Dshk machine gun decoding 12.7 1938. DShK machine gun: characteristics. DShK large-caliber machine gun. History of creation and production

12.7-mm DShK machine guns on the Kolesnikov universal machine tool were used quite effectively to combat enemy aircraft during the Second World War. The experience of combat operations in Vietnam showed that 12.7-mm machine guns can also be successfully used to destroy combat and transport helicopters, which became in the 1950s. new mass medium conduct of hostilities. For this reason, in the spring of 1968, the Main Rocket and Artillery Directorate issued a task to the KBP enterprise to develop a light anti-aircraft installation for a 12.7 mm machine gun. The installation should have been developed in two versions: 6U5 for the DShK / DSh - KM machine gun (machine guns of this type were available in huge quantities in mobilization stocks) and 6U6 for new machine gun NSV-12.7.
R. Ya. Purtsen was appointed chief designer of the installations. Factory testing of prototypes of the installations began in 1970, and field and military tests began in 1971. In May of the same year, Marshal P. N. Kuleshov, head of the Main Rocket and Artillery Directorate, got acquainted with one of the installation options. “Among other installations,” recalls Purzen, “he was shown the installation under the NSV. The marshal carefully
rel it, tested the action of the mechanism! and gave positive feedback about its simplicity and convenience and confirmed the need for such a simple anti-aircraft installation in the army along with complex self-propelled systems.
Polygon and following them military trials anti-aircraft machine gun mounts of the Purzen system; confirmed their high combat and operational characteristics. “According to the results of the conducted polygon-military tests, two are universal: installations for the DShKM machine gun and two installations for machine gun NSV-12.7, - elk cancellation in final act, - commission: considers it expedient to adopt these installations Soviet army as pack instead of standard anti-aircraft installations with a machine gun DShKM on the Kolesnikov machine arr. 1938".
In accordance with the decision of the commission, in 1973, only the statutes 6U6 entered service with the Soviet Army under the name “Universal: machine designed by Purzen for the NSV (6U6) machine gun”. The 6U5 installation for the DShK/DShKM machine gun was to be put into production only during the "special period". It should be noted here that in connection with the termination of the supply of the NSV-12.7 machine gun from Kazakhstan, a 12.7-mm KORD machine gun can be mounted on the 6U6 installation. The possibility of rapid deployment of the production of 6U5 installations is also preserved.
The 6U6 anti-aircraft machine gun mount is considered as a battalion and regimental air defense weapon. These installations are also attached to anti-aircraft divisions missile systems S-300P for cover from attacking helicopters and to fight a ground enemy (landing troops).
The anti-aircraft machine gun mount bubs consists of a 12.7-mm machine gun NSV-12.7, a light alarm carriage (machine) and sights.
Machine gun automation mechanisms work by using the energy of powder gases vented from the barrel bore.
The rate of fire of the machine gun is 700-800 rds/min, and the practical rate of fire is 80-100 rds/min.
The installation carriage is the lightest of all modern similar designs. Its weight is 55 kg, and the weight of the installation with a machine gun and a cartridge box for 70 rounds does not exceed 92.5 kg. To ensure minimum weight, the stamping and welding parts that make up the main unit are made of steel sheet with a thickness of only 0.8 mm. At the same time, the required strength of the parts was achieved by heat treatment. The peculiarity of the carriage is such that the gunner can fire at ground targets from a prone position, while the seat back is used as a shoulder rest. To improve the accuracy of the arrow
for ground targets, a fine pickup gearbox was introduced into the vertical guidance mechanism.
For firing at ground targets, the BUB installation is equipped with optical sight PU (GRAU index 10 P81). Air targets are hit using the VK-4 collimator sight (GRAU index 10P81).

For the needs of the Soviet army in the 30s of the last century, the Degtyarev-Shpagin DShK heavy machine gun was designed and put into series. The weapon had impressive combat qualities and was able to deal with both light armored vehicles and aircraft.

For a long existence, it was used in the Second World War (WWII), civil war in China, the Korean Peninsula, Afghanistan and Syria. Russian army long ago replaced it with more modern machine guns, but the DShK is still used by the armies of the world.

