Gun PL-15(The Lebedev pistol of the 2015 model) was developed by the design team of the Kalashnikov Concern under the leadership of Dmitry Lebedev, a student of the sports weapons designer Efim Khaidurov. Work on the PL-15 began in 2014 with the participation of multiple Russian champion in practical shooting Andrey Kirisenko. At the International Military-Technical Forum "Army-2017" was shown its shortened version - a pistol PL-15K.

PL-15 pistol Photo by JSC Concern "Kalashnikov"

The main buyers of PL-15 pistols should be special forces, the army and the police. In addition, it is planned to release a sports version for practical shooting. For the first time, the prototype of the Lebedev Pistol was publicly demonstrated in June 2015 under the designation PL-14. Its improved version was released in 2016, at the Army-2016 exhibition under the designation PL-15. In 2017, at the Army-2017 forum, the manufacturer presented an updated PL-15 with a different shape of the shutter and slide delay lever.

One of the most noticeable positive qualities of the PL-15 pistol is the ergonomic shape of the handle with a large angle of inclination, thanks to which pistol users were able to make an accurate shot when shooting offhand. This advantage is possessed by such pistols as the Parabellum P.08, Ruger Mark IV and Glock 17. In order to reduce the recoil shoulder and toss when fired, the distance between the butt pad and the central axis of the barrel is made as small as possible. As a result, the shooter spends less time re-aiming after each shot, which increases both accuracy and rate of fire.

The Lebedev sample has a chance to become the first Russian self-loading pistol with a truly ergonomic grip, pleasant to grip and accurate in shooting, not inferior in these qualities to the best samples of Western space. The PL-15 handle has replaceable pads of different sizes. This solution, which significantly improves ergonomics, is used by leading manufacturers of short-barreled weapons in the USA and Europe in most of their modern self-loading pistols.

The PL-15 could even try to compete in accuracy with the famous Swiss SIG P210 and its modern version of the SIG Sauer P210 Target, famous for its excellent shooting accuracy, if not only for the self-cocking trigger (DAO) and the thick handle due to the double-row magazine. The PL-15 customers did not prioritize accuracy, unlike the Swiss, who did not want to reduce accuracy in comparison with the Luger 1906/29 for the sake of improving other basic properties of the weapon and adopted Ordonnanzpistole 49 that met their requirements.

Automation works according to the scheme of using the recoil of the moving barrel with its short stroke. The barrel bore is locked with a bolt according to a system with a skewed barrel, clutching a massive protrusion above the breech of the barrel with a window for ejecting spent cartridges in the bolt. Disengaging the barrel from the bolt is performed by tilting the breech of the barrel downward when the inclined surface of the tide under the breech of the barrel interacts with the axis of the barrel retainer, due to which the massive protrusion above the breech of the barrel comes out of engagement with the window for ejection of spent cartridges in the bolt, then the barrel stops, and the shutter continues to move backward.

The levers of the flag fuse and the slide delay, as well as the magazine latch button in the PL-15 and PL-15K, are double-sided. In the form in which the prototype under the designation PL-14 was shown to the public, in order to reduce the thickness of the weapon, these levers are made almost flat, almost not protruding beyond the side edges of the frame, and are placed in special recesses. PL-15 developers have provided, albeit not so flat, but more convenient, the above-mentioned weapon controls of a more traditional form. The pistols presented at the end of August 2017 at the Army-2017 forum were equipped with a new-shaped slide stop lever with an enlarged protrusion.

The small thickness of the PL-15 is one of the main features of this pistol. For the 2016 model, the maximum grip thickness is 28 mm. But this advantage also has its price - flat safety levers, as practical experience shows, are very difficult to control in a stressful situation, whether it be a combat situation or a sports competition. There are two versions of the interchangeable firing mechanism. PL-15 - with only a self-cocking (DAO) trigger-type trigger, with a hidden location of the trigger, trigger pull of 4.5 kg and a trigger travel of 7 mm.

