safety protrusion of the hammer, as well as blocking the firing pin from the hammer with the engaged fuse. The PSM pistol is convenient in situations rapid response in close combat and is always ready to instantly open fire, which is of no small importance when performing special tasks, as well as in self-defense.

For the PSM pistol, designer A.D. Denisova developed a special cone-bottle-shaped 5.45-mm cartridge MPTs (5.45x18), the mass of which is 4.8 g, a bullet with a steel core weighing 2.5 g. The initial speed of the bullet reaches ZOO ...315 m/s.
The result is a convenient, small-sized, high-class weapon.

Due to the small caliber of this weapon, there has been much speculation about its stopping power. But its bullet has been tested to be able to penetrate 20 layers of Kevlar fabric and most body armor.

Only the venerable TT pistol can do this. In addition, it has been established that, upon entering the human body, a bullet begins to unfold and the exit hole takes the form of a large lacerated wound, which leads to instant shock to the victim.

The 5.45 mm PSM pistol is a personal weapon of attack and defense, designed to defeat the enemy at short distances.

Fire from a pistol is most effective at distances up to 50 m. The pistol is a self-loading weapon in which the cartridge is fed and chambered into the chamber, the barrel is locked and unlocked, the cartridge is removed from the chamber and reflected automatically.

The operating principle of the automatic pistol is based on the principle of using a blowback recoil. The trigger mechanism is self-cocking, hammer type, double action - it allows firing both after preliminary cocking of the external trigger (the trigger is cocked) and without preliminary cocking (the trigger is at release - self-cocking). The trigger mechanism allows only single fire.

The handle, which is flat and harmoniously fits into the overall composition of the pistol, covers the side windows and the back of the frame, closes and secures all axes from falling out during operation. The handle allows you to comfortably and securely hold the gun in your hand. Attaching it to the gun with a stopper ensures convenient and quick disassembly and assembly of the gun without the use of special tools. A flat spring-loaded trigger guard is attached to the front bottom of the frame by an axis, which with its protrusion limits the bolt in the rear position from spontaneous separation from the frame and takes up shock loads when firing.

The pistol is fed with cartridges from a detachable single-row magazine (with a capacity of eight rounds), inserted and secured with a magazine latch from the bottom of the pistol handle. The magazine latch is squeezed out while simultaneously grasping the magazine with the other hand.

The pistol magazine has wide windows on the side walls of the body to accommodate feeder protrusions with a notch, designed to facilitate loading the magazine with cartridges and determining the number of cartridges in the magazine.

When all the cartridges from the magazine are used up, the bolt engages the slide stop and remains in the rear position, signaling that the cartridges have run out. The target firing range is 50 m. The sight provides a clear image and quick target location. The front sight and rear sight are oval shaped. Combat rate of fire is 30 rounds per minute.

The force on the trigger when releasing from combat cocking is 3 kg, from self-cocking - 7.5 kg. To avoid rupture of the cartridge case, when the bolt does not reach its extreme forward position more than 3.5 mm and the trigger is pressed, the shot does not occur.

The PSM pistol cannot be confused with any other pistol in appearance, the layout of which compares favorably with other pistols for similar purposes. Experts highly appreciated the combat and operational qualities of the PSM pistol - excellent accuracy of fire, high probability of hitting a target, good balance and ease of control, ease of assembly and disassembly, ease of handling.

During operation, the PSM pistol was characterized only with positive side: “The small-sized self-loading pistol PSM of 5.45 mm caliber developed by your enterprise complies in terms of parameters and characteristics specified by the tactical and technical requirements No. 02968 dated May 14, 1971. The PSM pistol was adopted by the services of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR, introduced into production and mass-produced by the enterprise /i V-8062 MOP USSR. The design of the pistol compares favorably with well-known pistols for similar purposes, such as the standard Makarov pistol, the RRK and TRI pistols from Walter, etc.

Conducted state tests, trial operation, as well as repeated factory tests in 1975 showed good reliability and ballistic qualities of the pistol” (letter No. 13/1828 dated September 12, 1975, Deputy Head of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs Directorate V.P. Kurmachev).

“The created 5.45-mm self-loading small-sized pistol PSM fully meets our requirements and is so necessary for working in our conditions. From our side, as a customer-consumer, there are no comments on the operation of the PSM pistol in our conditions; moreover, we believe that there is no more successful and reliable pistol design that meets all modern requirements now either in the USSR or abroad” (Deputy Minister of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs V T. Shumilin, commander of military unit 68240 M. Ermakov. 1975).

The significance of the achieved level of the created 5.45 mm pistol complex (PSM pistol - MPTs cartridge) is evidenced by:
— serial production of PSM for 28 years without any upgrades or modifications;
— large quantities of orders for the production of PSM pistols for a special gift fund.

Despite the excellent fighting qualities of the PSM pistol, the Tula TsKIB SOO continued to work on small-sized models of pistols. Another model of small-sized weapons has been developed for our law enforcement agencies. Pistol OTs-21 “Baby” with a magazine capacity of five rounds (9x18 PM) and dimensions 126x87x20 mm, weighing 0.6 kg.

This is a small-sized self-loading pistol with a trigger mechanism of only the self-cocking type. This design makes it possible not only to reduce the size of the weapon, but also to significantly simplify its operation, since it does not have a safety lock, and to start shooting you only need to press the trigger. Which is very important in a stressful situation.
The future will show the effectiveness of the operation of this type of weapon, whether they are acceptable for the Russian special services.

A powerful military-style pistol with a semi-blowback, self-cocking trigger mechanism and a removable magazine with a double-row arrangement of 15 rounds. Caliber 9 mm Par. The fuse is on the left side of the housing. Magazine release button. located at the bottom of the handle. The cheeks of the handle are wooden. Beretta and M-92 pistols are also available in the following modifications: M-92S - with a safety lock on the slide.

