You need to know how to use the machine. The most common fault is the inability to carry weapons. Incorrect wearing does not allow you to quickly make a machine gun for battle, in case of acute situations. In combat, even fractions of a second matter.

You need to know how to use the machine. The most common fault is the inability to carry weapons. Incorrect wearing does not allow you to quickly make a machine gun for battle, in case of acute situations. In combat, even fractions of a second matter. In the Chechen campaign, more than once or twice there were cases when soldiers, and even officers with standard weapons, were not ready for sudden encounters with the enemy. They simply did not have time to use their weapons.

Meanwhile, there are several good ways to carry regular weapons, although not spelled out in general military regulations. The main thing that unites them is that the weapon is located conveniently, while the hands remain free. And these methods allow you to quickly make a machine gun for battle and open fire on the enemy.

The first way: wearing a machine gun on the chest. The belt is thrown over the neck, the machine hangs with the barrel down. This position of the machine does not interfere with hand-to-hand combat, it makes it possible to strike both with legs and with hands. It allows you to grab, fall and roll. Naturally, weapons can be quickly made for battle. In addition, the machine gun can block the blows of the enemy and inflict strong blows with the butt. The gun belt of the machine gun is released strongly so that the butt is slightly below the right shoulder. In the cinema, this method is shown in the film "In the Zone of Special Attention" during the march of the paratroopers.

The second way. Wearing a machine gun on the left shoulder. An old partisan and hunting way of carrying weapons. But in order for the machine to not slip, it is necessary to properly fit the weapon belt. With this method, weapons are quickly made for battle, but in hand-to-hand combat, this position of the machine gun is only a hindrance. The machine will have to be thrown off the shoulder to the ground.

The third way. When carrying out guard and guard duty. Sooner or later, the partisans will still take control of the territory or join the regular army. We will have to fulfill the duties that are now being performed by military personnel and policemen at checkpoints, checkpoints, and traffic police posts. And the nature of the service at these facilities is specific. Being at the post for a long time, and hands should be free - to check documents, give signals, search people, check cars. Weapons must be carried in such a way that they can be quickly used, and at the same time, testees must not be able to block them. You can often see how the guards of the traffic police (during the events under the plans "Siren", "Interception", etc.) carry a machine gun on their right side. But from this position, the machine gun cannot be thrown up to the shoulder and aimed shooting - the fire is fired from the waist and aimlessly. Well, about winter conditions and there is nothing to say. In a sheepskin coat, a sentry wears a machine gun or a weight on the side, no difference.

For a more convenient location of the machine, you need to unhook the belt from the receiver swivel and hook its carbine on the butt swivel, forming a loop. This loop adjusts to fit and is worn over the shoulder and back. The machine gun with a retracted butt is located under the right shoulder and is easily raised with one hand. When checking, it is better to put the left foot forward half a step, turning the body with the left side forward so that the machine gun is the most distant from the tested, and they cannot grab it.

Shooting.

The technical rate of fire of the AK-74 is very high. A thirty-round magazine is fired in one burst in just three seconds, a 45-round magazine in four and a half, respectively. Therefore, experienced shooters in battle put the fuse on a single fire and shoot with frequent shots, refining the aiming after each shot. However, such shooting requires endurance and composure. At the same time, the rate of fire will remain quite high, and the accuracy becomes much higher compared to firing in bursts. The disadvantage of firing in long bursts can be illustrated by this example.

January 1995 City Grozniy. The 81st motorized rifle regiment was partially surrounded. The soldiers took up defense in the station building. Chechen fighters, who were shelling the station, ran up to the building and jumped into the window openings. Having fired inside the building, standing on the windowsill, one burst of the store, they jumped back to the street, changed the store and again, jumping out the window, fired inside the building without much harm to the defenders. Our soldiers fired intensely at these "devils out of the box", but also without much success.

However, in some situations, firing in long bursts is more preferable. When several armed opponents appear in front of the scout at close range, single shots will not help. You need to shoot in long bursts. So, one of our reconnaissance groups conducted a search in the area of ​​​​the village of Chechen-Aul. One of the fighters of the advanced reconnaissance patrol unexpectedly went from the rear to the trench, in which there were 4 militants. The fighters of the scout have not yet seen, but at any moment they could turn around. The scout crossed out the trench with a burst, releasing the entire store and hit all the militants. In such cases, there is no time for aiming. But you can roughly aim at the barrel of the machine gun, and not at the front sight and rear sight. The AK-74 assault rifle leads to the right and up when firing in bursts. Therefore, it is advisable to start shelling from the nearest left target.

