MP-443 Grach

The MP-443 Grach[lower-alpha 1] (Russian: MP-443 Грач, lit. 'rook') or "PYa", for "Pistolet Yarygina" ("Yarygin Pistol"), following traditional Russian naming procedure (Russian: Пистолет Ярыгина), is the Russian standard military-issue side arm.

MP-443 Grach
MP-443 Grach Pistol.
TypeSemi-automatic pistol
Place of originRussia
Service history
In service2003–present
Used byRussia
Production history
DesignerV. A. Yarygin
Designed1993–2000
ManufacturerIzhevsk Mechanical Plant (2003-2013) / Kalashnikov Concern (2013-present)
Produced2003–present
No. builtseveral thousands as of May 2016
VariantsMP-446 Viking
Specifications
Mass950 g (34 oz) (MP-443 Grach)
870 g (31 oz) (MP-446 Viking)
Length198 mm (7.8 in)
Barrel length112.5 mm (4.4 in) (MP-443 Grach)
112.8 mm (4.4 in) (MP-446 Viking)
Width38 mm (1.5 in)
Height140 mm (5.5 in) (MP-443 Grach)
145 mm (5.7 in) (MP-446 Viking)
Cartridge9×19mm Parabellum
9×19mm 7N21 +P+
Caliber9×19mm
ActionShort recoil, locked breech
Rate of fire40-45 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity450 m/s (1,470 ft/s)
Effective firing rangesights fixed for 50 m
Feed system17-round detachable box magazine. After 2004 produced with magazines for 18 rounds.
SightsFixed iron sights, 3-dot with notch and front blade

The development was headed by the designer Vladimir Alexandrovich Yarygin. It was developed under designation "Grach" in response to Russian military trials, which began in 1993. In 2003, it was adopted as a standard sidearm for all branches of Russian military and law enforcement, alongside the Makarov PM, GSh-18, and SPS.

Design details
An MP-443 Grach field stripped to its main parts

The PYa is a high-capacity, double-action, short-recoil semi-automatic pistol. Barrel/slide locking is a simplified Colt–Browning design, similar to that found in many modern pistols (for example the SIG Sauer and Glock families of pistols); the breech end of the barrel is rectangular in shape, rather than rounded, and fits into matching locking grooves within the slide, near the ejection port. The slide stop lever can be mounted on either side of the weapon to accommodate both left- and right-handed users. Likewise, the manual safety is ambidextrous, with safety catches on both sides of the weapon, where it is manipulated by the thumb. It is mounted on the frame, below the rear slide grooves, and directly behind the slide stop lever. The hammer is partially concealed at the sides to prevent catching on clothes and equipment. The magazine release catch is located in the base of the trigger guard on the left side, where it can be manipulated with the thumb (right-handed users) or index or middle finger (left-handed users). The front sight is formed as a fixed part of the slide and is non-adjustable. The back sight is drift adjustable for windage (dovetail type), but this requires a tool. Both feature white contrast elements to ease aiming in low-light conditions. The standard magazine capacity is 17 rounds, fed from a double-column, two position feed magazine. Magazines with an 18-round capacity were produced after 2004.

Though the grips of the pistol are polymer, the weapon is largely made of metal (stainless steel for the barrel, carbon steel for the frame and slide).

It is chambered for the 9×19mm 7N21 cartridge, the Russian loading of the ubiquitous 9mm NATO pistol cartridge, which is broadly equivalent to NATO standard loadings,[2] loaded to comparable pressure specifications.[3] The 7N21 features a semi-armour-piercing bullet with a tempered steel core.[4] The weapon can also use standard 9×19mm Parabellum/9mm Luger/9×19mm NATO cartridges, including civilian loads such as hollowpoints for law enforcement (only full metal jacket bullets are permitted for use in military weapons).

Adoption in Russia

As of 2008, it was supplied only in small numbers to selected special forces units, presumably those in the North Caucasus.

In October 2008 the Russian interior minister planned to equip more Russian police with PYa pistols.[5] But due to financial problems and the fact the Makarov pistol is so plentiful in Russia, the Makarov remains as primary police service pistol in Russia.

Mass production started in 2011.[6] Officers of the Western Military District received weapons in 2012.[7] Scouts of the intelligence compound, belonged to the Central Military District and stationed in Siberia, fully rearmed on Yarygin pistols in early 2015.[8]

The massive deliveries of PYa pistols to the Russian Armed Forces started in 2012. As of early 2016, several thousand of such handguns have been supplied. Officers are training to master the new firearms. Nevertheless, the PM pistol have not been brought out of service. It supposedly will have been finally replaced by PYas by 2019.

Variants
  • MP-446 Viking: a civilian market version. It has a magazine capacity of 17[9] or 18 rounds.[10] It is an identical pistol, except it is not designed to take high-powered +P and +P+ rounds like the 9×19mm 7N21. 10-round magazines are available.
    • MP-446C Viking: a civilian market version designed for competition. />
  • MP-353: civilian market version, non-lethal pistol which fire only ammunition with rubber bullets.[10]
  • MP-472: non-lethal pistol[10]

Accessories

Users
  •  Russia: In 2003 it was adopted as a standard sidearm for all branches of Armed Forces of the Russian Federation;[12] fielding continues as of 2019.[13][14][15] Since September 2006 used as a pistol in law enforcement, though it never fully replaced the Makarov PM.[16][17] It is adopted as a standard sidearm for special police units (SOBR[18]) and rapid response units of riot police (OMON[19]). As of 2015, it is the service pistol of the Russian Airborne Troops.[20] Since 2018 it is supplied to the National Guard of Russia.[21]
  •  Kazakhstan: Since 2007 used as service pistol in private security companies.[22]
  •  Venezuela
gollark: IT'LL BE SHIELDED.
gollark: YES, WELL.
gollark: OH PLEASE, THERE'S NOT ACTUALLY AN ACTIVE REACTOR THERE.
gollark: Rule 666⅝: 666¾ is always valid. 666¾ has always been valid. 666¾ will always be valid.
gollark: Rule 666¾: Laser Bees Enabled. Nobody is safe. This rule retroactively makes this rule legal.

