CIA Information Report — New Soviet 7.62 mm Semi-Automatic Carbine SKS, Submachine Gun, and 7.62 mm Pistol (14 April 1955, CONFIDENTIAL)
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This Document contains
4
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
INFORMATION REPORT to OF reeelpt by alt Wisnvchorleod eee es contents
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
O-O-NP-T-D-E-No?-T-AcL
COUNTRY USSR/Austria (Soviet Zone) REPORT NO.
SUBJECT New Soviet 7.62 mm Semi-Automatic Garbine pate DISTR.
SKS, Submachine Gun, and 7.62 mn Pistol
50X1 NO. OF PAGES
DATE OF INFO. REQUIREMENT NO.
PLACE ACQUIRED REFERENCES
| 50x1
1, April 1955
‘13
| 50x11
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE,
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
S0X1 Attached is a copy| sas received
50X11
50X11
50xX1
50X1
C-0-N-F-T=D-E~N-T=I=A-I,
50X1
ATE | xd ARMY ay Poe [navy fx [are x [rs | _ [atc |]
|
—=
m: Washington Distribution Indicated By “X"; Field Distribution By “#".)
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CONF IDENTIAL
—_
50x1 REPORT
50X1 i
COUNTRY USSR/Austria (Soviet Zone) DATE DISTR. 28 Mar. 1955 .
SUBJECT New Soviet 7.62 mm Semi-Automatic Carbine SKS, NO.OF PAGES 12 . .
Submachine Gun, and’ 7,62 mm Pistol 50X1
‘DATE OF INFORMATION 50x REFERENCES: |
PLACE ACQUIRED
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
Is
NEW SOVIET 7,62 mm SEMI-AUTOMATIC CARBINE, MODEL SKs 1 50x11
(See page 10 for sketch) so
1. Sometime in March 1954, a sufficient number of the new Soviet 7,62 mm semi-automatic 50X11.
carbines, model SKS, arrived to replace the 156 carbines, M1944,
previously issued to the privates of | “tthe 735th Sep Radio Communi- 50X1
cation Bn, The carbines were issued a Tew days after their arrival, with the
ML944 carbines being turned in and sent out of the unit to an unknown destination, _ 50X41
| 50X1
2.
3. The cleaning kit consisted of a cleaning rod, a bore brush, a cleaning-rod stop,
a cleauing-rod handle pin, a cleaning-rod attachment, a cleaning-rod handle, and
an oil ean, ,
t- The carbines were kept in the company arms room of | the 2a Co. 50x
under the supervision of a "duty soldier" (dnevalnvv1.1_ 50Xx1
50X1
» 50X1
50X1
~ CONFIDENT TAL
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SUX
CONF IDENT IAL
-2= |
yo . .
., 50X1
5, The mon | | were all repeatedly informed in classes and formations 50X41
that the new carbine was a classified weapon and would not be taken out of the :
garrison area except under specific instructions, | | weapon out of 50X14
the garrison only on one occasion, | o @ maneuver in Hungary in the sum
_ mer of 1954. When on guard duty and adsigned to the post. attending 50X14
the main gate of the garrison drew one of six old PPSh SMG's retained in the .
company for use when personnel were expected to be seen by Austrians. 50X1
6 50X1
_ 50X41
ec. Shortly after the new carbines were issued to the men, _50X1
. Gompany first sergeant went on business to his (the sergeantg).old unit, an
unidentified Soviet Army unit, about 200 km away and came 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 50X1
act was perfogmed by revengeful Austrians. 50X1
7. | the rounds used by the carbine were also considerad to be secret.
