Russian revolvers. The best and most famous pistols in the world
Pistols are the most common type of military and service firearms; they are used not only by military personnel and special services employees, but also by ordinary citizens for self-defense or sport shooting. A pistol is a short-barreled weapon with an effective firing range of 25-50 meters.
Most modern pistols are rifled, self-loading and non-automatic (usually) weapons. The capacity of a classic pistol magazine is 8-9 rounds, although Lately Models with a capacity of up to twenty rounds of ammunition are becoming increasingly common.
Pistols in the form we are familiar with are the creation of the twentieth century, although the first examples of these weapons appeared in the 15th century. The first pistols were equipped with a matchlock, which was replaced by a wheel lock, and then by a flintlock. However, they were all single-shot, quite heavy and required a lot of time to reload. Therefore, in the second half of the 19th century, pistols were very quickly replaced by revolvers.
At the end of the same century, multi-shot pistols appeared that were superior to revolvers in both rate of fire and accuracy. After the end of the First World War, the era of repeating pistols began, which continues to this day.
Since the invention of the first repeating pistol, a huge number of models of this firearm have been produced. Military, sporting, hunting, self-defense pistols - they were (and are) being developed and produced in dozens of countries around the world; the most famous weapons designers had a hand in creating new models of pistols.
There is often debate on the Internet about which pistol is the best. This is a very debatable and controversial issue, because there are more than enough successful designs of these weapons in the world. We have made a small selection, which includes the best pistols different countries and periods. The selection criterion for this list was not only the technical characteristics of the pistol, but also the revolutionary nature of its design, as well as its popularity among professionals and weapon enthusiasts. In our rating we will not consider pneumatic and sports pistols; only military models or weapons for self-defense will participate in the review.
So, top 10 best pistols peace.
10. Stechkin pistol (APS)
Our top 10 opens with a pistol created in the Soviet Union in the late 40s. The APS uses a 9x18 mm PM cartridge; its automation operates on the blowback principle. This pistol is very popular in Russia and other former Soviet republics, but it is usually criticized abroad. A special feature of the Stechkin pistol is the ability to fire automatically from it, which is somewhat unusual for this type of weapon. The pistol holster can be used as a stock. The capacity of a standard pistol magazine is 20 rounds.
APS was developed for officers, driver mechanics, and pilots, but it was very quickly removed from service. The disadvantage of the pistol was its excess weight and bulkiness - it was not very suitable for concealed and constant carry, and as a combat weapon the APS was not powerful enough. Despite this, it was used in dozens of Cold War conflicts and hot spots in the former Soviet Union and beyond.
9. Desert Eagle
In ninth place is the Desert Eagle pistol, which is considered one of the most powerful pistols in the world. It was developed in the early 80s by a joint Israeli-American team chambered for large caliber(up to 12.7 mm). The developers positioned their brainchild as hunting weapon and a pistol for self-defense.
Desert Eagle is not in service with any army in the world; it is not used in special services, but Hollywood directors love him very much. This is one of the most recognizable pistols in the world. The military and security forces do not use the Desert Eagle due to its excess weight and bulkiness; in addition, the pistol has monstrous recoil and a deafening shot sound (it is prohibited from being used in indoor shooting ranges). It should also be noted that this weapon is not very reliable, uses very expensive ammunition and is sensitive to contamination.
In Russia, this pistol is practically never found.
8. Walther PP/PPK
One of the most famous and successful pistols, as evidenced by the large number of copies and clones of this weapon. Walther RR became one of the first mass-produced devices to use a double-action trigger. It was developed in 1929 as a police pistol, but later the Walther PP was widely used as a personal weapon for tank crews, pilots and sailors.
In the 60s of the last century, mass production of this pistol was resumed and continues to this day. In addition, the pistol is produced under license in the USA. In total, more than a million copies of this weapon were produced. The Soviet PM is essentially a replica of this German pistol.
7. FN Five-seveN (Belgium)
In seventh place on our list is a pistol created by the Belgian gunsmiths of the Fabrique Nationale company in the late 90s as an addition to the P90 submachine gun. This largely determines the characteristics of this weapon. The main thing is that it uses the same unique 5.7×28mm pointed bullet cartridge that is capable of defeating most body armor available today. The specific ammunition somewhat limits the popularity of this model as a means of self-defense or sport shooting.
The FN Five-seveN pistol is very popular among special forces soldiers; it is in great demand in the USA. It has been used in several wars and conflicts.
6. TT (Tula Tokarev)
This legendary weapon, the first Soviet pistol, developed by weapons designer Tokarev in the early 30s. The TT pistol served with the Red Army throughout the Great Patriotic War and was used in all conflicts. post-war period, it is still popular in Russia today. This is a simple and reliable weapon that uses a powerful 7.62 × 25 mm TT cartridge. Not every body armor can withstand it.
The TT is relatively small in size and is suitable for concealed carry, although there are complaints about the ergonomics of the pistol.
5. CZ-75/85
One of the most successful creations of Czech gunsmiths, which deservedly takes fifth place in our ranking. The pistol was created back in the 80s of the last century and chambered for the 9x19 mm cartridge. Convenience, reliability and simplicity of design ensured this weapon great popularity in the West.
CZ-75/85 has excellent sighting range shooting, the pistol bullet has good penetration and sufficient stopping power. In terms of the number of copies sold, the CZ-75/85 is not too inferior to the Colts. This weapon is not very common in Russia.
4. Heckler&Koch USP
This pistol was manufactured by the famous German company Heckler & Koch in the early 90s. In 1993, it was adopted by the Bundeswehr. Has a large number of modifications.
