Often we come across various abbreviations, the meaning of which is not clear to us. For example, what are PTS and PSM? The first abbreviation stands for a vehicle passport, which indicates the owner of the car and its main technical characteristics. The second is the passport of a self-propelled vehicle registered with Gostekhnadzor. What else is PSM? This abbreviation denotes an Indonesian football club. According to experts, "PSM" (Makassar) was created in November 1915, and it is the oldest of all the clubs in Southeast Asia. Today he plays in the First League. Nevertheless, such an answer to the question of what is PSM will certainly not satisfy us. And not in vain, since for the inhabitants of the post-Soviet space this abbreviation is associated exclusively with weapons. What is PSM in the arms industry? What kind of rifle unit are we talking about? Information about what PSM is, about the history of creation, device and technical characteristics is presented in this article.
Introduction
Soviet designers have created several reliable, easy to operate, and most importantly, inexpensive models of small arms. In some samples, according to experts, technical solutions are used that cannot be found in world analogues. The advantages of pistols produced in the USSR were highly appreciated by foreign arms manufacturers, who used Soviet rifle models as the basis for their products. According to experts, the Chinese were especially zealous in this matter. If Western designers used only some, in their opinion, the most complex or best technical solutions, then the Chinese copied weapons completely. One of such unique creations of the designers of the USSR was PSM. The self-loading small-sized pistol is a self-loading rifle unit using 5.45x18 mm cartridges. In the technical documentation, it is listed under the index GRAU 6P23. The pistol PSM 5 45 was developed in 1971 by Soviet designers Lashnev T. I., Simarin A. A. and Kulikov L. L. in the Tula TsKIB SOO. In 1973 he entered service with the Soviet army, and later the armies of Russia and Ukraine.
About the history of creation
In the late 60s, the top army leadership, operational law enforcement officers and special services needed a new pistol. Gunsmiths received an order for a rifle unit, which must meet the following requirements:
- Be no more than 1.8cm thick and weigh up to 500g
- It is desirable thatThe case had no protruding parts. This requirement is due to the fact that the gun was intended for concealed carry.
- In addition, the new model should be quite effective in close combat.
Due to the fact that it was impossible to achieve the above parameters with the pistol ammunition used in the Soviet Union at that time, the designers had to work hard to create a new small-sized cartridge. In a short period of time, the gunsmiths managed to make such ammunition, which is listed as the MPC (small-sized cartridge of the central battle). In 1972, two samples were sent for testing:
Model 1 was a pistol with a basic layout similar to the W alther PP
Model 2 - PSM was a smaller and more flattened copy of the Soviet PM. In the technical documentation, the weapon is listed as BV-025
According to the results of testing, the commission preferred the first model, which was assigned the abbreviation PSM.
About design
Automatic works by recoil with a free shutter. The pistol is equipped with a double-acting trigger mechanism. Ammunition in the amount of 8 pieces is contained in a box magazine. After the ammunition is used up, the shutter becomes delayed in the rear position, which has a positive effect on the reload speed of the weapon.
The trigger has an open position. The pistol is designed for single shooting only. The frame and barrel are securely connected. PSM was equipped with exactly the same return spring as the Makarov pistol. The device of the first rifle samples had one unpleasant feature: when installing the weapon on the fuse, the trigger could break off and pinch the thumb. It was from this injury that one could recognize the owner of a small-sized special pistol. Soon this shortcoming was eliminated. If the safety is on, the bolt, trigger and hammer will be locked.
About design features
According to weapons experts, the PSM became one of the favorite pistols of Soviet intelligence officers due to two features:
- On the left, the shutter is equipped with a lever, through which the safety lever is adjusted. He also carries out a safe release of the trigger from the platoon.
- In the weapon installed on the fuse, the hook is released from the cocking automatically. Thus, the operative can fire immediately after drawing the pistol. PSM is a fairly effective shooting model that can help out in the most critical situation.