When fighting in settlements, in mountainous and wooded areas, there is always a high probability of meeting with the enemy at close range. In this case, the fighter may need to retreat to the main group or to the shelter, and there is no one to cover him at this moment. Running backwards, firing at the enemy, is inconvenient, and there is no shooting accuracy.

And if the target appears at ultra-short distances (one or two steps)? For example, if a sentinel or patrolman met closely with one militant? Hand-to-hand combat skills or a knife can help here. And if there is one enemy in front of you and his hands have already grabbed your machine gun, and behind him in one or two steps there are 2 - 3 more militants? For such cases, it is necessary to have an auxiliary melee weapon (pistol).

If a shooter armed with a machine gun also has a pistol, he can quickly switch to using it. You just need to carry a gun so that it is not conspicuous. Two examples from cases that occurred in the Republic of Tajikistan.

In the first case, at night, the officer, accompanied by one soldier, returned to the stronghold after checking the posts. Both were armed with machine guns (the officer's machine gun hung on his chest, the soldier's on his shoulder). The officer, in addition, had a pistol with a cartridge sent into the barrel, on a fuse, which he put on the right side under the "belt A" (in the army this belt is also called a bib or bra).

Already when approaching the strong point, two Islamist militants armed with machine guns came out towards our servicemen. One militant stood in front of the officer and started a conversation on the topic: "Where are you coming from, why did you go?" The second shifted to the side and ended up on the side. At that time, the soldier also shifted to the side, as if hiding behind an officer and preparing his machine gun for battle. A militant who was standing to the side took off his machine gun from the safety lock (there was a characteristic click), and another militant rushed to the officer and tried to grab his machine gun. The officer fired at him directly through the breastplate, with a second shot (almost simultaneously with his soldier, who also opened fire), he hit another militant, who was just raising his machine gun to his shoulder.

On the second occasion, two commando officers entered a small shop. They were armed with pistols, which hung openly on their belts, in holsters. While the officers were examining the counter, seven militants entered the store, one of them with a machine gun. One militant ordered us to put our hands up. An attempt to get a weapon in such an arrangement could not go unnoticed and was immediately stopped by automatic bursts overhead. The militants disarmed the officers, disabled one with a blow to the head with a rifle butt, and, jumping out of the store, left in their cars. In the first case, the concealed carrying of weapons helped to destroy the enemy. In the second case, open carrying provoked criminals to seize weapons and did not allow the successful use of pistols,

Quite often, in hot spots, you can see "cool" fighters whose machine gun is equipped with magazines connected in pairs. This way of wearing stores should be warned against. When shooting, the fighters often rest the machine shop on the ground. At the same time, the lower magazine feeder becomes clogged with dirt, and this causes delays in firing. In a combat situation, such a delay can be paid with your life.

Everyone who has ever fired a military weapon is familiar with the command "UNLOAD, WEAPON FOR INSPECTION!" And how to unload weapons if, say, a reconnaissance group went to the location of its troops after completing the task? The scouts did not sleep or eat for several days, their fingers were swollen and did not bend, they were frostbite. And there is no way to line up in one line, to direct weapons in a safe direction, because there are people and equipment around.

In this case, the so-called combat discharge is used. Scouts stand in a circle (to control each other). Machine guns are raised with their trunks up so that the shutters are at eye level. The store is detached and placed in the pouch, and the soldiers twitch the shutter 5 times in a row. If someone forgets to disconnect the magazine, it will be immediately noticeable, because the shutter will start throwing out cartridges, and they will fall into one of the neighbors. If an accidental shot occurs in this position, then the bullet will go vertically upwards without causing harm. After such a check, each fighter makes an independent control descent and puts the weapon on the safety. The magazine is not connected to the weapon, because in a combat situation a habit is quickly developed by connecting the magazine and immediately sending the cartridge into the chamber.

The basic rule in war is never to part with a weapon. As soon as you left the protected area - do not let go of your weapon, always keep it where it is easy to take it from, in order to always be ready for battle. Yes, and in a protected area, you should always have a weapon at hand. Rely on the sentry, but don't make a mistake yourself.

In addition to one or two stores with tracer cartridges, the commander must have, it is desirable that each fighter also has one such store. This is a store designed as a last resort, to indicate its location or for target designation.

