NEW SOVIET 7.62 MM SEMI-AUTOMATIC CARBINE SKS, SUBMACHINE GUN, AND 7.62 MM PISTOL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00046R000500020007-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 27, 2013
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: April 14, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Title 18, Sections 793 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as
n mend ed Its transmission or revelation.of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
COUNTRY USSR/Austria (Soviet Zone)
REPORT NO.
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SUBJECT New Soviet 7.62 mm Semi-Automatic Carbine DATE DISTR.
SKS, SubMachine Gun, and 7.62 mm Pistol
14 April 1955
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NO. OF PAGES
13
DATE OF INFO.
REQUIREMENT NO.
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PLACE ACQUIRED
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
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Attached is a copy
as received
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ATE
#x
ARMY Ev
NAVY
AIR
vhc
FBI
AEC
or Washington Distribution indicated By "X"; Field Distribution BY "*".1
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for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/09/27
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CIA-RDP82-00046R000500020007-7
MIOMMININIMMENNIMINIIIIME
REPORT
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COUNTRY USSR/Austria (Soviet
Zone)
DATE DISTR. 28 Mar. 1955
SUB3ECT New Soviet 7.62 mm Semi-Automatic Carbine SKS,
NO. OF PAGES 12
Submachine
Gun, and? 7.62 mm Pistol
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DATE OF INFORMATION
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REFERENCES:
PLACE ACQUIRED
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
111
NEW SOVIET 7.62 mm SEMI-AUTOMATIC CARBINE, MODEL SKS 1
(See page 10 for sketch)
Issue of the Carbine and Its Accessories
1. Sometime in March 1954, a sufficient number o
carbines, model SI'S, arrived
previously issued to the priva s o
cation Sn. The carbines were issued a /ew days after their arrival, with the
141944 carbines being turned in and sent out of the Unit to an unknown destination.
2.
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the new Soviet 7.62 mm semi-automatic 50X1
to re a e the 156 carbines, 141944,
the 735th Sep Radio Communi-
3. The cleaning kit consisted of a cleaning rod, a bore brush, a cleaning-rod stop,
a cleapiag-rod handle pin, a cleaning-rod'attachment, a cleaning-rod handle, and
an oil can.
The carbines were kept in the company arms room of the 2d Co.
under the supervision Of a "duty soldier" (dnevalnvv).1
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Senlrity Measures
5. The men were all repeatedly informed in classes and formations
that the new carbine was a classified weapon and would not be taken out of the
weapon out of
6.
70
garrison area except under specific instructions.
the garrison only on one occasion,
mer-of 1954. TOon on guard duty and
the main gate of the garr son drew one of six old PPSh SMWs retained in the
company for use when personnel were expected to be seen by Austrians,
to a maneuver in Hungary in the sum
assigned to the post. attending
c. Shortly after the new carbines were issued to the man
company first sergeant vent on business to his (the sergeant) Old unitt'an
unidentified Soviet Army unit, about 200 km away and cams back with a story
that a sentry had been kidnapped and that the new carbine that the soldier
had been armed with had been stolen, this
act Walf perfored by revengeful Austrians.
the rounds used by the carbine were also considered to be secret.
the system of accountability for this ammunition was very strict.
Olit the two occasions when carbine firing while on the
firing range each marksman was flanked by a second soldier whose function it was
to retrieve 111 ejected brass with his garrison cap (pilotka). After a day on
the range all the brass and unexpended rounds were carefully counted to insure
that none vas lost. The men were warned that if one round or brass cartridge
was lost, the entire battalion might have to be called out to seardh for it. 4
Instruction and Trainiug
S.. In addition to range firing on the unit firing range, located 15 km from the gar
rison on the outskirts of Baden, the men had a minimum of one tour per week of
classroom instruction by company NC Os, Source described firing and classroom
instruction as folloyes
a.
Range firing was preceded by dry-firing exercises in the cotoany area using
the triangulation sighting method.