PL-15-01 - with single-action striker trigger (DA), trigger force 2.5 kg and trigger travel 4 mm. Inertial striker - when the trigger is released, the striker does not go beyond the surface of the shutter mirror, and the capsule breaks due to the energy of the inertial striker. The choice in favor of the DAO trigger with not the smallest trigger force was dictated by the designer's initial desire to make a pistol without a safety catch, but the safety catch still had to be installed at the request of the customers.

Here we recall the situation with the Polish pistol VIS 35 "Radom", which the designer Piotr Vilnevchits did not want to supply with a manually operated safety catch, considering it not only useless, but also harmful, since in a critical situation the owner can simply forget to turn off this safety catch or forget where exactly on weapons, he generally is. But in the case of the Poles and VIS 35, the customer listened to the opinion of the designer.

A double-sided flag fuse, the levers of which are located on both sides of the frame, when turned on, disconnects the trigger and the trigger. The Lebedev pistol is equipped with an indicator of the presence of a cartridge in the chamber, made in the form of a pin protruding from the rear end of the bolt when there is a cartridge in the barrel. The trigger guard is made with a front protrusion for a "grip", in which the shooter puts the index finger of the supporting hand on this protrusion, which, in my personal opinion, does not at all affect the reduction of the pistol toss when fired.

At the bottom of the front of the frame there is a Picatinny rail, with which various tactical flashlights or laser designators can be attached to the weapon. Sights are non-adjustable, installed in dovetail grooves. The cartridges are fed from a two-row magazine with the output of cartridges in one row.

PL-15K pistol Photo by JSC Concern "Kalashnikov"

The shortened PL-15K, shown at the Army-2017 forum, roughly corresponds to the dimensions of the Glock 19. The pistol has a high-strength aluminum alloy frame with replaceable grip pads of various sizes and a seat for installing an under-barrel flashlight and a laser designator. At the bottom on the sides of the handle there are semicircular holes for removing the magazine in difficult operating conditions, when you need to apply force by pulling the magazine by its cover.

The safety levers in the compact PL-15K have been moved slightly forward and upward, closer to the slide delay. At the request of the user, the base barrel can be replaced with an elongated one, which has a thread on the muzzle for the installation of a quick-detachable silencer. Replaceable front sight and rear sight can have different configurations at the request of the user. It is also possible to install a collimator sight on the shutter.

The exhibition specimen was equipped with a single-action striker trigger with a trigger force of about 1.5 kg with a stroke length of 3 mm. This trigger is optional for the full-size PL-15. The service life of the PL-15 pistol for shooting is at least 10,000 shots with Russian reinforced 7N21 cartridges, which are more powerful than commercial 9 × 19 mm Parabellum ammunition and correspond to the more powerful western 9 × 19 NATO or 9 × 19 + P.

When firing with 9mm Luger cartridges of normal power, the PL-15 resource is about 30,000 rounds. However, it should be mentioned here that the warranty resource of Glock pistols is 40,000 shots, and the actual shots of many copies of these famous for their reliability, practical Austrian pistols amount to several hundred thousand. The frame is made of light alloy, but in the future it is planned to produce it from polymer.

Compared to the PL-14 prototype, the PL-15 demonstrated in 2016 differs in a slightly modified shape of the rear part of the bolt, the presence of a hole at the bottom of the handle for attaching a pistol strap, a new shape of the safety levers, bolt delay, barrel lock and magazine catch. In addition, a version was shown, equipped with an elongated barrel with a thread on its muzzle for attaching a silencer.

In 2017, as already mentioned, the weapon received further changes in the form of a different shape of the slide stop lever with an enlarged protrusion and a new shape of the side faces of the slide, made at a slight angle. The shutter shape of the PL-15 and PL-15K is similar to the Walther PPQ M2 and Steyr pistols.

The Lebedev PL-15 pistol has a number of advantages, including the ergonomics of the handle, the accuracy and accuracy of offhand and high-speed shooting, the small thickness and the absence of levers that protrude beyond the side edges of the weapon, and in addition, only a self-cocking trigger, which allows you to safely carry a weapon with a cartridge in the chamber without the need for a safety catch.

