ThePP-19 Bizon(Russian:Пистолет Пулемёт Бизон,Pistolet Pulemyot Bizon,Pistol Submachine Gun "Bison") is a9×18mm Makarovsubmachine gundeveloped in 1993 by the Russian companyIzhmash.The Bizon was designed by a team of engineers headed byVictor Kalashnikov(son of engineerMikhail Kalashnikov,creator of theAK-47) and including Alexei Dragunov (youngest son ofYevgeny Dragunov,the creator of theSVDsniper rifle).[2][3][4]
| PP-19 Bizon | |
|---|---|
 PP-19 Bizon-2 | |
| Type | Submachine gun |
| Place of origin | Russia |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1996–present |
| Used by | SeeUsers |
| Wars | Dagestan conflict[citation needed]
Second Chechen War[citation needed] 2008 South Ossetia war[citation needed] 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine[citation needed] |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Victor Kalashnikov,Alexei Dragunov |
| Designed | 1993–1995 |
| Manufacturer | Izhmash |
| Produced | 1996–present |
| Variants | SeeVariants |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 2.1 kg (4.63 lb) |
| Length | 660 mm (26.0 in) stock extended / 425 mm (16.7 in) stock folded (Bizon) 690 mm (27.2 in) stock extended / 460 mm (18.1 in) stock folded (Bizon-2) |
| Barrellength | 195 mm (7.7 in) (Bizon) 230 mm (9.1 in) (Bizon-2 9×18mm Makarov) 225 mm (8.9 in) (Bizon-2-01 9×19mm Parabellum) |
| Cartridge | 9×18mm Makarov 9×19mm Parabellum .380 ACP (9×17mm Short) 7.62×25mm Tokarev |
| Action | Blowback,closed bolt |
| Rate of fire | 680 rounds/min (9×18mm Makarov)[1] 700–750 rounds/min (9×19mm Parabellum, 7.62×25mm Tokarev)[1] |
| Muzzle velocity | 320 m/s (1,050 ft/s) (9×18mm Makarov) 380 m/s (1,246.7 ft/s) (9×19mm Parabellum) |
| Effective firing range | 100 m (9×18mm Makarov) 200 m (9×19mm Parabellum) |
| Feed system | 64-roundhelical magazine(9×18mm Makarov) 53-round helical magazine (9×19mm Parabellum) (Bizon-2-01) |
| Sights | Open front post, rear flip-up notch |
The Bizon was developed at the request of the RussianMinistry of Internal Affairs(MVD)[4]and is primarily intended forcounter-terroristand law enforcement units that need fast and accurate fire at close ranges. It features a distinctivehelical magazineunder the barrel that can hold 64rounds.Prototypes were trialed by the Special Equipment Research Institute in 1995 where they outperformed several competitors, and the weapon was accepted into service on 28 December 1996.
The Bizon is issued to armed response units of theFederal Security Service(FSB) andMinistry of Justicein Russia. It was used in combat operations against separatists in theNorth Caucasusregion, namelyChechnyaandDagestan.[citation needed]The Bizon has been largely replaced by thePP-19-01 Vityazin Russian service, which was developed directly from the design of the Bizon, due to reliability issues with the helical magazine.
Design details
editThe Bizon is a lightweightselective fireweapon that fires from aclosed bolt,a feature that enhances the gun's practical accuracy.[3]The weapon has a notably large magazine capacity for the size of it, made possible by the uncommon helical design of the magazine.
It is based on theAKS-74and features a 60% parts commonality with theAK-74assault rifle.[2][3][4][5]
Chambered for the standard Russian 9×18mm Makarovpistolcartridge, the gun will also fire a new high-impulse armor-piercing 57-N-181SM round.[citation needed]
Operating mechanism
editThe Bizon uses a simplestraight blowbackmethod of operation; an unlocked breech system reduces cost and build complexity.[3]The Bizon's operating cycle is characterized by a very short recoil stroke; standard9×18mmammunition will only drive theboltpartially to the rear of thereceiverand results in a cyclic rate of 680 rounds per minute.[1]High-impulse ammunition drives the bolt all the way to the end of the receiver, lightly striking the receiver wall. A rate of fire of 700–750 rounds per minute is the result. Due to the slow cyclic rate, it has the effect of reducing perceived recoil and increasing firing stability and hit probability.[1]
Features
editThe Bizon has no gas system and the internal components have been modified accordingly. The bolt carrier with fixed charging handle was recycled from the AK, but the piston rod androtary boltwere removed and the piston extension was plugged with a steel insert.[1]The return spring and guide rod are identical to those of the AK.