Range firing was at bulls-eye
targets from a prone position at a range of 100 m the first time and 200 m
tht second time. The men were instructed to set their rear Sight on the
cyrillic '11 "(permanent - poetoyannyy) setting. 5
b. Each man was allowed five rounds on the initial range firing to zero the
weapon. Those men that were not firing their weapons accurately received
assi#tance from the platoon CO or one of the platoon NCOs. If these indivi-
duals decided that the fault lay with the weapon, the company armorer was
called and used 4 special vise-like tool to move the front sight to compensate
for the error, weapon was never zeroed in properly and
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c. Classroom instruction was conducted by the platoon sergeant or one of the squad
leaders who generally read from the infantry manual on this weapon. The manual
was titled "NSD (nastavleniye po strelkovomy delu or manual 011 infantry matters) 50X1
Karabin SKS (skorostrelnyy karabin sianova or rapid firing carbine of:Siminov)
OBR 43 (ipiodel 1943) goda (year)." It was dark brown in color, contained about
20 pages, and was about 12 x 8 cm in size. 50X1
d. The manual was available to all privates and was in a reading file in the com-
pany orderly room. It was not classified Each time an
NCO needed the manual for classroom instruction, he went to the orderly roam
and drew a copy for the instruction period.
e. The text of the instruction, without variation, consisted of reading the manual
from cover to cover0 this included technical data on the
weapon i- and each private was required to vomit this information to meMory.
after Several such sessions most of the men would sit and sleep
in the classroom.
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9. The
marked
Characteristics of Carl4ae and It Angunitiou
following are the characteristics of the carbine and its ammunitions (Items
with an* were as stated in the manual.)
a.
Model *
SKS - Skorostrelnyy Karabin Simlinovi? M1941
b.
Caliber *
7.62 mm
C,
Operation *
Gas, semireutomatic? magazine-fed,
counter-recoil-spring loaded.
d.
Diameter of gas port *
Approximately 2.4 mm.
e,
Magazine capacity *
Bine rounds and one in chamber in accord-
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anOe with the manual. (However,
f. Magazine *
E. Weights
With knife-type
With four-edged
bayoxiet *
Without bayonet
accessories
bayonet *
prong-type
or cleaning
Integral box.
3.950 kg
3.800 kg
bayonet mounted on this weapon
listed in the manual,)
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la. Length:
With bayonet in folded position * 101 QM (4004 )
With extended bayonet * 130 cm (52 in)
i. Length of bayonet *
j. Length of barrel
k. Muzzle velocity *
1. Maximum range * 2000 in (manual stated that at 1500 a the
bullet still had sufficient velocity to
penetrate a human body.)
Maximum effective range * 365 in (The "TT" (permanent) setting on rear
sight equaled this range.)
Rifling *? Four lands and grooves, uniform right hand
twist, twist unknown.
n. Cooling * Air, assisted through three air vents on
either side of the wooden upper hand guard.
33 cm (13.2 in)
Unknown
500 meters per second
0. sights:
? istont *
Rear:*
Stock assembly
q. Method of charging
r. Rate of fire *
s. Bayonet
t. Sling
u. Weapon replaced
(in source's unit),
Open post with circular guard.
Tangent Curve - graduated from cyrillic
flr"1-11 (permanent) and then numbers 1 through
10. Each graduation represented 100 m.
The combat range setting Of oTr is the
4ame as if the light was set for approxi-
mately 365 in on the sight scale. No
windage adjustment.
Two pieces, wooden, unlaminated stock
proper and upper hand guard. Yellow or
black wood. (His unit had both colors
orltocke.)
Ten-round straight-line clip (non-expendable).
35 to 40 rounds per minute was given as the
optimum practical rate. (cyclic rats of
fire unknown)
Two types: Permanent, folding, knife; and
iv permanent, folding, four-edged prone-type.
'Web,, fastened under rear stock and front,
left of upper hand guard.
7.62 mm Mossin Nagant Carbine M1944
v. Place of manufacture Unknown
v. Year of manufacture
1953 was the date stamped on
weapon. Other 4K4 carbines in unit were
stamped as being made in 1951.
CORP IDENTIAL
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(F111--
x.
First issue:
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560'
(1) Austria
(2) vpsR
an
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y. Ammunition:
(1) Model
.(2) Basic combat load
(3) Type
(4) Packaging
z. Markings on weapon
unidentified infantry battalion.
61595 or 51696) in Barnaul (N 53-20, E 83-48),
Altayskiy Kray? Siberia, USSR, in the summer
of 1953. Weapon was in the hands of the
cadre, while trainees used the M1944 carbine.
