KS-23 | |
---|---|
![]() KS-23M Variant | |
Type | Shotgun |
Place of origin | Soviet Union |
Service history | |
In service | 1970s–present |
Used by | See Users |
Production history | |
Designer | TsNIITochMash |
Designed | 1971 |
Manufacturer | Tula Arms Plant |
Variants | KS-23M KS-23K TOZ-123 |
Specifications | |
Mass | 3.85 kg (8.5 lb) (KS-23) 3.5 kg (7.7 lb) (KS-23M) [1] |
Length | 1,040 mm (41 in) (KS-23) 650–875 mm (25.6–34.4 in) (KS-23M, with/without stock) [1] [2] |
Barrel length | 510 mm (20 in) (KS-23) 350 mm (14 in) (KS-23M) [1] |
Cartridge | 23×75mmR |
Caliber | 23 mm (0.91 in) |
Barrels | 1, with rifled bore |
Action | Pump action, multilugged rotating bolt [1] |
Effective firing range | 150 m (160 yd) (KS-23, KS-23M) 100 m (110 yd) (KS-23k) |
Feed system | 3+1 shells in underbarrel tube (KS-23) 7 shell detachable box magazine (KS-23K) |
Sights | Front blade, rear notch. |
The KS-23 is a Soviet shotgun. Because it uses a rifled barrel, it is officially designated by the Russian military as a carbine. KS stands for Karabin Spetsialniy, "Special Carbine". It is renowned for its large caliber, firing a 23 mm shotgun shell, equating to 6.278 gauge using the British and American standards of shotgun gauges and approximately 4 gauge using the current European standards (based on the metric CIP tables), making it the largest-bore shotgun in modern use.
The KS-23 was designed in the 1970s for suppressing prison riots. It was created by TsNIITochMash, a key Soviet weapons developer, for the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD). The barrel for the KS-23 were made from 23 mm aircraft gun barrels that were rejected due to manufacturing flaws. These rejected barrels were deemed to be acceptable for the lower stress of firing slugs and less-lethal rounds, and thus were cut down in length for use as shotgun barrels. The KS-23 began to see use during the mid-1980s by several MVD forces. During the 1990s, research was made into improving the original design to make it usable in confined indoor areas. Two prototypes were proposed, the KS-23M and KS-23K, although only the M version saw use.
The KS-23 was created with the capability to fire several different types of ammunition, listed below:
Later, two add-on muzzle mortars were produced, the 36 mm Nasadka-6 and 82 mm Nasadka-12, bringing with them several new ammunition types:
The original KS-23 was developed jointly by NIISpetstekhniki (MVD) and TsNIITochmash in 1971, it was accepted for use by the Soviet police in 1985. [3] The gun has a barrel length of 510 mm and an overall length of 1040 mm. The KS-23 has an underbarrel tubular magazine capable of holding three rounds, with one in the chamber giving the gun a maximum round capacity of four. The gun's effective range is 150 m.
It is a short barrel version of KS-23.
The KS-23M Drozd (Carbine, Special, 23 mm, modernized Drozd "Thrush") was developed on the base of the KS-23. Development for it was started in October 1990. Twenty-five carbines were submitted for testing on December 10, 1991. After which the winner, then designated S-3, became the KS-23M "Drozd" and was accepted for use by the police and the Internal Troops of Russia. [2] The KS-23M includes a detachable wire buttstock and shortened barrel, as opposed to the fixed wooden stock on standard KS-23s. The gun is still chambered in 23 mm. Its overall length with the buttstock is 875 mm, without, 650 mm, and the barrel is 410 mm long. The gun's effective range is 150 m.
The KS-23K is a redesigned KS-23 that features a bullpup layout. The KS-23K was accepted in 1998 for the use of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD). [4] Development and adoption of this carbine was motivated by the fact that in the earlier accepted configurations of the KS-23 and KS-23M a major noted deficiency was that the tubular magazine did not make it possible to rapidly reload or change the type of ammunition being used, because of this a major design change for the KS-23K is that it has an extended box magazine that holds seven shells instead of the three shells seen on the other models. The gun has a mechanical safety located on the left side, above the pistol handle and open non adjustable sights. The gun's effective range is 100 m.