M-92SB - with double-sided safety on the bolt; M-92SB-K (compact) - a shortened version with a magazine for 14 rounds (in the original designation M-92SB-C the Latin letter C is an abbreviation of the word Compact); M-92F - version with a thickened trigger, a trigger guard with a finger rest, with a matte finish and plastic handle cheeks; M-92F-K - a shortened version of the previous model; M-92SB-K, type M - with a single-row magazine for 8 rounds. In addition, there are modifications of the same pistols, but with a caliber of 7.65 mm Par.

They are designated M-98 (corresponding to the M-92 model), M-98F (corresponding to the M-92F model) and M-99 (corresponding to the M-92SB-K model). Models whose designations include the letter F were adopted in the United States under the name M9, as provided for by American standards. Since January 1985, the US Department of Defense has purchased more than 440 thousand pistols and continues to order more.

Most shooters believe that the Beretta is the best modern combat pistol, primarily in terms of reliability. Another advantage of the Beretta is its excellent accuracy for a mass-produced pistol. Indeed, when shooting at 25 m from a rest, all 15 hits are placed in a circle with a diameter of 50 - 60 mm, and with a special, highly accurate barrel. this value is reduced by half.

Country of origin ITALY

Caliber, mm 9
Total length, mm217
Barrel length, mm 125
Weight, g 980
Magazine capacity, cartridges 15
Automation operating principle: short barrel stroke

Great popularity since the beginning of the 20th century. purchased automatic pistols of the John Moses Browning system, an American by origin, the author of a number of small arms. The first Browning pistol to become widespread is known as the Model 1900, although it was designed even earlier. The caliber of this pistol is 7.65 mm. It has a massive blowback action. with a drummer placed in it. and a recoil spring and a removable box magazine located in the handle.

The use of such a design scheme allowed Browning to achieve exceptional compactness of the weapon. When comparing the Browning pistol with other weapons of approximately the same power, it turned out that in many respects none of the automatic weapons that existed at that time could compete with it. pistols, much less any of the revolvers.

At that time there were no examples of pocket weapons of this power that were so convenient - light, flat, with the same “butt-shaped” handle and also a well-located center of gravity. These design qualities, as well as good performance, contributed to the rapid and very wide spread of Browning pistols on the global arms market. Suffice it to say that the number of Model 1900 pistols produced by 1912 was one million, that one of the subsequent models - the 1906 - was produced in total more than four million, and that the Model 1903 was produced for 37 years.

Browning pistols served as the prototype for most self-loading pistols that appeared later, and their name became a household name - often automatic pistols of other systems and companies were also called Brownings. Browning designed pistols not only for Belgium, but also for the United States, and the models produced in each of these countries were different.

The pistols produced in the USA by the Colt company were called Colt-Browning pistols or simply Colts, and the Belgian issues were often called (“Fabric National”) after the monogram, which is the brand of the company and is composed of the initial letters of the first two words included in the name of the company - “National” military weapons factory in Erstal." Erstal or Herstal is a city in the province of Liege.

Browning pistols of 1900 initially came in two sizes, but normal rather than extended models became widespread. Distinctive features of these pistols are the barrel, tightly fastened to the body; a coiled spring located above the barrel, which is both return and combat (with the help of a special lever, it acts on both the bolt and the firing pin; a fuse on the body on the left; a part (part of the lever mentioned above) that blocks the aiming line when the firing pin is lowered and thus indicating the state of the hidden striking mechanism.

Country of originBelgium
Performance characteristics:
Caliber, mm 7.65
Total length, mm 164
Barrel length, mm 102
Weight, g 625
Magazine capacity, 7 rounds
Operating principle of automatic free shutter

This pistol was developed as a sporting model, but its high combat qualities aroused interest in the Israeli army.
It has an unusual design in which the energy of powder gases removed from the barrel is used for reloading. Locking is accomplished by turning the bolt. The barrel is fixedly mounted on the frame and has a gas outlet directly in front of the chamber.

It is connected to a channel in the frame, which goes forward to the muzzle of the barrel and there turns down into a gas chamber with a gas piston. During firing, part of the gases, passing through the hole and channel, presses on the gas piston, moving it back. The piston pulls back the casing, which turns the bolt and disengages it from the barrel, and then pulls it back, at the same time the spent cartridge is removed. The return spring, located under the barrel, returns the casing to the forward position, while the bolt sends the next cartridge into the chamber and, turning, locks the barrel.

The pistol has a non-automatic safety that blocks the firing pin and disconnects the trigger from the firing mechanism. It also has two flags located on both sides of the slide.

The pistol is usually equipped with non-adjustable open sights, but an adjustable rear sight can also be installed. There are grooves on the bolt casing bar for installing an optical sight. Another design feature of the pistol is the ability to use a powerful .357 Magnum revolver cartridge.
The pistol is available in caliber .44 Magnum, .41 Action Express, .40 Smith and Wesson and 9 x 19.

Country of originIsrael
Performance characteristics:
Caliber, mm 9
Weight without magazine, kg 1.76 (steel frame)
1.466 (aluminum frame)
Length, mm269
Barrel length, mm 152, 355
Initial bullet speed, m/s 395
Rate of fire, v/m 20-30
Magazine capacity, 7-9 rounds
Sighting range, m up to 200

The impetus for the development of automatic pistols. in America, as well as in Europe, the appearance of Browning system pistols here served. Browning pistols in the USA were produced at the Colt arms factory in Hartford, first called Colt-Browning pistols, and over time - simply Colts. Since 1900, Colt pistols of various modifications have been produced chambered for a strong cartridge of 38 caliber, and then 45 caliber. The bolt is engaged.

The splitting of the bolt and the barrel occurs after a short stroke of the barrel with its simultaneous lowering. Colt pistols were rapidly improved. Almost every year new models appeared, and finally, the Model 1911 (M1911) was adopted into service in the US Army and Navy. As a "Government" model, it is produced not only in Hartford, but also in other US weapons factories. Therefore, military Colts may be marked by various manufacturers, for example, "Remington Rand inc", "S." MFG-CO, US&S.CO, Itaca Gun CO, inc and others.

