Gepard (submachine gun)

For the Hungarian anti-material rifle with the same name, see Gepárd anti-materiel rifle.

For other articles with the name "Gepard", see Gepard.

The Gepard (Cyrillic: Гепард, Cheetah) is a Russian submachine gun developed by the military unit 33491 and JSC REX,^[1] first designed in 1995 and presented in Moscow in 1997.^[2][3] The gun was developed as an answer to a shortage of 9mm submachine guns.^[4]

Gepard
Type	Submachine gun
Place of origin	Russia
Production history
Designed	1995
Specifications
Mass	2 kg
Length	640mm 420mm folded
Barrel length	235mm
Cartridge	.380 ACP 9×18mm Makarov 9×19mm 9×19mm 7N21 9×21mm 9×21mm Gyurza 9×30mm Grom
Rate of fire	600-700 rounds/min
Feed system	22 or 40-round double stack magazine
Sights	Adjustable iron sights for 100m and 200m

Development

Developed from the AKS-74U, the Gepard has a 65% parts commonality; it can use the .380 ACP, 9×18mm Makarov, 9×19mm Parabellum, 9×19mm 7N21, 9×21mm and 9×21mm Gyurza without a change and can use the 9×30mm Grom cartridge with a chamber replacement. The gun can use different mechanisms of action:

• blowback
• blowback with 2 inertial masses
• blowback with 2 inertial masses and partial use of the gas from the barrel
• delayed blowback
• typical Kalashnikov long-stroke piston with rotating bolt

The receiver is shorter compared to other Kalashnikov platforms, so a special counter-balancing system can be used. Various barrel accessories such as muzzle brakes, flash hiders and suppressors can be attached to the barrel. The double-stack magazine presses the rounds against the front wall.^[5][6] Unusual for Kalashnikov rifles, the magazine is placed inside the grip similar to the ST Kinetics CPW and the grip is made from polymer.^[7]

See also

• PP-19-01 Vityaz
• Zastava Master FLG