KPV heavy machine gun

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KPV 14.5×114 mm machine gun
A KPV machine gun in a ZPU-1 anti-aircraft mounting.
Type	Heavy machine gun
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Service history
In service	1949 -
Production history
Designed	1944
Specifications
Weight	49.1 kg
Length	2006 mm
Barrel length	1346 mm

Cartridge	14.5×114 mm
Caliber	14.5 mm
Action	Automatic
Rate of fire	550 rpm
Muzzle velocity	976 m/s to 1005 m/s
Feed system	40-round belt

The KPV heavy machine gun (Krupnokaliberniy Pulemyot Vladimorova, in Russian as Крупнокалиберный Пулемет Владимирова, or КПВ) is a Soviet designed 14.5×114 mm-caliber heavy machine gun, which first entered service as an infantry weapon (designated PKP) in 1949. In the 1960s the infantry version was taken out of production because it was too big and heavy. It was later redesigned for anti-aircraft use, because it showed excellent results as an AA gun against low flying planes, with a range of 1500m and was used in the ZPU-4, ZPU-2 and ZPU-1 anti-aircraft guns. Its size and power made it a useful light anti-armour weapon on the BTR series of vehicles and BRDM-2 scout car. The version for use in armoured vehicles is called the KPVT (tankoviy, 'tank').

1 Mechanics
2 Ammunition
3 External links
4 References

[edit] Mechanics

The development of the machine gun began in 1944. The cartridge can be used with High Explosive Incendiary - Tracer (HEI-T) or Armour-Piercing Incendiary (API) bullets, and they have approximately twice the energy of a normal 12.7 mm (.50 BMG) projectile. The KPV is air-cooled and fitted with a chromed barrel. It uses a short recoil operation system with gas assistance and a rotary bolt. It can be fed with the 40-round belt from either the left or right side.

[edit] Ammunition

B-32 - Armor-piercing incendiary full metal jacket round with a tungsten-carbide core. Projectile weight is 64.4 g and muzzle velocity is 976 m/s. Armour penetration at 500 m is 32 mm of rolled homogenous armour (RHA) at 0 degrees.
BZT - Armor-piercing incendiary tracer full metal jacket round with a steel core. Projectile weight is 59.56 g and muzzle velocity is 1,005 m/s. Tracer burns to at least 2,000 m.
MDZ - High-explosive incendiary bullet of instant action. Projectile weight is 59.68 g.