After modernization in 1921, the pistol received the designation M1911A1 and is still in service without significant changes. The caliber of the M1911 and M1911A1 pistols is 45 automatic. The last of these modifications is also chambered for the 38 APK caliber cartridge. Beginning with the Model 1909, interlocking Colts have only one shackle barrel. Colt pistols are common in many countries of the world and are officially in service in more than twenty of them.

In the United States, in addition to being in service as the main model, they serve as the basis for the creation of all kinds of commercial and sporting options. Various companies, including Colt, are creating new models based on the 1911 model, sometimes even significantly different from their prototype.

Country of origin USA
Performance characteristics:
Caliber, mm 11.43 (.45)
Total length, mm 216
Barrel length, mm128
Weight, g 1106
Magazine capacity, 7 rounds

Typical representatives of modern 9 mm pistols are pistols of the Spanish company "Star" models 31P and 31PK. They embodied all the characteristic features latest generation handguns: active use of new materials and high-precision computer technologies in the production, ergonomically perfect design, simple design, reliability and safety in handling.

The only difference between the Star 31P and 31PK is their weight - the body of the 31PK is made of light alloys, so the pistol weighs 265 g less than its brother. The Star company declared the motto of both models to be “reliability, compactness and high firepower“, but the word “safety” could well be added to it: in addition to the ordinary flag, each pistol is equipped with three more independently functioning automatic fuses.

As for reliability, it is determined primarily by the design itself. Operating on the principle of recoil with a short barrel stroke, the pistols are built according to a modular design, so no tools are required to completely disassemble them. In combination with a capacious two-row magazine and the very small linear dimensions of the weapon, all this makes the Star 31P and 31PK convenient for constant carry.

Country of Origin: SPAIN
Performance characteristics:
Caliber, mm 9
Total length, mm 193
Barrel length, mm 98
Weight, g 1125 (860)
Magazine capacity, 15 rounds
Automation operating principle: short barrel stroke

Of the military-style pistols of Austro-Hungarian origin, the pistol from the Steyer company was most famous. It was used during the 1st and 2nd World Wars not only in the country of origin, but also in other countries. Steyer pistols came in several varieties - 1910, 1911 and 1912 models. The differences between them were very minor.

For example, the 1910 and 1911 models. the front sight was stationary, monolithic with the bolt casing, and in the 1912 model - in the form of a separate part, fixed in the transverse groove of its base; the cutout on the slide for the slide stop tooth on the Model 1912 was deeper; the bolt pin on different models had a different shape.

In addition to the aforementioned Steyer self-loading pistols, there was also the M12/P16 variant with a translator, which allowed firing both single shots and bursts. Steyer's pistol worked on the principle of using recoil energy with a short recoil of the barrel, locking. and unlocking occurred during rotation of the barrel around its longitudinal axis. The magazine is non-removable, permanent, with a single-row arrangement of cartridges. It was filled from above using a clip with eight strong 9 mm cartridges.

A small number of M12/P16 pistols had an elongated handle, but with regular cheeks, that could hold 16 rounds (on eight-round pistols, the translator’s indicator also had the designation “16”). A wooden butt could be attached to the pistol - its holster. Steyer pistols, which were in service with the armies of foreign countries, usually had distinctive marks on the left side of the bolt casing. So, on Romanian pistols there was a large image of a crown and under it - Md. 1912, in Polish - a large single-headed eagle (coat of arms of Poland), in Chilean - the coat of arms of Chile or the inscription EJERCITO DE CHILE, in German - P-08 (that is, cartridge 08. Steyer pistols used in Germany during the 1st in 2 1st World Wars, were adapted to fire cartridges from the German pistol 08).

Country of origin: AUSTRO-HUNGARY
Performance characteristics:
Caliber, mm 9
Total length, mm 215
Barrel length, mm127
Weight, g 980
Magazine capacity, 8 rounds
Automation operating principle: short barrel stroke

In 1946, the victorious path of the famous Smith & Wesson revolver on a medium K-frame began, called “Masterpiece”, which translates as “masterpiece”. In the early 90s, the company's designers returned to this model again. It received a slightly different look, reminiscent of the ejector model 586 and 686 on the L-frame with its long under-barrel case for the rod. As a result of this change, the new Masterpiece revolvers chambered for .22 L.R., .22 Winchester Magnum, .32 Harrington and Richardson Magnum, and .38 Special cartridges became heavier and “nosier.”

The .22 L.R. cartridge is usually associated with the Model 17. Until 1993, the Smith & Wesson catalog included a modification of model 17 with a long under-barrel case chambered for .22 L.R. However, a year later, only its stainless steel version, the Model 617, remained in the same position in the catalog. Like all K-frame revolvers produced by Smith & Wesson from 1946 to 11004, Masterpiece revolvers were manufactured with a traditional six-shot cylinder .

At the beginning of 1996, the Model 17 appeared again, but now with a ten-round drum. With this, the well-known company continues the trend of increasing the capacity of revolvers. Previously, it manifested itself in the appearance of the seven-shot model 686 of the same company, as well as in the seven and eight-shot models 607 and 608 of the Brazilian company Taurus. All chambered for .357 Magnum. This trend was also facilitated by US legislation, which limits the drum capacity to ten rounds.

The young scion of the “Masterpiece” family has a matte blued finish, and only the hammer and trigger are covered with colored tracing paper. Another distinctive feature is the cheeks of the handle, made of hard rubber with grooves for the fingers. At the same time, what is striking is the presence of a large number of chambers in the drum compared to the usual six in model 17. The drum braking device also received a different design.

Its delay is now located at the top rear. The currently sold 10-round Masterpiece is made only with a 6-inch barrel (152 mm). All other parts correspond to the six-shot version. During testing, the new model worked flawlessly. With a trigger pull of 1.5 kg in a single-action trigger (4.45 kg in a double-action mechanism), it was quite suitable for target shooting.

