Automatic rifle Fyodorov Bashny.Net

Soviet skiers with guns Fedorov on the captured pillbox Inc. Finnish-6





Automatic rifle Fyodorov - weapons unfulfilled future

This weapon has opened a new era in the small arms of the Russian army during the First World War. Not been for the February Revolution in Russia and the subsequent Bolshevik revolution, rifle-machine VG Fedorov en masse would get the shock of the infantry, air force, navy and the armored car division.

Assault automatic rifle

How to call the product Gun outstanding Russian designer Vladimir G. Fyodorov, is still being discussed in a special oruzhievedcheskoy literature. Fedorov himself called him "automatic". However, many experts argue that the gun Fedorov is closer in design to the mechanism and characteristics of 6, 5-mm cartridge is not the classic machines, such as the famous German "Schmeisser" MP40 and to the automatic rifle. However, there are also historically the existed during the First World War, the name - "manual gun gun Fedorov," and even "rifle gun».

Vladimir Fedorov was not only a talented designer of weapons, but also a major theorist of small arms. Tactical and technical requirements (TTT) to Assault automatic weapons, that is the class of automatic assault rifles, developed the first VG Fedorov, became classics.

In the early twentieth century, these TTT were heard in the area of ​​military technology is almost revolutionary. The new weapon was to have weight and dimensions that are suitable for the individual soldier, actively move on the battlefield. The weapon was to be able to fire single shots and bursts, with the replaceable store large capacity. It was to allow the soldier to open fire immediately on the move, but have the ability to accurately shot with focus on sredneudalennye distance. All these requirements are automatic rifle Fyodorov, in principle, is responsible in the same way as the modern American M16 assault rifle or the German Heckler-Koch G36. Thus, the Armoury product Fedorov was, apparently, the world's first entered service specialized assault rifle.

Vladimir Fedorov.



Fighting "Bergman" and "Mauser»

Military Thought of Imperial Russia, in terms of long-term development of small arms, for that matter, and other areas of arms, usually only about refleksirovala already launched in the production of weapons in the West. This feature of the Russian military department could not affect the fate of the development of automatic weapons. While in all the leading countries of Europe design work on the creation of automatic weapons carried out on the basis of state order and financing, Russian developers machines could only rely on your pocket and the possible favorable attention immediate superiors.

At the turn of the twentieth century in Russia there were more or less tailor-made projects rifles designers Glinski, Glubovskogo, Privalov, Wieliczka, Shchukin. Very promising structure on the basis of automatic processing of three-linear rifle Mosin proposed YA.U. Roschepey. In 1907 there was a capital theoretical guidance VG Fedorov "The base for the design of automatic weapons." However, despite seemingly already having practical and even theoretical base, work on design of automatic rifles did not cause any interest in the military ministry of Russia, supervised by no one, and, accordingly, did not go beyond the individual, artisanal inventiveness.
Indirectly helped the West. In 1914, the Italian Army Maj Bethel Revelli created the twin submachine gun under the 9-mm cartridge, which later received the name "Aviation submachine gun Villar-Perosa M1915". Almost simultaneously, the French launched the moody although technically, but on the basis of a massive machine gun rifle "Shosha» (Chauchat Model1915). The British developed automatic rifle Farkauera Hill with a drum magazine for 20 rounds.

However, the main motive for the Russian military establishment began, of course, the German automatic weapon designs. The Germans began to use aviation automatic rifle Mauser 1910/1913 was provided with an interpreter for automatic shooting and a removable magazine for 25 rounds. In addition, there is information on the promising start extremely successful design submachine gun of German gunsmith MR.18 Hugo Schmeisser, the release of which was later mastered the company Theodor Bergmann.

As a result, Russian Defense Ministry finally pay attention to the problem of domestic production of automatic weapons and recalled the long-standing project of rifle - the rifle gun VG Fedorov.

Gun "unfinished»

Long lack of interest in domestic developments of automatic weapons and government funding in this area could not go in vain. The so-called "gun hand gun Fedorov" was the only model of automatic weapons, which was developed and adopted for service in Russia during the First World War. As the famous oruzhieved SL Fedoseyev, for the years of World War I in France, for example, was created and delivered on the production of five new models of automatic weapons, and in Germany - eight.

Rifle automatic Fedorov could bring to adopting and mass production much earlier than its appearance in the army at the beginning of 1916 - beginning of 1917. Even in the years 1909-1912. She successfully passed the commission, landfills and military tests. During its development, VG Fedorov was awarded the St. Michael's even a large premium (Gold Medal) issued every five years, but in the industrial plant rifle came only in mid-1914.