The Bizon has a four-groove barrel with a 240 mm (1:9 in) right-handriflingpitch.[1]The gun'smuzzle devicehas a large rectangular port on each side of dead center that serves to reduce muzzle jump, although the main purpose of this device is to protect the muzzle and magazine from impact damage.[1]
The pinned and rivetedsheet metalreceiver of the Bizon is derived from the AKS-74 and has been modified at the front end, since the gas system was omitted.[6]The handguard is a sheet metal stamping with three rounded rectangular ventilation slots on each side. The magazine serves as the lower handguard and the current models of the magazine are ribbed to enhance grip. The Bizon also uses the sametriggerandsafetymechanisms as the AK-74 rifle.[6][4]The selector lever is placed on the right side of the receiver, above the trigger, and has three settings: the uppermost "safe" setting disables the trigger and in this position the lever physically blocks the bolt's integral retracting handle; the middle position (marked "АВ" ) enables fully automatic fire and the lowest position ( "ОД" ) will activate the semi-automatic function of the trigger.[6]An original five-piece anti-bounce device is built into the trigger unit and this functions as arate reducer,delaying firing until the bolt has settled entirely into battery.[1]
The Bizon also utilizes the AKS-74side folding stock.[1]It folds to the left side of the receiver but unlike the AKS-74 and AKS-74U, it is not held closed by a spring-loaded capture in the forward end of the receiver. Instead, it is held closed by the forward trunnion pin which is longer on the Bizon than on its AKS-74 predecessors. The extended length of the pin allows it to catch the folding skeleton stock. Thepistol gripis identical to the grip on the AK-100 series and is made of a blackfiberglass-reinforcedpolyamide.[1]
Feeding
edit
One of the Bizon's more unusual features is themagazine,which is often mistaken for agrenade launcher.[3]The cylinder below the barrel is in fact a 64-roundhelical-feed magazine,similar to the type used in the AmericanCalico M960submachine gun.[3]The magazine is made from a durable glass-reinforcedpolyamide 6and mounts under thehandguardin line with the barrel. This layout makes the weapon more compact and concealable compared to a standarddrumor stick magazine. All cartridges are aligned nose forward in the Bizon magazine and cannot be loaded incorrectly.[3][4]Early magazines were fabricated fromaluminiumtubing and had a capacity of 67 rounds.[3]The production magazine capacity of 64 rounds was selected as 64 is a multiple of 16, and 9×18mm Makarov rounds are packaged in boxes of 16.[3]The magazine has hooks on top of the front end that engage a pair of pins under the front sight, and the rear end of the magazine interfaces with a Kalashnikov pattern spring-loaded paddle type magazine catch/release located in front of thetrigger guard.[7]Some magazines were produced with indicator holes allowing the user to verify the amount of ammunition loaded; these are spaced at 4, 24, 44 and 64-round increments.[4]
Sights
edit
The sighting arrangement resembles that used on theAKS-74Uand consists of a rear flip-up sight permanently attached to the receiver top cover with two open square notches with 50 m and 100 m elevation settings and a round post front sight taken from the AK series of rifles, common to many Russian small arms. The front sight is contained in a protective cage with a hole in the top to insert an elevation adjustment tool, while the rear sight is shielded by two metal ears.[1]
Accessories
editThe gun is issued with one magazine, a sling, cleaning kit, oil can and magazine pouch. Other accessories such asscope mounts,Kobra optics and PBS1 sound suppressors were available due to it being largely derived from the AK-74/47 family, thus having the correct thread and AK optics side mount.
