PSM pistol

The PSM (Pistolet Samozaryadny Malogabaritny, Russian for "compact self-loading pistol") was designed by the Tula Design Bureau in 1969 as a self-defense firearm for law enforcement and military officers of the USSR. The pistol entered production at the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant in 1973.

PSM
TypeSemi-automatic pistol
Place of originSoviet Union
Service history
In service1973–present
Used bySee Users
Production history
Designed1969
Produced1973–Present
VariantsIZh-75, Baikal-441
Specifications
Mass460 g (16 oz)
Length155 mm (6.1 in)
Barrel length84.6 mm (3.3 in)
Height117 mm (4.6 in)
Cartridge5.45×18mm
ActionBlowback
Muzzle velocity315 m/s (1,033 ft/s)
Effective firing rangeSights fixed for 25 m
Feed system8-round detachable box magazine
SightsRear notch and front post

The PSM is a blowback-operated handgun with a double-action trigger and slide-mounted manual safety without a slide stop. The grip panels are made from thin aluminum and new model with hard plastic. The weapon is made from steel.

The PSM was designed around the newly developed 5.45×18mm cartridge, which was developed for the weapon by Precision Mechanical Engineering Central Research Institute. The cartridge is capable of penetrating 55 layers of kevlar at realistic engagement distances.[1] This cartridge has a bottlenecked case and a spitzer-pointed jacketed bullet, providing performance superior to the .22 LR and .25 ACP (6.35×16mmSR Browning) rounds.

The pistol was primarily intended for army high command staff. However, owing to its insignificant dimensions, especially small thickness (21 mm across the safety catch), it soon became popular with security (KGB) and law enforcement (militsiya) personnel. The PSM was also appreciated by higher echelon Communist Party functionaries.[1]

Other designations
  • MPTs (Malokalibernyj Pistolet Tsentralnogo-boya; "Small-caliber Pistol, Center-fire")[2]

Variants

Users

See also
  • List of Russian weaponry

References
  1. http://warfare.be/db/catid/277/linkid/1836/title/psm/
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-02-13. Retrieved 2012-02-13.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-04-06. Retrieved 2008-06-13.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. «2.1. Газовое оружие самообороны... Пистолет ИЖ-78-7,6 кал. 7,6 мм»
    Перечень служебного и гражданского оружия и боеприпасов к нему, вносимых в Государственный кадастр служебного и гражданского оружия (утверждён распоряжением Правительства РФ № 1207-р от 3 августа 1996 года)
  5. Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (January 27, 2009). ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
  6. Постановление Совета Министров Республики Беларусь № 202 от 19 февраля 2003 г. «Об утверждении перечня специальных средств, видов огнестрельного оружия, боеприпасов и взрывчатых веществ, используемых в таможенных органах Республики Беларусь»
  7. Постановление Правительства Республики Казахстан № 163 от 17 февраля 2003 г. "Об утверждении норм и перечня оружия и специальных средств, которые имеют право применять сотрудники органов финансовой полиции"
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