The Heckler&Koch USP pistol is considered one of the most successful developments for special forces and police units. It is very reliable, unpretentious, and has good shooting accuracy. The gun can be used in any conditions - it is not afraid of either heat or cold, and is insensitive to dirt and falls. Heckler&Koch USP is used by special units in Germany, USA, Italy, France, Ukraine, Poland and Japan.
Among the design features, noteworthy are the polymer frame and proprietary buffer system to reduce friction. Quick caliber changes are possible.
3. Beretta 92
One of the best pistols in the world, created by the oldest European arms company. The pistol was put into service in 1980 and uses the popular 9x19 mm cartridge. The quality of this weapon is evidenced by the fact that in 1985, a modification of the Beretta 92F pistol was adopted as a standard weapon (instead of the Colt M1911) in the US armed forces. The Beretta 92 is also in service with the IDF. About 100 thousand of these pistols are produced every year in various modifications.
There are a large number of modifications of this pistol; it is very recognizable and popular in the civilian market.
The advantages of the Beretta 92 pistol include its excellent ergonomics, good balance, ensuring high accuracy and accuracy of fire. The location of the safety allows you to shoot with both the right and left hands. The bullet has sufficient penetration and stopping effect.
The disadvantages include the rather heavy weight of the pistol and its sensitivity to contamination. And a handle that is too thick is not very comfortable for people with short fingers.
2. Colt M1911
In second place in our top 10 is the legendary pistol, created by the brilliant gunsmith John Browning before the outbreak of World War I and which remains in service with the US Army today. This pistol experienced only one noticeable modernization in 1926; a large number of models and modifications were created based on the Colt M1911.
This model was supplied to Russia during the First World War, and then under Lend-Lease during the Great Patriotic War. With the American army he went through both world wars, Korea, Vietnam and all other conflicts of the period Cold War.
1. Glock 17
The most powerful pistol in the world, which took first place in our top 10, became a real milestone in the development of short-barreled firearms. The Glock 17 uses 9x19 mm Parabellum cartridges, and its automatic operation operates on the principle of recoil with a short-stroke barrel.
The history of the creation of the pistol is very interesting. In 1980, a competition was announced to create a self-loading pistol for the needs of the Austrian army and police. Among others, the little-known company Glock GmbH took part in it, which previously supplied the army with bayonet knives, sapper blades and other ammunition, but did not produce firearms. However, according to the results of the tests, it was the Glock 17 pistol that was recognized as the best and adopted for service. Since then, four generations of the pistol have been created and put into mass production.
In addition to the Austrian army, the Glock 17 is in service with the armed forces and law enforcement agencies of more than thirty countries around the world.
Impact-resistant and heat-resistant plastic (polyamide) is actively used in the design of the pistol, which makes the Glock 17 very durable and lightweight. Also, thanks to this, the gun is very resistant to corrosion, however, with prolonged and intensive use, the plastic inevitably develops microcracks.
The pistol has excellent accuracy and shooting accuracy, it is very convenient and easy to disassemble. Characteristic feature The thing about this pistol is that it has no safety at all. Therefore, the time to bring it into combat position is minimal.
You can even shoot the Glock 17 underwater without the barrel bursting or ballooning. True, for this you need to use a special drummer.
If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them
In the early 90s of the twentieth century, the previously common pistol ammunition was replaced by a new cartridge.40S&W. His popularity among the civilian population increased in a matter of months, and subsequently government agencies also reached out to him. Naturally, new ammunition required new weapons and many manufacturers rushed to fill the emerging niche in the weapons market. Unfortunately, this did not always happen successfully, since the new ammunition was more powerful than the common 9x19, and since there was not much time to develop completely new weapons, nine-millimeter models were taken as the basis. But the modernization was not always successful due to the fact that individual components were not designed for the new load when fired. Naturally, only a few of these pistols reached the market, since manufacturers did not want to risk their name, and although this did not generally affect the quality of the weapon, it significantly slowed down the production of pistol models chambered for the .40S&W cartridge. However, there were also those companies that launched the production of such weapons immediately, since they foresaw the high popularity of this ammunition and began developing weapons long before its distribution. A striking example of such foresight is the Taurus company, vol.
Company Webley & Scott is widely known for its low-priced pistols, since special attention was paid to the issue of maximum simplicity of design and low cost of production without losing the quality of the original product. Unlike other manufacturers, who had models of pistols that took over precisely in their own way appearance and finishing, Webley & Scott produced mainly “working” weapons, which, although not as nice as those from other manufacturers, were highly reliable and resistant to dirt. To a large extent, the price of the weapon was determined by the design of the pistols of this company, so the most famous were the models built
Usually, a manufacturer, when naming their weapons, tries to minimize the possibility of confusion and confusion between one model and another, but, as practice shows, this is not always possible. A striking example of this is the Webley & Scott M1912 Mark I pistol, which is often confused by name with a completely different weapon that uses a completely different cartridge and differs not only in its operation, but even in size - the Webley & Scott M1912. However, despite the fairly similar names, these pistols can be easily distinguished by the context of conversation about them, since in the case of the simple M1912 we are talking about a compact and relatively ineffective pistol for self-defense by modern standards, in the case of the Webley & Scott M1912 pistol Mark I is already a weapon that is distinguished by quite high power, and whose dimensions no longer allow us to call it small, which is explained by the fact that this pistol model was created for the British Army.