When shooting from a sitting position at a distance of 25 m, the spread of bullets did not extend beyond the circle from 42 to 53 mm. In this case, Winchester Expert .22 L.R. cartridges were used. with pointed bullets. Excellent results were also obtained when shooting with cartridges from the Mexican company Agila, which recently appeared in Germany.

The ten-shot Masterpiece is an extremely successful sporting revolver. Previously, there were small-bore revolvers with high-capacity cylinders (for example, the nine-shot revolver from Harrington & Richardson, which fully complies with the highest standard), but they were more suitable for entertainment than for serious sporting competitions.

Country of originUSA
Performance characteristics:
Caliber and type of cartridge. 22 "long riffle"
Barrel length, mm 152
Total length, mm283
Height, mm148
Width, mm 36.8
Weight (unloaded), kg 1.155
Drum capacity, cartridges 10

The GSh-18 is built according to a short-stroke design. Locking is done by rotating the barrel through 10 lugs, the angle of rotation when locking is only 18 degrees. The pistol frame is made of plastic, with steel inserts.

The bolt is stamped from a steel sheet, with a rigidly reinforced insert at the point of engagement with the barrel and a bolt block that can be removed during disassembly, in which the firing pin and ejector are mounted. The trigger is striker-operated, with preliminary partial cocking of the firing pin when the bolt moves and additional cocking when the trigger is pressed.

The pistol is equipped with automatic safety devices only. including on the trigger. The sights are non-adjustable, the rear sight is mounted not on the bolt, but on the bolt block, which critics of the pistol consider a drawback, since over time the bolt block can become loose in the bolt and the accuracy of aiming and shooting will decrease. The magazine is double-row, box-shaped, with cartridges exiting in two rows to improve feed reliability.

The magazine latch is located behind the trigger guard and can be easily moved to either side of the weapon. The bolt stop is on the left. One of characteristic features The GSh-18 pistol has an open bolt at the front, which is also a favorite topic for criticism of this pistol, since there are fears that dirt can easily penetrate inside the bolt. However, the authors of the pistol believe that there is no such threat, and only experience of actual operation can show who is right.

The GSh-18 can use any commercial 9x19mm cartridges, 9mm NATO military cartridges, as well as special domestically developed armor-piercing cartridges, 7N21 and 9x19mm PBP. This capability, however, is not exclusive to the GSh-18, since the PYa (Rook) pistol can also use these cartridges. Moreover, developers of domestic ammunition claim that their developments can be used in any sufficiently durable 9x19mm pistols.

In general, reviews about the GSh-18 pistol are very different - from enthusiastic advertising to skepticism, with the words “it would be better if they (Gryazev and Shipunov) made air guns, they are better at it.” In any case, the advantages of the GSh-18 include its very light weight for its class, large magazine capacity, low barrel position relative to the shooter’s hand, and good accuracy of fire.

Purpose and combat properties pistol SR1 (Vector)

Characteristics of the CP1 pistol (Vector)
Caliber, mm: 9
Number of grooves, pcs.: 6
Barrel length, mm: 120
Length, mm: 200
Height, mm: 146
Width, mm: 34
Weight with empty magazine, kg: 0.92
Sighting range, m: 100
Magazine capacity, pcs. cartridges: 18
Practical rate of fire, rds/min: 36
Chuck type: SP10, SP11

Pistol design and handling
The 9-mm pistol complex "VECTOR" is designed to engage living targets, including those protected by body armor of the Zh-81, Zh-86-2 type, as well as unarmored vehicles (cars, trucks, etc.) and living targets located in it at ranges up to 100 meters, and consists of a 9-mm self-loading pistol SR1 and cartridges SP10 (a bullet with a steel core), SP11 (a bullet with a lead core).

Procedure for partial disassembly
Disassembly of the gun can be incomplete or complete: incomplete - for cleaning, lubricating and inspecting the gun; full - for cleaning when the gun is heavily soiled, after it has been exposed to rain or snow, as well as during repairs.
1. Disconnect the magazine.
Holding the pistol by the handle, press the magazine latch away from you with your thumb and forefinger, and with the other hand, holding the magazine by the cover, remove it from the handle. Check if there is a cartridge in the magazine.
Place the shutter on the shutter stop. Insert the magazine into the pistol grip.
Holding the pistol by the handle, move the bolt to the rear position. Check to see if there is a cartridge in the chamber. Disconnect the magazine.
2. Separate the barrel delay. Rotate the delay flag 90 degrees counterclockwise and then remove it from the frame.
3. Separate the shutter. Remove the shutter from the slide stop, moving it back, and separate it from the frame.
4. Disconnect the barrel from the bolt.
Holding the bolt with one hand, press the protruding part of the wedge with the thumb of the other hand and, moving the barrel a little forward, remove it from the bolt. Remove the return spring with stop from the barrel. Separate the contactor from the barrel.

The 7.62 mm PSS (“special self-loading pistol”, product index 6P24, in the experimental version was called “Vul”) was created at TsNIITochmash by designers V. Levchenko and Yu. Krylov under the SP-4 cartridge developed by V. Petrov. This complex was put into service in 1983 and is an example of an original scheme for reducing the sound level of a shot - “cutting off” the powder gases and leaving them in the cartridge case.

The SP-4 bottle sleeve completely hides the bullet. The powder charge at the front is covered with a small movable part in the shape of a cap. It slows down at the muzzle of the sleeve and does not protrude beyond its limits. The SP-4 cartridge is equipped with a cylindrical bullet weighing 9.3 g, made of steel, with a brass leading belt in front and a small recess at the rear. This bullet shape somewhat worsens the ballistics and reduces penetration ability, but increases the stopping effect at short ranges. However, a heavy bullet, according to the developers, pierces a steel helmet, a bulletproof vest of the second class of protection or equivalent bulletproof glass from 20 m, and a steel sheet 5 mm thick from 30 m.

