Battle Stechkin

The APS pistol was developed at the end of the 1940s - early 1950s by the designer I.Ya.Stechkin and was adopted by the Soviet Army in the 1951 year, simultaneously with the Makarov pistol (PM). APS (Stechkin Automatic Pistol) was intended as a personal weapons self-defense of certain categories of military personnel and officers who were not supposed to have a Kalashnikov assault rifle or SKS carbine on their staff, and Makarov’s pistol seemed insufficient. These included, for example, crews tanks and combat vehicles, gun calculations, grenade launchers, officers operating in an active combat zone. Compared to PM, the APS provided significantly greater firepower and combat effectiveness due to the larger magazine capacity and a longer barrel. In addition, to increase the accuracy of shooting, a gun holster was attached to the gun, adjacent to the handle. If necessary, fire from the APS could also be fired in bursts, while due to the presence of a moderator of the rate of fire, the gun remained more or less controllable. Despite these advantages, the APS, especially in combination with a standard holster-butt, was too bulky and heavy, it interfered with the emergency abandonment of military equipment and as a result was soon removed from the arsenal of the SA and sent for backup storage.

With the increase in crime in the early 1990-s, the law enforcement forces of Russia found that a regular PM pistol has insufficient combat effectiveness, and the Kalashnikov assault rifles are often excessive in power. Submachine guns could be the best solution, but they were not yet in mass production, and therefore various OMON, SOBR and other units began to buy copied from the army, but quite capable APS. Even now, in the 2003 year, when there are various submachine guns, and more powerful pistols of the newest systems, many representatives of the "organs" still prefer Stechkin for its cheapness, wide availability of ammunition, and quite good combat characteristics. True, instead of heavy and uncomfortable in wearing regular holster-butts, it is often used open-type artisan or commercial holsters, which are much lighter and allow for quick removal of a pistol.

Pistol APS built on the basis of automation with a free gate. The double-action trigger and trigger mechanism allows for the opening of fire both by self-platooning and by preliminary manual cocking of the trigger. Manual fuse is located on the gate and when turned on blocks the drummer and the bolt. In addition, the fuse also serves as a translator of fire modes, allowing you to select single shots or bursts of fire. To achieve a reasonable rate of fire with a small mass of the bolt in the gun provides an inertial rate of fire rate, located in the handle. The sight of the original design has the installation range for 25, 50, 100 and 200 meters. The standard holster-butt of the closed type is made of wood (early versions) or plastic and adjoins the pistol grip. A steel magazine with a double row arrangement and an outlet of cartridges accommodates 20 cartridges, the magazine latch latch is located at the bottom of the handle.

On the basis of the APS in the 1970-ies for the special forces of the Army and the Ministry of Internal Affairs was developed a special version of the gun APSB, complete with an elongated barrel with a thread in the muzzle, allowing to install the device for silent shooting (silencer). APSB pistols were also equipped with a light detachable butt wire.

Comments

[Grandfather]

The best trunk after the CP-1M.

[Rashid]

In the late 50s, as a boy, he saw officers on the street with a gun in a wooden holster, as we thought then - a Mauser. Already being an adult and learning about APS, I realized that the gun was then on the belt of these military men.

[datur]

aps and still a mauser ----- terrible beautyaaaaa !!!!!!

[mitrich]

From harm, I want to give the opposite opinion, based on the practical use of APS:
- the pistol grip is wide and thick, which is why fixing the pistol in the palm of the hand is inconvenient;
- when shooting from the APS at a range of 25-30 meters, there are no advantages compared to the PM, and shooting at a range above the above is not effective if you are not the Olympic champion Aleksey Alipov;
- laborious equipment store APS pistol. There are also a number of disadvantages.
Outwardly handsome and an applied specialist, but not for war, where AK and PM are the best time-tested. I am waiting for the authoritative opinion of the chief technical specialist (without any humor) of the JOKER site.

[Joker]

Well, thanks, respected.