Of the obvious shortcomings, it should be noted that the safety levers do not protrude beyond the side edges of the frame, which can cause difficulties when handling them, especially with thick gloves, as well as an insufficiently wide trigger guard and an unnecessarily large total length of a full-size PL-15.

In July 2019, the Kalashnikov Concern sports a version of the Lebedev pistol of 9 mm caliber under the designation SP1... The weapon is intended for practical shooting in production and production optics classes. The magazine holds 16 cartridges with their exit in one row and has display windows.

The bolt of the SP1 sports pistol received a mount for mounting a miniature pistol sight of the "Red Dot" type. The handle is made with a notch on its front part and side grooves for comfortable magazine removal. The SP1 pistol is equipped with Glock standard sighting devices. The fuse, slide delay and magazine latch button are duplicated on both sides.

TTX pistol PL-15

Caliber: 9 × 19mm Parabellum
Weapon length, mm: 207
Barrel length, mm: 120
Weapon height, mm: 136
Weapon thickness, mm: 28
Weight without cartridges, g: 800
Magazine capacity, rounds: 16

TTX pistol PL-15K

Caliber: 9 × 19mm Parabellum
Weapon length, mm: 180
Barrel length, mm: 92
Weapon height, mm: 130
Weapon thickness, mm: 28
Weight without cartridges, g: 720

The Kalashnikov Concern, which is part of the Rostec State Concern, will launch mass production of the Lebedev pistol (PL-15) in 2019.

“Serial production (of the PL-15 pistol) will be in 2019, that's for sure. All the equipment is on its way, "Alexander Gvozdik told reporters, noting that the pistol will be produced in Izhevsk using new technologies. "The product will meet the consumer properties of the main customer, both in the field of military small arms and in the direction of civilian small arms," said the managing director of IMZ. Any other details about the start of mass production of the Lebedev pistol have not yet been disclosed.

For the first time, a prototype of Lebedev's pistol was presented to the general public as part of the Army-2015 military-technical forum. A modified and improved version of this pistol for the worldwide popular 9x19 mm Parabellum cartridge was presented a year later at the Army-2016 forum. And in 2017, at the Army-2017 forum, the public was presented with the PL-15K pistol, which is, in an extremely short time, a compact version of the standard PL-15. The pistol is equipped with a Picatinny rail for mounting additional tactical devices, the PL-15 magazine is designed for 14 rounds. According to the Kalashnikov concern, the new product has a number of advantages, which include the accuracy and accuracy of fire, the small thickness of the pistol and the ergonomics of the grip.

PL-15K and PL-15 pistols together

The compact version of the pistol, designated PL-15K and based on the full-size model, was introduced last year and is also a classic self-loading pistol. To reload the weapon, the movement of the movable barrel is used, which, under the action of recoil, moves back together with the bolt. When fired, the PL-15K barrel travel is short, that is, less than the shutter travel. This automation scheme, chosen by the designers, allowed them to create a pistol with minimal dimensions. The design of the PL-15K pistol allows you to install a longer barrel on it, as well as various options for front sight and rear sight. At the same time, the trigger stroke was deliberately made large, and the pressing force is 4 kg - this is more than that of analogues. A spontaneous shot is almost impossible.

The PL-15K version turned out to be even more compact, while retaining the 9x19 mm caliber and the 14-round magazine. The length of this version of the pistol is only 180 mm, the height is 130 mm. The unloaded PL-15K pistol weighs 720 grams. It is the compactness that is called one of the main competitive advantages of the model. If the full-size PL-15, which is also difficult to call a giant, still has several rather serious competitors in its segment, then the niche that the PL-15K version claims is almost free of competitors. With the most successful development of circumstances, the compact pistol of the Izhevsk gunsmiths will finally be able to squeeze the almost eternal Makarov pistol, which enjoys indisputable authority among domestic gunsmiths and industry, having been in service since 1951.