The magazine mount at Kalashnikov is inconvenient for quick reloading. It is impossible to detach an empty magazine while holding a new loaded one in the same hand. Therefore, in a tense fight, do not expect the store to be completely empty. If the magazine is partially empty and there is a pause in the battle, change the magazine, and the partially used one should be left in reserve. In order not to waste time on jerking the shutter when loading, when starting to equip the magazine, insert the first three tracer cartridges. Then, when you shoot and notice that the tracer bullet has passed, you will know that there are only two rounds left. You can shoot again and, having disconnected the empty magazine, replace it with a full one. Since the last cartridge has already been sent to the chamber, it is not necessary to distort the shutter. An empty magazine is usually thrown to the ground in battle so that it does not interfere and so as not to be confused with full magazines. If necessary, an empty magazine can be thrown at the enemy, simulating a grenade throw to cover reloading. In hand-to-hand combat, you can also throw an empty magazine, aiming at the opponent's face. With a little practice, you can learn to throw the store so that it hits the enemy’s forehead or temple with its prong. If the throw is strong, then the hit can incapacitate the enemy.

It is desirable to divide the personnel of the unit not into pairs, but into combat troikas, adding one more person to the calculations of machine guns, RPGs, AGS. It is easier for three fighters to interact: if one gets wounded, it is easier to pull him out of the fire together. If someone has a delay in shooting (due to a malfunction or when reloading), the two of them are easier to cover. (In this case, the signal "Cover" is given, the cover must answer "I hold").

During the fighting in Grozny, it was often necessary to inspect the attic, basement and other premises. Often it was necessary to work in the dark. Domestic night devices operating on the principle of amplification natural light terrain, for action in the premises are not suitable. During the years of the Great Patriotic War Soviet soldiers used this method. An ordinary electric lantern was packaged in a piece of rubber cut from a car tire. When inspecting dark rooms or during a battle in a basement, sewer network, tunnel, etc., the fighters turned on these "shockproof" lights and threw them in the direction of the alleged location of the enemy. Thus, they illuminated the target and got the opportunity to conduct aimed fire.

A few words about the NSPU-1 and 2 night sights. It should be borne in mind that these devices do not start working immediately after switching on, in cold weather they need from 1 to 2 minutes to warm up.

But on the other hand, immediately after turning on the eyepiece of these devices, it begins to give a greenish light reflection, giving the arrow to observers and enemy snipers. Therefore, turning on the device or taking your eyes off the eyepiece, immediately cover the eyepiece with your palm or make a special shutter for this.

These devices are easily illuminated by open light sources. There was a case when, near the village of Komsomolskoye in Chechnya, a reconnaissance group monitored a fire, near which militants were sitting. The scouts watched for a long time through night devices, but they could not see that behind the fire there was a whole stronghold with fortifications, firing points, significant forces and firepower. The firelight illuminated the instrument screens, interfering with observation. As a result, the group, having opened fire, came under return fire from superior enemy forces.

There are little tricks when firing from the GP-25 underbarrel grenade launcher. Press the trigger GP-25 right hand inconvenient, too far away. To make it more convenient to shoot from the "grenade launcher", not the butt, but the pistol grip of the machine gun should rest against the shoulder. This position of the weapon is especially convenient when shooting prone. When firing with mounted fire, the butt of the machine gun should rest against the ground. In this case, an assistant should insert the grenades into the barrel of the GP-25, and the shooter fixes the position of the machine gun, remembers it, and, depending on where the flash from the previous shot was, by changing the slope of the barrel, makes adjustments to the shooting. (While fighting in the city, do not forget that the grenade for the GP-25 is cocked 10-20 meters after the shot. When shooting at the windows of buildings at a shorter distance, the grenades may not explode).

When moving on the battlefield or at the shooting range, shooters usually hold the machine gun at stomach level, pointing the muzzle forward. In order to get ready for shooting faster and not waste time throwing the machine gun to your shoulder, you should move around without lifting the butt from your shoulder, while lowering the barrel a little. From this position, the shooter is quickly prepared for combat and aimed shooting.

Of course, you can also fire from the stomach, but then you can hit the target with the first shots only at very short ranges (5 - 10 meters). Good shooters, specially trained in shooting from the stomach, can hit the growth target with the first shots at a distance of 20 - 50 meters. If the target is located farther, then it can be hit from the stomach only by a significant number of shots (5 - 10), and then only if the fire is adjusted along the tracks or splashes of the soil.

Rules for interaction in combat.

