THE RUSSIAN AMMUNITION PAGE - 12.7MM TO 14.5MM
     
    Soviet Cannon Please note that these pages are no longer updated and contain partially obsolete data.
    For comprehensive and up to date information, please refer to my new book "Soviet Cannon" at www.russianammo.org.
    Compared to this webpage with its 69 pages, the book and the enclosed CD-Rom offer a total of almost 900 pages.
    Soviet Cannon
     
    12.7x108 12.7mm Degtyarev heavy machinegun
     
    This cartridge was introduced in 1934 as a competitor to the German 13mm antitank round and the U.S. .50 Browning MG. The round was used in the WWII DK and DShK-38 machinegun in 50 round belts for anti aircraft use and against light armored ground targets. Rate of fire of the gas operated weapon was 600rpm, out of a 4 right turn threaded 1070mm barrel, muzzle velocity was 860 - 880m/s and the operation temperature could vary from -50°C to +50°C.
    It was also used in the Universalny Berezina aircraft machinegun in WWII that could be fixed to aircrafts like the I-16 and I-153 in synchronized (UBS), wing mounted (UBK) and turret mounted (UBT) installations. The gun had a rate of fire of 1050rpm, but in the synchronized version that rate dropped to 800rpm.
    The gas operated UB was the best gun of its class, lighter (21kg) and faster firing than any other guns with similar ammunition performance. 

    The post WWII guns YakB-12,7 and YakBYu-12,7, original designation 9A624, are 4 barrel guns and are mounted on helicopters like the Mi-24. The first gun weights 45kg and fires 4000-4500rds/min, the later 60kg and fires 4000-5000rds/min. Both guns are rotary machineguns operated by gas pressure. The Afanassijef-12,7 (A-12,7) machinegun also uses this ammo. This single barrel gas operated gun weights 28kg and fires 1000-1500m/s. Ammunition belts for the A-12,7 have a linkage of 1x B-32, 3x BZT and 1x MDZ.

    Hungary uses this round in its "Gepard" antimaterial rifles M2, M2A1, M2A2, M4 and M5. The ammunition used are either the B-32 or the MDZ-3.
    The Russian long range sniper rifles V-94, OSV-96 and SVN-98 also use this type of ammunition with a special solid brass bullet similar to the U.S. M33 type. The V-94 sniper rifle has been introduced in the Russian army and used by special forces. The other two rifles are new developements.
    The NSVT machinegun, mounted on many armored vehicles (e.g. T-64 and T-70), still uses this caliber. The barrel has 8 right-hand grooves resulting in an improved fire-rate of 750rpm. The 50 round ammo-belts used a linkage of 3 B-32 to 1 BZT-44 (3 API to 1 API-T). These bullets have the following armour-piercing effect: 90% of all bullets penetrate a 20mm thick armor plate at 100m. The capability of the tungsten carbide core bullet BS is said to be about 7 times higher than standard bullets. 75% of all bullets ignite the petrol placed behind the 20mm armor plate.

    A HEI bullet, the MDZ is used for AAA purpose. It has a flat nose and mainly uses a air-compression type of fuze. It is  filled with HE or HE + incendiary charge and a small blasting cap. Actually 5 types of MDZ projectiles are known: The first has a screwed-on air compression fuze, the second a fuze with striker pin and setback safety device. The third has the air compression tube within the projectile jacket and is closed with a brass washer at the flat tip. The fourth is basically the same as the second, but has a streamlined outline and is produced post WWII only. The fifth has also a tracer and is filled with a incediary charge in the nose and a blasting cap and HE below. 
    The construction of the "ZP" instantaneous incendiary prtojectile is also not known, so the fifth MDZ type could actually be the ZP type.

    The propellant consists of 17,5 - 19,0g of smokeless powder designated as "4/7 Tsgr" powder.
    Cartridges are packed in 80 rounds per sealed metal box with two of these boxes per wooden container. Blank cartridges are packed in 95 / 190 pieces. For Navy use, 170 cartridges are separated into two metal boxes with those packed in a wooden box. These boxes have the caliber, type of bullet, Lot.-No., number of rounds and type of propellant painted on them. The later measures 480x350x160mm and weights 29kg.
    Ammunition is exported from the USSR to 49 countries and also manufactured in Bulgaria, China, former Czechoslovakia, Egypt, Iran, Pakistan, Romania and Yugoslavia.