Compared with its trouble-free, although already very elderly competitor, the PL-15K has a number of advantages, which include better ergonomics, accuracy, accuracy, accuracy and rate of fire, small thickness and the absence of levers that protrude beyond the lateral edges of the weapon. In addition, the model can be equipped with a self-cocking trigger, which allows you to safely carry a pistol with a cartridge in the chamber without the need to use a safety catch. An important fact is the use of more powerful 9x19 mm Parabellum cartridges, including the possibility of using armor-piercing ammunition. It is also important to increase the capacity of the magazine: the standard PL-15 and PL-15K box magazine is designed for 14 rounds, while the PM has only 8 rounds, the difference is almost two times.

One of the newest developments of the Kalashnikov concern, which received a state order and is planned for serial production in 2019, is the Lebedev PL-15 pistol. This weapon is replacing the legendary "Makarov", morally obsolete for six and a half decades of service. Consider the history of creation, design features and technical characteristics of the Lebedev pistol, including modifications of this weapon.

History of creation and purpose

The initial model of the pistol, indexed PL-14, created by Dmitry Lebedev, was demonstrated at the international arms exhibition "Army-2015", and an improved version of the PL-15 with a shortened version of the PL-15K made a splash at the said forum in 2017.

The instructors of the FSB unit, training the special forces of the department, and sports shooters took part in the development. The talent of the designer and competent technical solutions made it possible in the shortest possible time to create a model of an individual weapon, taking into account the necessary characteristics and ergonomic requirements.

After analyzing the shortcomings characteristic of the initial model of the Lebedev PL-14 pistol, changes were made to the configuration of the product and some elements of the device. This made it possible to present a weapon that is significantly superior to competitors in terms of parameters, in an attractive design.

Interesting! The model was developed for arming the officers of the armed forces and representatives of state security agencies.

An additional possibility of using the pistol is as a sports model, which is facilitated by the ergonomics and tactical and technical characteristics of the PL-15 and PL-15K.

Designer pistol PL-14 15 Dmitry Lebedev

Device

Pistol Lebedev PL-15 is characterized by the following features of the device:

units and mechanisms are placed in a case made of aluminum alloy, and in lightweight versions - of a resistant polymer that can withstand shock and temperature loads;
in the lower part of the trigger bracket from the side of the store and from the front side at the top there are recesses for the convenience of the location of the fingers of both hands during firing;
the safety lever is made double-sided, symmetrically located on both sides, which ensures the convenience of using the weapon when firing from the right or left hand. The flat shape of the lever excludes snagging on the fabric or parts of the holster during wearing or taking out;
double-sided duplication is also typical for the magazine lock and the shutter delay lever;
The underbarrel box is equipped with a Picatinny rail, which allows you to additionally install laser designators or tactical flashlights.

It is possible to install an elongated barrel with a threaded thread for attaching a muffler.

Specifications

The Lebedev PL-15 pistol model has the following technical characteristics:

length - 220 mm;
height - 136 mm;
thickness - 28 mm;
barrel length - 127 mm;
magazine capacity - 15 rounds;
the type of cartridges used - 9 × 19;
weight without ammunition - 800 g.

The equipped weapon weighs 995 g.

Technical characteristics of PL-15K

Some performance characteristics of the PL-15K differ from the base model. This pistol is slightly shorter (180 mm) and lower (130 mm), the magazine holds one less cartridge, and the weight of the weapon without a cartridge is 720 mm with an equal weight of equipped models.

Difference between PL-15 and PL-15K

The main difference between the Lebedev PL-15K pistol and the base pistol is its reduced size and weight. These qualities were achieved with insignificant damage to the tactical and technical characteristics, which do not play an important role for some representatives of government services, for whom the presence of weapons is nominal.

Attention! Due to the different capacities of the PL-15 and PL-15K magazines, the clips of these models are not interchangeable.

At the same time, the compact version of the PL-15K is more convenient to carry and use, which is especially important for employees of government departments who practically do not use weapons, but are forced to carry them constantly because of a business need.

