Russian heavy machine guns and peace.

in the First World War on the battlefield appeared fundamentally new and terrible weapon - heavy machine guns.In those years there was no armor, which would be able to protect them, and shelter, which are traditionally used by the infantry (of earth and wood) all made their way right through the heavy bullets.Even today, heavy machine guns are an excellent tool for the destruction of enemy infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers and helicopters.In principle, one can even knock out the planes, but modern combat aircraft for them too fast.

basically the same disadvantages of all such weapons are its weight and dimensions.Some models (with bed) may well weigh more than two kilograms.Since the calculation of its often consists of only two or three people, for some fast maneuvering to speak in general not necessary.However, heavy machine guns could still be fairly mobile weapon.This is the first confirmed even during that same World War I, when they started to put on jeeps and even a small truck.

DSHK

In 1930, the famous constructor Degtyaryov began to develop a completely new machine gun.So begins the story of the legendary DSHK, which to this day is in service in many countries.Gunslinger decided to design it under a new cartridge at the time of B-30 with a bullet caliber 12.7 mm.Notorious Shpagin created for a new machine gun belt fundamentally different system power.At the beginning of 1939, he was adopted by the Red Army.

Refinements Shpagin

As we said, the original version of the weapon was developed in 1930.Within three years, I started the serial production.Despite the many positive features, it has had two very serious disadvantages: the rate of fire was only 360 rounds per minute, and the practical rate was even lower, as in the original design involves the use of heavy and awkward shops.And so in 1935, it adopted a resolution on the termination of serial production of machine gun, which is not too consistent with the realities of his time.

To remedy the situation, the development was brought legendary Shpagin, who immediately offered to use drum power supply circuit to supply ammunition belt.By implementing the system of weapons rocker arm, which convert the energy of powder gases in the rotation of the drum, it was perfect the existing system.The advantage was that such modifications did not involve any serious and costly modifications that the young Soviet Republic was crucial.

Re Adopting

machine gun was re-adopted in 1938.It is particularly well thanks to multi-task machines, with which the ANC is transformed into a universal weapon: it can easily be used to suppress enemy ground forces (including the destruction of the fortifications), the destruction of helicopters and low-flying aircraft, as well as to immobilize light armored vehicles.To destroy air targets while the machine is expanded by raising the reference bipod.

Because of its highest qualities of fighting the ANC enjoyed deserved popularity in almost all military branches.At the end of the war machine gun underwent a slight modification.It has affected some components of the mechanism of power and shutter assembly.In addition, a slightly modified method of attachment of the barrel.

Last modified gun, put into service in 1946 (DShKM), uses a slightly different principle of automation.Powder gases discharged from the barrel through the hole.The trunk of a non-replaceable, it provides cooling fins (like the radiator).To mitigate the impact of strong muzzle brake uses a different design.

The main difference between the two modifications to the machine gun - the device feeder.Thus, a system is used DShKM slide type, while in its precursor - drum.However, the machine system Kolesnikova remains completely unchanged since 1938, as something fundamentally it is not possible to change.Machine gun on this frame weighs 160 kilograms.Of course, it's not too good for ease of use.However, the weapons most often used as anti-aircraft and is used to fight the enemy light armored vehicles, which makes heavy use of the machine necessary.

Modern use DSHK

During the years of the Great Patriotic War in the factories of the USSR was done about nine thousand guns of this model.However, after the war, the ANC was very popular worldwide.So, its modification, DShKM, still continues to be produced in Pakistan and China.There is also information about stocks of machine guns in the Russian army reserve depots.Very popular is the Russian weapons in conflicts in Africa.

Veterans remember that all of these weapons are literally cuts down thin trees and pierces right through a very decent girth of the trunk.So against the poorly equipped infantry (and what is found in those regions), this "old man" works perfectly.But the main advantage of the machine gun, which is particularly relevant in the case of poorly trained troops - its amazing reliability and simplicity of operation.