The sound level of a PSS shot is between the sound of a 4.5 mm air rifle and the clapping of palms. The self-loading mode of operation was a considerable achievement, considering that the automatic removal of the cartridge case from the chamber is prevented by the high pressure inside it. Therefore, in addition to the special design of the cartridge, the PSS is also distinguished by an original design of the barrel - the rifled part of the barrel is separated from the chamber and is slightly shifted forward under the influence of a moving bullet.

Characteristics
Cartridge - 7.62 mm SP-4.
Food - box magazine with a capacity of 6 rounds.
Weight with loaded magazine - 0.85 kg.
Weapon length - 170 mm.
Height - 140 mm.
Width - 26 mm.
Combat rate of fire - 6-8 rpm.
Sighting range - 25 m.

Pernach is a striking weapon, a type of mace; also served as a sign of the power of military leaders. The advent of armor gave rise to the need to increase impact permeability. That is why from the 14th century. Pernachs are beginning to spread more and more widely, which, with the same weight and dimensions of the weapon as a mace, deliver a more concentrated blow. (Encyclopedic Dictionary "Cold Weapons").

Automatic pistols (from which it is possible to fire both single fire and bursts) are quite rare view small arms - relatively few of them were developed and even fewer were put into service. Nevertheless, interest in automatic pistols is quite stable. They were and continue to be produced, in particular, by the German Heckler & Koch VP-70M, the Italian Beretta 93R, the Czech CZ-75FA, the Austrian Glock-18 and some others.

Basically, automatic pistols (sometimes also called assault pistols) are in service with special-purpose units, which is explained by the versatility of the weapon and its specific parameters. Such a pistol can be worn discreetly under clothing and, after removal, open fire almost instantly, creating a high density of fire at short distances, comparable in power to the fire of a submachine gun. In addition, most automatic pistols have a lightweight attached stock or a holster-stock, which allows you to increase the effective firing range by two to three times compared to a conventional pistol.

In 1951, an automatic pistol designed by Igor Yakovlevich Stechkin (APS) was adopted into service with the Soviet Army. For its time, the APS was a completely modern model with good tactical and technical characteristics. The pistol was intended to arm officers directly involved in combat operations, as well as sergeants and soldiers of some units (reconnaissance officers, tank crews, signalmen, artillery battery crews, etc.). However, after about seven years, the APS was discontinued for reasons that are not entirely clear. The main complaints made against this pistol were its excessive weight (although it was acceptable for this type of weapon), as well as the high cost of production due to its design features.

After the withdrawal of the APS from the army, it found use in special service units. APS is very popular among military personnel operating in areas of armed conflict, as well as among special forces personnel. Moreover, on the basis of the APS, designer A.S. Neugodov created an automatic pistol for silent shooting (APS), which was put into service in 1972.

It is obvious that they were in a hurry to discontinue production of APS. But at the same time, an automatic pistol developed more than 40 years ago can hardly meet today's requirements.

In 1993, by order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, an attempt was made to modernize the APS. The modified pistol was planned to replace the 5.45 mm and 7.62 mm Kalashnikov assault rifles, which are dangerous in urban environments. But, for a number of reasons, this work stopped at the very beginning. At the end of the same year, the Ministry of Internal Affairs entered into an agreement with the Tula TsKIBSOO for the development of a new automatic pistol chambered for 5.45 MPTs. The theme entrusted to the team under the leadership of Igor Yakovlevich Stechkin, and then the pistol, was called Dart. The low power and weak stopping effect of the 5.45 mm cartridge bullet significantly limited the scope of use of the new weapon.

Already in July 11004, the Dartik pistol is planned to be modified for the 9x19 Par cartridge. The new development interested the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and by the end of the same year TsKIBSOO received an order to develop a 9-mm automatic pistol, but chambered for the domestic 9x18 mm PM cartridge in standard and reinforced versions. In April 1996, the first sample of a 9-mm automatic pistol, called OTs-ZZ Pernach, was manufactured, and in July 1996 it was presented at an international exhibition in Moscow.

Externally, the OTs-33 Pernach vaguely resembles some early models of the self-loading Colt. However, as an automation system, it is not the recoil of the short-stroke barrel that is used, but the recoil of the free shutter.

The return spring is located under the barrel. The trigger mechanism of the OTs-33, like most modern pistols, is a double-action hammer type, which makes it possible to fire the first shot without first cocking the hammer (of course, if there is a cartridge in the chamber).

The trigger guard is large enough to allow you to fire with gloves on. The only non-metallic parts of the Pernacha are the handle linings, made of polyamide, and a traditional anti-corrosion coating is used to protect against rust.

Pernach inherited from Dartik an original automatic operation scheme: to reduce the impact of recoil on the accuracy of automatic shooting (with a blowback design), both pistols have a movable barrel. In the OTs-ZZ, after a shot, the bolt rolls back 70 mm and hits the massive spring-loaded barrel, with which it continues to move another 5 mm. Due to the shock attachment of the mass of the barrel to the mass of the bolt, the speed of the latter is significantly reduced. Upon reaching the rearmost position, the barrel and bolt, under the influence of their springs, begin to move forward. After 5 mm, the barrel stops, and the bolt continues to move and fires the next cartridge from the double-row magazine into the chamber.

Both pistols have a double-action trigger mechanism. The switched-on safety reliably blocks the firing pin, bolt, hammer and trigger, ensuring complete safety when handling a loaded pistol, and the safety can be turned on both with the trigger released and cocked. In addition, the Pernach uses a “safe release” system, when the firing pin is blocked and the cocked hammer is released without firing a shot. For shooting with both hands, the safety flags and the magazine latch are made symmetrically.

The fuse box is also a fire type translator and is fixed in three positions. In the upper position - “fuse” - the firing pin, trigger, trigger and bolt are blocked, in the middle - fire is ensured in self-loading mode, in the lower position - in automatic mode.

