Those wacky Russians are at it again....

[SDC]

I just ran across these pictures of (believe it or not), a 50-calibre light machine gun (known as the 6P62), built by the Degtyarev Arms Factory. 14-round box magazine-fed, firing the 12.7x108mm Soviet HMG round, and able to pierce up to 20mm of armour with their new API round. There are even weirder things floating around over there.

 

[Deer Hunter]

God forbid we ever piss off the Spetnez....

 

[gunNoob]

I can has?

 

[jerkface11]

So basically a suppressed .50cal ak. Pretty awesome.

 

[Coronach]

.50 caliber ... light machine gun.

More taste, less filling!

Mike

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I suspect that is a reduced velocity round. First of all, the can would only suppress muzzle blast, which is why they are rarely used on weapons with supersonic velocity. Second, the gun appears pretty light -- lighter than our .50 cal sniper rifles, by quite a margin.

 

[Z-Michigan]

Anyone else notice that the guy in the photo is wearing what looks like US Woodland camo? Did the Russians copy that?

Anyhoo, real curious what the muzzle brake/suppressor arrangement is and how controllable this is on automatic.

 

[Deer Hunter]

Even if it was a reduced round, it'd still be very strong. Their .50 is much stronger than our .50.

 

[Z-Michigan]

the can would only suppress muzzle blast, which is why they are rarely used on weapons with supersonic velocity

Actually suppressor cans do a good job at reducing recoil also. Unfortunately the NFA makes them painfully expensive to get here in the US.

 

[MGshaggy]

Seems to suffer the same problem as the PK/PKM - nowhere to get a good grip on the weapon with your offhand to stabilize it if you're firing from the shoulder or hip (he's got to hold the bottom of the mag). It looks as if it needs a good handguard under the trunion. At least with a PK you can use the carry handle and walk the rounds in if firing from the hip.

 

[max popenker]

I suspect that is a reduced velocity round

No. It's standard 12.7x108, and from that barrel it clocks at about 600 m/s or 1970 fps with standard 48 gram / 740 grain bullet.

It's still in early prototype form, and from what i know it is intended for light vehicle (and possibly airdrop) applications

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Even if it was a reduced round, it'd still be very strong. Their .50 is much stronger than our .50.

True -- but a subsonic .50 is a subsonic .50. Something less than the old .50-70.

Actually suppressor cans do a good job at reducing recoil also. Unfortunately the NFA makes them painfully expensive to get here in the US.

Not this one -- take a look at it. All the vents are in the front.

 

[Deer Hunter]

Ah, you were speaking of true subsonic loads. I see.

Even then, you'd be hard-pressed to find decent cover from that thing.

 

[SDC]

If that isn't wild enough for you, here are two designs developed in the 1960s by a designer named G.A. Korobov; a three-barreled bullpup design known only as the "ZB Device", and then a further prototype of that rifle, with a .50-calibre grenade launcher under the 7.62mm barrels, known as the TKB-059; a 50 calibre projectile doesn't leave much room for a payload, but it might be just the thing for Aliens

 

[alemonkey]

14 rounds isn't much capacity for a LMG. Too bad it can't take belted ammunition.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

It's clearly not an LMG. What its tactical role isn't clear.

 

[SDC]

You're forgetting, these are the same people that make a full-automatic 10-round SNIPER RIFLE

 

[Z-Michigan]

Not this one -- take a look at it. All the vents are in the front.

I see a hole for the bullet to exit, and I see a hole in the right side of the muzzle (i.e. 90 degrees from the muzzle exit) near the muzzle. I assume there is a matching hole on the left side. The right side hole looks like a brake to me. The can looks like a suppressor. It wouldn't make this anywhere close to silent, but would presumably reduce a concussive blast that would otherwise injure and stun the user.

Hard to guess too much without more photos or details.

As for usefulness, modern battlefields have fewer tanks and more un or lightly armored vehicles. This would be bad news for those sorts of vehicles, and it would allow a lot more rounds, range, and accuracy than an RPG. Just guessing, of course.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I see a hole for the bullet to exit, and I see a hole in the right side of the muzzle (i.e. 90 degrees from the muzzle exit) near the muzzle.

That looks like a hole for inserting a rod to remove the can.

Whatever, it doesn't make sense. If it is designed to function as a muzzle brake, it would be a highly inefficient muzzle brake, and a highly inefficient suppressor.

 

[Gord]

You're forgetting, these are the same people that make a full-automatic 10-round SNIPER RIFLE

Rule One of Russian firearms design: it's always better with a happy switch.

Adding a full-auto setting is the Russian version of bolting a spoiler and a fake carbon-fiber hood onto your front-wheel-drive Civic: instant +50HP to the rear wheels, no matter what anyone else says.

 

[Aaryq]

I will not say that Mother Russia has been good to us until she sends me one of those. Then I'll do whatever comrades Putin and Medviev tells me...so long as I get to spend at least a day behind the trigger.

 

[RP88]

can't really see the point in it, unless you plan on unloading the clip into the side of a tank at point-blank range. but considering how the Russians werent really big on long-range accuracy, I guess they get by rather well with turning everything into a machine gun, then getting right next to you before shooting.

 

[paintballdude902]

if i join the russian army can i defect to the us and keep my .50 light machine gun?

 

[Evil Monkey]

I'm predicting the purpose of this weapon is not to suppress an enemy, as it is NOT a true machine gun capable of such feat.

Rather, this weapon was probably devised to be used in a heavily urban environment by a special forces team in order to defeat targets at close range (up to 600 yards I'm guessing) that are entrenched behind a hard barrier of sorts, and/or armoured vehicles. It seems no different than the American 50cal Barrett except this Russian weapon sports 4 more rounds and an integral suppressor,......and full auto.

I don't think this weapon could ever be used in the army, at any level. It doesn't have volume like GPMG's, most likely too heavy for one soldier to use and carry a tactical amount of ammo for, the squads already have a bunch of GP-30 GL's and a rocket launcher or two for defeating hard barriers. This 50 cal auto rifle just doesn't fit anywhere else.

 

[RyanM]

I suspect that is a reduced velocity round. First of all, the can would only suppress muzzle blast, which is why they are rarely used on weapons with supersonic velocity.

Muzzle blast is still a significant portion of the noise. Especially for the guy shooting the thing, and anyone around him. And it muffles the "bang" part of the crack-bang, making it harder to locate the shooter, if not impossible if they're far enough away that you can't even hear the "bang."