Operating principle

Automatic pistol PL-15 uses a short-stroke recoil bolt, coupled to the barrel, which improves technical characteristics. The mechanism is unlocked by lowering the rear side of the barrel, equipped with a figured tide located below the breech.

The barrel bore is locked with a hook on the upper plane, interacting with the window for ejection of casings.

The universal design of the chamber allows the use of cartridges with deformed cases or different from the standard in length.

The fire is carried out by means of a trigger mechanism equipped with a hidden trigger and an inertial striker. The trigger is cocked in automatic mode, with a pressing force of four kilograms, during the descent of seven millimeters.

The store is double-row, cartridges are fed in one row. The sight does not allow for adjustment and is mounted in special grooves. The presence of a cartridge in the chamber is indicated by a special pin protruding from the rear wall of the bolt.

The lower part of the handle is equipped with semicircular holes to facilitate the removal of the clip in difficult field conditions.

Lebedev pistol modifications

In addition to the original PL-14 model, the main PL-15 and the compact PL-15K, the following modifications of the Lebedev pistol have been developed:

PL-15-01 - combat version, characterized by a lower trigger force and a semi-automatic mode of operation, in contrast to the self-cocking of the main pistol;
SP1 is a sports variant, additionally equipped with open sights.

These modifications of the PL-15 were also presented at international forums and highly appreciated by specialists.

PL-15 SP1

Prospects for further use

The specified weapon, even after the completion of the PL-14 pistol, still needs comprehensive testing. But according to preliminary estimates, a decision has already been made to accept the PL-15 pistol for service in the police department, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, for the command staff of the army and navy, and representatives of other law enforcement agencies.

Based on the results of the tests carried out, it is assumed that the model of the PL-15 pistol will be accepted into serial production.

The popularity of product development is evidenced by numerous examples of the use of this weapon in computer games. Long before going into mass production, the product is offered to players under a changed name, with the logo of the developer company erased.

Advantages and disadvantages of the model

The described model of the Lebedev pistol and its modifications are distinguished by the following positive qualities:

high ergonomic characteristics - an attractive design, a convenient angle of inclination of the handle, which makes it easier to grip and hold the weapon, regardless of the owner's build;
a decrease in recoil and barrel displacement during a shot due to a successful design, uniform weight distribution and well-thought-out ergonomics;
durability of service - up to ten thousand shots when using cartridges with a high content of gunpowder. When using ordinary cartridges, the resource increases up to three times;
high rate of fire and accuracy of firing without long aiming;
increased store capacity;
safety of use - the danger of an involuntary shot in the event of an accidental fall of the weapon or when the weapon is in a holster is structurally excluded; safety is further increased due to the absence of protruding elements on the body;
symmetrical arrangement of controls, facilitating the use of weapons by right-handers and left-handers;
compactness and low weight, especially for the shortened model of the PL-15K pistol - reduced weight and optimal dimensions, which makes the development unique in comparison with competitors in terms of ease of use;
the possibility of equipping with additional devices.

The disadvantages include a slight decrease in tactical and technical characteristics. But, given the purpose of this weapon, this does not really matter, compared to the many advantages of the model.

It remains to be hoped that the Lebedev PL-15 pistol model will successfully pass tests and final refinement before being put into service, taking its rightful place along with its famous predecessors.

Pistol Lebedev PL-14: will there be a replacement for the Makarov pistol

In 2015, a new Russian pistol PL-14 was presented to the public for the first time at the international forum "Army-2015". The development of this weapon was carried out by specialists of the Kalashnikov concern, and the project was led by Dmitry Lebedev, a student of the famous designer, shooter and trainer Efim Khaidurov. It is easy to guess that "PL" stands for "Lebedev's pistol", and the number "14" is the year of the beginning of the development of weapons. The pistol uses 9x19mm Parabellum cartridges.

The concept of the new pistol was created jointly by specialists from Russian law enforcement agencies and leading domestic athletes, including Andrei Kirisenko, a well-known director and multiple champion of the country in practical shooting.