In 1909, the desire of the gunsmiths of the Webley & Scott company to create a pistol model that was quite cheap to produce and at the same time used a relatively powerful cartridge than the Browning 7.65 mm caliber resulted in the appearance on the arms market of such a model as the Webley & Scott M1909. It is difficult to say whether it was successful, since on the one hand, the main goal was achieved, and the pistol turned out to be really very cheap to produce, while feeding on 9x20 cartridges, it turned out to be quite reliable and was in demand among the civilian population in Europe. However, government customers paid absolutely no attention to this pistol, and it never appeared in service with the army or police of any country. It took the designers almost 11 years to correct this situation, which is not so long considering the First World War. As a result of their work, the Webley & Scott M1920 was born, which, in fact, was an improved M1909.
As you know, the so-called “pocket” pistols were most popular at the beginning of the twentieth century before the outbreak of the First World War. Subsequently, of course, no one began to abandon such weapons immediately, but the popularity of such pistols began to decline, since the only option for their use was self-defense, and people came to understand that the ammunition that powers such weapons is ineffective for reliable protection from the attacker. But until the consumer became interested in more effective and larger types of weapons, manufacturers tried to squeeze out of the market civilian weapons maximum. Likewise, the Webley&Scott company, after the obvious success of its Webley&Scott M1907 pistol, created an even more compact model of a compact weapon, which, like its predecessor, was distinguished by its low price - the Webley&Scott M1912.
In addition to producing compact weapons for the civilian market, Webley & Scott was still looking for more powerful weapons, although they temporarily abandoned the goal of creating a pistol for the British Army. The main task that the company's designers set for themselves before 1910 was to find a version of the pistol that would be at the same time easy to manufacture, cheap and effective. It would seem that such a requirement is practically impossible to fulfill, but the decision came immediately after attention was paid to such ammunition as the 9 mm Browning cartridge. It was relatively effective and at the same time did not have energy that a blowback shutter could not handle, automation based on which was the simplest of all options in production, and also quite reliable, of course, with a skillful approach to its design.
As you know, at the beginning of the twentieth century in Europe there was a widespread fashion for “pocket” pistols chambered for 6.35 cartridges. Although such weapons were very conditionally suitable for self-defense due to the weak cartridge, people still armed themselves with pistols that could be freely carried in their pockets without experiencing any particular inconvenience. We will not go into detail about why this phenomenon took place, although everyone understands that this was determined by laws that did not clearly regulate the scope of the use of weapons in self-defense. Of course, Great Britain, which, although it was distant from the rest European countries, was also subject to this phenomenon. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that such tiny pistols became a goldmine for gun manufacturers and the competition was very tough indeed. In order to conquer at least their own country in the pocket pistol market, the Webley & Scott company decided to develop a compact pistol that would be as reliable as the already well-proven Belgian and Austrian models, but at the same time was much cheaper.
It often happens that certain types of weapons that seem ideally suited for certain purposes are rejected by the consumer for completely unknown reasons. People just don’t like weapons without any reasoning. But it also happens, on the contrary, that a pistol that is suitable purely for some specific purposes is so loved by people that they are ready to use it not only, say, for self-defense, but also for sports shooting, although there is no high accuracy, no particular convenience of the weapon and flexibility there is no customization for a specific shooter. In the case of the Webley & Scott M1906 pistol, everything is even more neglected, being quite compact and using relatively low-power ammunition, it was loved in the military environment, and judging by the fact that it actively participated in two world wars, it can legally be considered a weapon of officers, although never was not armed in the army.
Among the variety of modern pistols, it is easy to identify those models whose manufacturers are well-known. Even those people who are not interested in weapons in principle will be able to accurately name the leaders of the manufacturers. However, not all companies can boast that their fame dates back more than a century. At the beginning of the twentieth century, several other names were heard, although among them one can find widely known ones. this moment, but many of them lost their primacy, while it seemed that they would always remain leaders. One of these companies is the English company Webley & Scott, the main feature of which was that it boldly undertook the most seemingly reckless experiments in the field of firearms, and spent a lot of money and time on developing weapons of a wide variety of systems, even those that were originally were doomed to failure. It was this kind of enthusiasm that helped the weapons industry develop rapidly at the beginning of the twentieth century and lay the foundations for modern weapon models. We will get acquainted with one of the pistols in this article, this is the Webley & Scott M1904 model.
In the 20th century, revolvers, as a type of personal firearm, reached their greatest prosperity and popularity in the 50-70s in the United States of America. Revolvers have always been in great demand in this country, dating back to the days of the “Wild West” and capsule Colts. The rapid development and widespread distribution of this type of weapon in the United States began with the early capsule Colt 1851 Navy and Colt 1860 Army, as well as Smith & Wesson No. 1 chambered for a unitary cartridge. Later came the famous Colt 1873 Peacemaker .45 caliber and Smith & Wesson No. 3 .44 caliber. The use of unitary cartridges provided a great advantage in loading speed and ease of storing ammunition compared to capsule systems.
Beginning with the Adams Model 1851 in England and the Starr 1858 Army in the United States, revolvers began to be made with a double-action trigger mechanism, which allowed the weapon to be fired by self-cocking by simply pulling the trigger without first cocking the hammer. The combination of using a unitary cartridge and a trigger mechanism with self-cocking made the revolver a convenient, practical weapon with very high combat qualities for its time. Instead of sequential extraction of spent cartridges, like the Colt 1873, drums that tilt to the side began to be used, which again significantly increased the rate of fire.
