BXP
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| BXP | |
|---|---|
| Type | Submachine gun |
| Place of origin | South Africa |
| Production history | |
| Designed | mid 1980s |
| Produced | 1988 to Present |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 2.5 kg |
| Length | 387 mm (607 mm with open stock) |
| Barrel length | 208 mm |
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| Caliber | 9x19 mm Luger/Para |
| Action | Blowback-operated, selective fire |
| Rate of fire | 1000 rounds per minute |
| Effective range | 50-100 m |
| Feed system | 22 or 32 rounds |
The BXP submachine gun was developed in the mid-1980s by the South African company Mechem as an improved version of the American-made Ingram Mac-10 submachine gun, and brought into production in 1988. The weapon was intended for use by military and police forces in South Africa, where international sanctions had caused a weapons shortage.
The weapon fires from the open bolt, and is blowback operated and selective fire. The bolt wraps around the rear part of the barrel when closed, saving on overall barrel length. The cocking handle is located at the top of the receiver. Unlike the MAC-10, the BXP has an ambidextrous safety lever and a separate fire mode selector built into the trigger. The weapon can be fired in single-shot mode by partially pressing the trigger, or in full-auto mode by fully pressing the trigger. There is also an interceptor notch that catches the bolt if it is released during the cocking but prior to activating the sear. The weapon is coated with a rust-resistant coating which doubles as a dry lubricant.
Owing to a wide variety of muzzle devices (including silencers, heat shields, and even grenade launchers), the weapon can be used to fire non-lethal and explosive projectiles by the means of blank cartridge, as well as it's normal lethal ammunition. The BXP also features an underfolding buttstock, made from stamped steel. The standard sights are of open type, but the BXP can be equipped with laser aiming modules and collimating sights.
The gun fires at a relatively high rate of about 1000 rounds per minute, and is extremely well-balanced and reasonably accurate with a barrel length of 208 mm. It can be fire single-handedly by folding the stock forward to form a solid foregrip.
