| PSM | |
|---|---|
| Type | Semi-automatic pistol |
| Place of origin | Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1973- |
| Used by | See Users |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1969 |
| Produced | 1973- |
| Variants | IZh-75, Baikal-441 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 460 g (16 oz) |
| Length | 155 mm (6.1 in) |
| Barrel length | 84.6 mm (3.3 in) |
| Height | 117 mm (4.6 in) |
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| Cartridge | 5.45x18mm |
| Action | Blowback |
| Muzzle velocity | 315 m/s (1,033 ft/s) |
| Effective range | Sights fixed for 25 m |
| Feed system | 8-round detachable box magazine |
| Sights | Rear notch and front post |
The PSM (Pistolet Samozaryadny Malogabaritny, Russian for "small self-loading pistol") was designed by the Tula Design Bureau in 1969 as a self-defense firearm for law enforcement and military officers of the USSR. The pistol entered production at the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant in 1973.
The PSM is a blowback-operated handgun with a double action trigger and slide mounted manual safety without a slide stop. The grip panels are made from thin aluminum and new model with hard plastic. The weapon is made from steel.
The PSM was designed around the newly developed 5.45x18mm cartridge, which was developed for the weapon by Precision Mechanical Engineering Central Research Institute. The cartridge is capable of penetrating 55 layers of kevlar at realistic engagement distances. This cartridge has a bottlenecked case and a spitzer-pointed jacketed bullet, providing performance superior to the .22 LR and .25 ACP (6.35x16mmSR Browning) rounds.
The pistol was primarily intended for army high command staff. However, owing to its insignificant dimensions, especially small thickness (21 mm across the safety catch), it soon became popular with security (KGB) and law enforcement (militsiya) personnel. The PSM was also appreciated by higher echelon Communist Party functionaries.
An export model designated the IZh-75 was produced in .25 ACP.[1]