Compared to systems loaded with a release case, used in Smith & Wesson No. 3 revolvers and English Webleys, the design with a folding cylinder and a monolithic frame provided both a longer service life and higher accuracy of shooting of revolvers with a large round of shots. These innovations greatly improved the combat qualities of revolvers and continue to be used today with minimal changes. By the beginning of the 20th century, the following models became the most famous and popular models: Colt New Service 45th, 44th and 38th calibers, later adopted by the US Army under the name Model 1909; Smith & Wesson New Century revolver in 45 and 44 calibers, with reinforced Triple Lock cylinder locking design; Smith & Wesson Military & Police 1905 38-caliber revolver, which became the most popular military revolver in the United States in the first half of the 20th century.
Military & Police, which had small dimensions and weight, became especially popular. small force returns and a very reasonable cost. In total, over 6 million M&P revolvers were produced. During the First and Second World Wars, the US and British armies used Colt Model 1917 and 1917 revolvers that fired .45 ACP pistol cartridges with a wafer case. It was these revolvers from the beginning of the century that became the basis for the design of those revolvers that are currently offered by weapons manufacturers. Changes in modern models compared to their predecessors relate mainly to the materials used and production technology.
Smith & Wesson Military & Police 1905 .38 gauge with blue finish and walnut grips
Since the end of World War II, revolvers modern type were in service with the US police and army. It should be noted that revolvers have always been popular in America, and did not lose their positions in the civilian and police arms markets even after the advent of well-proven self-loading pistols, such as the Colt M1911 or FN Browning High Power. Powerful full-size revolvers were very popular among road patrols, where police officers are still armed with them. These were classic revolvers produced by the largest weapons manufacturers - the famous American companies Smith & Wesson, Colt and Ruger. Full-size models used the powerful .357 Magnum cartridge, which has a high stopping and penetrating effect of the bullet.
Compact ones, used, as a rule, by FBI agents or plainclothes police officers, as well as by citizens for self-defense, used the .38 Special cartridge, which was significantly inferior in its combat qualities. It’s paradoxical, but true - despite the availability of revolvers chambered for 9 mm cartridges. 357 Magnum, 11.5 mm cartridges. 45 LC and .45 ACP, which have proven their high efficiency in real combat operations and in police practice, revolvers chambered for weak 9 mm cartridges were sold in the millions .38 Special. The Smith & Wesson Military & Police was especially in great demand, becoming perhaps the most popular revolver in its class. Its advantages, as well as other 38-caliber revolvers, were the low cost of weapons and ammunition, as well as soft recoil without strong bounce when fired, which are the main reasons for its success.
Colt Detective Special .38 caliber, 1950 release. The drum holds 6 rounds.
Smith & Wesson Model 36 Chief "s Special sub-cartridge. 38 Special with drum capacity of 5 rounds
The most famous compact revolvers of the 20th century, which achieved enormous popularity in the USA, were the Smith-Wesson models S&W Model 36 Chief's Special (in production since 1950), S&W Model 40 (produced since 1952), S&W Model 49 Bodyguard ( produced from 1957) and the S&W Model 60 (produced from 1965), as well as the Colt Detective Special (produced from 1927 to 1995).American manufacturers had a large line of full-size .357 Magnum revolvers with a variety of frame sizes available. , barrel lengths, materials and coatings, which were consistently purchased by various law enforcement agencies and, of course, sold well on the civilian arms market.
The most popular of the full-size models were the S&W Model 27 (produced from 1935 to 1994), S&W Model 19 (in production since 1957), S&W Model 66 (produced from 1970 to 2005), S&W Model 686 with a stainless steel frame (introduced in 1980 and still in production) and the S&W Model 586 with an alloy steel frame and blued finish (in production from 1982 to 1998). Since 1955, the Colt company began producing the famous Colt Python revolver. Less known, but still popular, were the Colt Trooper MKIII, Colt MKV (in production from 1953 to 1985), and the Colt King Kobra (in production from 1986 to 1998). The period from the end of World War II to the second half of the 1980s. is the "golden age" of American revolvers.
Just look at the famous Colt Python, which uses .357 Magnum cartridges, which became a star among weapons in Hollywood and Elvis Presley’s favorite revolver. This weapon is distinguished not only by its exquisite design, but also by its excellent workmanship and surface finish, excellent shooting accuracy and reliability. Python is still produced by Colt. The most charismatic of the large-caliber revolvers was the revolver, introduced by the manufacturer in 1955 and discontinued by the end of the 1990s, using the most powerful cartridge at that time. 44 Magnum. This weapon in the United States is most associated with the police officer nicknamed “Dirty Harry” from the famous 1971 film starring Clint Eastwood, in addition to the Model 29, of course. It is especially worth highlighting the highest quality of workmanship of revolvers produced before the mid-1980s, which today can only be obtained in more expensive weapons.
The quality workmanship on this blued Colt Python is evident at first glance.
The S&W Model 29 was the epitome of power thanks to the .44 Magnum cartridge and... Hollywood
The high popularity and wide distribution of revolvers is explained not only by their ease of use, reliability, high shooting accuracy, efficiency when using, for example, .357 Magnum cartridges or even less powerful .38 Special cartridges, equipped with expansive bullets with high stopping power, but also, of course, by established habits. It is noteworthy that Georg Luger’s excellent pistol, which later became known as the Parabellum, with advanced combat and performance qualities for its time, which still remains the standard for ease of holding, shooting accuracy and weapon aesthetics, was not adopted by the US Army mainly because for the established stereotypes of the American military, who preferred revolvers rather than new weapons that were not yet familiar to them.