Another interesting feature of the new pistol is that the presence of a cartridge in the chamber can be determined visually or by touch, which is very important when using a weapon in the dark. This helps to make a special rod that protrudes 2.5 mm above the bolt when the cartridge is in the chamber. The rear sight and front sight are equipped with inserts that make aiming easier in the dark.

To reduce tossing when shooting, Pernach has a gas compensator. When a bullet passes through the barrel, the powder gases enter the bolt cavity - the casing - and are reflected upward. However, this simple and effective device has disadvantages: not only does it increase the length of the pistol, but it also makes it difficult to fire from positions where the weapon is close to the shooter, such as when firing from the hip. In addition, if any object, say a spent cartridge case, gets into the compensator cavity, a delay occurs.

Pernach is qualitatively different from Dartik. The 9 mm cartridge with a higher stopping power of the bullet made it possible to abandon the concept of accumulating damage due to rapid triple hits on the target. On the OTs-ZZ there is no mechanism for cutting off bursts of three shots, and the rate of fire is reduced from 1800 to 850 rounds per minute. Usually the presence of such a mechanism leads to unjustified complication of the entire structure. For example, complete disassembly The Beretta 93R pistol should only be carried out by a specialist gunsmith.

The designers took into account the experience of using the APS, whose rather bulky holster-butt was inconvenient for “regular” wear and completely unsuitable for concealed, and developed a folding metal shoulder rest for the Pernach. It weighs 270 g and consists of two parts made by stamping. To attach the butt, grooves are made in the back of the handle. The stock folds down and forward and in the folded position does not interfere with the shooter's ability to hold the weapon. True, due to its short length, such a stock is suitable, perhaps, only for dwarfs.

Despite some shortcomings, easily explained by the youth of the design, the pistol is very convenient and easy to use, and has a good grip. Disassembly and assembly are carried out without special tools.

Special inserts help make aiming easier at dusk white on front and rear sights. The design of the pistol provides for the installation of a laser target designator, which, according to some sources, not only helps to increase the accuracy of fire, but also produces a strong psychological effect on the enemy.

According to reviews from employees of the Research Institute of Special Equipment of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, who tested the OTs-33, the new pistol is superior in accuracy of fire in automatic mode to the domestic small-sized submachine gun OTs-2 "Cypress". Using the stock at a range of 25 meters, all bullets fired from the Pernach fit into a circle with a diameter of 64 cm, and the best half of the hits are within 28 cm, which is considered a fairly high result.

Compared to the APS, the fire efficiency of the Pernach when firing in automatic mode is 25-30% higher. Moreover, the OTs-33 can fire automatically with one hand, although it is only effective at close range. Nevertheless, burst fire from the Pernacha is much more effective than from the APS. Single fire from the Pernacha is also much more effective compared to service pistols.

The new pistol can use two types of ammunition - standard Makarov PM pistol cartridges (57-N-181S) and high-pulse PMM cartridges (57-N-181SM). When using the latter, dispersion when firing in bursts increases by 5-6%.

"Pernach" has two types of double-row magazines: standard for 15 and 18 rounds and a magazine for 27 rounds, which extends significantly beyond the handle. The third option is quite justified, given that the Pernach’s rate of fire is approximately 800, and the combat rate of fire is 90 rounds per minute. The Pernacha ammunition is carried in pouches, and the pistol itself is in a holster.

Considering that the Pernach was designed mainly for special forces, it should undoubtedly be equipped with a silencer. However, it was not provided for in the technical specifications of the customer - the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The cost of "Pernach" is not higher than the cost of modern pistols for similar purposes.

Unfortunately, due to the cessation of the existence of the Central Design and Research Bureau of Sports and Hunting Weapons (TsKIBSOO), the future fate of this extraordinary pistol, as well as many other interesting weapons, is very vague. Most likely, OTs-ZZ Pernach will remain in a few copies, although its popularity in the world could surpass its predecessor APS.

Characteristics
Caliber, mm 9
Weight without cartridges, kg 1.15/1.42 (with removable stock)
Length, mm 223/533 (with removable stock)
Width, mm 36
Height, mm 141
Initial bullet speed, m/s 330/420 (for reinforced)
Rate of fire, rds/min 141
Magazine capacity, 18 rounds (the kit includes a 27-round magazine protruding beyond the handle)

Pistol DARTIK OTs-23 or AP SBZ (Automatic pistol. Stechkin, Balzer, Zinchenko). Caliber 5.45mm. It is a personal weapon of attack and defense. The automatic operation of the pistol operates due to the recoil of the free bolt. The impact mechanism is trigger, with its open arrangement. The trigger mechanism allows firing by self-cocking and with pre-cocking. The return spring is located under the barrel. The trigger guard has a finger rest, making it easy to shoot with both hands.

The Dart uses a 5.45 mm cartridge from the PSM pistol. "Dart" is an automatic weapon. It can fire both single shots and short bursts, and has a 3-shot burst cut-off mechanism. Automatic fire can be carried out at a high rate. The non-automatic safety has two flags located on the left and right sides of the bolt. This allows you to use the pistol with both right and left hands. With the help of external signaling devices, you can determine by touch, without removing the magazine, the number of remaining cartridges and the presence of a cartridge in the chamber.

The muzzle brake-compensator of the pistol is made in the form of a hole in the barrel and the bolt casing. Some of the powder gases emitted through it reduce the “bounce” of the weapon. This ensures high accuracy of fire.
The pistol has a permanent open sight in the form of a rear sight and a front sight. A laser target designator can be installed on it. The stock can be attached to the handle, and the magazine capacity is probably a record for pistols - 24 rounds.
The pistol can be successfully used for self-defense at short distances, and in special operations it can replace the PSM. The OTs-23 “Dart” is significantly superior to it in terms of efficiency due to its higher muzzle velocity, higher shooting accuracy, and firing a series of cartridges increases the lethal effect on the target to the level of larger-caliber pistols.

