GSh-18

The GSh-18 (Cyrillic: ГШ-18) is a 9mm semi-automatic pistol developed by the KBP Instrument Design Bureau in Tula during the 1990s.

GSh-18 (ГШ-18)
Gryazev and Shipunov 9mm GSh-18 pistol
Type	Semi-automatic pistol
Place of origin	Russia
Service history
In service	2000–present
Wars	Second Chechen War Russo-Georgian War Syrian Civil War Russo-Ukrainian War
Production history
Designer	V.P. Gryazev[1] A.G. Shipunov[1]
Designed	1998–2000[2]
Manufacturer	KBP Instrument Design Bureau
Unit cost	14,810 roubles (2008) 23,314.44 roubles (2012)[3]
Produced	2001[1]–
Variants	various civilian versions
Specifications
Mass	590 g (21 oz)
Length	184 mm (7.2 in)
Barrel length	103 mm (4.1 in)
Width	34 mm (1.3 in)
Height	136 mm (5.4 in)
Cartridge	9×19mm Parabellum 9×19mm 7N21 +P+ 9×19mm 7N31 +P+
Action	Short recoil, rotating barrel striker fired
Muzzle velocity	535 m/s (1,755 ft/s)–570 m/s (1,870.1 ft/s)
Feed system	18-round detachable box magazine
Sights	Fixed; front blade and rear notch

History

The GSh-18 entered service in 2000 with the Russian Ministry of Justice.^[4] It was only in 2003 that the pistol was widely adopted under Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 166.^[4]

The pistol's name is derived from its designers—Gryazev and Shipunov—and its magazine capacity of 18 rounds.^[1][2]

Design details

Operation

The GSh-18 is a rotating-barrel, short recoil, locked-breech pistol with 10 locking lugs spaced equally around the barrel, the large locking surface area resulting in a strong lockup,^[5] making it suitable for high-velocity ammunition loads.

The pistol incorporates a pre-set striker.^[1] Two different designs of grip have been observed.^[5] The slide and working parts are steel, and the weapon has a polymer frame.

Ammunition

The GSh-18 is designed to fire standard 9×19mm Parabellum as well as the Russian 9×19mm 7N21 (Cyrillic: 7Н21) and 7N31 (Cyrillic: 7Н31) +P+ armor-piercing rounds.^[6] The 7N31, has demonstrated penetration of 8 mm of steel (15–20 meters of distance).^[1][7]

The magazines are a double stack, double feed design common to Russian military handguns. The magazine capacity is 18 rounds, and an additional round may be carried in the chamber. The magazine release is reversible for left-handed shooters and the extractor doubles as a loaded chamber indicator.

Variants

GSh-18

GRAU index 6P54

GSh-18 Tactical

GSh-18 fitted with a Picatinny rail, a new receiver and an ability to install a silence. Officially revealed in 2012.^[8]

GSh-18S «Sport»

Civilian version (Russian: ГШ-18С «Спорт») with modified trigger and firing pin and 10-round detachable box magazine.

GSh-18 «Sport 2»

Civilian version (Russian: ГШ-18С «Спорт 2») with modified trigger and 18-round detachable box magazine^[9]

GSh-18T

Non-lethal version (Russian: ГШ-18Т) using MP-80-13т .45 rubber bullets.

Users

• Russia
  • Armed Forces of the Russian Federation^[10]
  • National Guard of Russia^[11]
  • Ministry of Justice^[1]
  • Ministry of Internal Affairs^[1]
  • Law enforcement in Russia^[12][13]
• Syria
  • Syrian Armed Forces^{[citation needed]}
  • Law enforcement in Syria^{[citation needed]}

See also

• MP-443 Grach
• Lebedev pistol
• Makarov pistol