Automatic "Vepr" (Ukraine) was developedUkrainian Scientific and Technical Center for Precision Engineering. The basis for the creation was the Soviet Kalashnikov assault rifle of the 1974 model with a caliber of 5.45 millimeters. Today we will talk about how weapons were developed, we will give a description of it.
History of creation
Ukrainian automatic weapon "Vepr" proposed to developAnatoly Anatolyev, who at that time served as the chief of the weapons storage base. After some time, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine approved the proposal. Sergey Naumov (chief designer of the enterprise) chose the project manager.
First show
In 2003 (on August 28, to be more precise) inKiev hosted a press conference where authorized representatives for the first time introduced the Ukrainian automatic rifle "Vepr". The director of NTTsTM of Ukraine also spoke on it. He said that the total cost of developing weapons amounted to about one hundred thousand dollars. It was also indicated that there are prerequisites for further serial production. However, this required additional investment. Specifically, this amount has increased five-fold compared to the original one.
Plans and Interferences
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine had its own viewsto this weapon. By the way, some people tend to call the Ukrainian weapon "Vepir-12". However, this is wrong. The Ukrainian machine has a strict name "Vepr" ("Vepr" in Ukrainian). But "Vepr-12" with the addition of "Hammer" is already a Russian weapon. But it refers not to the class of automata, but to the category of smoothbore carbines. Combines these two weapons with the fact that they were developed on the basis of AK-74.
But we moved away from the topic a little.As it was said earlier, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine wished to see the military tests of the machine. Their completion was scheduled for May 2004. A few months later, in September, the weapons had to be taken off the conveyors directly into the hands of the soldiers of the Ukrainian army. However, until October 2004 inclusive, only ten experimental models were produced. It would be logical to assume that it was not possible to establish mass production.
Opportunities and their price
Automatic "Vepr", the price of which is from AK-74amounted to 155 hryvnia, was not supplied for export, even as of 2013. A year later, according to official figures, no samples of this weapon were received by the troops. Now it is quite difficult to say something specifically about the price of the machine, because it is necessary to take into account economic changes. Now there is no official information about its value. However, as of 2004, the cost of the new machine ranged from $ 150 to $ 160.
Automatic "Vepr": how it works and what is it based on?
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, the basisThe design of the Kalashnikov assault rifle was in 1974. Many of its components and parts were used in the Ukrainian automatic "Vepr". By the way, they can be used interchangeably. For the layout, the "Bull-Dad" scheme was chosen.
What other changes can you find?
Changes have affected not only the layout.They were also applied to the controls. The designers took the bolt handle far ahead. At shooting the handle, by the way, remains motionless. It can be rearranged from one side to the other, from right to left, and from left to right. The fuse switch is designed as a cross slide. It can be detected above the trigger. This innovation has made it possible to achieve improved parameters for bringing the weapon to full combat readiness. The noise reproduced during switching is also reduced.
Fittings
Now we are talking about materials that wereare used in the manufacture of the butt of the butt, fore-end, the trunk lining and the pistol grip. All this is made of black plastic. The weapons themselves are metal. At least, their overwhelming majority. Nevertheless, the prolonged contact of an arrow and a metal of weapons is practically excluded as such. Uneven cooling of the barrel will never be, as the designers completely covered it with patches made of plastic.
Sights
The first prototypes of the Ukrainian machine gun"Vepr" equipped PP, installed on the Soviet AK-74. However, as we remember, the layout of the weapons changed, and this resulted in a reduction in the sighting line. Actually, because of this, the diopter replaced the whole. Like any other machine, the Ukrainian "Boar" is assembled with sighting devices of the standard type. But the characteristic features of the weapon assume the possibility of installing additional sights of the optical or collimator type. You can install a night vision sight.
Automatic "Vepr": recall and modifications
It's clear that we will not find those people right now,who could share their impressions of the shooting of these weapons, as it is a prototype assigned to the troops. However, we can quite talk about what modifications and variations have "Vepr".
Hunting carbine "Vepr"
It was developed in 1994 and is presented in Kievat the exhibition "Weapon-95". Designed for a 7.62 mm cartridge. The basis for construction was provided by AKM. In the mass production of self-loading carbine and did not hit. The demonstration model, which was presented at the 95th weapons exhibition, was equipped with two shops. One was designed for 5 rounds, the second had twice the capacity.
Automatic "Vepr" model of 2004
The modification was equipped with an underbarrel grenade launcher.It was developed on the basis of GP-25. It is interesting that during the shooting this modification behaved more steadily, although the mass of the machine itself did not increase. The thing, most likely, was to change the balance, which became more familiar. In this sample, the fuse was intended immediately for the machine itself, and for the grenade launcher. Simultaneous pressing of the corresponding triggers is therefore not possible.
Automatic "Malyuk"
I used the caliber of 5.45.The length of the trunk is 415 millimeters. Distinctive features: fixing the Picatinny bar, the possibility of installing removable bipods, mufflers. The designers used their experience gained during the development of the "Boar" and corrected about 12 shortcomings.