On what was the reason, today it is difficult to say exactly. Most likely, with the overall strategic and technological stagnancy the Russian state machine. The former Minister of War, AA Polivanov in his diary entry for February 21, 1912 indicates, for example, that the Tsar Nicholas II «was a lecture by Colonel Fedorov, the inventor of an automatic rifle, and told him that he was against its introduction in the army, since then not have enough ammo." For objectivity's sake it should be noted that a very low educational level of conscripts in the army of the Russian Empire caused largely well-founded fear of the king and the generals of the General Staff, who seriously expected to increase, aimless flow of ammunition yesterday lapotnymi peasants.

Another objective reason for the significant delay in the implementation of the invention gun VG Fedorov was the inescapable "Achilles heel" of all stores of weapons systems in Russia - rantovoy (direct) "Russian" 7, 62-mm rifle cartridge. (Its feature was the presence of the welt or flange - roughly speaking, the protruding edge on the bottom of the liner, which is technologically difficult to use it in other types of weapons).

War Minister Alexei Polivanov



Help comes Arisaka

By the end of 1914, the Russian military command became apparent that the lack of infantry rifles and ammunition to them at the front has already reached catastrophic proportions. In the campaign of 1915, the Russian army included an acute shortage of all kinds of weapons and military equipment, but is particularly acute was a rifle and ammunition "hunger." By this time, the efforts of General Edward Germoniusa dealing with the procurement of weapons and military equipment abroad, between Russia and Japan signed a contract for the purchase №3027 200,000 Arisaka rifles sample in 1897 and 200 million cartridges for them. In addition, the Japanese side gave way to Russia over the contract 5 million rifle cartridges.
That was just the beginning - by the end of the Great War, Russia had 728 thousand rifles Arisaka, they were armed with whole divisions, and even housing. The funds of the English loan Russia has ordered 660 million in England, 6, 5-mm rounds, even 124 million rounds of ammunition, Japan pledged to deliver.

The cartridge 6, 5 mm Arisaka in no small measure contributed to the fact that the rifle-machine Fedorov of "paper project" was finally a reality. Designer himself, long before the arrival of rifles Arisaka the troops came to the conclusion that the power of 7, 62 mm "Russian" rantovoy cartridge overkill for automatic weapons, besides extending the welt (flange) of the cartridge creating formidable interfere with the mechanisms of the slide and shop. Russian army clearly needed a modern cartridge suitable for use in automatic weapons. VG Fedorov in 1912-1913. developed its 6, 5-mm cartridge "improved ballistics," but to organize its industrial production in Russia in the war was obviously unrealistic.

Japan 6, 5-mm rifle cartridge, is shipped en masse into the Russian army, it came in very handy as fully rented to assume a relatively small series of machine Fedorova any danger of a "patron of hunger." This cartridge had a very good ballistics, providing flatness of shooting, affordable capacity, and taking into account the state of the art technological lines of England and Japan - the standardization of high energy impact.

Application of 6, 5-mm cartridge allowed to literally transform the armory product VG Fedorov. Rifle-Machines shortened from 800 to 520 mm barrel, which immediately markedly improved balance of weapons. In fact bezflantsevy Arisaka cartridge (flange dimensions advocated cartridge only to 0, 315 mm) allowed to enter the system flag translator rate of fire, making the mobile shutter cover is designed for a series of interchangeable weapons stores.

Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich



Informal combat tests

Oruzhieved SL Fedoseyev in one of his works gives information about how to modify under 6, 5 mm Japanese rifle cartridge automatic testing took place in the army. Long-term, multiple duplicative testing, traditional for the Russian Defense Ministry, were replaced in the crucible of actual combat in the rapid and coherent assessment of relevant military structures.
February 21, 1916 Naval General Staff asked me to at least 10 machines Fedorov "in view of the dire need for such guns in naval aviation." The chief of military aviation, the Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich praised automatic rifle after combat use in the 10th aviadivizione Lieutenant Colonel Gorshkov. "Gun Gun General Fedorov showed excellent results - the Grand Duke turned to the Main Artillery Directorate (GAU). - Please dress for a hundred of these guns for aircraft orders. Shotgun in all respects better gun Shosha. " Another squadron commander, Captain IN Tunashevsky in his report was even more categorical - "gun gun Fedorov only suitable for light airplane».