The civilian version of the KS-23 is the ТОZ-123 Selezen'-4 ("Drake-4") (ТОЗ-123 «Селезень-4»). It is manufactured by Tulsky Oruzheiny Zavod and features a smoothbore design, making it more similar to a traditional shotgun, and is chambered in standard 4 gauge. The first shotgun was made in 1995. [5] It has been legal to use as a civilian hunting shotgun in Russia since August 1996. [6]
The gun maker's website has this as the description for the shotgun.
The shotgun is multicharged, with a tubular underbarrel magazine of 3-cartridge capacity. Reloading is provided with a removable fore-end. The presence of the special barrel rear projection on the frame combined with the rear sight gives the possibility of mounting an optical sight. The shotgun is intended for the amateur hunting with shot cartridges. [7]
The TOZ-123 was banned from import into the United States during the Clinton administration. [8]
Rubber bullets are a type of baton round. Despite the name, rubber bullets typically have either a metal core with a rubber coating, or are a homogeneous admixture with rubber being a minority component. Although they are considered a less lethal alternative to metal projectiles, rubber bullets can still cause fatal injuries as well as other serious injuries such as blindness or other permanent disabilities.
The SPP-1 underwater pistol was made in the Soviet Union for use by Soviet frogmen as an underwater firearm. It was developed in the late 1960s and accepted for use in 1975. Under water, ordinary-shaped bullets are inaccurate and very short-range. As a result, this pistol fires a round-based 4.5 millimetres (0.18 in) caliber steel dart about 115 millimetres (4.5 in) long, weighing 12.8 grams (0.45 oz), which has longer range and more penetrating power than speargun spears. The complete cartridge is 145 millimetres (5.7 in) long and weighs 17.5 grams (0.62 oz).
The Saiga-12 is a shotgun available in a wide range of configurations, patterned after the Kalashnikov series of rifles and named after the Saiga antelope native to Russia. Like the Kalashnikov rifle variants, it is a rotating bolt, long-stroke gas piston operated firearm that feeds from a square magazine. All Saiga-12 configurations are recognizable as Kalashnikov-pattern guns by the large lever-safety on the right side of the receiver, the optic mounting rail on the left side of the receiver and the large top-mounted dust cover held in place by the rear of the recoil spring assembly. Saiga firearms are meant for civilian domestic sale in Russia, and export to international markets.
The Nagant M1895 is a seven-shot, gas-seal revolver designed and produced by Belgian industrialist Léon Nagant for the Russian Empire.
The OTS-02 Kiparis submachine gun was designed by the TsKIB SOO design bureau of Tula during the early 1970s but was not introduced into service until 1991. It is primarily intended for internal security and police units, it was adopted by the Russian police and MVD.
The PSM 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.
The TOZ-194 is a 12 gauge, pump-action shotgun manufactured by the Tula Arms Plant.
The PP-91 Kedr is a 9mm machine pistol developed from a prototype from the 1970s and since 1994 adopted by the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The PB-4 Osa, is a family of Russian non-lethal pistols that can be also used as a flare gun, a flashbang gun, or a starting pistol. The system consists of the pistol, and various ammunition types.
The 9×53mmR rifle cartridge was designed for hunting in the USSR. It is a 7.62×54mmR necked up to accommodate a larger bullet.
The TOZ-34 is a Soviet double-barreled shotgun.
The TOZ-87 (ТОЗ-87) is a Soviet semi-auto gas-operated semi-automatic shotgun.
The "Los" ("Лось") is a Soviet bolt-action hunting rifle.
The IZh-94 is a Russian double-barreled shotgun.
The MTs 20-01 is a Soviet bolt-action shotgun.
The TOZ-84 (ТОЗ-84) is a Soviet double-barreled shotgun.
The TOZ-55 «Zubr» is a Soviet double-barreled combination gun for big-game hunting.
The IZh-81 (ИЖ-81) is a Russian pump-action shotgun.
The MP-461 is a Russian compact non-lethal pistol.
The TOZ-66 is a Soviet double-barreled shotgun.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of November 2024 (link)