Berezin OTs-21 Malysh

       Notes: The Malysh (“Little One”) is a short-range, ultra-compact automatic pistol designed for concealed carry.  The hammer is internal, and there are no protrusions to catch the weapon.  There are no sights other than a rudimentary groove along the top of the slide.  Operation is by simple blowback, with no safeties of any sort (internal or external).  Pulling the slide back is known to be difficult; the slide is quite stiff.  Magazines are proprietary, and include a finger rest.

     Other chamberings of the OTs-21 include a version chambered for 5.45mm, and a version chambered for .380 ACP.

Izhevsk MR-444 Bagira 

     Notes: This pistol is one of the new modern designs that have come from Russia of late; the weapon was built to replace the aging stocks of Makarov pistols, and the MR-444 (and its related pistol, the MR-446) won that competition.  The design experts at Izhevsk Mechanical Plant decided to integrate the best features of Western pistols, particularly the Glock 17 and Beretta M-92 series.  The end result was a weapon created with the use of thermoplastics to help reduce the overall weight of the weapon (wsith steel reinforcement at strategic spots), and has some similarities internally to the Glock with a striker-type percussion mechanism.  The Bagira is provided with a special striker cocking device which resembles the hammer of a normal pistol, and a chamber-loaded indicator.  The standard chambering for Russian military forces is the 9mm Makarov Hi-Impulse round, though Russian police often use the 9mm Parabellum round, and the MR-444 is also sold overseas and to Russian civilians.

     The MR-445 Variag (or Varyag) is similar to the Bagira, but was designed primarily for the civilian (and especially international) market. It is virtually identical to the Bagira with the exception of its chambering.  The MR-446 is also virtually identical, but fires 9mm Parabellum ammunition exclusively, and is stressed for even +P and +P+ loads, as well as exotic ammunition such Glaser “Safety Slugs” and steel-cored ammunition.  It is somewhat heavier than the Bagira due to this additional reinforcement and also uses a somewhat longer barrel.  Though the Viking is designed primarily for export, it has seen considerable use by Russian police.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: These weapons do not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

MCM Margolin

     Notes: When Russian Olympic shooters go to the Olympics and other such competitions, this is one of the pistols they take.  Australian shooters are also reportedly fond of them. It is a long-barreled small-caliber sporting and target pistol.  The Margolin has been used since the 1950s, and complies with all international competition standards.  The trigger is adjustable for travel, and the rear sight is micrometer-adjustable, though mounted on a rigid base for added stability. The barrel is 5.11 inches long.

     The MTs-1 was sort of an advanced prototype of the Margolin; it has taken place in some international shooting competitions, but has been almost totally supplanted by the Margolin. The first model of the MTs-1 had a heavy target barrel 5.5 inches long, and the second model had a 7.09-inch barrel of the same profile. The rear sight is an earlier version of the Margolin sight, micrometer-adjustable; the front sight is triangular, dovetailed in, and drift-adjustable. Balance weights are hung on a dovetail "shoe" under the barrel (three for the 5.5-inch version, four for the 7.09-inch version).

     The MLIM and MLIY were the next pistols on the road to the Margolin.  Perhaps their greatest failing was the use of smooth plastic grip plates, which in practice were quite slippery, when the shooters required precision and a sure, secure grip.  They used short grips like the Margolin, with the MLIM having a 6-inch heavy target barrel and the MLIY having a 6.5-inch barrel of the same profile, and a Tokarev-type trigger. Both have drum front sights and dial rear sights.  Later, the MLIM was given a lengthened grip and serrated grip plates; while the MLIY was given wooden wrap-around grips and a longer butt.

MCM-K Margo

     Notes: This is a military and police training pistol based on the MCM Margolin above.  It is also a simplified and smaller version of that pistol, with a much shorter barrel, fixed sights (though an adjustable rear sight version is available), and a fixed trigger.  The Margo has no safety catch, but does have an automatic firing pin safety.  The Margo used both for training and for certain “special applications,” but a version called the Drel was designed specifically for the MVD and police, has different dimensions (though the same basic design), and fires the 5.45 Russian Short cartridge.  The barrel is 4 inches long and the Drel is equipped with simple notch rear and blade front sights.