About handles
According to experts, the new small-sized pistols have very ergonomic handles that make it easier to hold the weapon while shooting. The Tula designers used an ordinary stopper as a fastener for the handle with a pistol frame. The lower part of the handle became the place for the clip latch. Initially, for the manufacture of cheeks for the handles of these pistols, they usedAluminium alloy. Later, this material was replaced by plastic. Judging by the reviews, unlike duralumin, plastic cheeks are more elegant in shape.
Dignity
The gun provided high accuracy of battle and was highly appreciated by the Soviet secret services. Due to its small dimensions, PSM is very convenient for concealed wear, even under light clothing.
The new cartridge had a high penetrating effect, thanks to which a fighter could hit a target from this weapon wearing a bulletproof vest of the first protection class, which was also called "soft". From a 5-meter distance, the projectile easily pierced armor that was inaccessible to the Makarov pistol. Even light shelters could not save the target. The projectile flew along a flat trajectory. Due to this feature, judging by the numerous reviews, uniform aiming from various distances was provided.
On weaknesses
Despite the presence of undeniable advantages, PSM has some disadvantages. Since this model uses ammunition with a small-caliber bullet, the pistol has a weak stopping effect. In addition, the security forces are accustomed to using large and powerful weapons. For this reason, American police officers who were armed with export PSM models had many complaints about the power.
Using a weapon, a law enforcement officer could pierce the criminal's bulletproof vest and mortally wound him. But due to the insufficient stopping effect of a pointed bullet, an attacker, even with several seriouswounded could run away or actively resist.
About performance characteristics
Small pistol has the following characteristics:
- PSM refers to the type of self-loading pistols.
- The rifle unit weighs 460 g.
- Total length is 15.5cm, rifled barrel is 8.46cm.
- The gun is 11.7 cm high and 1.8 cm wide.
- Caliber PSM 5, 45 mm.
- The barrel is equipped with six grooves.
- The weapon functions due to the free shutter.
- A bullet fired per second covers a distance of 315 m.
- The effective range of the battle does not exceed 25 m.
- PSM with permanent open sight.
- 5.45x18mm cartridges are contained in box magazines with a capacity of 8 rounds.
Our days
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia's defense industry fell on hard times. Due to the difficult economic situation, in order to stay afloat, the rifle models that were previously created for their own army and for the armies of friendly states, Russian gunsmiths had to reorient to the standards of the Western market. Therefore, popular Soviet models were intensively refined and exported to the United States and European countries. Modernization also affected PSM. Due to the fact that 5.45x18 mm pistol ammunition was popular only in the USSR, it had to be replaced with a small-caliber 6.35 mm Browning cartridge. They were equipped with other rifle units focused on civilian consumers. With new ammoPSM was immediately appreciated by lovers of firearms. Buy it mainly for self-defense. Nevertheless, according to experts, the owners of small-sized pistols are suspicious of American police officers. This is due to the fact that the compactness of the pistol and its significant lethal force were also highly appreciated by the criminals.
About gas model 6P37
In Russia, on the basis of the combat PSM in 1993, its gas modification was created. In the technical documentation, the weapon is listed as 6P37 and is intended for civilian use. Despite the fact that this rifle unit was designed to be an effective means of self-defense, the gas PSM is often used by criminals for attacks.
About "injury"
Combat small-sized pistol served as the basis for the creation of another civilian rifle model. Shoots traumatic PSM "Kolchuga" with 9 mm RA rubber bullets. Since the caliber was increased, Russian gunsmiths were forced to modify the pistol itself. As a result, the civil PSM was structurally slightly changed: the feeder was made thicker and the receiver was modernized. So that outwardly the "injury" did not differ much from its combat counterpart, the gunsmiths had a chance to reduce the number of cartridges in the store. In the civilian model, the clip is equipped not with 8, but with 6 cartridges. Judging by the numerous consumer reviews, both rifles are so similar that you can tell them apart just by looking at the amount of ammunition in the magazine.
