Pecheneg

September 11, 2008

The team of developers at the TsNIITOCHMASH, including A.A. Deriagin, N.N. Denisov, V.I. Suslov, M.V. Chugunov, A.S. Neugodov and others had undertook a num¬ber of measures directed to enhance the accuracy of the PKM machine gun as well as the service life of its barrel and to reduce the errors in its aiming at the target. As a result of the thrust came into being the Kalashnikov infantry machine-gun «Pecheneg» with its subsequent formal Index 6P41.
The innovations in the design of a barrel and introduction of the jackets had enhanced its ruggedness, improved its cooling, protected from atmospheric effects, reduced its own reverberations, protected its line of sight from effects of a «mirage» effect. The clearance between the jacket and the outer space of the barrel, its transversal ribs and the ejector near its muzzle ensure its enforced and gradual cooling by an ambient air.

The maximum length of the constant fire burst fired from the 6P41 numbers some 600 shots. The operating handle mechanism unified with a curved plate enhancing its ruggedness and reducing the heating warpages during the fire. The displacement of the bipod to the muz¬zle enhanced stability of the weapon. The accu¬racy of an automatic mode of fire from the mount and the bipod 1.7-1.9 times higher than that of the PKM fire consistency. The increased service life of the main barrel permitted its users to refuse from the removable barrel (this com¬pensate the increase of the machine gun weight), however, the barrel attachment device remained a quick-disconnected one.
Among other things, some 80% parts and units of the PKM are used in the design of the 6P41.
This permitted with minimal expenses in the year 1999 to launch the 6P41 in mass pro¬duction at the KMZ Plant. The 6P41 machine gun proved its efficiency during a period of intense combat activity in Chechnya.
Specifications
Caliber………………………..7.62mm
Cartridge ……………………..7.62×53R
Weigh!…………………………8.7 kg
Length ………………………1,155mm
Barrel length…………………….640 mm
Bullet muzzle velocity ……………..825m/sec
Rale ol lire …………………..650rds/min
Effective rate of fire……………..250 rds/min
Sighting range ………………….. 1,500 m
Cartridge-bell capacity…………… 100,200 rds