Tula-KBP PSM

     Notes: This small pistol is the standard sidearm of all internal security and police forces in Russia.  The cartridge fired by the PSM mean the pistol must have a rather complicated operation, and that performance will be low.  However, the round is also said to have remarkable penetrative properties.  The operation seems to be a rather strange blend of Makarov and Walther PPK.  The small size means concealed carry of the PSM is very easy.  Rumors say that even-though the PSM’s barrel is chrome-lined, the service life of the PSM’s barrel may be little more then 3000 rounds; it is, however, a quite inexpensive weapon, both in real life and game terms. 

     Several civilian versions have also been built since the 1990s, these pistols are known as Baikal IZH-75s.  The Russians were unwilling to bring the highly effective 5.45mm round to the civilian or export market. These models generally have more rounded, comfortable outlines, molded plastic grips instead flat grip plates, and better barrels and sights.  5.45mm versions are generally not sold on the civilian market; civilian versions are normally chambered for .22 Long Rifle or .25 ACP, or designed to fire only blanks for use as starter’s pistols.

     Twilight 2000 story: The PSM is now found in the hands of Airborne and Spetsnaz soldiers and Russian undercover police. Bulgaria also uses the PSM.  Chamberings of the IZH-75 in .22 Long Rifle and .25 ACP do not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Serdjukov SPS

     Notes:  The SPS has gone through a plethora of names during its development.  In its original prototype form, it was called the RG-055.  The FSB then selected the RG-055 for development, and during this development phase it was called the SR-1 Vector.  When it was officially adopted for limited use by the Russian government, it became the SPS.  It is also offered for export sales, and is called the P-9 Gyurza (or Gurza) in export catalogs.  The SPS is primarily used by special FSB and MVD operatives in Chechnya, as well as to some OMON (SRT-type) police units.  Whether there have actually been foreign sales is unknown.  The SPS and Gyurza are identical for game purposes.

     The SPS uses a high-strength polymer frame with a steel slide; the slide rails are also of steel.  Operation is similar to the Beretta M-92, but updated and strengthened; the locking wedge also doubles as a slide accelerator, meaning that very fast follow-up shots are possible.  The trigger is double-action.  The SPS has no manual safeties, but it does have a trigger safety, a grip safety, and a strange sort of half-cock safety that makes the first shot possible only if the hammer is pulled back to the half-cock position.  This means that if the SPS shooter experiences a misfire and the slide does not reciprocate, the slide must be pulled back and the hammer set back to the half-cock position before the SPS will fire again.  The trigger and grip safeties are also linked, and both must be depressed for the SPS to fire.  Sights are fixed, and the barrel is 4.7 inches long.

     The SPS is a mixed blessing, however.  The ammunition is powerful – it is essentially a 9mm Magnum round, with excellent range, penetration, and knockdown power.  Shooters rave about this power.  However, the SPS is less than ergonomic, and many shooters find the SPS quite uncomfortable to fire, especially in a long fight.  The most frequent criticisms are its trigger and the grip safety; the trigger requires a long, heavy pull and the trigger safety is a large bump on the trigger that also requires a firm pull.  The grip safety is also a large bump near the top of the backstrap, and even those with normal-sized hands can find it difficult to keep depressed.  The trigger guard, however, is large and has a squared-off front.  The SPS has a slide hold-open feature, but no manual slide release because of the screwy need to place the pistol on half-cock before it can be fired.  The SPS has no decocker.  On early-production models, even the shape of the grip itself was uncomfortable.  The SPS requires a lot of training and practice before a shooter is really competent with it.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

TSKIB-14 APS Stechkin

     Notes: This machine pistol is, unbelievably, basically an overgrown Walther PP with a selective fire switch.  Design began in 1945 at the same time as the PM Makarov and the then-new 9mm Makarov round that they both were to fire (though Igor Stechkin originally meant the Stechkin pistol to fire the 7.62mm Tokarev round).  The Stechkin was meant specifically for use by special operations troops, bodyguards, and certain assault troops; however, the large size and weight, somewhat uncontrollable rate of fire, and the jumpy cycling of the slide and bolt caused by the pure blowback operation meant that production ended earlier than expected, and few Stechkins were actually used in combat. The Stechkin was withdrawn for the most part from active Russian military service in the late 1970s, though it was still being used by the Internal Security police and some special operations units well into the 1990s; it had also been dispensed in good numbers to insurgents in non-Soviet-Bloc countries and to several terrorist groups, as well as having been given in presentation form to several world leaders and ranking military officers who were friendly to the Soviets.  The Stechkin was not exported in large numbers, and it is rarely encountered in service use anywhere these days.  The BATF Booklet on Curio & Relics has listed the Stechkin since shortly after the Vietnam War, and still does in the latest updates; this might indicate, but does not guarantee, that there is at least one registered and transferable Stechkin in the US.

