Soviet Bloc Picture Thread

[Willie Sutton]

To address both questions posed above, and keep things within the framework of firearms, ALL Soviet defense material is offered to end users with labels and technical packages in two languages: Russian and English. In my case I have original English language technical manuals for all of my jets. Why? Many middle eastern air forces and military branches use English as their technical languages. Many of these nations have military identities that come from being set up in the 40's by England. The various Middle Eastern Air Forces are modelled on the RAF, and with those traditions intact their aircraft come (came?) labelled in English right from the factory. Other defense material is the same. I have been able to examine things like captured ZSU-23's from Iraq that were totally labelled in English. You choose at time of purchase how you want it. Interestingly enough the MiG-21 pilot conversion training done for me "in the old country" was offered in English, as they had client state pilots from all over taking training. "The old country" was not Russia, and I am not inclined to identify it, but for suire they didn't speak English there. Two of the three MiGs I own are Polish, and I have English language manuals for them originally printed in Poland for end users preferring that option. My third one is Czech, and I simply use the Polish manuals for it.

Willie

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[Trent]

Trent,
Have your opinions on the belt feds changed much over time? It'd be really cool for you to do a multi-gun belt fed review comparing/contrasting the features, sometime

Well the DSHK is down hard. The semi-auto striker springs both broke on the last outing so it's inoperable right now. Need to order new ones, but haven't got around to it yet.

Same goes for Trent's guns..... Is the owners manual in English??

The operators manual I have is written in English, and was developed by Blackheart International LLC. It's a comprehensive guide to the care, maintenance, and use of the DShK & DShKM heavy machinegun.

My BATFE approved semi-auto is similar enough that the guide for assembly/reassembly works well enough. Without the manual, a person would be hard pressed to get one disassembled.. the recoil spring mechanism is not at all intuitive. The loading/unloading/headspacing procedures, even though mine has been rechambered in US 50BMG, are still relevant. Headspacing is set with a torque wrench on a bolt that moves a wedge in the receiver across a grove in the barrel; start with it full out, turn the bolt it moves the barrel inward. Then lock the setting in place with a pin.

It's not a particularly complex gun - basically a scaled up RPD. The bolt locking mechanisms are identical; although the scale is "huge".

It's not a particularly reliable piece of equipment, suffers the same drawbacks as the RPD design, but it's fun to shoot, if a bit cumbersome to move.

Definitely a 2-person set-up operation.

 

[dvdcrr]

My AK is like a gas station dart gun compared to that hardware. Nice!

 

[herkyguy]

OK, here's mine, only showing it because I like to poke Trent now and then for "Biggest Toy Wins"...



This is a MiG-17F: There are (2) 23mm and (1) 37mm autocannon installed in the nose. Properly BATFE demilled of course in order to get the Form 6 and 6A's approved for importing it. The forward portion of the receivers and the barrels are still installed in order to maintain the weight and balance of the jet. I flew it yesterday afternoon.



Oh well, who wants to handload for 37mm anyhow?





Trifecta? OK... I own and operate three of them...





Trent, you reckon we can build these back as semi-autos?





Willie

Any idea what range the cannons would be sighted in at? Or effective range for a gunfight for the 23mm or 37mm cannons?

 

[herkyguy]

No guns on my planes.....

But I can take a walk to the back, take a leak, and poke my head out the window for a few minutes.

 

[Magnuumpwr]

Trent can you do me a favor and check for a gap between the striker & bolt in your UK vz 59? The gap I am wondering about is with the stock and grip assemblies removed, then pushing the striker as though being fired. Received my UK Friday and took to the range Saturday where all it did was light strike 7 consecutive rounds. Got home took 2 of the struck rounds and fired with my PSL, so bad ammo or primers are ruled out. Below is a picture of the gap I am asking about and a picture of the 5 remaining struck rounds.





Any help would be appreciated. I sent an email to Marcolmar Sunday, but have not heard anything from them yet.

 

[Trent]

Yeah I can take a look and see what it's like tomorrow after work.

 

[Magnuumpwr]

Trent please disregard my request for measurements. Contacted Dave at Marcolmar and have already shipped the parts he needs to correct the problem. According to him, this rifle is one of the first thirty they built and those first thirty all had a firing pin issue.

 

[Trent]

Good to hear! Got wrapped up at work this week and didn't get down to do anything, anyway.