History of creation

In 1929, the Red Army (Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army) used a good, but already quite strong, which used a 7.62-mm cartridge to support infantry and fight enemy aircraft.

machine guns large caliber was not in the USSR, so they decided to create this kind small arms. The task was entrusted to the gunsmiths of the Kovrov plant. It was recommended to use the developments used in the DP (Degtyarev Infantry), but chambered for a larger caliber cartridge.

A year later, Degtyarev presented to the commission a 12.7 mm machine gun of his own design. For almost a year, refinement was carried out and various tests were carried out. In 1932, having successfully passed all the tests, the People's Commissariat took it into service. The machine gun went into the series under the name - DK. (Degtyarev Large-caliber.)

Reason for stopping serial production in 1935 became a low practical rate of fire, cumbersome and big weight disk stores.

Several gunsmiths began to modernize the design. One of them was Shpagin. He designed for DC new system supply of cartridges, a tape drive mechanism that took the place of the disk store receiver.

This reduced the size of the entire device. A new version DK received the name DShK (Degtyarev-Shpagin Large-caliber) and in 1938 was adopted by the USSR Army.

At the end of WWII, a successful attempt was made to modify the DShK. New model received the name DShKM. The main differences from the DShK heavy machine gun were in the method of supplying ammunition - a simplified slider tape receiver and a different type of tape itself.

Design

The 12.7 mm DShK machine gun is a fully automatic weapon. Shooting in other modes is not provided.

To control the shooting, there are 2 handles located on the breech of the body of the machine gun for holding, on the back wall there are triggers for firing.

Sights could be replaced depending on the use of the machine gun. It could be a foreshortening sight for firing at flying objects. To destroy ground targets, a frame sight was used, which had a notch up to 3.5 km.

Automation DK-DShK is almost completely similar to the earlier DP-27. The principle of removal of powder gases from the bore, with the impact of their energy on the piston mechanism of the shutter. The barrel is locked with lugs. Shooting is carried out from an open shutter, which increases the rate of fire of the machine gun.

To reduce recoil, the designers installed a chamber-type muzzle brake at the end of the barrel.

The barrel is monoblock, non-removable on the DK-DShK, in the later DShKM the barrel is removable. Mounted on a screw connection, it was necessary for a quick change of a heated barrel in combat conditions. One person could change the barrel at a rate.

For better performance of the weapon and cooling of the barrel metal during intensive shooting, transverse ribbing was made on its surface, which, according to the designers, contributed to its cooling during the shooting process.

Ammunition for the DK machine gun was made from a disk magazine for 30 rounds. But due to its bulkiness, inconvenience of use, it was decided to transfer the machine gun to tape ammunition.

The design of the tape drive unit was proposed by the well-known designer Shpagin - it was a drum with 6 chambers, the first of which placed a cartridge in the tape link. The tape had a crab-type link, which was the best solution for this particular method of feeding a cartridge.

When the drum was rotated, the cartridge left the tape link, but remained in the drum chamber, with the next movement of the drum, the cartridge ended up near the chamber, where the bolt sent it. For manual reloading of the machine gun served as a lever located on the right side receiver, by means of rods it was connected with the drum and the bolt.

At DShKM, the method of ammunition supply has changed, it has become a slider.

The design of the tape has also changed, the link has become closed, more convenient to transport. In this case, the cartridge was first removed from the tape, reverse movement the tape was stretched further. And the cartridge, dropping down, was sent to the chamber.

The sliding design of the shutter, without dependence on the drum of the tape drive mechanism, made it possible to throw the tape receiver from one side to the other. This made it possible to install a power system on either side of the weapon. Which led to the emergence of paired and quad modifications.

Shooting could be carried out with several types of projectiles. Basically, 12.7x108 mm cartridges with bullets were used for shooting:

• MDZ, incendiary, instant action;
• B-32, armor-piercing;
• BZT-44, universal, incendiary tracer with a steel core;
• T-46 sighting tracer.

