5.45x18mm
Encyclopedia
5.45×18mm MPTs is a Russia
n pistol
cartridge
.
It is chambered in the PSM pistol
and OTs-23 Drotik
machine pistol
.
It was designed in the Soviet Union
in the early 1970s by Antonina D. Denisova at the Precision Mechanical Engineering Central Research Institute (TsNIITochmash). The development was done in concert with that of the PSM.
The cartridge is designed to use light spitzer-pointed
jacketed
high velocity bullet. In terms of power, the bullet energy is stated to be up to 1.5 times that of the .25 ACP
in a similar sized cartridge. More importantly, it is stated to be capable of penetrating 30–45 layers of Kevlar
soft body armor followed by 10 to 15mm of solid pinewood
at "realistic engagement distances".
Though the pistol was originally intended to be a pocket pistol for issue to high-ranking Soviet officers, it has reportedly found popularity amongst police and KGB
officers as an easily concealed and suppressed
operational pistol.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n pistol
Pistol
When distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol...
cartridge
Cartridge (firearms)
A cartridge, also called a round, packages the bullet, gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case precisely made to fit the firing chamber of a firearm. The primer is a small charge of impact-sensitive chemical that may be located at the center of the case head or at its rim . Electrically...
.
It is chambered in the PSM pistol
PSM pistol
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...
and OTs-23 Drotik
OTs-23 DROTIK
The OTs-23 Drotik is a blow-back operated machine pistol developed and used in Russia. The weapon has a three-position select fire switch; safe, semi-automatic, and three-round burst...
machine pistol
Machine pistol
A machine pistol is a handgun-style, often magazine-fed and self-loading firearm, capable of fully automatic or burst fire, and normally chambered for pistol cartridges. The term is a literal translation of Maschinenpistole, the German term for a hand-held automatic weapon...
.
It was designed in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in the early 1970s by Antonina D. Denisova at the Precision Mechanical Engineering Central Research Institute (TsNIITochmash). The development was done in concert with that of the PSM.
The cartridge is designed to use light spitzer-pointed
Spitzer (bullet)
A spitzer, also commonly referred to as a spire point bullet, is an aerodynamic bullet design used in most intermediate and high-powered rifle cartridges...
jacketed
Full metal jacket bullet
A full metal jacket is a bullet consisting of a soft core encased in a shell of harder metal, such as gilding metal, cupronickel or less commonly a steel alloy. This shell can extend around all of the bullet, or often just the front and sides with the rear left as exposed lead...
high velocity bullet. In terms of power, the bullet energy is stated to be up to 1.5 times that of the .25 ACP
.25 ACP
The .25 ACP centerfire pistol cartridge is a semi-rimmed, straight-walled pistol cartridge introduced by John Browning in 1905 alongside the Fabrique Nationale model 1905 pistol...
in a similar sized cartridge. More importantly, it is stated to be capable of penetrating 30–45 layers of Kevlar
Kevlar
Kevlar is the registered trademark for a para-aramid synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed at DuPont in 1965, this high strength material was first commercially used in the early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires...
soft body armor followed by 10 to 15mm of solid pinewood
Pinewood
Pinewood may refer to:* Pine, a species of tree* Pinewood Studios, a major British film studio in Buckinghamshire-Places:in England* Pinewood, Suffolkin the United States* Pinewood, Florida* Pinewood, Minnesota...
at "realistic engagement distances".
Though the pistol was originally intended to be a pocket pistol for issue to high-ranking Soviet officers, it has reportedly found popularity amongst police and KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
officers as an easily concealed and suppressed
Suppressor
A suppressor, sound suppressor, sound moderator, or silencer, is a device attached to or part of the barrel of a firearm which reduces the amount of noise and flash generated by firing the weapon....
operational pistol.
External links
- Barnes, Frank C., ed. by John T. Amber. Cartridges of the World Northfield: DBI Books, 1972.
- Cutshaw, Charlie. The New World of Russian Small Arms & Ammo. Boulder: Paladin Press, 1998.
- Fortier, David M. "Military Ammo Today". Handguns. Nov 2008.