Summing up the received feedback from the front, GAU journal №381 on 6 September 1916 issued a ruling that "notwithstanding that general gun Fedorov could usefully be employed, except for aircraft and armored vehicles, especially the gun, where it is impossible to put a machine gun. In addition, the automatic rifle Fyodorov could be used for the field of trench warfare as an infantry weapons ».

However, before this determination, August 14, 1916 Chief of General Staff, General PI Averyanov sent to the main military-technical management of the following requirements: "In the circumstances of this war seems necessary now to form a company, armed with automatic rifles of Major General Fedorov presented here in a special state ...».

In August and October 1916 at the Infantry Officers' School-based company Izmail 189th Infantry Regiment of the 48th Infantry Division was formed and trained "team of special purpose." Team armed with automatic rifles Fedorova, and in addition, under the instruction supplied with "all the new technical improvements": optical sights, prismatic binoculars, field portable infantry shields GVTU of the Technical Committee, the new steel helmets Adriana. In fact, the Russian army created a sample of the near future.

In early 1917, a company of submachine 189th Izmail Regiment was sent to the Romanian front. On April 30, 1917, according to the report of the Chief of Staff of the 48th Infantry Division, in the company of a separate consisted 3 officers and 138 enlisted men. Further reporting on the division has not been preserved - it is time to "fraternization" and the rapid collapse of the Russian army. A number of automatic rifles Fedorova were involved in infantry and air units of the Western Front.

Japanese bezflantsevy 6, 5-mm rifle cartridge Arisaka



Innovative technical features

Fedorov Avtomat was for its time, a high-tech product: the production of this gun could only be accomplished with the use of a milling machine.

Automation Systems wore innovative nature: the action reload ammunition was based on the use of energy efficiency in the short course of the trunk. Even today, this principle of automatic rifle still remains popular in the army and game systems.
Locking barrel made with two swinging cheeks, on the sides of the breech and the locking lugs special shutter. Under the influence of the recoil shot barrel and slide to move back - front tabs swinging cheeks were running over the shoulder of the fixed duct and turn the bolt group, releasing the shutter. Under the influence of the powerful impact of the compressed return spring barrel and slide, eject spent cartridges and taking the next cartridge back to its original position, and swinging his cheeks, rising up, locked the gate.

The trigger mechanism of the rifle-machine Fedorov allowed to conduct as a single and automatic fire, which was equipped with special weapons translator rate of fire. Side box magazine machine was designed for 25 staggered rounds. In the case of the need for rapid loading content store could be made from a special holder that is inserted into the slots on top of the box - with the retaining bolt in the rear position, simple but reliable gate delay.

Undisputed "highlight" of the machine Fedorov became a convenient front handle hold - the original construction details, clearly ahead of its time. Back to the details of the domestic arms (for example, modification of Kalashnikov) occurred again only at the end of the twentieth century. Initially the rifle was folding machine frame sight similar to the sight in Japanese Arisaka carbine. Choosing this type of sight, Fedorov came, apparently, from what ballistics 6, 5-mm cartridge to the machine was similar ballistics "native" chuck 6, 5 mm Arisaka. Subsequently, the scope has been replaced by the more convenient the sector.

Automatic rifle Fyodorov different rational and beautiful, even in hindsight, design. Metal casket pad on the front of the fore-end, stylish handle retention, narrow neck chiseled Lodge, an impressive and powerful horn shop shutter handle attached to the top rifle Fyodorov unique "predatory" look, according to an understandable language for the professional style of the exclusive as a weapon. Stuffing machine shoulder removes all doubt amazing, even unique balance of these weapons. If there is a balance that with a good chuck (and in the dignity of 6, 5 mm Arisaka no doubt) shot "of Fedorov" even with the device fully, logically, had to be canceled.

Fedorov Avtomat M1916.



Sgublenny revolution

Fedorov Avtomat shared the tragic fate of Russian history. On the basis of its design was prepared by the technical documentation for a whole family of small arms, which includes, in addition to the machine, and 6, 5 mm light machine gun, 6, 5-mm automatic rifle and a shortened (for armored car parts) 6, 5-mm self-loading carabiner.
However, long-range plans for the production of these weapons are not destined to become a metal: Russia is rapidly sinking into a revolution, with its inevitable chaos, the rage and betrayal of the blood flow.

Mass production of the machine initially planned to deploy in the Sestroretsk arms factory, then the idea is to move production to a new factory machine gun in Kovrov Vladimir province.



That's all.