Tactical and technical characteristics (TTX)

• Machine gun weight, kg: with Kolesnikov's machine tool - 157 / without - 33.5;
• Product length, cm: 162.5;
• Barrel length, cm: 107;
• Applied projectile: 12.7 * 108 mm;
• Combat rate of fire, rounds per minute: 600 or 1200 (in anti-aircraft condition.);
• Bullet flight speed, initial: 640 - 840 meters per second;
• Maximum effective range: 3.5 kilometers.

Combat use

In the terms of reference, the leadership of the Red Army, the designers were instructed to create a machine gun capable of performing a wide range of tasks. The first serious conflict in which the DShK was used was the Great Patriotic War.

The DShK was actively used in all units and branches of the military, both as an air defense system and as an independent or additional weapon for military equipment.

This weapon was supplied to the infantry on a universal machine developed by Kolesnikov.

AT transport position the machine was equipped with wheels, which made it easy to transport, at the same time, for anti-aircraft shooting, the machine took the form of a tripod, and an angle sight for anti-aircraft shooting was additionally installed on the receiver.

Another important factor was the presence of an armored shield that protected from bullets and small fragments.

Rifle units used DShK as a means of reinforcement, it is worth noting that the bulk of the DK machine guns transferred to the troops were subsequently converted into DShK by replacing the magazine receiver with a Shpagin tape drive drum. Therefore, DC in the b / d was practically not used.

The main task of the DShK, however, was the fight against air targets, as an air defense system, this machine gun was actively used from birth, both on land, including by installation on armored vehicles, and in the fleet, as an air defense system for large ships, and how universal weapon boats and small boats.

After the war, the DShKM was mainly used as a means of air defense and as an additional means of reinforcement in the form of installation on armored vehicles.

DShK has been in existence for 81 years. And although they removed it from service in the 70s of the last century. Do not forget about DShK in the rest of the world. For example, in China they are still assembled under the Type - 54 marking. DShK is also produced in the Middle East. Even under a license received from the USSR, the conveyor for the creation of this machine gun was established in Iran and Pakistan.

During the war in Afghanistan, "welding", as those who worked with it called the machine gun, due to the reflections of the shots resembling the brilliance of electric welding - the DShKM proved to be an excellent weapon against helicopters and low-flying aircraft. In addition, he worked well on lightly armored vehicles, armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles.

News videos from the Syrian Republic show that its army is actively using DShKM.

This machine gun adequately took its place and in popular culture. AT Soviet time There have been many heroic films. There is a mention in art books and autobiographies about the DShK machine gun. With development information technologies can be found in large numbers in computer games.

The DShK machine gun can be called a project of several gunsmiths. First, it was designed and finalized by Degtyarev, later Shpagin joined this difficult process. All this led to the creation of a magnificent heavy machine gun, which took part in almost all world conflicts.

