Russia's
Arsenal plant has developed a modular pistol with a new lock mechanism.
The plant's director Dmitriy Streshinskiy told Izvestiya that by using
a removable barrel the selfsame pistol can turn into a gun of four different
calibers, while an extended barrel turns the "Strayk" into a
carbine capable of aimed fire at 200 meters. However, at the Central Research
Institute of Precision Machine Building, which certifies firearms, they
say that they are not yet familiar with this development. |
"If
it really enables you to hit a matchbox at 200 meters, it is a very good
pistol. But this is hard to believe. We have not yet seen it or tested
it," Tochmash General Director Vladimir Ivanov explained to Izvestiya.
According to him, in order to receive a certificate the pistol must go
through a series of durability tests showing that it is safe for firing.
However, for bulk purchases, the siloviki [security services] and the
military must order it.
"We have pretty successful designs of pistols for the Defence Ministry.
For instance, the GSh-18 with rotary locking, which remains the lightest
pistol in the world at only 570 grams. But decisions on supplies are made
on the basis of requirements," Ivanov explained.
In order to promote his pistol Dmitriy Streshinskiy wrote a letter to
President Dmitriy Medvedev requesting "assistance and support to
speed up the formalities of the permission documents."
"Putting our product, which has no counterparts in the world, into
the armoury will make it possible more effectively to combat terrorism
and crime," Streshinskiy wrote to the president.
Medvedev gave instructions to Dmitriy Rogozin, vice premier for the defence
industry, to study the pistol; during his trip to Izhmash Rogozin was
able to test the new gun: "Interesting technology that nobody else
in the world has. If we launch series production before the end of 2012
it will put us ahead."
Streshinskiy explained to Izvestiya that the Strayk is equipped with a
new locking mechanism that does not use twisting for reloading (the barrel
moves only backwards and forwards on special "rails"). As a
result the pistol does not twitch in the hand like, for instance, the
PM, and it shoots more accurately.
"We have developed our own strike-release mechanism. This is our
know-how, because there are only
six pistol systems in existence in the world. Ours will be the seventh,"
Streshinskiy explained.
He added that the pistol could "kill the Glok" - the most popular
weapon among the world's special services. According to what the Arsenal
general director said, his development has 40 per cent less recoil, a
40 per cent faster rate of fire, and the barrel's life, because of a special
coating, is more than 100,000 shots.
"At the moment, with the experimental model, we have fired 12,000
rounds, but the barrel is as good as new," Streshinskiy boasted.
According to him, the pistol was developed in close collaboration with
agents of the Russian special services.
"They told us what they need and we brought it into being. If the
pistol was produced on a mass basis they would prefer it to the Glok right
now," Streshinskiy is confident.
He stressed that the Strayk manufacturing technology is several times
simpler than for the Stechkin pistol. Because of this the prime cost of
production and the end price of the pistol will be low - about $500. |
