Fort-12

The Fort-12 (Ukrainian: Форт-12) is a semi-automatic pistol which was designed in the late 1990s by Ukrainian firearms designer RPC Fort.^[3]

Fort-12
Fort-12 pistol
Type	Semi-automatic pistol
Place of origin	Ukraine
Service history
In service	1998–present
Wars	Russo-Ukrainian War
Production history
Designer	Petro Zayets[1]
Designed	1995 – June 1998[2]
Manufacturer	RPC Fort
Produced	1998–present
Specifications
Mass	830 g (empty) 950 g (loaded)
Length	180 mm
Barrel length	95 mm
Width	32 mm
Height	131 mm
Cartridge	9×18mm Makarov 9x17mm
Action	Double-action, semi-automatic
Rate of fire	40 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity	320 m/s
Effective firing range	50 meters
Feed system	12 (13), 24 round box magazine

History

The Fort-12 was produced to replace the Makarov pistols in Ukrainian service.

RPC Fort acquired machinery from the Česká Zbrojovka Uherský Brod^[4] and the first "Fort-12" pistols were made in 1995.

In December 1998, the "Fort-12" was adopted.

While early Fort-12 copies suffered from reliability issues, RFC Fort addressed those problems and improved the design.^[4]

Design

The Fort-12 is chambered in the 9x18mm Makarov, former standard ammunition for the Soviet Union and Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.^[4]

The Fort-12 is similar to the CZ-75, utilizes a simple blowback-operated action, double-action type trigger and manual safety lever on the left side.^[4]

Accessories

English	Ukrainian	Description	Reference
LT-6	ЛТ-6	Gun-mounted flashlight	[5][6]
LT-6A	ЛТ-6А
Fort-4	Форт-4	Detachable suppressor for Fort-12B

RFC Fort also provides duty holster for uniformed security personnel.^[7]

Variants

Fort-12 family

English	Ukrainian	Cartridge	Description	Reference
Fort-12	Форт-12	9×18mm Makarov	First model
Fort-12-02	Форт-12-02		Limited edition (chromium-plated)
Fort-12-03	Форт-12-03		Limited edition (nickel-plated)
Fort-12B	Форт-12Б		Suppressed version (with detachable suppressor)
Fort-12 CURZ	Форт-12 CURZ	9x17mm (.380 ACP)	Second model	[8]
Fort-12N	Форт-12Н		An award of President of Ukraine and state award of Ukraine (since 2000), manufactured in presentational grade (with silvered frame, gold inlays and engravings)	[9][10][11]
Sokol	Сокол	9×18mm Makarov	IPSC sport pistol with recoil compensator
Fort-12G	Форт-12Г	9mm P.A. cartridge	Non-lethal gas pistol	[12][13]
Fort-12R	Форт-12Р		Non-lethal gas pistol with the ability to fire ammunition with rubber bullets; 12 or 13 round box magazine	[14]
Fort-12RM	Форт-12РМ		Non-lethal gas pistol with the ability to fire ammunition with rubber bullets; 13 round box magazine	[15]
Fort-12T	Форт-12Т		Non-lethal gas pistol with the ability to fire ammunition with rubber bullets; 12 or 13 round box magazine	[16]
Fort-12TM	Форт-12ТМ		Non-lethal gas pistol with the ability to fire ammunition with rubber bullets; 10 round box magazine

Fort-12N variant

Fort-14

Designed for the Ukrainian law enforcement, the Fort-14 has a longer barrel and larger magazine than the Fort-12.^[4]

Fort-17

See also: Fort-17

Other variants

See also: Horhe

Users

• Kazakhstan^[17][18]
  • Fort-12T, Fort-12TM, Fort-12R are Fort-12RM are allowed for private security guards
• Ukraine

• Ukrainian Customs^[19]
• Ministry of Internal Affairs^[20]
• Private security guards^[21][22]
• Security Service of Ukraine^[23][24]
• National Police of Ukraine^[25][26][27]
• State Border Guard Service of Ukraine^[28][29]

• Uzbekistan
  • An agreement was signed in October 2000 on the delivery of a batch of Fort-12 pistols to Uzbekistan^[30]

Former users

• Ukraine
  • Berkut^[31][32]
  • Grifon^[33]
  • Main Department of Internal Affairs of the city of Kyiv^[34]
• Russian Federation:
  • From 2008 to 2011, Fort-12Ts were sold on civilian market as non-lethal self-defence weapon.^[35][36]
    • Since August 2014, Ukraine have banned the export of arms and military products to Russia,^[37] which includes magazines and other spare parts for previously sold pistols.^[38]

Fort-12N recipients

Country	Date	Individual	References
Uzbekistan	February 1998	Islam Karimov	[39]
Georgia	November 2006	Mikheil Saakashvili	[40]
		Vano Merabishvili
Belarus	April 2009	S. S. Sidorsky	[41]
Poland	September 2010	Bronisław Komorowski	[42]
Kuwait	March 2018	Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah	[43]

Gallery

• 
  Fort-12
• 
  Fort-12 disassembled
• 
  Fort-12R

See also

• Fort-17
• RPC Fort