     
     
    From left to right:
    Czech ball, Russian AP, Czech API, Chinese API,
    Yugoslav API, Egyptian API-T, Russian APIT-,
    Yugoslav API-T, Romanian High Pressure Test
    From left to right:
    Czech tool cartrigde, Russian blank, Egyptian wooden blank, Chinese APDS Type 54-1, 3 U.S. "Slap" APDS, Czech APFSDS
     
    Ammunition used during WW2:
    USSR Designation US Abbreviation Bullet Weight [g] Muzzle Velocity [m/s] Description
    B-30 AP 51,9 810-825 Steel core bullet, tip filled with lead
    T-38 Ball tracer
    43,5
    840-860
    Lead core bullet with tracer, green colour bullet tip
    B-32 API 48,2 810-825 Steel core bullet with incendiary in tip
    BZT-44 API-T 43,7 840-860 Steel core bullet with incendiary in tip, with small tracer container
    BZF-46 API (Ph)
    47,0
    810-825
    Steel core bullet with White Phosphorus in rear steel container. Black/yellow coloured bullet tip
    BZ-41 API (special) 53,8 810-825 Tungsten carbide core bullet with incendiary in tip
    MD-46 HE 41,0 840-860 KV-11 nose fuzed projectile filled with 2,4g PETN
    MDZ-46 HEI
    41,0
    840-860
    KV-11 nose fuzed projectile filled with 1,5g PETN + 1,2g incendiary
    MDZ-3 HEI
    38,0
    875-890
    Projectile filled with 1,8g PETN + 1,2g incendiary. Two layer charge or alternating HE/I charge. Internal air compresion fuze. l=53,2mm
    MDZ-3 HEI
    45,0
    840-860
    Projectile filled with 2,0g PETN + 2,2g incendiary. Two layer charge with internal air compresion fuze. l=63,5mm
     
    Ammunition used post WW2:
    USSR Designation US Abbreviation Bullet Weight [g] Muzzle Velocity [m/s] Description
    B-32 API 48,2 810-825 Steel core bullet with incendiary in tip
    BZT API-T
    44,0
    840-860
    Steel core bullet with incendiary in tip, with large tracer container
    BS API (special)
    55,8
    810-825
    Tungsten carbide core bullet with incendiary in rear container
    ZP incendiary
    ?
    ?
    "Instantaneous incendiary " projectile, construction unknown
    MDZ-3 or ZP? HEI-T
    38,3-39,6
    875-890
    Pointed boattail projectile filled with HE charge. Incendiary in nose is compressed on impact and activates blasting cap and main charge. Tracer container in base
    MDZ HEI
    43,5
    840-860
    V-166 nose fuzed projectile filled with 2,3g TNT + incendiary. Boattail projectile
    MDZ HEI
    44,5
    840-860
    Projectile filled with HEI charge, internal air compression fuze. Pointed boattail projectile
    1SL Duplex Ball
    31/31g
    735/680
    See description below
    1SLT Duplex Ball-T
    31/27g
    730/700
    See description below
    "Snaiperskii" special sniper
    56,0
    730
    Solid brass bullet with slightly longer ogive shape; the cylindrical part of the bullet is reduced in diameter from 13,03 to 12,6mm to reduce barrel wear 
    CHOLOSTOJ Blank
    /
    /
    Conventional blank, ol=112mm, om=80,1g 
    green cardbord cover
    OZ-B 50 Blank
    /
    /
    Czech blank cartridge, ol=59,0mm, om=54,5g. For Czech "Beranidlo" device
     
    Two types of duplex rounds are described by several sources, the first is the 1SL, it consists of two ball bullets with mild steel core and incendiary composition in the nose. The second duplex round, the 1SLT consists of a ball and a ball-tracer bullet in the rear, they weight 31g and 27g. These duplex cartridges are easily identified by three indented dots in the side of the cartridge case and by the dark green bullet-tip of the 1SLT round. The total weight is 145g for the 1SL and 142g for the 1SLT. The overall length is 147mm. They are operated reliably with the YakB machine gun of the Mi-24D helicopter at temperatures from -60°C to +60°C, engaging vulnerable ground and airborne targets. Tracer of the 1SLT burns a minimum of 2.9sec. Projectiles for the "Duplex" cartridges do not have any AP feature, there is an  erroneous advertisement brochure around, showing even the wrong shape of the cartridges.

    Inert drill rounds, identified by four long flutes along the case, are used as well.
     