Note

However, some military experts to the ANC and even DShKM skeptical.The fact that this weapon was developed by the realities of World War II.Then our country was virtually no normal gunpowder, so experts opted for enlarging the sleeve.As a result, the munition is heavy and not too high power.So, our patron - 12.7h108 mm.NATO uses the same ammunition by Browning ... 12,7h99 mm!And it provided that both cartridges have approximately the same capacity.

However, this phenomenon has a positive side.Domestic caliber ammunition as a 12.7 and 14.5 mm - a real fount of modern gunsmiths.There are all prerequisites for the creation of more powerful ammunition, which will retain their mass-dimensional characteristics.

NSV "Utes»

Even in the 70 years the Soviet army began to move en masse to design a machine gun Nikitina, Volkov and Sokolov - "The Rock."Weapons, received the abbreviated name of the HCB, was taken into service in 1972, but to this day remains the main heavy machine gun of the Russian army.

One of its distinguishing features is the extremely low weight.NSV heavy machine gun weighs only 41 kilograms, together with the machine!This allows the calculation of real quick change its deployment on the battlefield.If we compare the new gun with the same DShKM, it catches the eye of its simple, concise and rational design.Flash suppressor on the barrel has a conical shape, in which the right can "recognize" the "Rock."Arms is known for very different reasons.

«Antisnayper»

NSV became famous in that at a distance of one kilometer (!) Radius of the spread of bullets does not exceed one and a half meters, which for this type of weapon is almost absolute record.During both Chechen campaigns machine gun was respectful nickname "Antisnayper."In many respects this is due to the specificity of its application is relatively low-impact, allowing it to put on almost all modern modifications powerful sight for this type of weapon.

There tank option that has the abbreviation NSVT.It is mounted on the tanks, starting with T-64.The flagship of the domestic armored vehicles, T-90, as it has in service.Theoretically NSVT on these machines is used as anti-aircraft weapons, but in practice it is used as time to suppress ground targets.To bring down a modern combat helicopter (not to mention the aircraft) of the anti-aircraft machine gun is theoretically possible, but for this purpose much better fit missiles Russia.

Kord Kord

stands for "Kovrovskiye gunsmiths-Degtyarevtsy."Work on its creation in Kovrov began immediately after the collapse of the USSR.The reason is simple: the production of "The Rock" at that time was on the territory of Kazakhstan, which does not meet the strategic interests of the country.

chief designer of the new project were Namidulin, Obidin, Bogdanov Zhirehin.The basis was taken NCW classic, but not limited to banal gunsmiths its modernization.First, the machine gun finally got a quick change barrel.It was created pored almost the whole research institutes, but the result was worth it: it is made by special technology, which provides the most uniform cooling of the material during firing.Just because one of the features of accuracy and accuracy (compared to NSV) increased almost twice!In addition, the cord was the first gun, for which there is the "official" version chambered for NATO.

Finally, this weapon is the only one in its class, which allows for effective fire a bipod.Its weight is 32 kilograms.Not a feather, but the two of you can steal.Sighting range at ground targets is about two kilometers.What else are heavy machine guns Russia?

CPV KPVT

Again brainchild Kovrova.It is the most powerful member of the class of heavy machine guns in the world.Armament is uniquely their combat power: it combines the power of anti-tank guns and machine guns.After all, a heavy machine gun cartridge CPV - "the same", the legendary 14,5h114!In the recent past, with its help you can knock out almost any combat helicopter or light armored vehicles a potential enemy.

Its development talented gunsmith, he joined in 1943, on its own initiative.The basis of the designer took-aircraft gun in 20 of his own design.It should be noted that shortly before she lost on the State tests ShVAK, yet its structure was quite simple and easy to set goals Vladimirov.Slightly digress.Gunsmiths fully able to realize their purpose in life: his heavy machine guns (of which there is a photo in the article) today knows every tank commander who served in the Soviet tanks!

