Smerch

The Smerch (Cyrillic: Смерч, lit. "tornado") was a prototype bullpup assault rifle designed by Russian engineer Aleksandr Shevchenko.

History[]

Designed in 1977, the Smerch was the work of the then-student Shevchenko. It was designed for the GRAU project code named "Modern", with the intention of designing a submachine gun, PDW, or a carbine that can be used by army specialists and special forces. A short length was one of the primary goals.

It was chambered for 5.45x39mm ammunition and had the same barrel length as the AK-74 (the weapon it was based off), while having a much shorter overall length.

Shevchenko produced either a prototype model or a mock-up, but he had no factories to mass-produce the weapon. He contacted Tula Arms Plant for production, but they rejected his proposal because they did not have room to produce anything new.

By the 1980s, the Russian army had already adopted the short-barreled AKS-74U, so Shevchenko's weapon was no longer required and was not adopted by any military forces.

Design[]

The gun was gas operated with long stroke piston. It had a very short bolt carrier group and short bolt stroke distance (only half of the cartridge length) which allows it to house a full size AK-74 barrel in required dimensions. It achieved to have a compact bolt carrier group due to a unique locking system with tilting L shaped locking lugs, which are forced to lock and unlock the breech by camming surfaces in the front trunnion and on the bolt carrier. The receiver was also very short at only 85mm.

Allegedly, the short travel distance of bolt carrier group and its lightweight reciprocating parts resulted in a very high rate of fire of 1800 RPM. As it is unclear if a functional model was ever produced and tested, most information on the weapon's specs could be theoretical values.

Gallery[]

References[]

v • d • e Bullpup firearms

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Battle rifles	ASh-12.7 • Gordon CSWS • KAL1 • Model 45A • RFB • RM277 • Saritch • Sieg • Tavor 7

Carbines	AGM-1 • FAVS • Gwinn • IMP-221 • J67 • J68 • L22 • MTAR • Muzzelite MZ14 • MTs 558 • Razorback • Sawfly • SDK • Vadum • X95

Submachine guns	AUG Para • Caribe • CS/LS2 • Delacre • Douglas • GMP-82 • Győrik • M.G.91 • OTs-69 • QCQ-05 • QCW-05 • Sidewinder • SMG11 • Stoehr • Tao

PDWs	P90 • PDR • SM-1

Machine guns	AUG HBAR • Fordyce • Geller • L65 • L86 • Levant • LMG11 • QBB-95 • Pecheneg Bullpup • PSh 7.62 • TsKIB • XL73 • XM235

Sniper rifles	Ballista • Bor • Desert Tech SRS • DSR-1 • Keppeler • OTs-03M • OTs-44 • OTs-48K • SKW-338 • SREM-1 • SVU • SVGSh 338-25 • TKB-0145K • VKS • WA 2000 • WSG2000 • Xceed

Designated marksman rifles	AWC G2 • M89SR • QBU-88 • Sardius • Szép

Anti-materiel rifles	AMR 5075 • Askoriya • Barrett M82A2 • Barrett M90 • Barrett M95 • Barrett M99 • Barrett XM500 • Desert Tech HTI • DSR-50 • Falcon • Gepárd M1, M2, M3, M5 • Harris • IWS 2000 • JS 05 • KSVK • LAR Grizzly Big Boar • Leader 50 • LR2 • Lynx • M06 • M-2002 • Maadi-Griffin • MACS • Mambi-1 • Mambi-2 • NTW-20 • PDShP • RT-20 • S.R. Model 9 • SV-18 • Vidhwansak • VM-2000 • W03 • WKW Wilk

Anti-tank rifles	Blyum • SS.41 • ZK 382

Shotguns	BP-12 • D12 • DP-12 • FBS-12 • FD12 • HG-105 • HS-10 • J210 • Jackhammer • KS-23K • KS7 • KSG • Kushnapup • LA-K12 • M&P12 • Mod. 410 • MKA 1923 • Napoli • P-12 • SIX12 • SW1 • SWATriplex-18 • TriStar • TS12 • UNG-12 • XB

Combat shotguns	Gordon CSWS • Hawk Bullpup • HK CAWS • Neostead • Pentagun • SKO-Bull • UTS-15

Grenade launchers	AAI OICW • Burya • AGLC • AICW • CG AGR • Cougar MS • K11 • PAPOP • RGSh30 • STG-20 • TVGK • X25-17 • XM25 • XM29 OICW

Combination	AAI OICW • AGLC • AICW • K11 • Nammo SSW • NIVA XM1970 • PAPOP • SW1 • TVGK • XM29 OICW

Other	NIVA XM1970

Smerch

Contents

History[]

Design[]

Gallery[]

References[]

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