GUNS Magazine September 1956

Drawing of new Russian short cartridge copied from
information in Soviet rifle manual conforms closely to
dimensions of American .220 Swift case necked down to
.30. Millimeter measurements indicate similarity between
Russian auto rifle load and pre-war Swiss experimental case.
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also a 38mm case length. However, their base diameter and
bullet are like the regular, longer Swiss 7.5mm rifle round.
But these pre-war Solothurn Swiss cases are close enough
to the Russian to be a twin. In addition to the Russian rifle
and machine carbine, the company gun, the belt-fed modi-
fied Degtyarov light machine gun, is also said to use the
short case although the old 7.62 Nagant rimmed is the most"
common Soviet machine gun round.
The existence of new weapons for Russia's army has been
known officially for several years. The rifle, designated the
SKS-1946, resembled a little Tokarev, according to the Brit-
ish report circulating in the U.S. during 1954. The basic
similarity of the weapon to the old Tokarev suggests that
actual M1940 rifles of the Tokarev pattern may have been
rebuilt with new barrels and stocks to handle the shorter
7.65 x 38 cartridge. Certainly the issue of these arms under
a 1946 designation indicates that Russia was quick on the
trigger in issuing light rifles to her forces. The British re-
port also mentioned briefly the new "Avtomat" 1954, a
machine carbine similar in general styling to the German
short-cartridge weapons but somewhat improved.
A new pistol which has been rumored to resemble the
Browning Hi-Power was also mentioned. Exact information
on their new pistol is classified "secret" by Aberdeen Prov-
ing Ground. But the Walther factory in Germany reports
that the Russian pistol is a big-sized PP Walther in double
action, firing a special Russian-developed 9mm cartridge
which is somewhere between the 9mm Browning Long and
the .380. Apparently it is straight blowback in operation.
The SKS-46 is basically the tipping-bolt Tokarev. But a
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new bolt handle sticks out and can be easily slammed back
by hands numbed with cold or wearing thick gloves. The
trigger guard is larger for winter shooting. A short mag-
azine holding 10 rounds takes the place of the Tokarev 15-
shot clip. The gas cylinder group is much simplified, and
resembles the gas piston fitted to the German MP 43 and
"Sturmgewehr 44" carbines. A folding bayonet, battle-
tested by the Soviets on their M1944 bolt action Nagant
carbine, is an improvement over a separate bayonet and
bayonet scabbard. Short and more of a police riot breaker
than a tool to fight cavalry, the new Russian bayonet is
ample for the job it has to do-which may include sup-
pression of riots in the sattelite countries.
The heavy-caliber burp gun is Muscovy's latest infantry
arm. Designated the PPK-1954 or "avtomat," Russian for
automatic, it resembles the German designs used on the
Russian front during the last stages of the war. These weap-
ons appear to be issued mainly to elite guards at this time,
and to squad or unit leaders. With their long curved 30-shot
box magazines, the avtomats have as much firepower as a
machine gun. Using the short 7.65 cartridge, they are vir-
tually as effective as a rifle at longer ranges, despite their
short 14" barrels.
Internally the avtomats are based on the turning-bolt
Walther MKb 42 burp guns which were developed but never
issued in Germany. However, the odd sleeve piston of the
Walther has been replaced by the more conventional nozzle
- and cup design from the older (Continued on page 70)