     The Stechkin can be fired as a normal pistol, or with a shoulder stock that is clipped to the grip and doubles as a holster when not in use.  The Stechkin was thought to be too big as a pistol and too small as an automatic weapon; it is just too big and heavy to be carried comfortably as a normal pistol, and it’s to clumsy to carry the Stechkin for long periods like a sort of longarm.  It is in fact a very large pistol, with a 6.5-inch barrel, a full length of 8.86 inches (20.64 inches with the shoulder stock attached), and a wide, long grip to accommodate the high-capacity double-stack magazines.  The fire selector is located on the slide, apart from the frame-mounted safety.  In early prototypes, the cyclic rate of fire was ridiculously high, so a rate reducer was added to the trigger and the bolt and slide made deliberately heavy in order to reduce the cyclic rate to 750 rpm. 

     In the early 1970s, a new version of the Stechkin, the APB, was developed.  The APB used a shorter slide in order to expose part of the barrel; the exposed portion of the barrel was threaded, allowing for the use of a silencer.  The shoulder stock/holster was discarded in favor of a collapsible steel stock, and a new, more conventional holster was designed for the APB.  The APB was even rarer than the Stechkin in Russian service, generally issued only to Spetsnaz, OMON, and other special operations units.  Perhaps the most notorious use of the APB was in the early hours of the Russian invasion of Afghanistan in 1979; Spetsnaz operators used them to quickly and quietly kill almost everyone in what was Afghanistan’s Royal Palace at the time.

     In early 1999, a new version of the Stechkin appeared: PMS-1 Stechkin.  It is in many ways similar to the APS, but is designed only for semiautomatic firing, using delayed blowback instead of pure blowback operation.  It is chambered for a different round, is not slotted for a stock, and is built to a higher quality standard.  It is, however, still a large pistol with rather complicated innards.

     The Stechkin’s magazine can be loaded with 21 rounds; however, if this is done, it will usually caused so strong a drag on the bolt that the Stechkin will jam.  (1 on 1d20, the Stechkin loaded with 21 rounds will cycle normally.)

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The Stechkin got some use by Russian special operations units and the KGB, but most were used by Category 3, Mobilization-Only, and home militia forces.  The PMS-1 does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

     Merc 2000 Notes: This weapon showed up often in terrorist hands and in the hands of the Russian Mafia.  The PMS-1 was never even designed in the Merc 2000 timeline.

TSKIB SOO OTs-27 (PSA) Berdysh

     Notes: The OTs-27 Berdysh (“Poleaxe”), also known as the PSA Berdysh, was initially meant to be a replacement for the Stechkin and was to be capable of burst fire, but the Russian military decided against it.  The Russian military then considered it as a replacement for the Makarov, but decided against that too.  It was, however, adopted by the Russian Interior Ministry (the former KGB); they are the ones who refer to the Berdysh as the PSA. 

     The Berdysh is designed primarily to use 9mm Makarov and 9mm Makarov Hi-Power ammunition (and that is the chambering used by the Interior Ministry), but by replacing the barrel, adjusting the headspace, and replacing the magazine, the Berdysh may fire 9mm Parabellum ammunition.  In this guise it is known as the OTs-27-2; the Berdysh has, however, seen almost no sales in that chambering.

     In both cases, the Berdysh uses delayed blowback double-action operation (though the Russians claim that it uses pure blowback).  Construction is all-steel (except for the plastic grip plates), with a 4.9-inc4 barrel.  The Berdysh has a chamber-loaded indicator and an ambidextrous safety/slide lock and separate decocker.  Under the dust cover is a rail which may be used with laser target pointers, and the Berdysh is capable of using subsonic ammunition and a silencer.  The sights are fixed, but both the front and rear sights are dovetaild into the slide.  The Berdysh is quite an improvement over the Makarov, with its longer barrel and very large capacity magazine, though it is rather heavy and large.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: Though used by the KGB, the Berdysh is still a rather rare weapon in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

TSKIB SOO OTs-33 Pernatch

     Notes: The OT-33 Pernatch (also known as the SBZ-2) pistol has been developed as a replacement for the Stechkin, and is based on an early prototype of the OTs-23 Berdysh above, with considerable design input from Igor Stechkin himself.  It is primarily in service with Russian MVD and Interior Ministry forces, with some special operations use.  Construction was very limited due to improvements in Russian submachinegun design, and it is no longer in production.

