Pulling guard with Afghan Army

[TheDisturbed1]

Its a perk of being enlisted. lol.

But really, they have this 12.7mm machine gun up in the towers... Chinese definately, has a "54" on the top of the reciever with some chinese letters on it.

None of the parts' serial numbers match, and the barrel has cooling rings, and there is a circular muzzle brake. Its beaten up, but not NEAR as bad as their AK's, which are also chinese (selector markings in chinese).

What am I pulling guard next to?

 

[Babarsac]

Looks like a Soviet DShk (http://world.guns.ru/machine/mg03-e.htm) but with the Chinese markings it could either be a knockoff or a piece that was imported into China then found its way to Afghanistan.

Stay safe out there.

 

[Ian]

Yup, that's a DShK heavy machine gun.

 

[LaEscopeta]

Hey, what is the second, lighter machine gun in the background of the photo in the original post? The one with the belt fed from the RIGHT side?

 

[LeonCarr]

Does it have "Da Switch" ?



Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[Chindo18Z]

Hey, what is the second, lighter machine gun in the background of the photo in the original post? The one with the belt fed from the RIGHT side?

PKM. Standard Warsaw Pact/Soviet/Russian GPMG equivalent of our Western M60/M240/MG3.

Fires 7.72 x 54mm Rimmed from a non-disintegrating link belt.

Excellent gun and the most commonly encountered machinegun in that part of the world.

Much easier to hump than ours (lighter). Reliable and accurate.

 

[Uncle Mike]

Looks like the Russian PK/PKM http://world.guns.ru/machine/mg07-e.htm

 

[Ian]

Given the long flash hider and lack of a belt box, I would guess the background gun is a PK, not PKM.

 

[rangerruck]

...feeds from the right, gas tube underneath, bipod clips to the tube, not the bbl., thumbhole stock. Looks goofy but comfy.

 

[psyopspec]

The vernacular pronounciation as I've heard it is "Dish-kuh."

 

[nathan]

Is it as good as our .50 BMG ?

http://world.guns.ru/machine/mg03-e.htm

 

[C-grunt]

One time we were pulling guard duty at an Iraqi police station and one of their officers AD'd a Dish-ka. Blew the crap out of the building he was next to. Only time I have seen one fired. From the damage it did I would say its pretty equivalent to our BMG.

 

[rcmodel]

Is it as good as our .50 BMG ?

No heavy machinegun is as good as our Browning .50.

rc

 

[JWJacobVT]

Stay Safe in Afghan. The Dishka and the PKM were a blast to shoot when I was there in2003. Just didnt trust them not to blow up, after really looking at them and the maintance they got. I prefer the M2 for a heavy, but the PKM sure beats the 249 saw and the 240/60, heavier round and a lighter gun. The PKM sort of reminds me of the HK 21 which I love and wish the US had gone to that instead of the 249. But i dont like the M16/M4 either, Give me a M14 or G3 anyday. Nice to dream.

 

[jonnyc]

12.7x108 (theirs) vs 12.7x99 (ours)
Very similar rounds. Our .50BMG has a much wider variety of loadings.

 

[TheDisturbed1]

More photos for y'all, of both.

 

[nathan]

WOw, the two are commie designs dating back many decades ago. Rugged and just as reliable. The PKM sure is nice to have. Has the resemblance to the BRitish Bren Gun.

 

[max popenker]

What am I pulling guard next to?

a Chinese "Type 54" heavy machine gun a licensed version of the Soviet DShKM 38/46 heavy machine gun

Ballistically it is equivalent to M2HB, although ammo selection in .50 BMG / 12.7x99 is much wider than in 12.7x108

BTW, it is more properly spelled as Doo-shka, not Dishka

 

[CZguy]

max popenker,

Very informative post........thank you.

 

[kwelz]

But does it shoot!

 

[CornCod]

There are many thousands of DShK's serving all over the world. They are common as the Browning 50's. Most of the vehicle mounted machine guns in ex-Soviet armed countries are 14.5mm. If wonder if the 14.5 KPV has better performance than the Browning .50?

 

[Beagle-zebub]

No heavy machinegun is as good as our Browning .50.

Not even the M3M? Or the QCB version of the M2, which we don't have?

 

[Mandolin]

Didn't the 14.5mm MGs come out after some genius relized that the 14.5x114mm round used in anti-tank-rifles would be awsome in a machine gun?

 

[max popenker]

Most of the vehicle mounted machine guns in ex-Soviet armed countries are 14.5mm. If wonder if the 14.5 KPV has better performance than the Browning .50?

There are 2 types of vehicle-mounted HMGs - the ones that serve as a main armament on BTR-70 and 80 armored personnel carriers and BRDM-2 armored recon vehicles, and those that are used as secondary / AA armament on tanks, usually on turret-top mounts

Former ones indeed are 14.5mm KPVTs, while the latter usually are 12.7mm NSVT-12.7 or Kord-12.7

Performance-vise, 14.5mm KPVT is significantly more powerful than any 12.7 / .50 MG, using AP bullets weighting about 63 gram (970 grains) at 990 m/s (3245 fps)

Didn't the !4.5mm MGs come out after some genius relized that the 14.5x114mm round used in anti-tank-rifles would be awsome in a machine gun?

yes, that's the story

 

[Mandolin]

970 grains at 3245fps? WOW. That's powerful. On the other hand, how much does the monster weight?