Of course, at first good reason The American rejection of the Luger pistol was weak compared to the .45 Long Colt revolver, 7.65×22 cartridge, but soon the designer introduced a model chambered for the 9×19 cartridge, and then a variant chambered for the new American pistol cartridge .45 ACP. However, in this case, prejudices prevailed. Although it should be noted here that the Luger pistol was much more expensive than any American revolver, the production of which had long been established and the army had vast experience in handling these weapons. In Europe, on the contrary, self-loading pistols have become widespread. These were mainly John Browning designs, produced by the Belgian FN and copied in huge quantities by Spanish manufacturers, Georg Luger pistols, manufactured by the German DWM, and the equally famous Mauser pistol-carbines.
Colt M1911A1 semi-automatic pistol
But soon even the American military realized the advantages of automatic weapons, adopting, which later became one of the most popular self-loaders, a pistol designed by Browning - the famous Colt M1911 45 caliber. Moreover, at the beginning of its career this pistol was not as popular among ordinary citizens as it was in the 70-90s. and currently. The M1911 fully demonstrated its advantages in high fire efficiency on the battlefields of the First World War. For example, the feat of US Army Corporal Alvin York, who killed six German soldiers armed with Mauser rifles attacking him with his M1911, is widely known. Its modernized version, designated M1911A1, also performed well during World War II.
However, from the moment the self-loading Colt was adopted into service until the second half of the 20th century, in the civilian arms market it was popular mainly among those who had served in the army and navy, while revolvers were popular among ordinary citizens and police officers. A version of the M1911 for the civilian arms market, called the Colt Government Model, which differed from army weapons only with higher quality coating and stamps, not everyone liked it because of its size and weight. It is difficult to carry such a massive pistol with you constantly and secretly. Compact revolvers, on the contrary, are very convenient, lightweight and much easier to handle than the Government Model. It was only in the 1950s, thanks to articles about the advantages of the M1911 by one of the most famous pistol pilots, journalist and founder of modern practical shooting, Jeff Cooper, that the M1911A1 gradually began to be purchased by some police departments and gain popularity among citizens.
Thus, from the first quarter of the 20th century until the 80s, two branches of personal short-barreled weapons dominated in the United States - compact and full-size revolvers, as well as self-loading pistols from Colt. Fighting qualities full-size revolvers, especially the firing efficiency of .357 Magnum cartridges, suited everyone, but time does not stand still and the largest weapons market in the world soon began to receive large quantities self-loading 9 mm pistols with a large magazine capacity. They quickly began to gain popularity in the country of revolvers and soon began to displace the weapons familiar to Americans.
In addition, these pistols were equipped with a double-action trigger mechanism, which made it possible to safely carry a loaded weapon that was in full combat readiness, without the need to turn off the safety lever. But nevertheless, in terms of ease of use and reliability of operation, such pistols were inferior to revolvers, since in the event of a misfire, the revolver can always fire the next shot simply by pressing the trigger, while the owner of a self-loading pistol can reliably eliminate the delay in firing it is necessary to remove the misfired cartridge by sending the next one from the magazine into the chamber of the barrel. Examples of 9 mm pistols with a large magazine capacity, double-action trigger mechanism and reliable safety systems are the American Smith & Wesson Model 59 (in production from 1970 to 1988), the German Sig Sauer P226 (manufactured since 1981) and the Italian Beretta series 92 pistols (manufactured since 1976).
The S&W Model 59 9mm pistol with a 14-round magazine is considered the first of the "wonder nines"
The Glock 17 remains one of the most popular and best-selling semi-automatic pistols in the world.
Such pistols became known in the USA as “wonder nines”, that is, “amazing nines”. A significant fact is the rearmament of the US Army in 1985 from the usual Colt M1911A1 to the Beretta M9 - the popular Italian pistol Beretta M 92FS produced in America. However, in the early 1980s. revolvers were still the favorite weapon of ordinary citizens and police officers. The stopping effect of bullets from the 9mm Parabellum cartridge, including expansive ones, did not compare with that of the .357 Magnum revolver bullets. Out of habit, revolvers were still trusted more than, for example, the same self-loading Smith-Wesson pistols. Among small-sized personal weapons for concealed carry, compact revolvers chambered for the .38 Special cartridge also remained unrivaled.
Since 1980, following the 9-mm repeating pistols, the design fundamentals of which go back to the first quarter of the 20th century, a serious competitor for all previously produced short-barreled weapons entered production - the Austrian self-loading pistol Glock 17, which has only automatic fuses and a trigger a striker-type mechanism, with preliminary, partial cocking of the firing pin when the bolt-casing moves back and additional cocking when the trigger is pressed. This meant that this weapon could be instantly fired and carried constantly without the risk of an accidental shot, with maximum simplicity and ease of use. The design of the Glock is extremely simple and is based on the proven and improved Browning locking system; the metal parts have a very durable Tenifer coating that is extremely resistant to corrosion and wear.
Thanks to all these qualities, the weapon has phenomenal reliability in difficult operating conditions and a huge service life. In addition, the Glock frame is made of polymer, due to which it is very light in comparison with revolvers and self-loading pistols made of steel or with light alloy frames. In terms of firepower, the Glock 17 pistol is not at all comparable to revolvers, since its double-row magazine holds 17 rounds, versus a maximum of 7 or 8 for revolver drums. The Colt M1911 pistol, equipped with a single-action trigger mechanism with the ability to be safely carried in full combat readiness only with the hammer cocked and the safety on, as well as its copies, could no longer dominate in the United States among self-loading pistols.
