Loaded for production: law enforcement agencies will receive Lebedev's new pistol
In the near future, the Lebedev modular pistol (MPL) will be supplied to all law enforcement agencies and to pilots of the Russian Air Force. For them, the novelty will gradually replace the legendary Stechkin pistol (APS). Experts note that in a few years Lebedev's pistol is likely to become the main weapon in Russian law enforcement agencies.
The new MPL pistol has been put into serial production
The new MPL pistol will go to all law enforcement agencies, Dmitry Lebedev, a leading design engineer at the Izvestia Mechanical Plant in Izhevsk, who developed this model of small arms, told Izvestia.
- We are just starting to enter the normal serial production mode," he said. - That's why there are not many of them in the trenches. It is mostly in the hands of instructors, i.e. those who first receive new weapons. Plus it is now often used as a reward.
According to the designer, now his development is already actively used in the zone of SWO, but so far the manufacturer has not received any feedback from the fighters.
Lebedev pistol (MPL)
- And this is good. Lebedev's pistol is an auxiliary weapon, which a fighter should have just in case, - said Dmitry Lebedev. - But we know for sure that the gun is actively used. It has a good circulation.
In addition, Lebedev's pistol will be adopted by pilots of the Russian Air Force, sources in the Defense Ministry told Izvestia.
The issue of new weapons is long overdue and even overripe - the existing pistols need to be changed, military expert Yuri Lyamin told Izvestia.
- A pistol is a specific weapon, and if it comes to it in battle, it means that things are not going well for an officer or a soldier at all," he explained. - For example, pilots are armed with a pistol so that they can fight off the enemy or animals when they eject. Now they are issued a Stechkin or Makarov pistol for emergencies. But frankly speaking, this weapon is already old, both in the first and in the second cases. It is not very comfortable and does not meet all modern requirements. And I say this with all due respect to the weapon, which has served with dignity for more than a decade.
Lebedev pistol (PL-14)
Approximately the same situation in other law enforcement agencies, the expert noted.
- For this reason and decided to adopt a new pistol. Now quite a large number of them should go into production," said Yuri Lyamin.
As military expert Dmitry Kornev explained to Izvestia, Lebedev's pistol was favored by the special services - the Interior Ministry, FSB, Rosgvardia - but not by the army.
- However, the pistol is also used there," he clarified. - In particular, it is an individual means of defense for tankers. There are situations in battle when a machine gun runs out of ammunition, and you need to fight off the remnants of the enemy's accumulation of manpower. And Lebedev's pistol, which has good characteristics, may become quite in demand in the army.
Lebedev pistol (LPC).
The expert noted that modern materials are used in its manufacture - less metal, more plastic or composite materials, which reduces the weight of the weapon.
- The gun also has less recoil, which makes it more comfortable," he said. - They have also developed a lot of attachments for it - flashlights, silencers, which improve its properties. The Lebedev pistol has a magazine capacity of 14 rounds, which is considered a good indicator. Due to changes in materials and design, all the combat properties of this weapon are eventually changed. And thus it becomes one of the best domestic pistols.
Characteristics of MPL
MPL is a new combat model of compact small arms developed by Kalashnikov Concern. It is designed for the use of 9x19 mm cartridges, including high-power ones.
The new weapon is equipped with strips for mounting flashlights and laser designators, interchangeable grip pads, and a magazine with ammunition quantity indication.
It was first presented at the IDEX-2021 international arms exhibition in the UAE.
In November 2022, the Russian President awarded the Order of Military Merit to Dmitry Lebedev, a leading design engineer at the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant, who developed the line of pistols. It includes the PL-14, PL-15, PL-15K, PLK and MPL pistols.
Modernized Yarygin pistol
The armed forces and Russian law enforcement agencies may soon receive another novelty - a modernized 9mm Yarygin pistol.
Vladimir Yarygin, the creator of this weapon, expressed confidence that in the foreseeable future the Russian Ministry of Defense should agree on mass production of the modernized version of the pistol.
- This pistol, of course, is used now in the zone of SWO, - said the designer. - It is a combat pistol. Besides, it is in service with almost all law enforcement agencies. But for our part, of course, we know its shortcomings. After all, it was developed according to tactical and technical specifications back in the 90s. A new time has come, the requirements have changed. In 2020, I modernized this gun. The modernization was fully protected in the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
According to Vladimir Yarygin, there is no decision yet for his pistol to go into mass production. But he is confident that it will "certainly happen in some foreseeable future".
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