     The design of the Pernatch allows the use of 9mm Makarov Hi-Impulse rounds, and has ambidextrous controls.  The Pernatch has a folding metal stock that may be screwed onto a slotted bracket on the base of the grip.  Operation is delayed blowback, but the mechanism also includes a feature that separates the slide and barrel as they move backwards after a shot, and this does mitigate recoil somewhat.  The Pernatch also is equipped with a one-hole compensator near the muzzle to further reduce barrel climb.  These mechanisms are necessary, as the cyclic rate of fire is higher than that of the APS Stechkin due to a lighter bolt and the lack of a rate reducer. 

     The Pernatch may be fitted with laser sights and sound suppressers.  The selector lever at the rear of the slide is ambidextrous, and it doubles as a decocker.  The Pernatch’s metal stock may be folded underneath the grip, extended (recommended for automatic fire), or removed entirely.  The 18-round magazine fits entirely inside the grip, while the 27-round magazine extends below the grip.  The barrel is long at 5.9 inches, and the sights are fixed.  Below the dust cover is an accessory rail.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon saw some special operations use during the Twilight War, but was not encountered in anywhere near the numbers of the Stechkin.

TSKIB SOO PM Makarov

     Notes: The Makarov is a modified Walther PP that appeared in the 1950s and has been the standard Russian sidearm until very recently.  As the ammunition is larger than the PP, but the pistol itself is not much larger, the grip is big and the Makarov can be a bit awkward to hold.  The Makarov is designed to be “soldier-proof”, with a simple field-stripping and reassembly procedure, The PM began the design and most subsequent Makarov derivations use a modification of the PM design, including its 3.68-inch barrel.  The PM is known for its strong extractor; empty cases usually land 5.5-6 meters away from the firing PM.

     The PMM is an updated Makarov used by some Russian forces, originally known as the Grach-3 (the project to replace the Makarov was known by the code name of “Grach.”)   Though the PMM was ultimately not chosen as the Makarov replacement, it was the first one ready, and was therefore placed into production and widely issued as an “interim replacement.”  It is strengthened to use the 9mm Makarov High Impulse round used by the Bison submachinegun; the PMM-12’s grip is wider to use a staggered-row box magazine.  The chamber is also modified to accommodate the Hi-Impulse ammunition.  (It should be noted that the firing of 9mm Makarov Hi-Impulse ammunition out of a weapon not designed for it is extremely dangerous; this is especially true of the standard Makarov!)  The PMM may still fire standard 9mm Makarov ammunition.  Beginning in the mid-1990s, some polymer-framed versions of the PMM-12 were also produced, primarily for the export market.

     The PB (also known as the 6P9) is a heavily-modified PM Makarov originally produced in 1967 for certain Spetsnaz units.  The PB is equipped with an integral two-part suppressor which is very effective for noise suppression.  The PB is designed to be used with standard Makarov ammunition, with the suppressor slowing the round to subsonic velocities.  The front part of the suppressed barrel can be removed to fit into its special holster or a pocket; the PB can even be fired without the front of its suppressor, though noise suppression is almost nil without it.  (The front part of the suppressor weighs 0.16 kg.) The slide had to be considerably shortened to accommodate the suppressor, and as a result, the recoil spring was relocated to the right side under a panel.  The recoil spring is then connected to the slide by a long, swinging arm.  The PB is believed to still be in production; though production did stop in mid-1980s, it is believed to have resumed in about 2000.

     A variation on the PMM is the OTs-35; it is essentially identical to a standard PMM, except for the addition of a rather large muzzle brake at the end of the muzzle. This makes the OTs-35 more manageable during firefights where many rapid shots are made.  It is a much rarer commodity than the standard PMM, but available in small numbers.

     Some Makarovs have been converted to fire .380 ACP ammunition (ballistically quite similar to the 9mm Makarov round) and sold on the international surplus market.

     A newer version of the Makarov, the Baikal-442, was designed primarily for export.  The Baikal-442 differs from the Makarov in the adjustable rear sight, a slightly wider grip to allow a double-stack magazine (in the case of the 9mm Makarov version), a modified, squared-off trigger guard, a rail able to mount a laser target module, and ergonomic grip plates.  The 9mm Makarov version uses standard PM, PMM-8, or PMM-12 magazines, or a 10-round magazine meant primarily for export.  The 9mm Parabellum version uses a modified PM magazine.