Caliber, mm 5.45
Weight, kg 0.86
Length, mm 195
Initial bullet speed, m/s 320
Rate of fire, v/m 1700
Rate of fire, v/m 30-50
Magazine capacity, 24 rounds
Sighting range, m 50

The pistol is built according to the blowback design. The design uses a trigger from a Makarov pistol with a safety lock that also functions as a safe release lever.

The PSS pistol is an individual weapon of covert attack and defense, designed for silent and flameless shooting at targets at a distance of up to 50 meters, and is in service with special forces of the internal affairs bodies and units of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. Special SP-4 cartridges are used for pistol shooting. The pistol does not need a silencer - the sound of a pistol shot is no louder than a shot from an air rifle. Silent and flameless shooting is achieved through the use of SP-4 cartridges with gas cutoff. Produced in limited quantities for special services.

During the development period, the pistol had the index RG021, the cartridge - RG020.

In 1984, the complex was put into service. The pistol was assigned the index 6P28 with the name “Special self-loading pistol” - PSS. The cartridge received the index SP-4. It has an unofficial name - "Vul".

Silence and the absence of flash when fired make the PSS an almost ideal weapon when operating in confined spaces or in confined spaces.

A bullet at a distance of 25 m easily penetrates a body armor of the 2nd degree of protection, as well as a standard steel helmet. There is no need to talk about effective shooting at a distance of 50 m - the SP-4 bullet, cylindrical in shape, does not have sufficient ballistic characteristics.

The pistol's automatic operation is powered by the recoil energy of the free bolt. The double-action trigger trigger allows the first shot to be fired by self-cocking. Safety locks prevent shots from being fired when the trigger is accidentally pressed.

Incomplete disassembly
Performed for cleaning, lubrication, and troubleshooting.
1. separate the store
2. check the weapon for unloading
3. separate the shutter
Assembly after partial disassembly is carried out in the reverse order.
Main characteristics:

When guns first became known, they changed the world forever. When muskets appeared, the knightly army as such did not exist due to its ineffectiveness against firearms. The armor used at that time protected only from blades, swords and daggers, but bullets pierced them.
Many years after the first prototypes appeared, firearms have changed significantly. Conventional pistols, which are universal in difficult operating conditions, are relevant in our time. To understand which pistol was the best in history, the top 10 have been compiled the best pistols in the world, which were relevant earlier or are used in our time.

10. Stechkin pistol (APS)

• Manufacturer country: THE USSR
• Designed by: 1951
• Weight: 1.22 kg with cartridges (without holster-stock)
• Length: 225 mm (without holster-stock) and 540 mm (with holster-stock)
• Barrel length: 140 mm
• Initial bullet speed: 340 m/s
• Store capacity: 20 rounds

This rating opens with a Soviet-made pistol. It has been used in the military for many years due to its simplicity. Today, weapons are extremely rare and are the property of collectors. The total number of copies released is small.
In the world, the Stechkin pistol was not as relevant as many other models of that time. It has been successfully used by soldiers and agents for several decades. It was no longer produced in 1958. The cost has become too high main reason removal of weapons from production. The disadvantages are its large dimensions, which makes the pistol poorly suited for concealed carry, and its not very high combat power.

9.

• Manufacturer country: Germany
• Designed by: 1989-1993
• Weight: from 0.667 to 1.08 kg (depending on version)
• Length: from 173 to 240 (depending on modification)
• Barrel length: from 91 to 153 mm (depending on version)
• Initial bullet speed: from 270 to 350 m/s (depending on caliber)
• Store capacity: from 8 to 18 (depending on the modification of the pistol and caliber) cartridges

The weapon was developed by a German manufacturer in 1993. Relatively good reliability, well-known German quality and good shooting accuracy made this pistol a member of the top with the ninth position.
The manufacturer offered nine different modifications. The main disadvantages are the huge dimensions, as well as the inconvenient shutter. Despite this, this weapon has received its place in the list of the best pistols in the world.

8.

• Manufacturer country: Israel, USA
• Designed by: 1983
• Weight: from 1.7 (aluminum) to 2 (steel) kg
• Length: 273 mm (with a barrel length of 152 mm)
• Store capacity: from 7 to 9 (depending on caliber) cartridges

This pistol was specially created with a large barrel diameter. It is designed for maximum caliber. 50 (12.7 x 33 mm). The Desert Eagle with .50 Action Express cartridges has a muzzle energy of 2500 J. It is for this reason that it is one of most powerful pistols in the world. The creator and further manufacturer is an arms company from Israel. The pistol itself is positioned as a weapon for hunting, as well as for protection against animals and criminals.
Due to the fact that the Desert Eagle (Desert Eagle or Desert Eagle) has a beautiful design, name and acceptable dimensions, the pistol was actively used during the filming of films and in the development of computer games in the shooter genre./p>

7.Walther P99

• Manufacturer country: Germany
• Designed by: 1994-1997
• Weight: 0.7 kg
• Length: 180 mm
• Barrel length: 102 mm
• Initial bullet speed: 375 m/s
• Store capacity: 10 rounds

The manufacturer of this pistol has long been considered an innovator in the world of weapons and pistols in particular. This model was first released from the assembly line in 1994, after which it became widespread. Manufacturers tried to create weapons that would incorporate the latest technology and excellent quality.
After its release, the Walther P99 pistol became a real sensation, because the company had previously been involved in the production of classic weapons. All these advantages made it possible for the Walther P99 to enter the top 10 best pistols in the world and take seventh position.
Optimal weight, a pleasant and comfortable grip and balanced dimensions make the gun convenient to use. During production, the weapon received several modifications.

6.

