PSM pistol
The PSM (Pistolet Samozaryadny Malogabaritny, Russian for "Small self-loading pistol") was designed by the Tula Design Bureau in 1969 as a self-defense firearm for law enforcement and military officers of the USSR. The pistol entered production at the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant in 1973. The pistol was primarily intended for army high command staff. However, owing to its insignificant dimensions, especially its small width (21 mm across the safety catch), it soon became popular with security (KGB) and law enforcement (militsiya) personnel.
PSM pistol
Vitaly V. Kuzmin · Vitalykuzmin.net · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Name
- PSM
- Field
- semi-automatic pistol
- Period
- 1971
- Region
- Soviet Union
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
The PSM (Pistolet Samozaryadny Malogabaritny, Russian for "Small self-loading pistol") was designed by the Tula Design Bureau in 1969 as a self-defense firearm for law enforcement and military officers of the USSR. The pistol entered production at the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant in 1973. The pistol was primarily intended for army high command staff. However, owing to its insignificant dimensions, especially its small width (21 mm across the safety catch), it soon became popular with security (KGB) and law enforcement (militsiya) personnel.
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Authority files
wikidata · Q2036951 · wikipedia · PSM pistol
In this article
Overview
Overview
The PSM was also appreciated by higher echelon Communist Party functionaries.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — PSM • Origin — Soviet Union • Type — Semi-automatic pistol • Is Ranged — yes • Service — 1973–present • Used By — See Users • Design Date — 1969 • Production Date — 1973–Present • Variants — IZh-75, Baikal-441 • Weight — 460 g • Length — 155 mm • Part Length — 84.6 mm • Height — 117 mm • Cartridge — 5.45×18mm • Action — Blowback • Velocity — 315 m/s • Range — Sights fixed for 25 m • Feed — 8-round detachable box magazine • Sights — Rear notch and front post
History
History
The PSM was designed from 1969 until it was completed in 1973.
Design
Design
The PSM is a blowback-operated handgun with a double-action trigger and slide-mounted manual safety without a slide stop. The grip panels are made from thin aluminum and new model with hard plastic. The weapon is made from steel. The pistol as designed around the newly developed 5.45×18mm cartridge, which was developed for the weapon by Precision Mechanical Engineering Central Research Institute. The cartridge is capable of penetrating 55 layers of Kevlar at realistic engagement distances. However, this is purely a consequence of its hard metal core and the bullet was not designed to defeat body armor. This cartridge has a bottlenecked case and a spitzer-pointed jacketed bullet.
Other designations
Other designations
• MPTs (Malokalibernyj Pistolet Tsentralnogo-boya; "Small-caliber Pistol, Center-fire")
Variants
Variants
• IZh-75 (ИЖ-75) • IZh-78 (ИЖ-78) - 7.6mm gas pistol • IZh-78-9T (ИЖ-78-9Т) - 9mm non-lethal pistol (9mm P.A.K.)
Users
Users
• Armenia • Azerbaijan • Belarus - custom service • Bulgaria • Georgia • Kazakhstan - police • Kyrgyzstan • Latvia • Moldova • Mongolia • Russia • Tajikistan • Turkmenistan • Ukraine • Uzbekistan
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “PSM pistol”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q2036951: PSM pistol
Unverified · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.https://web.archive.org/web/20190319122419/https://www.guns.com/news/2011/10/10/putins-pistol-the-psm-semi-automatic-pistol-in-545mm
- 2.https://smallarmsreview.com/unlocking-the-mysteries-of-a-fallen-empire-a-look-at-the-soviet-5-45x18-cartridge/
- 3.PSM. Warfare.be.
- 4.McCollum, Ian. Soviet PSM Pistol History: Really a KGB Assassination Gun?. Forgotten Weapons. 30 June 2017.
- 5.2.1. Газовое оружие самообороны... Пистолет ИЖ-78-7,6 кал. 7,6 мм Перечень служебного и гражданского оружия и боеприпасов к нему, вносимых в Государственный кадастр служебного и гражданского оружия (утверждён распоряжением Правительства РФ № 1207-р от 3 августа 1996 года) [2.1. Self-defense gas weapon... Pistol IZH-78-7.6 cal. 7.6 mm The list of service and civilian weapons and ammunition for them entered into the state register of service and civilian weapons (approved by the order of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1207-r of August 3, 1996)]
- 6.Jane's Information Group. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. January 27, 2009. 978-0-7106-2869-5.
- 7.Постановление Совета Министров Республики Беларусь № 202 от 19 февраля 2003 г. «Об утверждении перечня специальных средств, видов огнестрельного оружия, боеприпасов и взрывчатых веществ, используемых в таможенных органах Республики Беларусь» [Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus No. 202 of February 19, 2003 "On approval of the list of special means, types of firearms, ammunition and explosives used in the customs authorities of the Republic of Belarus"]
- 8.Постановление Правительства Республики Казахстан № 163 от 17 февраля 2003 г. "Об утверждении норм и перечня оружия и специальных средств, которые имеют право применять сотрудники органов финансовой полиции" [Decree of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan No. 163 of February 17, 2003 "On the approval of the norms and the list of weapons and special means that employees of the financial police have the right to use"]
References
Citations
References
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Broader subject
1- semi-automatic pistolTerminology
Established from a fact already recorded on a verified source.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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