The Lebedev PL-14 pistol was developed for the needs of the Russian law enforcement agencies: the Ministry of Defense, the police, and other special services. Also, this pistol is quite suitable for sports shooting enthusiasts. As conceived by the developers, in the future the PL-14 will replace the "eternal" PM, as well as the Yarygin pistol, in which serious problems with ergonomics and resource were revealed during operation.

At present, the Kalashnikov concern is preparing for the start of mass production of a new pistol, the Managing Director of the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant said in early March 2018. True, such information looks somewhat strange, since there was previously no data on the successful passage of the state or military tests with the pistol, as well as on its adoption into service.

Before proceeding to a review of this newest pistol, I would like to tell a little more about the history of the PL-14, as well as about the ideas that were originally incorporated into its design.

How and why the Lebedev pistol was created

Back in 1951, the Makarov pistol was adopted, which for almost seventy years remained the main personal weapon of the first Soviet, and then the Russian officer. Despite the rather good characteristics, its replacement is overdue a long time ago. In 1990, the then USSR Ministry of Defense announced a competition for the creation of a new pistol (R&D "Grach"). However, the disintegration of the country seriously delayed the implementation of this project. It was only in 2003 that the Russian army adopted the development of the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant - the Yarygin pistol of 9 mm caliber. More or less massively, he began to enter the troops only at the beginning of this decade ...

However, Yarygin's pistol was never able to "take root" in the Russian army. Significant weight, insufficient reliability and low resource - these are the main complaints about this weapon. The Russian-Italian Strizh pistol, which is often called the domestic Glock, was never adopted for service ...

The army needs a simple and reliable pistol, powerful, but convenient and versatile. Plus, you need a roomy magazine and a good rate of fire.

In 2014, at the design bureau of the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant, a group of designers led by Dmitry Lebedev began developing a new pistol intended for Russian law enforcement agencies.

Even before starting work, the designers formulated several basic criteria that the new weapon must meet:

high reliability and safety in handling;
optimal level of ergonomics;
"Two-sidedness";
significant resource (at least 10 thousand shots).

In 2015, Lebedev's pistol was first presented to the general public. True, at that time the PL-14 was still at the prototype stage. Those few who managed to hold a pistol in their hands spoke with one voice about the excellent ergonomics of the weapon and its very hard trigger.

The pistol initially received a double-action trigger with a large trigger force (45N) and a significant hook travel (7 mm). These were the wishes of the military regarding the safety of the use of weapons.

In early 2016, the general director of Kalashnikov announced plans to start production of the Lebedev pistol in 2017. However, as they say, there was no lawsuit.

Now the concern promises to start producing the pistol this year and is preparing a new production site for this.

The main modifications of the Lebedev pistol

After the first presentation of the PL-14, it was altered and refined for almost two years, periodically appearing in the news feed. In 2017, Lebedev presented a new modification of his pistol - PL-15 with a single-action trigger mechanism and a significantly lower trigger force - 25N. Its course became shorter - 4 mm. The rear of the pistol was slightly changed, the safety levers received a new shape, a hole for the strap appeared on the handle.

Also presented was a compact version of the pistol - PL-15K with a length of 180 mm and a magazine for 14 rounds. This modification will be produced with two USM options. There is information about the modification of a pistol with an elongated barrel with a thread for installing a silencer. It is likely that some of the pistols will be produced with a plastic frame, and some with a metal one.

Earlier, Lebedev himself has repeatedly stated that his pistol will become a kind of universal platform, on the basis of which it will be possible to create a whole line of short-barreled weapons. With different barrel lengths, trigger design, magazine capacity - depending on the preferences and wishes of a particular customer.

And this approach seems absolutely correct and justified. Currently, there are no standard universal pistols, because the police have some requirements for weapons, the military have others, and the employees of special services or security structures have third ones.

True, the Kalashnikov concern has not yet officially presented the lineup of the future pistol, and what modifications they plan to launch into production and in what performance they will be made - this is a great mystery.