Having taken leading positions in the weapons market, multi-shot modern 9-mm pistols began to displace revolvers, which were unable to compete with them in terms of the combination of combat and operational qualities. Despite habits and stereotypes, under the influence of new technologies and the advantages of self-loading pistols, revolvers are practically a thing of the past. In most police departments they were replaced with pistols, and citizens began to purchase Glocks, Sig-Sauers, Berettas, ChZs, Heckler-Kochs, Rugers, Smith-Wessons, Walters and other “self-loaders” for self-defense and sporting and recreational shooting. From the mid-1980s to the present, the main type of short-barreled personal weapon has been a self-loading pistol. However, the revolver did not lose its undeniable advantages, thanks to which these weapons continue to be used willingly.
Eight-shot Taurus 627 Tracker
Full size Smith & Wesson Model 327 M&P R8 revolver chambered for .357 Magnum with aluminum-scandium frame and 8-round cylinder capacity
In the late 1990s, new materials began to be used in the production of revolvers, such as alloys based on aluminum and titanium, lightweight and durable aluminum-scandium alloys. Drums are made either of stainless steel with an additional anti-corrosion, usually matte black coating, or of titanium. As a result, revolvers got rid of one of their main drawbacks - heavy weight, while maintaining the necessary safety margin, a fairly long service life and excellent corrosion protection. Now it has become convenient and easy to carry not only compact, but also medium-sized revolvers with you at all times. Full-size models are still very rarely used for wearing due to their size.
Smith-Wesson and the Brazilian Torus were especially successful in using new technologies and materials. Their the lineup includes a variety of lightweight and durable modern revolvers chambered for a variety of cartridges. Although the recoil force when firing from such a revolver, if it uses the powerful .357 Magnum cartridge, has increased significantly, the new weapon has become very popular and is in steady demand both in the civilian market and among police officers. In addition, for training, revolvers under .357 Magnum most often use the much less powerful .38 Special, when fired with much less recoil force. The drum capacity has also increased. Many modern revolvers have a seven- and eight-round drum, which is more than enough for self-defense. Of course, self-loading pistols are in service today in the US army and police, as well as in other countries of the world. In the United States police, revolvers are a rare exception and are used only in areas with low level crime, where the policeman does not need high firepower or highway patrols. Revolvers are most popular among ordinary citizens.
The American Smith & Wesson Model 686 revolver is a true classic among modern full-size six-shooters.
The Smith & Wesson Model 625 JM revolver uses .45 ACP cartridges
Full-size models chambered for the .357 Magnum cartridge, with a 102 mm / 4 inch barrel and 6, 7 or 8 round drums, are rarely used as the main short-barreled weapon, as, superior modern pistols in reliability of operation, stopping effect of the bullet of the cartridge used, shooting accuracy in single-action mode and ease of handling, they are significantly inferior to multi-shot pistols in rate of fire, firepower (the drum capacity is more than half that of a double-row magazine of a medium-sized pistol) and have significantly larger dimensions, in width features.
Such weapons are stored at home or in a car for self-defense. They are often used in various types of sports shooting and even for hunting, as well as for the purpose of self-defense from predators during hiking trips. Mid-sizes such as the Smith & Wesson 625, with a 102 mm/4 inch or 127 mm/5 inch barrel length, chambered in .45 ACP, are most popular with sport revolver shooters due to the fast reloading of the plate clips, low recoil force and tossing when firing, and as a result, a higher rate of fire and accuracy of high-speed fire. In addition to these advantages, this weapon is highly effective in combat shooting, thanks to the high stopping power of the .45 ACP cartridge bullet. Therefore, such weapons are universal in areas of application and can also be purchased for self-defense.
Featuring an ultra-light Scandium frame, the Smith & Wesson Model M&P 340 is very comfortable and lightweight to carry. This specimen is equipped with rubber grip cheeks with a built-in laser designator.
Compact five-shot, with 51 mm / 2 inches long barrels, chambered for the .357 Magnum cartridge, ideal for concealed carry for self-defense or as a backup weapon due to the combination of small dimensions and weight with the high stopping power of the bullet of the cartridge used. This class of revolvers is the most popular at present and will most likely be the most popular in the future. In addition to the qualities of the revolvers themselves, the arms market currently offers many very useful accessories, such as fiber optic front sights and rubber grip cheeks with a built-in laser designator. Practice has shown the advantages of front sights with fiber-optic, light-collecting inserts in the form of green or red rods, which reduce the time of pointing the weapon at the target, since the axis of the rod is a guide for the flow of light, as a result of which the shooter’s attention is instantly concentrated on the front sight, and then it is very easily quickly aligns with the rear sight slot.
One of the best representatives of modern compact revolvers is the American Smith & Wesson M&P 340 with an aluminum-scandium frame, a hidden hammer and only a self-cocking trigger mechanism, which has a very smooth ride and low trigger pull, light weight and compactness. This five-shot revolver chambered for the powerful .357 Magnum cartridge is very convenient for constant concealed carry, not burdensome and easy to handle for its owner. Of course, such a lightweight revolver, weighing only 414 g, has strong recoil, but it is not intended for sport shooting, since it is primarily a self-defense weapon. According to the enormous amount of information on the use of personal short-barreled weapons and statistics maintained by the US police, shooting to kill using compact concealed weapons is carried out at ultra-short distances - from point-blank shooting to 4-6 meters. In this case, the first shots are decisive, and the capacity of the revolver drum, designed for 5 rounds, is quite sufficient for such use of weapons.