Regarding ergonomics - there is such a moment, but if you consider it like a gun, if you look as an addition to the example of the SVD, with which you don’t really go into the house during the assault, and the presence of a butt holster then you get a good addition (mini submachine gun )
There are options with a silencer, which is also not bad in a certain situation.

Of course, the pistol is larger and more complex than the PM'a, but if I was offered a choice, I would certainly take it.

As for the firing range, if you take the PM cartridge effective up to 30, if 9x19, then the real efficiency is 40, maximum 50 meters (IMHO).

For its time, a unique thing, if in general, but at the moment if we look at this niche, is the PP-2000 (cartridge 9x19).

By the way, in Chechnya I heard that at other times the APS could be exchanged for a good car.

[312]

Probably really wrote out of mischief. If the handle is wide for you, then maybe it’s the small palm? Shooting at ranges up to 100 m is very practical, outstanding skills are not needed. The law of war: if you know how to shoot, you have more chances to survive, you don’t know how to - excuse me ... For two years I FOLLOWED with him, I did not complain. AK is not convenient everywhere, but PM ... in general, it’s good to shoot yourself. Therefore, advice - make comments based on EXPERIENCE, not speculative conclusions. The most profound and peremptory judgments are usually made by amateurs ...

[ded-62]

I agree. This is a car!!!!!

[dbnfkbq]

Stechkin’s store is equipped just like in AK, why don’t you like him ?! Indeed, it is possible to smear both from PM and from APS (from SVD it is also possible, by the way).

[mitrich]

DBNFKBQ,
I saw this weapon, but I never held it in my hands and did not shoot it. He wrote his opinion on the basis of the reviews of those men who used APS in practice in Chechnya. Therefore, he asked reputable site gunsmiths to share their impressions.

[mitrich]

JOKER,
I'll keep it on mind. Regarding the sale of weapons or exchanging them for cars, the question is not addressed (if this is a question at all). By the way, what does the yellow face mean with a bandage on the head? What is the semantic load of this symbol?

[Joker]

I'm not going to change, it's more about his value as a weapon (in the sense it is highly valued, but there is still a reason for the shortage, of course, has not been released for a long time).

And about a yellow face - this is to a technical specialist, I did not find a more suitable one.

[Yeah]

By the way, APS is a graduation project of a student Stechkin.
And in the first picture, it’s not at all clear that it’s not an APS.

[SIA]

The first photo is clearly not Stechkin.

[kesa1111]

Stechkin PISTOL OTs-33.
http://www.arms.ru/Guns/oc330001.htm

[Valboro]

This is Stechkin Dart caliber 5.45 OTs-23

[Pharao7766]

On the first photo is the OTs-23 "Dart"

[kesa1111]

Stechkin OTs33
http://images.yandex.ru/yandsearch?text=%D0%A1%D1%82%D0%B5%D1%87%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%

BD%20%D0%9E%D0%A633&p=0&img_url=img-fotki.yandex.ru%2Fget%2F4411%2F74114864.1f6%

2F0_8786b_874f24f4_XL&rpt=simage

[kesa1111]

Stechkin OTs33
http://images.yandex.ru/yandsearch?text=%D0%A1%D1%82%D0%B5%D1%87%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%
BD%20%D0%9E%D0%A633&p=0&img_url=img-fotki.yandex.ru%2Fget%2F4411%2F74114864.1f6%
2F0_8786b_874f24f4_XL&rpt=simage

[Kazak_30]

APS is a wonderful gun! And its withdrawal from production is not taken away not because of the high cost and the cartridge, but for other reasons. (The uncle during the war in Afghanistan said that the APS saved his life more than once). In our country, as elsewhere, unfortunately, they are not judged by weapons of arms but by beauty and personal acquaintances!

[d.gksueyjd]

When shooting APS: gives less spread, sits comfortably in the hand, recoil is softer and does not knock down the sight (the weight is decent), 20 rounds. At a distance of 30 - 40m gives a swing. what can be squeezed out of the 9x18 cartridge. Very handy, reliable personal weapon for war.
(Walter r-38 has a large return pat. 9x19, I think Grach's return will be higher than the APS)