| ‘the system of accountability for this ammmition was very strict. 50X1
On. the two occasions when lcarbine firing while on the 50X14
firing range, each marksman was flanked by a second soldier whose function it was
to retrieve all ejected brass with his garrison cap (pilotka), After a day on 50X14
the range all the brass and unexpended rounds were carefully counted to insure
that none was lost, The men were warned that if one round or brass cartridge
was lost, the entire battalion might have to be called out to search for it, 4
8. 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 hour per week of
classroom instruction by company NCOs, Source described firing and classroom
instruction as follows: :
a. Range firing was preceded by dry-fi xercises in the coii area usi
the triangulation sighting method. 7a eee 50X1
[ |Range firing was at bulls-eye
targets from a prone position at a range of 100 m the first time and 200 m
th® second time, The men were instructed to set their rear sight on the 50x1
cyrillic "IT"(permanent - postoyannyy) 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
assigtance 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 g special vise-like tool to move the front sight to compensate
for the error. | weapon was never zeroed in properly and
50X11
CONFIDENTIAL
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CONFIDENTIAL 50x"
=" [|
50X1
ec. 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 on infantry matters) 50X1
Karabin SKS (skorostrelnyy karabin siménova or rapid firing carbine of: Simdnov)
OBR 43 (plodel 1943) goda (year)." It was dark brown in color, contained about
20 pages, and was about 12 x 8 cm in size, | 50X11
d. The manual was available to all privates and was in a reading file in the com
pany orderly room, It was not classified | Bach time an 50X11
NCO needed the manual for classroom instruction, he want to the orderly room
and drew a copy for the instruction period.
e. The text of the instruction, without variation, consisted of reading the manual 50X1
from cover to cover, | |thia included technical data on the
weapon, and each private was required to commit this information to memory, 50X1
after several such sessions most of the men would sit and sleep
in the classroom,
9. The following are the characterigtics of the carbine and its ammunition: (Items
marked with an* were as stated in the manual. )
8. Model * : SKS - Skorostrelnyy Karabin Siménova, M1943.
b. Caliber * oo 7,62 mm
Cc. Operation # Gas, semieautomatic, magazine-fed,
counter-recoll-spring loaded.
d. Diameter of gas port * Approximately 2.4 mm.
@. Magazine capacity * Nine rounds and one in chamber in accord-
ance with the manual. (However, 50X41
50X1
f£, Magazine * Integral box.
g Weight:
With knife-type bayonet * 3.950 kg
With four-edged prong-type 3,800 kg. | 50x!
bayorfet * bayonet mounted on this weapon 50X41
| listed in the manual.) 50X1
Without bayonet or cleaning 50X14
accessories
CONFIDENTIAL
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50X1 vo
CONF IDENT IAL "ot
-i-
h. Length:
With bayonet in folded position * 101 cm (40.4 in) i,
t
With extended bayonet * 130 om (52 in} i
i. Length of bayonet * 33 om (13,2 in) fa
j. Length of barrel Unknown , |
k. Muzzle velocity * ; 500 meters per second
1, Maximm range * 2000 m (manual stated that at 1500 m the od
- bullet still had sufficient velocity to
penetrate a human body. )
Maximum effective range * 365 m (The nypn (permanent) setting on rear
sight equaled this range. )
m, 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.
o. Sighte:
-Pront: * Open post with circular guard,
Rear * . Tangent curve - graduated fram cyrillic
"TT" (permanent) and then numbers 1 through
10, Each graduation represented 100 m,
The combat range setting of "TT" is the
game as if the sight was set for approxi-
mately 365 m on the sight scale, No
windage adjustment.
Pp. Stock assembly , Two pieces, wooden, unlaminated stock
‘ proper and upper hand guard, Yellow or
black wood, (His unit had both colors
of ‘Stocks, ) 7 :
q@- Method of charging Ten~round straight-line clip (non-expendable).
yr, Rate of fire * 35 to 40 rounds per minute was given as the
: optimum practical rate. (cyclic rate of
fire unknown)
8s. Bayonet Two types: Permanent, folding, knife; and
* permanent, folding, four~edged prong-type.
t. Sling ‘Web,, fastened under rear stock and ‘front,
left of upper hand guard.
u. Weapon replaced 7.62 mm Mossin Nagant Carbine M1944
(in source's unit). _
v. Place of manufacture Unknown
w. Year of manufacture _ 1953 was the date stamped on{ ———=id:SCSOX1
weapon, Other SKS carbines in unit were '
stamped as being made in 1951.