It is necessary to clarify that for police weapons carried openly as the main one, on the contrary, a large amount of ammunition is required, as evidenced by the practice of using service weapons by the police. For close combat, in any case, the stopping effect of a bullet is of great importance, since it is necessary to neutralize the enemy as quickly as possible. The .357 Magnum revolver cartridge copes well with this task, which is confirmed by decades of its practical use by police officers and citizens in self-defense. The reliability of a weapon is also of great importance, and a revolver has always been orders of magnitude superior, and will continue to be superior in this quality to any self-loading pistol. All of the above-mentioned features of revolvers and the ammunition used in them, combined with new technologies and materials, paved the way for this type of personal weapon in the 19th century and ensured its, although not very high, but nevertheless very stable popularity, which is confirmed by the constant appearance of new models on the arms market.
The advent of mass-produced small arms with a rifled barrel changed the battlefield once and for all. Tactics, and indeed the entire strategy, were built on the soldiers’ ability to break through and defend. Of course, the debate about which firearm became the most important in the 20th century will always rage - there are more than enough experts, both professional and amateur. We decided to show you objectively the main models, each of which has become a real legend.
M16
In 1959, this rifle was presented to military specialists by the Armalite company, which was subsequently purchased by the famous Colt concern. Already in 1964, the M16 entered service and to this day remains the main argument of the American infantry.
Maxim machine gun
Actually, the machine gun was developed by the American Hiram Maxim, but it was the Russian modification by Colonel Alexander Sokolov that went down in the history of wars. Until the very end of the Great Patriotic War, “Maxims” were produced in Tula and only in 1945 they gave way to the new Goryunov machine gun.
PPSh
The Shpagin submachine gun replaced Degtyarev's design. Simple, functional, truly military weapon became a real symbol of the Soviet soldier of the Second World War.
Colt M1911
Until 1990, the Colt M1911 automatic pistol, developed by John Browning back in 1911, was in service with the American army, and without any modifications since 1926. Structurally simple, ideal in combat conditions, the pistol is still used in some places in our time.
M134 Minigun
The 7.62 mm M134 Minigun aircraft machine gun became a vivid symbol of the Vietnam War. The effective rate of fire of this machine reached 4000 rounds per minute - a real meat grinder.
Mauser C96
Strangely, the 1896 development was successful even at the beginning of World War II. The precise, effective, trouble-free Mauser did not enter service with any army in the world: officers from all over the world bought pistols with their own money, preferring to exchange money for their own blood.
M1 Garand
No, it was not the Mosinka that became the first main self-loading infantry rifle. The American M1 Garand, created and nurtured by John Garand, went into mass production only at the beginning of 1940, but managed to reap its share of the bloody harvest in the terrible war.
Kalashnikov assault rifle
The Kalashnikov design has become the most common small arms peace; More than one hundred million machine guns were produced. Many modifications were created, and the machine worked almost all over the world.
Submachine gun IMI UZI / Mini UZI / Micro UZI (Israel)
The Uzi submachine gun was created in Israel by army lieutenant Uziel Gal in 1949. It is usually believed that Gal borrowed the basic idea of the layout of his submachine gun from the Czech PP models 23 and 25 designed by Holek, however, it is also likely that Gal “spied” the layout from the experimental English MCEM-2 submachine guns developed back in 1944. It is also possible that he himself “invented” the layout of a submachine gun with a magazine in the fire control handle and a bolt running onto the barrel - after all, a similar layout has been used in pistols since the end of the 19th century. Be that as it may, Gal created a rather original and technologically advanced design. The Uzi submachine gun was produced by the Israeli arms company IMI (currently IWI Ltd), currently the production of Uzi in Israel has been discontinued, only its smaller versions Mini- and Micro-Uzi are produced. The Uzi submachine gun was or is in service in more than 90 countries, including Israel, Germany, and Belgium. The Mini- and Micro-Uzi variants are very popular among special operations forces and security services around the world. The Uzi was produced under license in Belgium by FN Herstal; without a license, copies were produced in China and Croatia.
The Uzi submachine gun (like its later, smaller variants Mini-Uzi and Micro-Uzi) is built using a blowback design. The fire is fired from an open bolt, while the primer is punctured before the bolt reaches its extreme forward position, which makes it possible to reduce the weight of the bolt. For the Mini-Uzi and Micro-Uzi variants, variants are also available that fire from a closed bolt and have a separate firing pin with its own mainspring. The Micro-Uzi version, to reduce the rate of fire with a low bolt weight and short recoil, has a special weighting insert in the bolt made of tungsten. In the extreme forward position, the bolt “runs” onto the breech of the barrel, which makes it possible to slightly reduce the length of the weapon.
The fire mode switch fuse is located on the left side of the receiver and has three positions - safe, single, automatic fire. In addition, on the back of the handle there is an automatic safety button, which allows you to fire only when you cover the handle with your hand. The receiver is stamped from steel, and a folding buttstock is attached to it at the rear. In Uzi it is made to fold down, in Mini-Uzi and Micro-Uzi it folds sideways. Early versions of the full-size Uzi submachine guns could also be equipped with removable wooden stocks. The loading handle is located on top of the receiver and is motionless when firing. All variants of Uzi submachine guns can be equipped with shot silencers; the “full-size” variants can also be used to launch rifle grenades from the barrel using special blank cartridges. In addition, “full-size” versions intended for arming infantry could be equipped with a detachable bayonet.
Around the world, the Makarov pistol (PM) is often called the “Russian Walter”. Some people consider this to be a hint that our developers borrowed the PM idea from the designers of the Walter plant in 1945, when Soviet troops occupied the city where the enterprise was located. However, historians expertly explain that this version is untenable, since initially the US Army entered Zella-Melis, which received all the most important documentation.