     The IZH-70 is a commercial variant of the Makarov, chambered for three rounds, and available with either fixed or adjustable sights.  Improvements have also been made to make the IZH-70 more reliable than the PM Makarov.

     Another commercial variant of the Makarov is the IZH-71.  Standard versions of the IZH-71 use an 8-round magazine, but a variant has a longer grip for a 10-round magazine, and a further variant has a wider grip for a 12-round double-stack magazine.  Magazines are not interchangeable between the three versions.  The IZH-71H is designed for by private security forces; it differs primarily in having a rail under the dust cover for tactical lights or laser aiming modules.

     The MR-448 Skyph is an updated PM; it features a polymer frame, ergonomic grips and controls, and an extra chambering (mainly to make it more attractive to the export market).  The Mini-Skyph is just what it sounds like – a compact version of the Skyph; it is chambered only in .380 ACP.

     Twilight 2000 Notes:  The PMM is a rare weapon in the Twilight 2000 World.  The .380 ACP version does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline, nor does the IZH-70 in any form; the MR-448 Skyph and Mini-Skyph also do not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline. Though also rare, many Russian soldiers preferred the Baikal-442 when they could get it, due to the adjustable rear sight.  The 9mm Makarov version of the IZH-70 is very rare, and the other chamberings do not exist.

     Experiments in the mid-1960s produced Makarovs with both light alloy and polymer frames; however, the Soviets felt that the TKB-024 light alloy version was too light for controllable follow-up shots and not tough enough.  The Soviets not only felt the TKB-025 polymer-framed version of the PM was too light; they had no confidence in the durability of the polymers of the time, so both were rejected, but not until at least 25 such pistols of each type were produced for general and field testing.

     Of course, before the final Makarov prototype (the TKB-429) was accepted as the PM, there were other prototypes.  Makarov himself at first chose .32 ACP for his prototype, which was designated the TKB-412.  He was not satisfied with the results, so he changed the chambering to 7.65mm Parabellum.  Again, he was not satisfied with the performance in his prototypes, so he went to the tried-and-true 7.62mm Tokarev.  This did produce a decent-performing pistol, but the Soviet Army at this phase of testing had gotten smitten with the then-new 9mm Makarov round, producing the TKB-429, which became, with very few modifications, the PM. Note that all of the other protypes were designated TKB-412s.  Almost all of the prototype examples are in Russian Museums at various places.

     Merc 2000 Notes: Though not as rare as in the Twilight 2000 World, the PMM is still an uncommon weapon in the Merc 2000 World.

Tula-Tokarev TT-33

     Notes: Designed in response to a 1930 Soviet requirement for a replacement for the Nagant revolver (and a gaggle of other pistols and revolvers used by the Soviet military), the TT-33’s base design combines the Browning M-1903 and the Colt M-1911, and then tries to simplify the blend.  At first, designs both Soviet and foreign were considered, in a variety of calibers; however, the Soviets eventually decided to go with a 7.62mm round, in order to help simplify the production of ammunition (most Soviet weapons of the time used some variant of 7.62mm  ammunition), and to go with a domestic design.  The new 7.62mm Tokarev is, in fact, virtually identical in dimensions to the 7.63mm Mauser cartridge upon which it is based, so much that most handguns can fire the 7.62mm Tokarev and 7.63mm Mauser cartridges interchangeably.  The TT-30 was the most reliable of the bunch and the most resistant to corrosion and abuse.  (Some 93,000 were, in fact, produced before production switched to the TT-33 model; for game purposes, however, the TT-30 and TT-33 are identical.) Soviet authorities felt the design had been oversimplified somewhat, however, and dictated an improvement of the locking system, disconnector, and extractor, as well as a slight redesign for the 7.62mm Tokarev cartridge, which produced higher chamber pressures than had been expected.  The TT-33 (and the earlier TT-30) was based so much on the Browning M-1903 and M-1911 that the TT-33 is sometimes called the “Tula Browning.”  Some 1.75 million TT-33s are believed to have been built, and production continues today in a variety of models and chamberings are still in production worldwide.