Video

On February 26, 1939, by a decree of the Defense Committee under the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR, a 12.7-mm easel machine gun of the 1938 model DShK (“Degtyareva-Shpagin large-caliber”) of the system of V. A. Degtyarev with a drum receiver of the belt of the G. S. system was adopted. Shpagin. The machine gun was adopted on the universal machine of the I.N. Kolesnikov with a detachable wheel drive and a folding tripod. During the years of the Great Patriotic War The DShK machine gun was used to combat air targets, lightly armored vehicles of the enemy, his manpower at long and medium ranges, as armament of tanks and self-propelled guns. At the end of World War II, designers K. I. Sokolov and A. K. Norov carried out a significant modernization of the heavy machine gun. First of all, the power mechanism was changed - the drum receiver was replaced by a slider one. In addition, manufacturability has been improved, the mount of the machine gun barrel has been changed, and a number of measures have been taken to increase survivability. The reliability of the system has been improved. The first 250 modernized machine guns were produced in February 1945 at a factory in Saratov. In 1946, the machine gun was put into service under the designation “12.7 mm machine gun mod. 1938/46, DShKM. DShKM immediately became a tank anti-aircraft machine gun: it was installed on tanks of the IS series, T-54 / 55, T-62, on the BTR-50PA, modernized ISU-122 and ISU-152, special machines on a tank chassis.
Since the differences are 12.7mm easel machine gun arr. 1938, DShK and modernized machine gun mod. 1938/46 DShKM consists mainly in the device of the feed mechanism, we will consider these machine guns together.
Automatic machine gun and operates due to the removal of powder gases through a transverse hole in the wall of the barrel, with a long stroke of the gas piston. Gas chamber closed type fixed under the barrel and equipped with a three-hole nozzle regulator. Along the entire length of the barrel, transverse ribbing is made for better cooling; a single-chamber active muzzle brake is mounted on the muzzle of the barrel. The barrel bore is locked when the bolt lugs are pulled apart. The DShK barrel was supplied muzzle brake active type, subsequently replaced by a flat brake also of an active type (such a muzzle brake was also used on the DShK, and became the main one for tank modifications).
The leading link of automation is the bolt carrier. A gas piston rod is screwed into the bolt frame in front, and a drummer is attached to the rack in its rear part. When the bolt approaches the breech breech, the bolt stops and the bolt carrier continues to move forward; The reduction of the lugs and the unlocking of the shutter is carried out by the bevels of the figured seat of the bolt carrier when it moves backward. extraction spent cartridge case provides a bolt ejector, the cartridge case is removed from the weapon down through the bolt frame window, using a spring-loaded rod reflector mounted at the top of the bolt. The reciprocating mainspring is put on the gas piston rod and closed with a tubular casing. In the butt plate there are two spring shock absorbers that soften the impact of the bolt carrier and the bolt at the rearmost point. In addition, shock absorbers give the frame and bolt initial speed return movement, thereby increasing the rate of fire. The reloading handle, located at the bottom right, is rigidly connected to the bolt frame and is small in size. The reloading mechanism of the machine gun mount interacts with the reload handle, but the machine gunner can directly use the handle, for example, by inserting a cartridge into it with the bottom of the cartridge case.
The shot is fired with the shutter open. The trigger mechanism allows only automatic fire. It is actuated by a trigger lever pivotally mounted on the butt plate of the machine gun. The trigger mechanism is assembled in a separate housing and is equipped with a lever non-automatic fuse that blocks the trigger lever (the front position of the flag) and prevents spontaneous lowering of the sear.
Impact mechanism powered by a recoil spring. After locking the bore, the bolt frame continues to move forward, in the extreme forward position it hits the clutch, and the drummer hits the striker mounted in the bolt. The sequence of operations of rearing the lugs and hitting the striker eliminates the possibility of firing if the barrel bore is not completely locked. To prevent the bolt frame from rebounding after being hit in the extreme forward position, a “delay” is mounted in it, including two springs, a yoke and a roller.

DShKM machine gun incomplete disassembly: 1 - barrel with gas chamber, front sight and muzzle brake; 2 - bolt carrier with gas piston; 3 - shutter; 4 - lugs; 5 - drummer; 6 - wedge; 7 - butt pad with buffer; 8 - trigger housing; 9 - cover and base of the receiver and feed drive lever; 10 - receiver.

Cartridge supply - tape, with the left supply of a metal link tape. The tape consists of open links and fits into a metal box attached to the installation bracket. The visor of the box serves as a feed tray for the tape. The drum receiver DShK was actuated from the handle of the bolt carrier moving backward, it bumped into the fork of the swinging feeder lever and turned it. The pawl at the other end of the lever turned the drum 60°, which pulled the tape. Extraction of the cartridge from the link of the tape - in the lateral direction. In the DShKM machine gun, the slide type receiver is mounted on top of the receiver. The slider with feed fingers is driven by a toggle lever rotating in a horizontal plane. The crank arm, in turn, is driven by a swing arm with a fork at the end. The latter, as in the DShK, is driven by the bolt carrier handle.
By flipping the slider crank, you can change the ribbon feed direction from left to right.
12.7 mm cartridge has several options: with armor-piercing bullet, armor-piercing incendiary, sighting-incendiary, sighting, tracer, armor-piercing incendiary tracer (used against air targets). The sleeve does not have a protruding rim, which made it possible to apply a direct feed of the cartridge from the tape.
For shooting at ground targets, a folding frame sight is used, mounted on a base on top of the receiver. The sight has worm gears for installing the rear sight and introducing lateral corrections, the frame is equipped with 35 divisions (up to 3500 m in 100) and is tilted to the left to compensate for bullet derivation. The pin front sight with a fuse is placed on high ground in the muzzle of the barrel. When firing at ground targets, the dispersion diameter at a distance of 100 m was 200 mm. The DShKM machine gun is equipped with a collimator anti-aircraft sight, which facilitates aiming at a high-speed target and allows you to see the aiming mark and the target with equal clarity. DShKM, which was mounted on tanks as an anti-aircraft gun, was supplied with collimator sight K-10T. The optical system of the sight formed an image of the target and a target reticle projected onto it with rings for firing with lead and divisions of the protractor.

