Firearms from Soviet Union

The RP-46 is a Soviet light machine gun developed by Degtyaryov, chambered in 7.62x54mmR. It is an improved belt-fed version of the earlier DP-27 light machine gun. The RP-46 can use both belt feeds and the original DP-27 pan magazines. It was designed to provide more sustained fire capability than the magazine-fed DP-27. The gun was a transition between the DP-27 and the later RPD and PKM designs.

The SGM Goryunov is a Soviet medium machine gun developed as a modernization of the SG-43 Goryunov. It was designed in the 1940s by Pyotr Goryunov and was adopted by the Soviet Army in 1943. The SGM features an air-cooled barrel and a gas-operated action. It was typically mounted on a wheeled or tripod mount for sustained fire roles. The weapon is chambered in 7.62x54mmR and was widely used by the Soviet Union and its allies.

The RPD is a Soviet light machine gun designed by Vasily Degtyaryov, chambered in 7.62x39mm M43. It was one of the first light machine guns designed around an intermediate cartridge and fed from a distinctive 100-round belt contained in a drum magazine. The RPD served as the standard squad automatic weapon of the Soviet Union and its allies for decades.

The RPK-74 is a Soviet light machine gun developed by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is the 5.45x39mm variant of the earlier RPK light machine gun. The RPK-74 shares approximately 75 percent parts commonality with the AK-74 assault rifle. It features a longer, heavier barrel, a bipod, and a reinforced receiver for sustained fire. The weapon uses a 45-round magazine or a standard 30-round AK-74 magazine. It was designed as a squad-level support weapon for the Soviet military.

The DShKM is a Soviet heavy machine gun chambered in 12.7x108mm. It was developed as a modernization of the earlier DShK 1938 heavy machine gun. The DShKM features a gas-operated action with a rotating bolt and an air-cooled, finned barrel. It is fed from a 50-round continuous metallic-link belt. The weapon is used as an anti-aircraft, anti-vehicle, and infantry support weapon. The DShKM has been one of the most widely used heavy machine guns in the world.

The SG-43 Goryunov is a Soviet medium machine gun designed by Peter Goryunov to replace the aging Maxim PM1910. It fires the 7.62x54mmR cartridge from either 200-round or 250-round belts. The SG-43 used a gas-operated system with a vertically tilting bolt and was mounted on a distinctive wheeled mount for infantry use.

The RPG-16 is a Soviet 58.3mm portable rocket-propelled grenade launcher developed specifically for Soviet airborne forces (VDV). Unlike the widely used RPG-7 which fired an 85mm over-caliber warhead, the RPG-16 used a smaller 58.3mm rocket but with a longer, more aerodynamic projectile that provided improved accuracy and a flatter trajectory at extended ranges. The launcher featured a two-piece design that could be broken down for parachute jumps and reassembled quickly upon landing, making it ideal for airborne operations. It used PG-16 high-explosive anti-tank rockets and was the primary light anti-armor weapon of Soviet paratroopers throughout the 1970s.

The RPO-A Shmel is a Soviet single-shot disposable man-portable rocket flamethrower. Despite its flamethrower designation, it actually fires a thermobaric rocket warhead. The weapon is a sealed tube that contains the rocket, launcher, and ignition system. It was designed to engage fortified positions, bunkers, and personnel in enclosed spaces. The thermobaric warhead creates a high-temperature blast wave through fuel-air explosion. The RPO-A is significantly more powerful than conventional explosive rockets of similar size.

The RPD (Ruchnoy Pulemyot Degtyaryova, or Degtyaryov Light Machine Gun) is a Soviet light machine gun designed by Vasily Degtyaryov. It was chambered in 7.62x39mm M43 and fed from a 100-round drum magazine or 100-round linked belt. The RPD combined the firepower of a machine gun with the mobility of an assault rifle.

The Mosin-Nagant M44 is a carbine variant of the Mosin-Nagant bolt-action rifle, introduced by the Soviet Union in 1944. It features a 20.3-inch barrel, a permanently attached folding bayonet, and a 5-round internal magazine. The M44 was designed for cavalry, artillery crews, and close-quarters combat during World War II. It fires the same 7.62x54mmR cartridge as the full-length M91/30 but with a shorter barrel and a side-mounted cruciform bayonet. The M44 produced significantly more muzzle flash and recoil than its longer predecessor, earning it the nickname the Mighty Muzzle Brake.

A rugged, mid-century semi-auto rifle chambered in 7.62×39mm, widely distributed and produced.

The SVT-40 (Samozaryadnaya Vintovka Tokareva, 40) is a Soviet semi-automatic battle rifle designed by Fedor Tokarev. It entered production in 1940 as an improvement over the earlier SVT-38, intended to replace the Mosin-Nagant bolt-action rifle as the standard-issue infantry weapon of the Red Army. Approximately 1.6 million SVT-40s were produced during World War II, making it one of the most widely issued semi-automatic rifles of the conflict. It was chambered in 7.62×54mmR and featured a gas-operated action with a short-stroke piston and a detachable 10-round magazine.

The PPSh-41 (Pistolet-Pulemyot Shpagina) is a Soviet open-bolt blowback-operated submachine gun designed by Georgy Shpagin. Firing the 7.62×25mm Tokarev cartridge, it was one of the most produced firearms of World War II with over 6 million units manufactured.

The PPS-43 is a Soviet submachine gun designed during the Siege of Leningrad by Alexei Sudaev, representing a significant evolution in small arms design philosophy by prioritizing manufacturing simplicity and material efficiency. Chambered in 7.62x25mm Tokarev, it uses a straight blowback action firing from an open bolt with a 770 rpm cyclic rate. The PPS-43 is constructed almost entirely from stamped steel, with a folding stock and a barrel shroud that also serves as a muzzle brake. Weighing just over 3 kg, it was considerably lighter than the PPSh-41 while providing equal firepower. The PPS-43 is considered one of the most efficient and ergonomic submachine guns of World War II and was widely copied and exported after the war.

The PPD is a Soviet submachine gun designed by Vasily Degtyaryov in the 1930s. It was the standard Soviet SMG before the PPSh-41. The PPD fires the 7.62x25mm Tokarev cartridge from a 71-round drum magazine. It was based partly on the German MP-28 but with significant modifications. The PPD features a wooden stock, a perforated barrel jacket, and a blowback action. It was produced in several variants with the PPD-40 being the final production model.

The Makarov PM was the standard Soviet military and police sidearm for decades, known for simplicity and durability.

The TT-33 is a Soviet-era military pistol based on the Browning design, known for ruggedness and powerful bottleneck cartridge.