     Construction of the TT-33 is largely of stamped steel; in fact, the quality of the steel used is superior to that used by most weapons built before and during World War 2.  The 4.6-inch barrel is not chrome-lined, yet can be expected to give a service life of over 6000 rounds.  The rounded hammer protrudes above the slide, almost high enough to interfere with the rear sight, and it is ribbed to allow an easy thumb grip.  The TT-33 is almost totally dehorned by accident of design, and easy to draw from a pocket or under a coat.  Finish varied throughout its lifetime from dull gray to blued, and almost 2 million TT-33s were produced. An unusual feature of the TT-33 is the total absence of any sort of safety catch, grip safety, firing pin safety, etc., as well as nothing like a slide catch or suchlike.  (This means that bumps and dropping can easily lead to accidental discharges.)  The TT-33 requires no tools to field strip, and is basically “idiot-proof.”

     The lack of safety devices are not the only defects of the TT-33; the TT-33 is a large pistol which is difficult to conceal, and yet a bit light in weight for its ammunition, leading to sharp recoil and barrel climb.  Trigger pull of almost all variants is quite heavy.  World War 2 examples, as well as those produced in Vietnam during the war, tend to have rather sloppy tolerances and a rather poor finish.  Though barrels threaded for a suppressor exist, most TT-33 variants will choke on subsonic ammunition.

     After World War 2, TT-33s were exported to virtually everywhere from Eastern Europe to Cuba to Vietnam; many also showed up in the Middle East, Central and South America, and even in the US (brought home by troops returning from Vietnam).  At least five countries were licensed to produce the TT-33, and they also sold them abroad. 

     There were a number of variants of the TT-33; almost every country making them had their own variants of them (whether licensed or not), most of which differ only in minor details not important in game terms.  The Soviets produced a training version of the TT-33, designated the TT-R-3, which was chambered for the .22 Long Rifle cartridge, but for the most part has an identical appearance and operation to the TT-33.  A version of the TT-R-3 was produced for competition shooting with a 6-inch barrel and adjustable sights; this was the TT-R-4.  The slide of the TT-R-4 was the same length as that of the TT-R-3, with the extra barrel length protruding from the end of the slide and the front sight moved to a point above the muzzle.  The Egyptian Tokagypt fires 9mm Parabellum (and is found in Egyptian Pistols) and the Yugoslavian M-57 is virtually identical except for a larger magazine (and is found in Yugoslavian Pistols).  After the fall of the Iron Curtain, Russia began exporting a high-quality version of the TT-33 called the TT-9MM, firing 9mm Parabellum ammunition and with better production standards.  The North Korean version, the Type 68, is also very similar, but uses the Browning Hi-Power locking system and moves the magazine release from the frame to the base of the butt.  It also has a smaller grip to allow for the smaller North Korean hand. Polish TT-33s (called Wz-48s) have a different grip angle allowing for better natural pointing qualities; this version is now being imported and sold in the US by Century International Arms as the TTC.  Vietnam also produced some TT-33s; these examples are almost uniformly poor in quality.

Tula OTs-23 Drotik 

     Notes: KGB and other Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) troops adopted this weapon in 1995.  It uses the 5.45 Russian Pistol round developed for the PSM, but this round scarcely works better in a full-sized pistol than in the PSM, even in burst fire.  The Drotik (Javelin) is a selective-fire pistol developed as a lighter alternative to the Stechkin, and can mount a variety of optical attachments (most commonly laser aiming modules) in front of the trigger guard.  This weapon also features a muzzle brake and an external indicator by which the firer can determine how many rounds are left in the weapon. 

     Twilight 2000 Notes: In addition to KGB use, the Drotik is used by the GRU and Spetsnaz.

Tula P-96

     Notes: Though probably intended for the international market, the slim, easily-concealed, light-polymer frame P-96 has been acquired as a sort of status symbol by many Russian officers and special operations troops.  Resembling some of the Glock pistols or the VP-70, the P-96 has a shrouded hammer, rounded edges, and is only 29mm wide.  The P-96 is virtually corrosion-proof, and is perhaps one of the most modern Russian pistol designs.  The P-96 was designed as a military weapon and briefly considered by the Russian military.

     Internally, the P-96’s mechanism is strikingly similar to that of the Beretta 8000 Cougar series.  Though the P-96 is a 9mm Parabellum-firing weapon, the P-96 is specifically designed to fire a steel-cored AP version of that round, which the Russians call the 7N31 round.  Trigger action is DAO and there are no external safeties of any kind.  The barrel length is 4 inches, and the sights are fixed and of the three-dot type.  The P-96 was not successful and was quickly withdrawn from the market, to be replaced by the GSh-18.