• Manufacturer country: USA
• Designed by: 1911, modification M1911A1 – 1926
• Weight: 1.12 kg
• Length: 216 mm
• Barrel length: 127 mm
• Initial bullet speed: 252 m/s
• Store capacity: 7 rounds

Legendary and at the same time one of the oldest pistols of our time, one might say, a weapon with history, which is already a reason to include the weapon in the rating. It was actively used in the US Army for more than seventy years, but was replaced by a pistol from the Italians called Beretta 92.
During its entire existence, it is considered one of the most widespread, and experts note the presence of a large number of fakes. A small magazine and relatively heavy weight do not allow it to go beyond sixth place in this ranking.

5. TT pistol

• Manufacturer country: THE USSR
• Designed by: 1930
• Curb weight: 0.94 kg
• Length: 195 mm
• Barrel length: 116 mm
• Initial bullet speed: 420 m/s
• Store capacity: 8 rounds

This pistol is known for its good power and ability to penetrate various obstacles. Thanks to its small size, it can be hidden when worn. It was developed in 1930 and was actively used in the Soviet army for many years.
It is very easy to use, which is one of the reasons for its popularity. home negative trait pistol - unreliable fixation of the magazine with cartridges. Because of this, cases of self-inflicted gunfire were recorded.

4.

• Manufacturer country: Belgium
• Designed by: 1993-1998
• Curb weight: 0.744 kg
• Length: 208 mm
• Barrel length: 122 mm
• Initial bullet speed: from 520 to 650 m/s (depending on cartridges)
• Store capacity: 10 (limited), 20 (standard), 30 (high capacity) rounds

This pistol ranks fourth in the ranking of the best pistols in the world. Designed and manufactured in 1998. It has been successfully used by various units and groups of the NATO military alliance. Convenient to use in difficult situations, extremely lightweight and versatile. And, if you use special cartridges, you can increase your combat power. This will make it possible to penetrate body armor.

3.

• Manufacturer country: Austria
• Designed by: 1982
• Curb weight: 0.905 kg
• Length: 186 mm
• Barrel length: 114 mm
• Initial bullet speed: 350 – 360 m/s
• Store capacity: 17 (standard), 19 or 30 (high capacity) cartridges

The top three are opened by the Glock 17. It is successfully used by armed forces in several dozen countries. Various modifications allow it to be used for different purposes. Optimal weight and simple design (assembled from 30 parts) are some of the main advantages. Using a simple nail, experts can disassemble the gun in less than 60 seconds.
Among other top pistols in the world, the Glock 17 is one of the most reliable. It can fire up to half a million shots. There is no trigger as such. There is also no safety flag, which will allow you to quickly pull the weapon out of the holster and shoot.
The Glock 17 doesn't fit into the classic firearm mold. Structurally, many of its parts are made of strong polymer, which is not afraid of shocks and mechanical influences. Many police officers in the USA use it. About 40% of police surveyed consider the Glock 17 to be the most comfortable of all time.

2.

• Manufacturer country: Germany, Switzerland
• Designed by: 1981
• Curb weight: 0.802 or 0.867 (depending on cartridges used) kg
• Length: 196 mm
• Barrel length: 112 mm
• Store capacity: 12, 13, 15, 17, 18, 20 rounds (depending on the cartridges used)

This weapon has a unique history. The high position in the ranking is deserved because the pistol was approved different army and intelligence agencies of the world. As a result of cooperation between SIG and Sauer, the Sig-Sauer P226 pistol appeared on the market. Back in the middle of the last century, the P220 model was manufactured, and it was this model that was used as the basis for the production of the P226.
Gunsmiths note the thoughtfulness of the design and the excellent quality of execution of the smallest details. If you need to use a small pistol, this model will not work. If you look at the photo of the SIG-Sauer P226, you might get the impression that it is light, as if made of plastic. This is far from reality. In fact, the gun is quite large and heavy. In the hands of professionals, the relatively large dimensions and good combat power make the weapon indispensable.
The manufacturer of the SIG-Sauer P226 has been creating excellent, high-quality weapons for many years. The use of new developments is the main key to the company's success.
The pistol was created back in 1981 as a competition item for the American army. Perhaps the most important disadvantage of this pistol is its high cost, which did not allow it to take first place in the list of the best firearms.

1. Beretta 92

• Manufacturer country: Italy
• Designed by: 1975
• Curb weight: 0.95 kg
• Length: 217 mm
• Barrel length: 125 mm
• Initial bullet speed: 390 m/s
• Store capacity: 15 rounds

The Italian firearms manufacturer, considered the oldest in Europe, has created a pistol model that is unique in all respects - the Beretta 92. Today it is most best gun in the world. In modern conditions, the Beretta 92 and a large number of modified models are successfully used by the armies and special forces of many countries.
But even the leader of the rating has disadvantages - the handle is too large, as well as significant weight compared to other pistols of this class.

+ Pfeifer-Zeliska .600 Nitro Express

This weapon, of course, cannot be considered one of the best pistols, but the specimen is quite interesting and deserves attention. The Austrian-made revolver is a giant among pistols. Its original name is “Remington Model 1859”. Perhaps it is the largest and longest pistol in the world. One shot from it costs about 40 dollars. For this “monster” of short-barreled weapons, a heavy-duty hunting cartridge is used. 600 Nitro Express (15.2 x 76 mm), which is designed for hunting the largest animals in Africa.

By the way, before the .700 Nitro Express caliber cartridge appeared in 1988, the “six hundredth” was the most powerful cartridge for civilian weapons in the world. At this point in time, the largest rifle cartridge is considered to be .950 caliber (20 x 102 mm), developed by the American arms company SSK Industries.

The pistol weighs 13 pounds (about 6 kg). Muzzle energy is about 10,000 J. Such power seems enormous, yet the Pfeifer-Zeliska .600 Nitro Express is not the most powerful pistol in the world. There are “short-barreled guns” with muzzle power up to 15,000 J - Thunder 50 BMG and Maadi-Griffin 50 BMG, of course, calling them pistols is a stretch. The use of these 3 models of “pistols” is difficult due to their high power and is associated with a significant risk of injury when shooting. However, many firearms connoisseurs purchase such specimens as exhibits for their collections.

The best pistol in the world | Video review