141943 as described in class. Interchange-
able with new SMG IC And new u/i pistol.
Unit officers
stated that the aMmunition would fit the
new pistol.
100 rounds'. Three pouches, each pouch
with three ten-round clips. An additional
nine rounds in magazine and one round in
chamber.
Ball ammunition used on f ng range.
incendiary,
tracer, and armor-piercing types of this
7.62 ammunition. I
a color pcneme was used. The ball,ammuni-
tion had no paint markings, but
a stripe ground the point of the
at would indicate the. type.
20 rounds to ,a package in layers of five
and serial. number were
stamped in at least throb placed: (1) On
rear top of barrel (2) On trigger mechanism
(3) Receiver cover. It was also etched 50X1
onto the side of the bolt.
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Zfaikertag 50X1
. Carbines arrived in his unit in wooden boxes each containing ten carbines- Thai
weapons were covered with heavy cosmolene.
fillAg4tag
After firing, the weapons were cleaned until the bore and all parts were c e
Than a light film of oil ass placed on all portions of the weapon.
bore cleaner 148 not used because this a . rusted the weapons. ot
soa and wate
used "spit and clean cioths.-" Daily cleaning of
tne weapon after firing was compulsory for one week; after this, it was cleaned
once a week.
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12. The man were told to use the cleaning rod attachment to prevent
bell mouthing of the bore. They were told that the bores of and bayonets
on the weapons were chrome-plated and would not rust. However,
this was not altogether true as some of the bayonets were not smooth and shiny but
had a rough finish that was definitely not chromed.
.13. Cleaning accessories for the weapon fitted into the cleaning-rod handle and were
kept in a well in the butt of the stock, with the exception of the cleaning rod
which slipped into a space under the barrel between the barrel and the bayonet.
14.
Disassembly and Assembly
Disassembly and assembly, loading and operation of the weapon
E-;;;;;nces were noted, however:
1 following
differences
closely with other data received on this weapon. The foowing
d
a.
the trigger assembly was released by pushing a release
catch under the stock and just to the rear of the trigger asseably.
14 The forward portion of the trigger assembly hooked onto two lugs connected
to the receiver, and in no way did the trigger assembly ....touch the magazine ,
v. The magazine release catch was attached to some other unknown part of the
weapon and not the trigger assembly.
d. The barrel and the receiver were in some way connected by a pin and two hooks
that released when the trigger mechanism assembly was released.
e. The pin described in sub-paragraph d above was visible on the exterior of the
lower hand guard on either side.
The bayonstvatch414:wasstraight on its bearing surface.
The 'bayonet Was 0';OrePOihted,;'
NEW SOVIET SUBMACHINE GUN
L5. See page 11 for sketch).
IZIA2
L6. Issue of the new Soviet SMG occurred in the 735th Separate Radio
Communication BA,' at the same time as that of the new SKS carbines. Approximately
24 of these weapons were issued to the unit and were used to replace the old
SMG PPSh used by squad leaders and platoon sergeants of his unit. Six of the old
SMG PPSh were retained by each of the ccapanies to be used as Weapons at main gate
of the garrison and on those occasions when personnel had to leave the area under
arms.
.7. The SMGs were issued a few days after their arrival in the unit in March 195L.
The weapons arrived in smaller cases than those the carbines came in
The weapons were coemolene coated; and, upon
issue, each NCO was required to clean his weapon with gasoline,
accessory items were issued along with the weapon
shoulder strap, a pouch with a capacity of five magazines, and six 32 round, curved
box:magazines.
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CONFIDENTIAL
19. The new SMGs were kept in the company arms room along with the carbines and the
same instructions as for the carbines governed how they were to be drawn for use.
Security Measuro
20. The men were all informed by unit officers that the SMG was a
secret weapon and that under no circumstances would it leave the garrison except
by the direct order of a responsible officer0 the new SMGs
were taken out of the garrison only on one occasion, to travel to Hungary for
maneuvers in summer 1954.
21, The Reennition used by the new SMG was identical with that used by the new carbine
SKS, and the same security measures were adopted on the firing range for ammunition
accountability as in the case of the carbine, on the two
occasions on the firing range to fire the carbine, the unit NCOs
fired the SMGs. In addition to this he had heard that the NCOs went out on the
range an additional time to fire. The ammunition used by the weapons game from
the same box.
