Kord machine gun

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Please improve this article if you can. (January 2007)

KORD
Type	Heavy machine gun
Place of origin	Russia
Service history
Used by	Russia
Production history
Designed	late 1990s
Variants	Infantry and vehicle mounted versions
Specifications
Weight	25 to 75 kg
Length	1,625 mm (64 in)(Tank) 1,980 mm (78 in) (Infantry)Bipod/Tripod models

Cartridge	12.7x108mm
Action	gas-operated rotating bolt
Rate of fire	650-750 rds/min
Muzzle velocity	820-860 m/s
Effective range	2000 m (Ground); 1500 m (Air)
Feed system	50 round belt

The Kord 12.7 mm heavy machine gun is a Russian design that entered service in 1998 ^[1] replacing the older NSV machine gun. Externally the weapon resembles the NSV, however the internal mechanism has been extensively reworked, changing from a horizontally pivoting breech block to a rotating bolt design ^[1]. Additionally the gas system has been changed and the muzzle baffle redesigned. These changes give the weapon reduced recoil compared with the NSV, allowing greater accuracy during sustained fire.

1 Development
2 Variants
3 See also
4 References

[edit] Development

The catalyst for the development of the weapon was a complete lack of any heavy machine guns in construction at that time in the Russian Federation. Prior to the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the weapon that had functioned as the heavy machine gun was the NSV, or "Utes" or "Utjos" (Meaning cliff in Russian, this name was its designation during development) ^[2] (утёс) machine gun. The main production center for the NSV was now located in Kazakhstan ^[1].

The Russian Degtyarev bureau was given the job of producing an updated version of the weapon chambered to the 12.7x108mm cartridge, which could be used for support, mounted on vehicles, or in an anti-aircraft capacity.

The weapon employs new construction, and consequently is significantly lighter than its predecessor. The firing mechanism is very rugged (in the Russian tradition), yet is capable of a greater rate of fire and significantly less recoil. Because a new barrel made of a hi-tech alloy minimizes distortion and droop, accuracy has increased tremendously over previous Soviet machine guns. Unlike its predecessor, it may be fired from a bipod - a unique feature for .50 caliber heavy machine guns.

[edit] Variants

6P49 - Baseline variant for vehicle mounting. 1.625 meters long and weighing 27 kg. ^[1]
6P50 - The infantry version. 1.58 meters long and weighing 25 kg.^[1]
6P50-1 - Bipod mounted infantry version. +/-15 degree traverse on the bi-pod. Weight is 32 kilograms. Length is 1.98 meters.^[1]
6P50-2 - 6T19 tripod mounted version, length 1.98 meters, weight with tripod 52 kg. Shell ejection is to the right.^[1]
6P50-3 - Infantry version on a 6U6 multipurpose mounting. Ejection is to the right. Weight 75 kilograms. Shell ejection is to the right.^[1]
6P51 - Co-axial version with left hand feed. Weight 27 kg with forward shell ejection.^[1]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

Kord machine gun at zid.ru
World.Guns review "Kord 12.7 6P50 heavy machine gun (Russia)" Modern Firearms & Ammunition, Site design, texts, some pictures © Maxim R. Popenker 1999-2007.