An overview of the design of the Lebedev pistol

The PL-14 automatics works by recoil energy with a short barrel stroke. Its locking occurs due to the adhesion of the breech to the window through which the liners are extracted. The PL-14 frame is made of aluminum, but in the future, shock-resistant plastic is also planned to be used for its manufacture on other weapon modifications.

The pistol safety lock separates the trigger and the trigger.

The trigger mechanism of a hammer-type pistol with an inertial hammer and a hidden trigger. It is more comfortable to wear because there are fewer protruding parts. The design of the PL-14 USM completely excludes the possibility of a spontaneous shot. The pistol has a system for indicating the presence of a cartridge in the chamber. The slide stop lever, as well as the magazine locking button and the safety catch, are located on both sides of the weapon.

The pistol is fed from a detachable two-row magazine for fourteen rounds. Sights PL-14 open type. On the frame of the weapon there is a Picatinny rail, on which additional equipment can be installed.

The developers paid special attention to the ergonomics of the weapon. The shape of the PL-14 handle provides a natural grip of the weapon. Its thickness is only 28 mm, which makes the weapon more convenient for concealed carry. The low position of the barrel axis reduces the toss of the pistol after a shot, but the weapon does not "sink" in the hand. The two-sided arrangement of the PL-14 controls allows you to fire from both the left and right hands.

Advantages and disadvantages of the Lebedev pistol

The PL-14 has long been the subject of active discussion on social networks and on specialized forums for small arms enthusiasts. They managed to literally "disassemble the pistol", describing in detail both its main advantages and main disadvantages. So let's start with the merits:

Modern design and good ergonomics. Practically everyone who fired from it speaks about the convenience of the weapon;
Indicator of the presence of a cartridge in the chamber. You can also call the PL-14 a definite plus, especially when using weapons in the dark;
Powerful cartridge, which is especially important for army weapons;
"Two-sided" pistol.

However, serious flaws were noticed in the design:

Recessed and "sleek" controls, a small trigger guard and a small shutter retention area call into question the successful operation of the PL-14 as an army pistol;
Big sizes. The PL-14 is 220 mm long. That's a lot, especially for police weapons. A direct analogy arises with the Stechkin pistol, which, largely due to its size, has been supplanted by a less bulky and more convenient PM;
A significant mass of weapons. It reaches almost a kilogram;
A very tight descent. The trigger design makes the descent extremely tight (about 4 kg). This is even more than the famous "Nagant", which is considered the "standard" of the heavy trigger. On the one hand, such a design solution increases the safety of the weapon, but, on the other hand, it cannot but affect the accuracy of shooting.

The performance characteristics of the PL-14

Below are the main performance characteristics of the pistol:

Caliber, mm: 9;
Length, mm: 220;
Height, mm: 136;
Thickness, mm: 28;
Barrel length, mm: 127;
Weight with loaded magazine, kg: 0.99;
Magazine capacity - 15 rounds.

March 5, Managing Director of the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant Alexander Gvozdik at the presentation of the start of the investment program of the enterprise, he announced that the launch of the Lebedev pistol (PL) in mass production is expected in the near future.

According to the press service of the Kalashnikov concern, at present, the IMZ has launched a project to organize a new production site to prepare for the serial production of submarines, the stage of development and submission of the pistol for acceptance tests is nearing completion.

In light of this information Federal news agency decided to remind readers what the Lebedev pistol is and how it actually appeared.

Let's start, however, from afar.

Competitors who did not "shoot"

The collapse of the Soviet Union left the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation with the good old Makarov pistol as the main army pistol. Despite the truly legendary reliability of this weapon, it, which was put into service back in 1951, by a number of criteria by the beginning of the 90s did not suit the army.

First of all, claims were made regarding the small magazine capacity (only 8 rounds) and the insufficiently effective 9x18 mm cartridge for the end of the 20th century. The new version of "Makar" in the form of a PMM pistol, using high-impulse cartridges 9x18 mm PMM and having a twelve-round magazine, did not fundamentally solve the problem.