     
    12.7x108R 12.7mm ShVAK AAA machinegun
     
    The cartridge has a similar appearance to the 12,7mm Degtjarjov, but with a rimmed cartridge case.
    Not very much is known about its developement. It is reported to have been test fitted to the Yatsenko I-28 fighter prototype, but the readily developed 12,7mm UB aircraft machinegun had far better performance than the 12,7mm ShVAK.
    It was used as an AAA caliber for a short time, but it was not successful and therefore soon taken out of service after its introduced in 1935.
    Later, the 12,7x108R case was necked up to create the 20mm ShVAK caliber 20x99R that had more success.

    The overall length of the cartridge was 146,1mm.

     
     
    Ammunition used during WWII:
    USSR Designation US Abbreviation Bullet Weight [g] Muzzle Velocity [m/s] Description
    B-30 AP 51,9 810 Steel core bullet
    B-32 API 46,7 805-820 Steel core bullet with incendiary in tip. Incendiary may be Mg-oxidizer mixture or red phosphorus
    BZT API-T 43,7 820-835 As above, with tracer
    ZP HEI 44,8 810 63,5mm long bullet with striker pin, detonator cap in bullet tip, filled with incendiary. Red colored bullet tip
    Any further information is well appreciated!
       
       
    14.5x114 14.5mm PTRD & PTRS AT-rifles, KPV heavy machinegun and subcaliber device

    This round was developed with the experimental Rukavshinkov antitank rifle in 1939 but Russian infantry did not have any satisfactory antitank rifles at the beginning of the war because the military leaders considered German tanks as only heavily armoured and therefore considered antitank rifles as obsolete.
    But this consideration proved itself as incorrect with the first combat actions and so design bureaus were asked to develop antitank rifles within the shortest possible time in July 1941.
    The simple and cost effective Degtyarov design PTRD was a single shot rifle 2,0m long and weighting 17,3kg, the Simonov design PTRS was selfloading and had a 5 round magazine loaded by a 5 round cartridge clip. The rifle was 2,1m long and weighed 20,9kg. It could be broken down in two separate loads by simply knocking out a square cross wedge at the receiver. Both rifles were considered usefull and were adopted both to service in Fall, 1941, with a total of about 400.000 PTRS and PTRD antitank rifles being produced during WWII.

    The original antitank round was the BS (API) round with a tungsten carbide core and incendiary composition in the bullet tip. It weighted 65,5g and was 51,0mm long, with an overall weight of the round at 200g, and an overall length of 155mm. The core weighted 38,7g, and the incendiary composition 1,8g. The brass case was filled with 28,0g of smokeless powder. With a muzzle velocity of 1000m/s, the bullet could penetrate 30mm of steel plate at 100m, or 25mm at 500m. The strength of the steel plate was 120kg/mm², angle of incidence 60°. The round could be identified by a black colored bullet tip and percussion-primer. The lower part of the bullet was lacquered red. This round also could have a unpainted projectile and a black lacquered primer.
    A picture and cut away of the original AT cartridge is shown below.
    The B-32 round with steel core and incendiary in the bullet tip was used as well. This round could be identified by a black bullet tip with a red ring below. It weighed 62,4g and achived 1000m/s with a propellant charge of 30,5g.

    These antitank rifles were still used during the Korean war and possibly further on during the late 1950s.
    A specimen with brass case (headstamp 3 * 58) exists, it has a very short AP projectile with steel core with silver coloured tip. These weapons were rather used for longe range sniping than for anti tank purposes.

     
     
     
    The KPV machinegun was the brainchild of Semjon Vladimirow and was introduced in 1944 for armored personell carriers. Today, the KPV machinegun is mounted on armoured personell carriers and used against ground and airborne targets. The aircooled weapon fires at 550-600rpm and it is 1980mm long and weighs 52,2kg with a barrel length of 1350mm. Amunition is fed in steel belts (semi-desintegrating belt that consists of 10-round increments) and the KPV machineguns are recoil operated.
    In the AAA role it was designated ZPU, that came in single-, double- and quadruple-barrel mounts. These AAA systems spread not only in the RFAS countries, but also sold widely at the Far-Eastern market. 
    The KPV machinegun is also used in Naval pedestal mounts, designated MTPU which fires at least 450rpm. 
    China also built its versions of the KPV machinegun. They called their ZPU mounts Type 75, 80, 58 and 56.
    There are also modern anti-material rifles for this round, the South African NTW-14,5 for example. Hungary also uses this caliber in the M3 and M6 destroyer rifles with the standard B-32 and BZT rounds.