CONFIDENTIAL
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OOMF IEFNT 1a 50xXt:
x. First iasue:
(1) Austria 50x
(2) USSR an
a unidentified infantry battalion (FPH-
61595 or 51695) in Barnaul (N 53-20, E 83-48),
Altayskiy Kray, Siberia, USSR, in the summer
of 1953. Weapon wis in the hands of the «
cadre, while trainees used the M1944 carbine,
y. Ammunition:
(1) Model M1943 as described in class, Interchange- 50X1
able with new SMG AK and new u/i pistol, x
50
nit officers 50X1
Stated that the ammu on “would fit the
(2) Basic combat load 100 rounds, Three pouches, each pouch
with three ten-round clips, An additional
nine rounds in magazine and one round in
chamber. ey
(3) Type Ball ammunition used on firing range, |
ineandiary, _ 50X41
tracer, and armor=piercing types of this 50X14
7.62 ammunition, |
50X1
Scheme was used, The ball ammini-
tion had no paint markings, but =—! 50x1
a. stripe around the point o
et would indicate the type, 50X1
(4) Packaging 20 rounds to.a package in layers of fiv. 50x"
° i ; rounds,
ot 50X1
%. Markings on weapon
50X1
"this date and serial number were
stamped in at least three placed: (1) On
rear top of barrel (2) On trigger mechanism
(3) Receiver cover, It was also etched. 50x11
onto the side of the bolt,
Packaging * 50X1
» Garbines arrived in his unit in wooden boxes, each containing ten carbines. Tha.
weapons were covered NUT sometene. 50x1
Gisaning a 50x11
After firing, the weapons were cleaned until the bore and all parts were clean.
Then a light film of oil ws Placed on all portions of the weapon, | SOXx1
|____bore cleaner was not used because this a rusted the weapons, Hot
soap and wa 50x!
used “spit and clean cloths." Daily cleaning of 50X41
he weapon after firing was compulsory for one week; after this, it was cleaned
|
once a week,
50X1
50X11
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CONFIDENTIAL
-é-
12, The men were told to use the cleaning rod attachment to prevent 50x11
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, | 50X11
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.
Disassembly and Assembly
14. Disassembly and assembly, loading and operation of the weapon| | 50x"
L erased nnidet closely with other data received on this weapon.l The following 50X14
erences were noted, however: .
ae | ‘the trigger assembly was released by pushing a release 50X4
catch under the stock and just to the rear of the trigger assembly.
‘’b. 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 magazineg.
¢. The magazine release catch was attached to some other unknown part of the
weapon and not the trigger assembly.
ad, 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,
eé. The pin described in sub-paragraph d above was visible on the éxterior of the
lower hand guard on either side.
fe The bayonet-atch lug was straight on its bearing surface.
‘g The bayonet was more ‘pointed, °
: NEW SOVIET SUBMACHINE GUN
L5. (See page 11 for sketch), 50x'
50X1
L6. Issue of the new Soviet SMG occurred in| the 735th Separate Radio SOx4
Commnication Bn, 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 50X41
SMO PPSh were retained by each of the companies to be used as weapons at main gate
of the garrison and on those occasions when personnel had to leave the area under
arms. 50X1
-7. The SMGe were issued a few days after their arrival in rs 50X1
.8. The weapons arrived in smaller cases than those the carbines came in| | 50X1
| |The weapons were cosmolene coated; and, upon
issue, each RCO was required to clean his weapon with gasoline. | SOX1
accessory items were issued along with the weapon a 50X14
8 er strap, a pouch with a capacity of five magazines, and six 32 round, curved
box magazines,
CONFIDENT IAL
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4
ye Jum
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 Measures
20, The men| |were all informed by unit officers that the SMG was a 50X1
secret weapon and that under no circumstances would it leave the garrison except
by the direct order of a responsible officer. | |the new SMGs 50X1
were taken out of the garrison only on one occasion, to travel to Hungary for
maneuvers in summer 1954, | 50X1
50X1
21. The ammunition used by the new SMG was identical with that used by the new carbine 50X1
SKS, and the same security measures were adopted on the firing range for ammunition
accountability as in the case of the carbine. jon the two 50X1
occasions on the firing range to fire the carbine, the unit NOOs
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 came from
the same box, 50X1
anstruction and Training
22, Prior to firing, the NCOs received dry~firing instruction and, during the period
from the time of issue| the NCOs received from two
to three nours pe weapon, | 50X1
it followed the same
general pattern as that #iven on the carbine for the privates, The instructors
for NCO classes were always officers of the company 50X1
50X1
23. 50X1
used were full-length silhouettes, On the first occasion the course was 100 m and
the second time 200 m, 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 results 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 of SMG
24. The following are the characteristics of the new SMG:
a. Model Unknown 50X1
b, Caliber 7.62 mm
¢, Operation | |gas-operated; semi 50X1
and full automatic fire,
d, Magazine capacity 32 rounds, according to N€0s,
e. Magazine Detachable, curved box, 50X1
50X1
£, Weight | 50X1
4
this weapon was somewhat heavier
n the old PPSh.
