BXP
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| BXP | |
|---|---|
| Type | Submachine gun |
| Place of origin |  South Africa |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1980s |
| Manufacturer | Mechem (under ARMSCOR), Milkor Marketing, Truvelo Armoury |
| Produced | 1988-present |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 2.5 kg (5.51 lb) |
| Length | 607 mm (23.9 in) stock extended / 387 mm (15.2 in) stock folded |
| Barrel length | 208 mm (8.2 in) |
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| Cartridge | 9x19mm Parabellum |
| Action | Recoil operation |
| Rate of fire | ~1000 rounds/min |
| Effective range | 50-100 m |
| Feed system | 22 or 32-round detachable box magazine |
| Sights | Iron sights |
The BXP is 9 mm submachine gun developed in the mid-1980s by the South African company Mechem (currently a division of Denel, formerly under ARMSCOR) as an improved version of the American MAC 10, and brought into production in 1988. Due to international arms embargoes of Apartheid South Africa, the country was forced to design and manufacture their own weapons. The weapon was intended for use by security forces. The manufacturing rights shifted from hand to hand several times during the years, passing from Mechem to Milkor Marketing and later to Truvelo Armoury, the current manufacturer (as for 2008).
[edit] Design details
The weapon fires from the open bolt, and is blowback operated and selective fire. The bolt wraps around the rear of the barrel when closed, saving on overall 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 normal 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 well-balanced and reasonably accurate with a barrel length of 208 mm (8.2 in). It can be fire single-handedly by folding the stock forward to form a solid foregrip.