When designing Vladimirov used the classical scheme with a short recoil, which is well proven even in "Maxim".Automatic gun only allows the maintenance of automatic fire.In the infantry version of the CPV is used in easel form, recalling the light gun.The machine has been upgraded several times, and during the war soldiers often did so on their own, according to the nature of combat.For example, in Afghanistan by all parties to the conflict used the CPV with homemade established optical sight.

In 1950 he began developing tank modifications are well-proven weapon.Soon Vladimirov heavy machine gun began to set almost all the production of Soviet tanks.In this modification, weapons seriously changed: an electric shutter (27B), no sighting devices, which are used instead of the optical sights tank workplace gunner and commander.

In Africa, these Russian heavy machine guns terribly popular with everyone without exception: they are used as official armies and hordes of assorted gangs.Our military advisers remember that acting as part of the UN forces soldiers were very afraid of the CPV, as it is easy to straighten out all light armored vehicles, which was in service throughout the Western forces in those regions.Now almost all the "light" armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles probable enemy is well protected from this heavy machine gun.In any case, the frontal projection to a "closed" completely.

However, all heavy machine guns Russia (USSR at that time) were extremely popular in the ranks of the mujahideen in Afghanistan.It is believed that about 15% of the Soviet Mi-24 lost martial reasons were shot down because of these weapons.

heavy machine gun of NATO

CountriesNATO to develop these weapons was largely along the same lines that were typical for our country (such caliber machine guns almost identical).The soldiers demanded a powerful and reliable machine gun, with equal success affects both ukryvshuyusya parapets for infantry and light armored vehicles of the enemy.

However, there are fundamental differences between the two weapons-grade schools.Thus, the German Wehrmacht heavy machine guns in general were not armed.And because NATO is mainly used single M2NV, which we now discuss.

M2NV Browning, USA

US Army famous for the fact that he prefers more rapidly used models of weapons at a new and promising.In the case of M2NV this rule does not apply.This "grandfather", designed by the legendary Browning, in service since 1919!Of course, the MG-3 machine gun standing in the Bundeswehr and is a modernized replica MG-42, "Hitler saw" can be compared with him in the ancient lineage, but it uses the caliber of NATO 7,62h51.

machine gun entered service in 1923.In 1938, it upgraded by adding an elongated barrel.In fact in this form, it still exists.Since then, the "old man" repeatedly tried to write off constantly conducting competitions to replace it, but so far an adequate alternative to the proven weapon there.

history of its development is very interesting.US Army urgently needed a heavy machine gun, which would provide a reliable defeat enemy aircraft (the order came from General Pershing, commander of Expeditionary Force).Browning, who was running out dates entered simply and elegantly.

Since the foundation of any weapon is a cartridge, and an adequate machine-gun fire from the Yankees in those days was not, he simply took 7.62 chuck own development and increased it twice.This measure was seen as temporary, but the decision proved stunningly successful: almost all heavy machine guns in the West is using this ammunition.

way, this place is to make a digression.You probably noticed that the cartridge, which is used domestic and foreign weapons in this category, almost the same.We have already talked about the reasons for this phenomenon, but let's say a few words.If you look closely at the comparative table, you'll see a complete lack of ammunition 14.5mm heavy machine guns among NATO.

This again is due to the difference in the military doctrine: the Yankees assume (not unreasonably) that the tasks of this type of armament copes old munition designed Browning.Anything that has a higher caliber of Western classification already refers to "small guns" and therefore is not guns.

machine gun "Browning M2 HQCB" (Belgium)

Although the classic child Browning proved marvelously successful, its performance staged by no means all Western armies.The Belgians, who have always been famous for the quality weapons, decided to conduct an independent modernization of the American guns.In fact, initially Herstal company intended to do something of their own, but because of the need to reduce the cost of the process and to maintain continuity with the old workings, the experts were forced to compromise.

However, on the improvement of weapons is not in any way affected.Belgian gunsmiths equipped it with a heavy barrel with a simplified mechanism of its "hot" replacement.This greatly improved the quality of combat weapons.