CONF IDENT IAL
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CONFIDENT IAL
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g- Length Approximately 80 cm,
h, Length of barrel Unknown
i. Muzzle velocity Unknown
Je vextonk. range Unknown, Maximum effective range was 200
meters, as told to source by NCOs,
k, Rifling 50x
the bore in this weapon was also chrome—
plated,
1. Cooling Air-assisted through two or three air vents .
in the upper wooden hand guard.
m Sights:
Front Open post with circular guard,
Rear : Unknown - leaf=type with no windage gauge.
n. Stock assembly Fixed wooden or metal folding
-Q. Method 6f charging Hand~loaded, detachable curved box
magazine,
Pe Rate of fire Unknown
q. Bayonet None
Te Sling . Web type, fastening unknown,
8. Weapon replaced in source's unit 7.62 mm PPSh SMG M1941
t. Place of manufacture . Unknown
u, Year of manufacture | lthere were two "50X1
years of manufacture for the weapons) 50X1
[___]2952 and 1953. 50x!
v. First issue | March 1954 in °°"
Austria,
w. Amminition
(1) Model M1943, interchangeable with carbine SKS
and unidentified pistol described in
this report,
(2) Basic combat load 192 rounds, One pouch with five 32 round
Magazines and one magazine in the weapon,
(Assumption based on the number 50X1
of magazines per pouch and weapon. )
x. Markings on ‘weapon Unknown 50X1
y Performance 50X1
Jthe old PPSh SMG was a mich
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,
CONF IDENT IAL
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50X1
CONF IDENT IAL
* Ly
25, 50X1
50X11
[the bores of these weapons were
chrome pigted and would not rust. 50X1
a 50X1
26,
NEW SOVIET 7662 mm UNIDENTIFIED PISTOL “ 50X1
(See page 12 for sketch)
27.
28,
29.
| [the pistol could be fired from the shoulder using —
the wooden holster as a stock, | this pistol 50X1
used the same ammunition as the new 7.62 ma SKS carbine and the new 7,62 mm
unidentified SMG, | |the weapon carried 25 rounds in 50X1
a magazine, fired semi-automatically, and wis similar to the German World War II
Mauser" pistol. 50X11
: 50X1
26 | : This same tag was described by DS-616 as bearing the . 50X1
Carbine serial number and the cyrillic initials "KP" indicating "karabin"
(carbine), 50X1
3.
4o
5.
6.
CONF IDENT TAL
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CONFIDENTIAL
50X1 Sketch of Soviet 7.62-mm Carbine SKS (Skorostrelnyy Karabin Simbnova) pease
A
50X11
50X11
CONFIDENTIAL
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50X1
CONFIDENTIAL a
s
50X1 —— Biseteh of New Unidentified 7.62-mm Soviet SMG With Three fypes ef Stocks
Bolt Handle Gas Cylinder
per Sight Leaf
A Upper Tang faard
Receiver Cover
Selector Lever.
<~— Wed Type Sling
Hagezine Gatch Release
> zine 50X11
Pistol Grip Maga
Metal Butt (Wood, Removable) Piste’ Grip Retaining Bolt
Hinges
. Steck SMG with only
ann sine pistel grip
CONFIDENTIAL
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Metal back fer grip
Pistel grip, yellow, woot,
rough diagenal cut
50X1
CONFIDENTIAL
_ l=
ue
50X1
Leather ever shoulder carrying strap
Dark brown wooden holster
50X1
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