Today, the name of Yevgeny Fedorovich Dragunov is associated with the SVD rifle among many. Adopted in 1963, it is still very popular today. Soviet designer created at least 30 models of small arms. Especially famous is the Dragunov - MA assault rifle. Description and characteristics of this sample are presented in the article.
Beginning of work
In 1973, in the USSR, as part of the Modern program, design work began on the creation of small-sized automatic machines of 5.45 mm caliber. The new weapon was intended for grenade launchers, artillery guns, crews of armored vehicles and technical units. The new rifle model was developed as a means of self-defense.
What were the requirements?
The customer (USSR Ministry of Defense) formulated wishes regarding what weapons should be:
- The small-sized assault rifle must be adapted for firing single and bursts.
- With the butt open, the length of the machine should not exceed 75 cm, and when folded - 45 cm.
- The weight of the model should be within 2.2 kg.
- Most of the parts are preferably made of plastic.
- The shooting model should provide effective shooting up to 500 m.
About project participants
Work on the creation of a small-sized shooting model on a competitive basis was carried out by Soviet arms designers M. T. Kalashnikov, I. Ya. Stechkin, A. S. Konstantinov, S. G. Simonov and S. I. Koshkarov. In 1975, this list was supplemented by Evgeny Dragunov.
The small-sized assault rifle - the MA of the Soviet designer - was developed for firing with a 5.45 mm low-pulse cartridge.
On the production of parts for the model
Since one of the requirements of the Ministry of Defense was the presence of glass fiber-filled parts in the weapon, for his small automatic machine (MA) Dragunov decided to use spare parts manufactured at that time by IzhMash for the 74th AK model. As a result, in addition to the planned handles made of injection-molded plastic and a magazine, Dragunov’s weapons also featured a fore-end and a butt, as well as a barrel pad of this material. The operation of glass fiber-filled parts, unlike a metal product, has several advantages. The weapon is much easier. In addition, the production process is less time-consuming, especially if reinforcing elements are not provided for the spare part or their number is minimized. According to experts, the most common layout of Russian small arms is the use of armature as guiding moving parts for the receiver. Since a detachable lid is provided for it, the presence of metal guides in the receiver is considered a prerequisite. As a result, the weapon is a metal structure, "filled" with plastic.
About design
In the upper part of the machine Dragunov - MA are the barrel and receiver. It has a shutter and bolt frame. The place for the trigger mechanism was the box machine. The receiver with the front liner is pivotally connected to a plastic bed, which is attached to the folding butt at the back.
During the assembly of the small-sized machine Dragunov MA, the bed is fixed using the return mechanism. Especially for this purpose, in the process of pouring the bed he was equipped with a single reinforcing part with a protrusion under the return mechanism. This design feature positively affected the mass of the machine gun MA Dragunov. Without ammunition, the weight of the weapon does not exceed 2.5 kg.
About sizes
The developers managed to reduce the dimensions of the MA Dragunov assault rifle due to the metal butt folding on top of the receiver. Molds for spare parts were specially selected so that nothing would interfere with its folding. In addition, the butt should not interfere with aiming. Photo machine gun MA Dragunova presented in the article.
About the first sample
In the very first version of the Dragunov-MA assault rifle, the barrel pad consisted of right and left halves. The SVD sniper rifle also had a similar design.
After refinement of the assault rifle - MA Dragunov, the weapon was supplemented with a pad and a spring-loaded forend. As a material for it, glass-filled polyamide AG-4V was used.
About testing
Having tested the machine, the expert commission was mainly satisfied with its characteristics. Nevertheless, the designer was recommended to refine individual units and parts. In difficult conditions, the trigger mechanism worked with misfires.
The reason for this was the lack of progress during the self-timer, as a result of which the trigger came out of the “dead center” with a delay and was unreliable. This drawback could be eliminated by changing the layout in the mechanism. The gas unit was subject to refinement, namely, the design and dimensions of the pusher. As a result, its length was significantly reduced. If we compare the pushers of a small-sized assault rifle and a Dragunov sniper rifle, then in MA it is shorter and has a weak elasticity. In addition, during operation of the machine, the pusher is subject to severe deformation.
There were no complaints about the details made of glass-filled polyamide. Testing the machine for service strength, it was "dropped" several times on a flat concrete surface. At the same time, each time, falling on the handle, the weapon springed, and like a ball, bounced almost a meter. The accuracy of single and automatic firing from a small-sized machine almost did not differ from this characteristic of the AKS74U. Like any short-barreled specimen firing a powerful cartridge, the Dragunov assault rifle has a small spread in the vertical plane. However, this was not regarded by experts as a flaw.
How does the machine Dragunova MA?
Shooting from weapons is carried out due to the removal of powder gases. Locking is performed by a rotary shutter. There are three combat stops for the machine. Single and automatic firing provided with a trigger trigger mechanism. Ammunition is provided from a regular AK-74 assault rifle, designed for 30 rounds. In an effort to reduce the height of the receiver and simplify the procedure for disassembling weapons, the designer equipped the machine with a special pusher. The gas chamber is equipped with a through hole. The fixation of the flame arrester is performed by a special plug, which is also the front wall of the gas chamber. USM is made as a separate assembly. For him, the trigger blockage scheme was used. The mainspring is designed for compression. When cocking the trigger, the direction of the spring, having crossed its axis of rotation, begins to push. Thus, the spring presses the trigger from the shutter frame, which, having passed the “dead center”, no longer interacts with the moving elements of the mechanism. As a result, during the rollback and rollback of the frame, its friction with the trigger is excluded. After installing the shutter frame in the front position, the trigger is automatically released, located at the “dead center”. The Soviet designer used a similar scheme for the PP-71 submachine gun (in the future, the weapon will be called "Cedar").
About firing modes
The place for the fire translator was the front edge of the trigger guard on the right side of the box. There are three positions for a translator:
- "P". In this position, the fuse is activated.
- "OD". By setting the translator in this position, the fighter can make a single shot.
- "AB". Position for automatic fire.
When the translator’s flag moves to the “P” position, it leaves the hole in the trigger guard. This design feature makes it possible for the shooter to simultaneously determine the position of the fire translator at the same time as the machine grip the handle.
About Sights
The small-sized assault rifle is equipped with a diopter sight, which is designed for a firing range of 300 and 500 m. The device at the base can be rotated relative to the receiver, thus locking the return mechanism. It is possible to disassemble a small-sized machine only after this mechanism has been shifted to the front position, and the bed will be disconnected from the receiver. For this, the diopter sight must be rotated 90 degrees. If the diopter device does not fall into place, the fighter simply can not aim. Thanks to this design, the likelihood that the weapon will be improperly assembled is minimized.
About the arrester
The first samples of small-sized assault rifles were equipped with flame arresters, the design of which was similar to the devices used in the AKM74U (folding shortened 74th model of a Kalashnikov assault rifle). In order to strengthen the muzzle quenching and form a compensating effect, the front parts of the MA flame arresters were equipped with asymmetrically located slots.
About the performance characteristics
- The caliber of a small-sized machine is 5.45 mm.
- Without ammunition, the mass of weapons does not exceed 2.5 kg.
- Total size 735 mm (hiking option). When folded, the size is 50 cm.
- Barrel length 212 mm.
- Machine gun is designed for 30 ammunition.
- Within one minute, up to 800 shots can be fired from a small-sized Dragunov assault rifle.
- The aiming range is 500 m.