The task to create the first Soviet heavy machine gun, designed primarily to fight aircraft at altitudes up to 1500 meters, was issued by that time to the already very experienced and well-known gunsmith Degtyarev in 1929. Less than a year later, Degtyarev presented his 12.7 mm machine gun for testing, and since 1932, small-scale production of a machine gun under the designation DK (Degtyarev, Large-caliber) began. In general, the DC repeated in design light machine gun DP-27, and was powered by 30-round detachable magazines. The disadvantages of such a power supply scheme (bulky and heavy stores, low practical rate of fire) forced them to stop producing the DC in 1935 and start improving it. By 1938, another designer, Shpagin, developed a belt feed module for the recreation center, and in 1939 the improved machine gun was adopted by the Red Army under the designation “12.7 mm Degtyarev-Shpagin heavy machine gun mod. 1938 - DShK. Mass release The DShK was launched in 1940-41, and during the years of World War II, about 8 thousand DShK machine guns were produced. They were used as anti-aircraft weapons, as infantry support weapons, mounted on armored vehicles and small ships (including - torpedo boats). According to the experience of the war in 1946, the machine gun was modernized (the design of the belt feed unit and the barrel mount were changed), and the machine gun was adopted under the designation DShKM.

DShKM was or is in service with more than 40 armies of the world, is produced in China ("type 54"), Pakistan, Iran and some other countries. The DShKM machine gun was used as an anti-aircraft gun on Soviet tanks post-war period (T-55, T-62) and on armored vehicles (BTR-155).

Technically, the DShK is an automatic weapon built on the gas principle. The barrel is locked by two combat larvae, pivotally mounted on the bolt, for recesses in the side walls of the receiver. The fire mode is only automatic, the barrel is non-removable, ribbed for better cooling, and equipped with a muzzle brake. Power is supplied from a non-loose metal tape, the tape is fed from the left side of the machine gun. At DShK device feed tape was made in the form of a drum with six open chambers. The drum, during its rotation, fed the tape and at the same time removed cartridges from it (the tape had open links). After the drum chamber with the cartridge arrived in the lower position, the cartridge was fed into the chamber by a bolt. The tape feeder was driven by a lever located on the right side, swinging in a vertical plane when the loading handle, rigidly connected to the bolt frame, acted on its lower part. At the DShKM machine gun, the drum mechanism has been replaced with a more compact slider mechanism, also driven by a similar lever connected to the loading handle. The cartridge was removed from the tape down and then directly fed into the chamber.

In the butt plate of the receiver, spring buffers of the bolt and bolt carrier are mounted. The fire was fired from the rear sear (from an open bolt), two handles on the butt plate and a push-type spook were used to control the fire. The sight is frame, the machine also had mounts for an anti-aircraft foreshortening sight.

The machine gun was used from the universal machine of the Kolesnikov system. The machine was equipped with removable wheels and a steel shield, and when using a machine gun as an anti-aircraft wheel, they were removed, and the rear support was bred, forming a tripod. In addition, the machine gun in the role of an anti-aircraft gun was equipped with special shoulder stops. In addition to the machine gun, the machine gun was used in tower installations, on remotely controlled anti-aircraft installations, on ship pedestal installations.
At present, in the Russian Armed Forces, the DShK and DShKM are almost completely replaced by the Utes machine gun, as more advanced and modern.