In battle, one should act in combat twos, even better and more reliably - in threes, covering each other. Whenever possible, hand and underbarrel grenades should be used more. The fire of all available fire weapons should be concentrated on any center of resistance. If you have three opponents running at full height and only one lying behind cover and shooting, then first of all you need to destroy the one who shoots, without being tempted by a lighter and larger target.

To hide from a hand grenade that has fallen nearby, you need to fall prone, head towards the grenade, cover your head (if there is no helmet) with your palms, open your mouth (so that the eardrums are not damaged by the blast wave). The first one who sees the grenade gives a signal: "Grenade on the right (left, front, rear)".

In the event of a sudden attack by the enemy, one should fall behind the nearest shelter, at the same time preparing for battle. Experience shows that fighters do not do this. Some begin to shoot, remaining in place and being a good target for the enemy. Others fall behind cover, forgetting to remove the machine gun from their shoulders, and then start fiddling, trying to get a weapon that is in an uncomfortable position, and being unable to fire. There are those who fall into a state of tremor (fright, severe trembling, lack of response to the situation and commands).

Therefore, soldiers should be taught in such a way that, having fallen under massive fire, they are not lost. Exposure and right action can save lives in any, even the most hopeless, at first glance, situation.

so reconnaissance group special purpose under the command of Captain Gennady O., she advanced at night to the area in which it was planned to ambush the caravan of Afghan Mujahideen. Ahead at a short distance was a reconnaissance patrol (2 people), followed at some distance by a group with a commander at the head. Moving along the route, the group reached the top of a small mountain. The reconnaissance patrol examined the summit and descended to the other side. Following the patrol, the commander of the group Gennady climbed to the top. And it was at this moment that a group of Mujahideen came out on another slope to the left of the group to the top of the same mountain. The sentinels walking in front of her, rising to the top, saw the figure of "Shuravi" against the background of the sky, fell and opened fire.

The distance between the dushmans and Gennady was about 10 meters. Gennady heard the noise and clicks of the fuses (the enemies had 7.62 mm AK). And a fraction of a second before the shots, he managed to drop his backpack, throw it in front of him, take cover behind him and make a machine gun. The "spirits" opened fire first. Bullets from 2 AKs pierced the backpack, mangled the machine gun and breastplate with magazines and flew into Gennady's chest. But even such an insignificant obstacle reduced the lethality of the bullets, and the wound was not fatal. The scouts who came to the rescue destroyed the shooting sentinels. And while the main group of dushmans approached the battlefield, the scouts went down the slope, breaking away from the enemy. At the same time, the wounded Gennady (later a lump of 4 deformed bullets was removed from his chest) ran for about a kilometer on his own, unbandaged, clutching the wound with his palm. So a good reaction and the right actions helped the officer survive under fire from two machine guns at close range.

about wearing a gun.

a serious drawback is the inability to properly carry weapons and quickly prepare them for battle. the usual way of carrying a machine gun is ineffective. In a combat situation, the following methods are recommended:

1. hunting. on the left shoulder, the belt is fitted shortly. in case of danger, the machine is easy to grab with the right hand by the handle, dropping it from the shoulder, and turn on the enemy.

2. on the chest. belt around the neck, strongly lowered (machine gun in the abdomen), with the butt to the right. this position is also convenient for hand-to-hand combat, in which a low-hanging machine gun is convenient to use.

3. during inspection (especially cars). machine on the right side. the belt is thrown over the left shoulder and back. at the same time, the front carbine of the belt should be unhooked from the front swivel (on the receiver) and attached to the rear swivel (on the butt) by forming a loop from the belt and adjusting it to size. thus, the machine is located under the right shoulder and hangs down with the barrel (that is, it can be held with the fuse removed and the cartridge in the chamber) and it is easily raised with one hand. when checking, it is recommended to put the left foot forward, turning the body so that the machine is as far as possible from the tested. in addition, by fastening the machine gun in this way, it is convenient with it in transport (car, armored car, helicopter, : on the one hand, it is easy to manipulate in the hands, on the other hand, the weapon remains on the belt and will not be lost when jumping out and there is less chance that it will catch on compared to with the traditional way of wearing.

about the store and loading.

it is not recommended to pair stores with a "jack", since when shooting you often have to rest the store on the ground. at the same time, the feeder of the lower magazine becomes clogged with dirt and, when changing magazines, this can lead to clogging of the machine mechanism and delays in firing. it is recommended to pair stores with feeders in one direction (up), winding them with electrical tape, putting a chip between the stores.