In this situation, to replace the PM, a new army pistol was developed and adopted in 2003. It was created within the framework of R&D "Grach" Vladimir Yarygin PYa pistol (Yarygin pistol).

In contrast to the PM, the PYa was already “fed” with 9x19 Para cartridges, including their reinforced version with an armor-piercing bullet with a heat-strengthened steel core. The last ammunition was named 7N21. In total, the PYa store held 17 rounds.

However, every coin is known to have two sides. The new army pistol weighed much more PM, and most importantly, when launched into a series, it demonstrated a number of problems associated with an insufficiently high production culture of both itself and the ammunition used.

Over time, the Russian defense industry was able to solve most of these problems. Nevertheless, the negative attitude towards the IL of some users, formed under the influence of acquaintance with the first batches of pistols, continues to exist to this day. That, however, did not prevent (primarily due to the low cost in comparison with foreign counterparts) the commercial PYa model, known as the Viking, from becoming one of the most popular pistols in Russian shooting clubs.

While the PY was not easily mastering the army horizons, he suddenly had a potential competitor. By 2012, led by Dmitry Streshinsky and Nicola Bandini Arsenal Firearms created the Strike One 9mm seventeen-shot pistol. With less weight than the PY and better ergonomics, the new pistol, which appears in Russia under the name "Strizh", seemed a very promising product.

The main highlight of the "Swift", which immediately caught the eye, was the low position of the axis of the barrel relative to the hand holding the weapon. This design solution made it possible to significantly reduce the barrel toss, which should have had a positive effect on the shooting accuracy. By its creators, "Strizh" was positioned as a weapon intended for the Army, and for law enforcement agencies, and for sports, and for self-defense.

In 2012, "Strizh" went for testing at TsNIITOCHMASH, where it initially showed good results. But then something went wrong. We will quote the general director of TsNIITOCHMASH Dmitry Semizorov:

"When working in special conditions, that is, when working on dry parts, when working without cleaning and lubrication for 5 days and when dusty, the pistol" picked up "such a large number of delays that it did not meet the requirements of the military customer in principle."

For an incomprehensible reason, Arsenal Firearms declined to modify its product to meet the requirements of the RF Ministry of Defense, fully focusing on the release of Strike One for the foreign commercial market.

New from Kalashnikov

So, "Strizh" "was out of the game." It is not known what impact the brainchild of Streshinsky and Bandini had on subsequent events, but already in 2014 he worked in the Kalashnikov concern Dmitry Lebedev, a student of the legendary sports weapons designer Efima Khaidurova, started developing his own pistol for the needs of security officials and athletes. The famous shooter also took an active part in this work. Andrey Kirisenko, multiple champion of Russia in practical shooting.

Lebedev's pistol - PL-14 - was created for the ammunition used by the PYa, but weighed less than the Yarygin. Unlike the PYa, which had only two-way safety levers, the PL-14 also had two-way magazine latch buttons and a slide delay reset button.

In addition, the PL-14 received a seat under the barrel for a flashlight or laser designator, power from sixteen-round magazines and, as a "cherry on the cake", an indicator of the presence of a cartridge in the chamber.

Finally, the PL-14 acquired a low barrel axis and significantly more thought-out ergonomics than the PYa. The resource of the Lebedev pistol barrel was 10,000 rounds for the reinforced 7N21 armor-piercing cartridges. With the usual 9x19 Para, this figure should, of course, be significantly higher.

The first appearance of the PL-14 prototype at the Army-2015 forum caused a real stir. At that time it was simply impossible to “catch” a pistol and its designer at the Kalashnikov stand - they constantly disappeared at closed presentations. The lucky ones who nevertheless managed to hold the PL-14 in their hands noted that the pistol sits perfectly in the hand and ... has a rather hard trigger.

The latter was due to the requirements of the army for the safety of the pistol. It is for this reason that Lebedev's pistol originally received a double-action trigger firing mechanism with a trigger pull of 45H and a 7 mm trigger travel.