     The later GSh-18 is a development of the P-96; it is externally quite similar to the P-96, though wider (34mm) and also has no external safeties of any kind.  Internally, however, the GSh-18 is more similar to the Glock series, using a striker-fired mechanism instead of the short-recoil system of the P-96.  There are more than enough internal passive safeties to make the lack of external safeties not a problem for experienced firearms users.  The GSh-18 also has a rail molded into the frame under the barrel for the mounting of the accessories.  The barrel is slightly longer at 4.06 inches.  The polymer frame of the GSh-18 has steel reinforcing inserts, and another passive safety has been added – a firing pin safety.  Original models had fixed three-dot sights, but newer versions have removable sights (mounted on the breech block instead of the slide).  The slide is open at the front, which has led to criticism about dirt entering the system.  The GSh-18 is praised, however, for it’s ergonomic grip design.  Though also considered by the Russian military, it was rejected in favor of the PYa and SR-1.  The GSh-18 is popular among Russian bodyguards and some police forces.

     The P-96S and P-96M are compact versions of the P-96; in addition to the smaller grip and shorter barrel, the P-96S is also chambered for different cartridges, and has most of the improvements of the GSh-18.  The P-96S and P-96M have no manual safety, but do have a slide locks.  The triggers are said to be uncomfortable due to the shape of their trigger safeties.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: These weapons do not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

     Merc 2000 Notes: Economic conditions curtailed production of this pistol, and it is rare.

Tula Korovin TOZ

     Notes: Also called the TK TOZ (or simply TK), this small pistol, which has a marked resemblance to the Browning Baby, was used by high-ranking military officers and various police organizations in the Soviet Union between until nearly the end of World War 2, and manufactured between 1926 and 1935.  Perhaps the most peculiar thing about this pistol is its round – 6.35mm Tula.  Though the round is obviously based upon the .25 ACP round, it actually uses a slightly wider and heavier bullet, along with a much greater powder charge.  The round is close enough to the dimensions of the .25 ACP that one can still fire the .25 ACP from the TOZ without a problem, but the typical .25 ACP pistol is not designed to take the higher chamber pressures developed by the 6.35mm Tula round and a chamber or barrel explosion will usually result.  Sights are small, simple, and fixed, and the barrel is a mere 2.7 inches long.

     Though the TOZ was intended to be a short-range target and plinking pistol, it quickly became an “unofficial standard” pistol for high-ranking Red Army officers and their aides.  It was also popular for a time with undercover police, from local police to KGB/NKVD.  The TOZ’s design is quite simple, and easy to strip and maintain.  Unfortunately, 6.35mm Tula ammunition is quite rare these days, so if you find one, you’ll probably find it using .25 ACP ammunition.

Yarygin PYa

     Notes: The PYa was known during its development by its Baikal factory designation of MR-443, 6P35 (the military program designation) or the Grach (the name of the entire program to replace the Makarov).  Though officially adopted by the Russian military in 2003, budget shortages mean that PYa adoption has crawled along, and it may be a long while before the PYa is actually general issue in the Russian military and police.  The PYa has also been offered on the export market, both civilian and military, often under the name of MR-443 Grach; export models can be had with an adjustable rear sight.  The Russian MVD appears to have gotten the first crack at the PYa; as of 2015, the PYa is the standard sidearm of Russian Airborne and Air Assault units.

     In many ways, the PYa is a very dated design; Russian firearms expert Maxim Popenker says that it appears to have been “designed around 1975 and then shelved for the next twenty or thirty years.”  The PYa suffers from a rather un-ergonomic design, but it is a tough and robust pistol made entirely from steel (except for polymer grip plates).  The controls are unusual from a Russian standpoint, meaning that extra retraining is required for its shooters.  The PYa is strong enough to fire most 9mm Parabellum loads, including some that have been heavily hotloaded.  The operation is essentially a little-modified version of the tried-and-true Browning action, with a double-action trigger.  The hammer is semi-shrouded, almost totally concealed by a slide extension, but it can be thumb-cocked.  The PYa has an ambidextrous external safety, but no decocker (Russian military regulations prohibit carrying the PYa cocked and loaded).  The magazine release is reversible to accommodate left or right-handed shooters; and there is a chamber-loaded indicator.  The barrel is mid-length at 4.4 inches, and the sights are fixed (though the rear sight is dovetailed into the slide). 

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.