it is recommended to keep a handful of cartridges "at hand" so that it is convenient to get them with one hand, but at the same time they do not ring when firing.
at the command "prepare for battle" it is necessary to remove the fuse and send the cartridge into the chamber. at the same time, if the situation allows, you can change the store (to the one that is paired with the one inserted), so that there are not 30 but 31 cartridges in the queue (together with the remaining in the chamber). in the removed magazine (which is in a pair with the newly inserted one), insert the cartridge with the right hand into the place remaining in the chamber.
if the combat situation allows and there is a pause in the battle, then the partially empty store should be changed without waiting for it to be completely empty. when replacing a magazine in a spark, if the situation allows (for example, when firing from a stationary position), it is possible, by changing the magazine, to load cartridges with the right hand in a partially empty magazine paired with it, observing the area. to do this, you need to direct the machine gun in the direction of the possible appearance of the enemy, with your left hand holding it by the forearm or magazine, press the butt to your shoulder, and with your right hand get a handful of cartridges and, despite them, as well. following the terrain, load them into the store, paired with the one inserted into the machine. when an enemy appears, throw the remaining cartridges in your hand, without wasting time hiding them in your pocket, and open fire on the enemy.
also, when reloading in close combat, an empty magazine can be thrown towards the enemy, simulating a grenade throw, or, if the enemy is close, in his face (while changing position).
when loading the magazine, it is recommended to load tracer cartridges with the second and third cartridges in the clip. if, when shooting, you see that one or two tracer bullets have gone, then you understand that you have 2 or 1 cartridge left in the store, respectively. then you can immediately stop shooting and replace the store. at the same time, you can not waste precious time in battle on sending a cartridge into the chamber, but immediately continue shooting, since the last or penultimate cartridge from the previous magazine remained in the chamber.
the squad leader is recommended to have two clips fully loaded, or if there is a shortage, through one, with tracer cartridges. communication is often lost in battle, and the commander can give instructions this way. if the commander is firing tracer bursts at some target or direction, this means that the entire squad must concentrate fire on this target. the commander can also issue other pre-specified commands in tracer bursts. trace queues can also be used by scouts sent ahead to detect some kind of camouflaged target or object. upon finding a target (for example, a sniper's hideout), they can mark the location of the detected target with tracer fire to the rest of the unit.

firing from an underbarrel grenade launcher.

in order to make it more convenient to shoot from an underbarrel grenade launcher with direct fire (especially in the prone position), the shoulder should be rested not on the butt, but on the pistol grip of the machine gun.
when firing at a high (mounted) trajectory, the butt of the machine gun should rest against the ground. in this case, an assistant should insert new grenades into the grenade launcher, and the shooter fixes the machine with both hands and remembers where the previous flash was, while changing the inclination of the barrel, he makes adjustments to the shooting.

Reference books

Small melee tricks

Small melee tricks

The combat manuals of the Russian Armed Forces so far reflect only the essence of classic combined arms combat, in which the actions of any unit are supported by artillery, armored vehicles, and aviation. The phrase that we have been preparing for the past war all the time, losing the invaluable experience of small military conflicts, has become commonplace. The experience of defeating the Bandera formations in Ukraine and the "forest brothers" in the Baltic states, operations in Hungary (in 1956) and Czechoslovakia (1968), battles in China and Korea, military operations in Vietnam, battles in the Congo and Somalia. Finally, it is difficult to call the experience of two recent small wars - in Afghanistan and Chechnya - well learned. After the Great Patriotic War, our soldiers and officers fought in a total of 20 countries around the world. But, oddly enough, the methods of conducting those military operations were not reflected in our combat regulations.

During conflicts of low intensity (the war in Chechnya, in which about 1/30 of total number military formations Russia), regular army units often have to fight against illegal armed groups (IAF), which prefer to conduct guerrilla-type operations, imposing battles in closed areas (in mountains, forests, jungles, settlements), where opposing sides are usually separated by only a few tens of meters. The Vietnamese called the tactics of binding the enemy with close combat the term "capture by the belt", the Americans called it "handbinding".

Under such conditions, armored vehicles become ineffective, and artillery and aviation fire poses a threat to friendly troops. As a result, the unit has to fight on its own, using only standard man-portable weapons. By its nature, close fire combat in a closed area is a series of local battles, success in which is determined by the skills and abilities of each fighter, and squad and platoon commanders do not have the opportunity to command their subordinates, since only 2-3 nearby soldiers hear them.

