| Type Double action, select-fire Caliber 9x18 mm PM Overall length 225 mm Weight: 1020 g with empty magazine; 1220 g loaded with 20 rounds Barrel length 140 mm Magazine capacity 20 rounds Rate of fire 600 rounds per minute The development of the selective fire, large military pistols, intended for military personnel as a personal defense weapon, was started in USSR in the late 1920s, but eventually lead to no success. But, after the end of 2nd World war, this idea was resurrected and, with the introduction of the new 9mm cartridge Soviet Army requested for a large, semiautomatic pistol, capable of controllable full automatic fire and fitted with detachable shoulder stock. Such weapon, designed by the Igor Stechkin in Tula was adopted by Soviet Army in 1951, along with the Makarov PM pistol in the same caliber. New pistol, designated as the "APS - Automaticheskij Pistolet Stechkina" (Stechkin Automatic Pistol), was issued to artillery, tank and armored carrier crews, RPG-7 carriers in the infantry, front line officers. But it soon was discovered that the APS, with its bulky and heavy holster / shoulder stock, is awkward to carry, and lacks the power for a military weapon, so it was gradually removed from army service and put in reserve storage. During the 1970s, however, small quantities of existing APS pistols were fitted with new, extended barrels, with threaded muzzle parts. These pistols, designated APSB, were intended for SpetsNaz use and issued with quick-detachable ... |