See also
  • List of Russian weaponry
  • CZ 99

Footnotes
  1. ⟨MP⟩ stands for "Mechanical Plant", translation of "Механический завод", and is rendered in Latin script even in Russian sources. Some Western sources, however, misinterpret it as Cyrillic ⟨МР⟩, and transliterate as "MR".[1]

References
  1. Владислав Владимирович Каштанов. Самозарядные пистолеты. T/O "Neformat". p. 560. GGKEY:JSG1ETH504D.
  2. (itself an overpressure version of 9×19mm Parabellum)
  3. 7N21 generates about 600 J muzzle energy, compared to roughly 450 J for standard 9mm Luger or 700 J for 9mm NATO.
  4. Archived 2012-04-26 at the Wayback Machine Jane's Infantry Weapons.
  5. Mark Galeotti. New guns for Russia’s cops – so what? Archived 2011-11-23 at the Wayback Machine // "In Moscow's Shadows", October 23, 2008.
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-12-27. Retrieved 2015-01-29.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-02-20. Retrieved 2015-01-29.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-01-31. Retrieved 2015-01-30.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. Pistols made before the year 2004 have 17-round magazine capacity
  10. Галина Валеева. Ещё раз о пистолете Ярыгина. // «Калашников. Оружие, боеприпасы, снаряжение», № 1, 2013. стр.52-54
  11. Фонарь подствольный тактический светодиодный с интегрированным лазерным целеуказателем «Зенит 2КС+ЛЦУ» Archived 2013-03-30 at the Wayback Machine
  12. Постановление Правительства Российской Федерации № 166 от 21 марта 2003 г.
  13. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2019-02-02. Retrieved 2019-02-02.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2019-04-25. Retrieved 2019-04-25.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. ±https://www.armyrecognition.com/april_2019_global_defense_security_army_news_industry/russian_vvo_troops_receive_over_4000_sets_of_ratnik_protection_outfit.html Archived 2019-04-27 at the Wayback Machine
  16. "Перечень типов и моделей боевого ручного стрелкового оружия, состоящего на вооружении прокуратуры Российской Федерации и предназначенного для личной защиты прокуроров и следователей ... 7. 9 мм пистолет ПЯ (6П35)"
    Постановление Правительства Российской Федерации № 568 от 16 сентября 2006 года
  17. "Утвердить прилагаемые: перечень боевого ручного стрелкового и иного оружия, патронов к нему, специальных средств, оборудования и снаряжения Федеральной службы судебных приставов ... Пистолеты ... 3 в) 9 мм пистолет Ярыгина (6П35)"
    Постановление Правительства Российской Федерации № 776 от 2 октября 2009 года "Об обеспечении боевым ручным стрелковым и иным оружием, патронами к нему, специальными средствами, оборудованием и снаряжением Федеральной службы судебных приставов"
  18. "сотрудники СОБРа продемонстрировали пистолеты Ярыгина"
    Сотрудники специального отряда быстрого реагирования (СОБР) МВД Якутии встретились с учениками 29 школы г. Якутска и провели для них выставку вооружения. Archived 2014-03-25 at the Wayback Machine // пресс-релиз Министерства внутренних дел Якутии, 18 мая 2012
  19. "У каждого бойца есть пистолет (обычно ПМ) и автомат (обычно АКМС). Кроме того, есть ... пистолеты Ярыгина, Стечкина, "глоки", пистолеты-пулемёты. На некоторых бойцов записаны несколько видов оружия... Если выезжают на захват преступников, засевших в отдельно стоящем здании или в ангаре/складе, то тот же боец может быть вооружен пистолетом Макарова или Ярыгина, пистолетом-пулемётом"
    Что такое ОМОН Archived 2014-03-25 at the Wayback Machine // информагентство "Росбалт" от 15 февраля 2011
  20. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-08-04. Retrieved 2015-08-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  21. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2019-04-04. Retrieved 2019-03-16.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  22. "Регистрационный номер: 3.1/017 Пистолет служебный МР 443 ГРАЧ"
    Постановление Правительства Республики Казахстан № 1305 от 28 декабря 2006 года "Об утверждении Государственного кадастра гражданского и служебного оружия и патронов к нему на 2007 год"

Sources
  • Оружие, которое нам выбирают. // журнал "Мастер-ружьё", № 54, 2001. стр.54-58
  • Ireneusz Chloupek. Następca Makarowa. // „Komandos”. nr 11 (109), 2001. str. 71-75.
  • Ю. Пономарёв. Новобранец «Ярыгин» // журнал «Калашников. Оружие, боеприпасы, снаряжение» № 6, 2003. стр.6-14
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