According to most, the nickname “Russian Walter” is undoubtedly a compliment, since at that time Walter was considered the undisputed leader. And our Makarov pistol was in no way inferior to it. In the end, the PM was indeed recognized as one of the best pistols of the twentieth century, along with the same Walther, as well as Browning, Beretta and Astra Constable. Like the Kalashnikov assault rifle, the PM has become a real legend.
The designer attributed his success to the enormous work put into creating the pistol. “Suffice it to say that at that time I worked every day, practically without days off, from eight in the morning until two or three in the morning,” wrote Nikolai Fedorovich Makarov. “As a result, I modified and shot two or even three times more samples than my competitors, which, of course, made it possible to perfect its reliability and survivability.”
The creation of a pistol was Nikolai Fedorovich’s most significant achievement. However, in addition to this, Makarov successfully worked on AM-23 aircraft guns, anti-tank missile systems"Bassoon" and "Competition". For contribution to strengthening the country's defense capability, great achievements in creating samples of new military equipment in 1974 he was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor. He became a laureate of the Stalin and State Prizes, was awarded two Orders of Lenin, and the Order of the Red Banner of Labor.
Separately, it should be mentioned that Nikolai Fedorovich also owned several completely peaceful inventions. It was he who came up with the sealing design glass jars with the lid pressed with a spring bracket, and after retirement, at the request of his wife, and a machine for rolling home canned food.
But let's return to his famous pistol. Work on new service models of small arms began in the USSR immediately after the Great Patriotic War. In conditions of a tough, albeit cold confrontation with the West, the Soviet army needed rearmament. The TT pistol and Nagan system revolver have not satisfied anyone for a long time.
At the end of 1945, tactical and technical requirements were developed and a competition was announced for the production of pistols of two calibers - 7.65 mm and 9 mm. They were supposed to be lighter and more compact than the TT. But it was required that even a single hit would be guaranteed to incapacitate the enemy. Therefore, in the end, the leadership of the Ministry of Defense chose the 9-mm cartridge.
The Makarov pistol was developed in 1948 specifically for senior command personnel Soviet army- as a small-sized personal weapon. The first batch of PM was produced at the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant in 1949.
Taking Walther as a starting point, Nikolai Fedorovich Makarov significantly improved it. New pistol has become easier to design, handle and maintain. The reliability of its operation has increased extreme conditions, durability and versatility of parts. The service life has increased - up to 50 thousand (!) shots, manufacturability and the pace of mass production.
The designer has almost completely eliminated the shortcomings inherent in the prototype (such as delays when firing). I achieved the ideal ratio of the height of the upper cartridge, the geometry and inclination of the chamber bevel, the shutter-casing mirror and the ejector design. By combining functions, I reduced the number of parts and adjusted them to each other so much that there was simply nowhere for dirt and carbon to get caught. The chrome-plated barrel and amazingly smooth contours no longer hurt the hands of operatives when using and disassembling the weapon.
Nikolai Makarov and Mikhail Kalashnikov
When shooting at short distances, the Makarov pistol, according to experts, has become simply irreplaceable. Thanks to a new, shorter cartridge and the use of a simpler principle of automatic operation - blowback recoil, the PM significantly surpassed its predecessors in maneuverability and reliability. The power of the PM cartridge is inferior to that of the TT, but its larger caliber (9 mm instead of 7.62) allows it to maintain the stopping effect of the bullet.
The undoubted advantages of the PM are its relatively light weight: it is 130 grams lighter than the TT (0.73 kg unloaded and 0.81 kg with a full magazine) - and constant readiness to action - it is brought into combat position almost instantly.
In addition, some experts claim that it can be safely carried with a cartridge in the barrel and the safety removed - that’s how safe it is. The straight handle allows you to intuitively shoot at a chest target from a distance of up to 15 m, guaranteeing a confident hit. And at a shorter distance the PM does not need to be raised at all - all bullets can be placed from the hip.
In 1951, the Makarov pistol was adopted as an offensive and defensive weapon in the Soviet armed forces and law enforcement agencies. And in 1952 its mass production began.
Since then, a countless number of modifications have been developed on the basis of the PM - combat, service, sports, civilian, gas pistols. Moreover, they were produced not only in the USSR and Russia, but also in other countries. For example, in the German Democratic Republic The Makarov pistol was manufactured by the Ernst Thälmann People's Enterprise under the brand name Pistole M. Now this plant is called Jagd und Sportwaffen Gmbh, but still produces a modernized version of the Makarov pistol. PMs were and continue to be produced in China - under the name Type 59, as well as in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Yugoslavia, and Ukraine.
The Makarov pistol is in steady demand in the USA. Most often it is used there as a self-defense weapon - it has convenient dimensions (height 127 mm, length 161 mm, including a barrel length of 93.5 mm), is quite reliable and relatively inexpensive. And in Finland, along with the Glock 17, Beretta 92F and CZ-85, the PM is one of the four models required to be mastered in practical shooting courses.
The Makarov pistol became the first small arms to fly into space. It was included in the astronaut's set of property and equipment on the Vostok spacecraft.
Currently, serial production of PM and its modifications at the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant continues. Despite the fact that in the army and law enforcement agencies of Russia the Yarygin pistol, PMM and other new models are gradually replacing the PM, the Makarov pistol is still in service to this day and continues to remain one of the most popular and sought-after models of domestically produced short-barreled weapons.