22.
23.
Instruction and Training
Prior to firing, the NCOs received dry-firing instruction and, during the period
from the time of issue the NGOs received from two
to three hours, Der week of classroom instruction on the weapon
It followed the same
general pattern as that given on the carbine for the privates. The instructors
for NCO classes were always officers of the company
used were full-length silhouettes. On the first occasion the course was 100 in and
the second time 200 in, The NCOs on both occasions were each given nine rounds and
instructed to fire from the prone position on three silhouettes using three-round
bursts for each one. He heard that the meats were scored as follows: One hit
on one silhouette was satisfactory, one hit on each of two silhouettes was good,
and one hit on each of the three silhouettes was excellent and resulted in public
praise from the company CO.
Characteristics oQ SMG
24. The following are the characteristics of the new SMG:
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a.
Model
Unknown
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b.
Caliber
7.62 mm
c.
Operation
gas-operated; semi
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and full automatic fire.
d.
Magazine capacity
32 rounds according to Ne0s.
e.
Magazine
Detachable curved box,
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f.
Weight
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this weapon was somewhat heavier
than the old PPSh.
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g. Length Approximately 80 cm,
h. Length of barrel Unknown
i. Muzzle elocity Unknown
.1. ma ? ,, range
k. Rifling
1, Cooling
7116 Sights:
Front
Rear
n. Stock assembly
o. Method of charging
Unknown. Maximum effective range was 200
meters, as told to source by NCOs.
the bore in this weapon was also chrome-
plated.
Air-assisted through two or three air vents
in the upper wooden hand guard.
Open post with circular guard.
Unknown - leaf-type with no windage gauge.
Fixed wooden or metal folding
Hand-loaded, detachable curved box
magazine.
itate.fir, UnknoWn
q. Bayonet None
r. Sling Web type, fastening unknown.
0. Weappn replaced in sourcels unit 7.62 mm PPSh SMO M1941.
t. Place of manufacture Unknown
u. Year of manufacture
V. First issue
w. Ammunition
(1) Model
(2) Basic combat load
24 Markings on weapon
y. Performance
there were two
years of manufacture for the weapons
1951 and 1953.
.Austria.
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March 1954 in
141943, interchangeable with carbine SKS
and unidentified pistol described in
this report.
192 rounds. One pouch with five 32 round
magazines and one ma azine in the weapon.
(AasumptionP Ibased on the number
of magazines per pouch and weapon.)
Unknown
the old PPSh SMG was a much
better weapon, being simpler in design,
lighter in weight, more accurate in firing,
and (with the drum) had greater fire power
than the new SMG.
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25.
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the bores of these weapons were
6.
chrome plsted and would not rust.
NEW SOVIET 7.62 mm UNIDENTIFIED PISTOL
(Seepage 12 for sketch)
the pistol could be fired from the shoulder using
the wooden holster as a stook, this pistol
used the same ammunition as the new 7.62 mm SES Carbine and the new 7.62 mm
unidentified SMO. the weapon carried 25 rounds in
a Magazine,, fired. semi-automatically, and was similar to the German World War II.
1Kausern pistol.
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4.
5.
6.
Co: This same tag was described by DS-616 as bearing the
carbine serial number and the cyrillic initials "EP" indicating ukarabin"
(catbine).
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Sketch of Soviet 7.62-mm Carbine SKS (Skorostrelnnu Karabin gdanloiaoyA)J3.*
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50X1 Sketch of New Unidentified 7.627-mm Soviet SMG With Three Typos of Stacks*
Receiver Cover
Bolt Handle ;par Sight Leaf Gas Cylinder
Bel pper Ha uard
a,
tr77.1-11
_Amp Air Tents
4?Open Post Front Sight With Circular Guard.
istol Grip Retaining Bolt
Hinges
(Pivot side Unk
Metal Folding Stock
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Memory Sketch of Mew eviet 7.62-mm Unidentified. Pistol Holster and Grip *
Metal back for grip
Pistol grip, yellow, wend,
rough diagonal cut
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Holster Cover, with concave top for off shoulder firing
4 cm
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Leather over shoulder carrying strap
Dark brown wooden bolster
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