ДШК machine gun: history of creation and design features

The DShK machine gun went to the workers 'and peasants' Red Army in February 1939, but, despite the seven decades that have passed since that time, it is still present among the regular heavy weapons in many armies. In this article, we will briefly outline the history and design features of this outstanding model of Russian design thought.

The machine gun DShK. A photo. History of creation

Large-caliber machine guns - the product of the First World War. Initially, they were faced with the tasks of combating the then weak armored tanks, aviation and infantry in light shelters. It was these opportunities that thirsted to get the command of the Red Army from the new domestic machine gun, issuing a technical task for it to designers. The machine gun DShK was born for ten years, we can say, in the throes of creativity. The most sophisticated and powerful domestic cartridge 12.7 x 108 was invented, which, by the way, is still actively used in modern rifle systems. However, for a long time Degtyarev could not create a large-caliber machine gun acceptable to the army . The main drawback of the DC (Degtyarev large-caliber) model of 1930 was a drum shop for thirty cartridges and a low rate of fire, which did not allow to use the machine gun effectively as an antiaircraft gun. Only attraction to participate in the development of another outstanding designer, GS Shpagin, allowed to solve the problem. The Degtyarev machinegun was equipped with a barrel-type drum cartridge for taping Shpagin's design, which resulted in the machine gun having a very decent fire rate of 600 rounds per minute, ribbon feeding and the now known name "DSM machine gun". Since 1939, he entered the combatant units and has since participated and participated in all the armed conflicts of the world. It is currently in service with forty armies. Produced by China, Iran, Pakistan and some other countries.

Large-caliber machine gun DShK: design and modifications

Automation of the machine gun works according to the widespread principle of diversion of expanding powder gases. The gas outlet chamber is located under the barrel. Locking occurs with the help of two combat larvae, which cling to the notches carved in the opposite walls of the receiver. The machine gun of the DShK can only fire automatically, the barrel has a fixed, cooling air. The tape with cartridges is fed from the left side to the drum, which has six open chamber. The latter, rotating, feeds the tape and simultaneously removes cartridges from it. In 1946, the design made changes that affected the steel grades used, the production technology and the cartridge feeding device. The "drum" was abandoned and a simpler slide mechanism was used, which allowed the use of new cartridge belts, and it was easier and more technologically on both sides. The advanced machine gun was called DShKM.

Conclusion

In the world there are only two really well-known machine guns caliber 12 mm. This machine gun DShK and Browning machine gun M2, and the domestic machine gun due to a more powerful cartridge and a heavy bullet surpasses the American analog. Until now, the fire of DShK is considered highly effective and terrifies the enemy.