    Cartridges use lacquered steel cases and a percussion primer; some countries also used brass cartridge cases.
    The propellant consists of 28,8g smokeless powder with 7 tubes, designated as 5/7NA powder.
    Two different versions of bullet series are known, the earlier had a conventional bullet jacket with boattail. These had a long engraving portion that caused considerable barrel wear. The newer bullet types have a smaller engraving portion with a rounder boattail and were used from about 1957 on.

    80 cartridges are separated into two metal boxes and those are packed in a wooden box. This box has the caliber, type of bullet, Lot.-No., number of rounds and type of propellant painted on, it measures 480x350x160mm and weighs 23kg. Ammunition has been manufactured in Bulgaria, China, Egypt, Hungary, Iraq, North Korea, Poland, Romania, Russia and the former Czechoslovakia.

     
    The ammunition used post WWII:
    USSR Designation US Abbreviation Bullet Weight [g] Muzzle Velocity [m/s] Description
    B-32 API 64,0 1000 Steel core bullet with incendiary in tip
    BZT API-T 59,6 1000 Steel core bullet with incendiary in tip and tracer
    BS AP (special) 64,4 1000 Tungsten carbide core bullet
    ZP Inc.-T 60,0 1000 "Instataneous Incendiary" bullet with internal fuze, incendiary in tip, tracer container in base
    MDZ HEI 59,7 1000 Projectile filled with HEI charge, internal air compression fuze. Pointed boattail projectile
    MDZ HEI (variant)
    57,8
    1000
    Slightly modified version of the above MDZ, with shorter air compression tube in tip
    CHOLOSTOJ Blank
    /
    /
    Conventional blank, green cardbord cover. Loaded with 17,9g VTX powder
     
    Romanian blank rounds may have a red cardboard cover.
    Inert drill rounds, identified by four long recesses along the case and/or nickel plated projectiles,were used as well.
     
     
    Russian rounds for the ZSU anti aircraft gun in cutaway, from left to right:
    Blank round, API round, API-T round
     
    The 2Kh35 subcaliber device (Cyrillic 2X35) is a self loading gun inserted into the barrel and breech of the 125mm tank gun, it is electrically conected to the firing system of the tank and aiming is done the same way as with standard rounds.
    This gun is operated by gas preassure and is used to have a cheap alternative of shooting the tank gun without spending the expensive 125mm rounds. The standard 14,5mm cartridges of the API-T type (Russian designation BZT) have trajectories nearly identical to the main tank gun. They are fed to the subcaliber device in an open loadingclip-like magazine that holds 6 rounds.
    The gun is operated by 22 to 29 volts. Cartridges are percussion primed and have a muzzle velocity of 980m/s.
    The overall dimensions of the 2Kh35 subcaliber device are 1660x175x350mm. With a total weight of 29kg, the  rate of fire should not exceed 10 rounds per minute to ensure a barrel life of 6000 rounds.
    A picture of the subcaliber device can be viewed at the ZID V.A. Degtyarev Plant.

    A similar subcaliber device was introduced to the Czech army as "14,5 vlozna z bran vz.85" which means "Cal. 14,5 inserted gun model 85". It was built to simulate live shooting of the main gun of the T-72 tank.
    The subcaliber device is an electrically driven self-loading gun and simulates the repeating cycle of the tank gun that takes about 10-12 seconds. It withdraws the fired case and loads a new cartridge electrically which is not the case in the Russian original subcaliber devices.
    The attatched magazine holds 6 cartridges of standard API-T type, Czech designation PZSv.
    Technical data of the Czech inserting gun model 85:
    Vo=980m/s, barrel length 1350mm, gun length 1820mm, gun width with magazine 301mm, total weight 29kg, operating voltage 22-29V, operational range 1500m.
    This Czech version was exported to many countries as well.
    A new subcaliber device was developed by the Czech Republic in 1990. It also used the 14,5mm caliber but was never adopted by the Czech army because of defence budget problems.

     
     
    Legend: m= mass of projectile, om= mass of complete round, pm=mass of propellant, l= length of projectile, ol= overall length of complete round, Vo= muzzle velocity, cartridge case headstamps are given in the clockwise system, the clock-sections divided by "|" for better reading. The "|" does not mean an imprinted line in the headstamp. Example: symbol at 12 o´clock | 3 o´clock | 6 o´clock | 9 o´clock
     
    Soviet Cannon Please note that these pages are no longer updated and contain partially obsolete data.
    For comprehensive and up to date information, please refer to my new book "Soviet Cannon" at www.russianammo.org.
    Compared to this webpage with its 69 pages, the book and the enclosed CD-Rom offer a total of almost 900 pages.
    Soviet Cannon
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