Variants
editThe original Bizon was retroactively designatedBizon-1after the design was improved with the introduction of the Bizon-2.[4]
Bizon-2
edit
The Bizon has been continuously modified over its production life, and an improved variant is known as theBizon-2.It features an AK-styleiron sights(an open U-notch rear sight on a tangent with three settings: 50, 100 and 150 m and a semi-shrouded front post), a receiver-mounted side rail adapter for optics and a new slottedflash hiderdesigned to accept a quick-detachablesound suppressor.The Bizon-2 is made in several variants to increase the product's commercial appeal and demonstrate its versatility; it is offered in 8 different configurations:
- Bizon-2-01:Chambered for theNATO-standard9×19mm Parabellumcartridge using a modified helical magazine with a 53-round capacity.
- Bizon-2-02:Chambered in the.380 ACP (9×17mm Short)pistol round (64-round helical magazine capacity).
- Bizon-2-03:9×18mm Makarov variant with an integral sound suppressor.
- Bizon-2-04:9×18mm Makarovsemi-automaticcarbinemodel.
- Bizon-2-05:9×19mm Parabellum semi-automatic only model.
- Bizon-2-06:Semi-automatic only carbine version in.380 ACP (9×17mm Short).
- Bizon-2-07:Select-fire model chambered in7.62×25mm Tokarev.This model uses a conventional staggered-column 35-round steel box magazine.[8]
Bizon-3
editA variant known as theBizon-3was also developed and features a flip-up rear peep sight moved further to the rear on the receiver cover and a stock that folds up and over the receiver to lock into a spring-loaded latch on the receiver top cover. The weapon's barrel has an adapter for several types of muzzle devices. These are selected by the operator depending on the weapon's tactical employment and include sound suppressors,muzzle brakes,compensators, and flash hiders.[9]
Derivatives
editVityaz-SN
editThe PP-19-01 Vityaz-SN is a further evolution of the PP-19 Bizon. The Vityaz-SN is chambered in9×19mm Parabellum,it entered Russian service in 2005, and continues to be the country's standard issue submachine gun for all military and police forces.
PPK-20
editThe PPK-20 is a subcompact, further modernisation of the PP-19-01 Vityaz-SN. It features the AK-19 folding telescopic buttstock, ambidextrous fire selector controls, an optional quick-detachable sound and flash suppressor, a Picatinny rail mounted on the dust cover for various optical sights, an improved handguard design with an M-LOK interface on the sides and slots for Picatinny rails on the top and bottom, and a lighter weight design.
Users
edit
Russia[10]
Vietnam:A domestically produced clone of the PP-19, known by the industrial nameSN9P,manufactured by the Z11 Factory of the Vietnam General Department of Defense Industry. It features modifications such as aGalil-style stock to suit local conditions, with limited use by Special Forces units.[11][12]Chambered in 9×19mm.[12]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^abcdefghijkKokalis, 176
- ^abMiller, David:Illustrated Directory of 20th Century Guns,page 336. Zenith Imprint, 2003.
- ^abcdefghiKokalis, Peter:Weapons Tests And Evaluations: The Best Of Soldier Of Fortune,page 173. Paladin Press, 2001.
- ^abcdefgCutshaw, Charlie:The New World of Russian Small Arms & Ammo,page 92. Paladin Press, 1998.
- ^David M. Fortier (June 2003)."Cold vodka hot steel: a test of Russia's Bizon 2 submachine gun".Guns Magazine.
- ^abcKokalis, 175
- ^Kokalis, 174
- ^Jane's Infantry Weapons.2002. p. 3618.
- ^Cutshaw, 93
- ^Galeotti, Mark.Russian Security and Paramilitary Forces since 1991.p. 59.
- ^"Tốc độ bắn kinh hoàng của tiểu liên Việt Nam sản xuất"(in Vietnamese). October 2017.
- ^ab"[Indo Defense 2018] Vietnamese Small Arms Part One: Lee Enfield's, M79's, and Bizon's -".29 November 2018.
