Stechkin

Stechkin

   The Stechkin automatic pistol or APS (Avtomaticheskiy Pistolet Stechkina = Автоматический Пистолет Стечкина) is a Soviet selective fire machine pistol chambered in 9×18mm Makarov and 9x19mm Parabellum introduced into service in 1951 for use with artillery and mortar crews, tank crews and aircraft personnel, where a cumbersome assault rifle was deemed unnecessary. Seeing service in a number of wars such as the Vietnam war, War in Donbas and Syrian Civil War. The APS was praised for its innovative concept and good controllability for its size. However, the high cost of the weapon, complex and time-consuming machining, combined with a limited effective range, large size and weight for a pistol, and fragile buttstock have been mentioned as a reason to phase it out of active service in favour of assault rifles such as the AKS-74U. The pistol bears the name of its developer, Igor Stechkin.