There are little tricks to help you survive in close combat.

In order to successfully assess the situation in this type of battle, commanders should learn by ear, by the density of enemy fire, to determine his strength, weapons, location on the ground, and where he concentrates his main efforts. Unfortunately, the assessment of the enemy by ear by the strength of fire is not taught in any military school. When I was a platoon commander, I was taught this by a company commander who went through Afghanistan. During the exercises, he took us to the areas of shooting ranges and ranges and forced us to determine by ear the types of weapons, the composition of the firing units and their approximate location on the ground.

Each shooter must independently choose targets for himself and hit them (grenade launcher - equipment, fortifications, accumulations of manpower; machine gunner - fire weapons and accumulations of manpower; sniper - commanders, drivers, signalmen, etc.). But, besides this, each commander must give target designations to his subordinates to defeat important targets. To do this, squad, platoon and company commanders must have 1-2 magazines fully equipped with tracer cartridges. For target designation, it is enough to connect this store and shoot 2-3 times with single shots towards the desired target. The remaining shooters, noticing the track from the first bullet, specify the location of the target by the 2nd and 3rd shots and focus fire on it.

Tricks of the grenade launcher

It should be clarified that illegal armed formations widely use hand grenade launchers. The vast experience accumulated in Afghanistan by the combined forces of the Mujahideen in the combat use of the RPG-7 is widely distributed to other hot spots. If in a motorized rifle platoon there are 3 RPG-7s in the state, in a special forces group - 1, then in the illegal armed formations up to 50-80% of the personnel are armed with RPGs. Given the shortage of artillery, RPGs are given the additional task of "artillery" support for combat operations, which is sometimes more effective than artillery fire. In illegal armed formations, for this purpose, they create special groups grenade launchers for conducting massive fire in battle. Our soldiers and officers had to deal with similar groups in Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Chechnya. A feature of the tactics of such groups is that armored vehicles are destroyed by sequentially concentrating fire from 2-3 or more RPGs on one armored object from a distance of 20 to 50 meters. Even dynamic protection and additionally installed screens do not save from such a fire. The means of protection are knocked down by the first shots, after which the grenade launchers hit the equipment in vulnerable places.

Grenade launchers of illegal armed formations actively use RPGs for firing at openly located manpower. Even when using cumulative ammunition personnel are affected by fragments and a blast wave within a radius of up to 4 meters. In addition, in Afghanistan, the Mujahideen used fragmentation grenades for RPG-7 Egyptian and Chinese production. Cases of the use of such grenades in Tajikistan were also noted, not only for manpower, but also for armored vehicles (to disable surveillance devices). In Chechnya, the use of home-made fragmentation grenades was noted, when the Chechens wrapped the head of the cumulative grenades with wire or wrapped around fragments fixed with electrical tape (metal balls, etc.). In addition, massive RPG fire on manpower has a demoralizing effect. There were cases when for each of our shots or bursts of small arms from the side of the militants, 2-3 shots from RPGs followed.

The firing position of the grenade launcher at the time of the shot is unmasked by a characteristic flash and white-gray smoke. The flight of a grenade along the trail from a running engine is also clearly visible. If you notice such a flash and a grenade track on the battlefield, then you need to give a command, for example: “Flash, lie down!” Your subordinates on this command should lie down on the ground (behind the cover) and cover their ears with their hands. When these requirements are met, with a close rupture of a cumulative grenade, even if you are on an open, flat area without shelters, there is a high probability that you will remain alive and unharmed.

If there is time to equip the position of the grenade launcher (for example, when setting up an ambush), then to reduce dust formation, the soil at a distance of up to 2-4 m behind the grenade launcher should be poured abundantly with water. Thickets of high (up to 2 meters) bushes, reeds, corn crops and other herbaceous plants camouflage the firing position of the grenade launcher well. But we must remember that in the direction of firing there should be no vegetation that impedes the flight of a grenade (to prevent a grenade from exploding when touching branches and grass, the protective cap should not be removed from the fuse).

To suppress firing points on the slopes of mountains and the upper floors of buildings, firing from RPGs is used slightly above shelters in order to hit the enemy not only with fragments and the blast wave of an exploding grenade, but also with pieces of stone and concrete breaking off during the explosion.

In battle, 1-2 fighters must be assigned to cover the grenade launcher. They must destroy enemy shooters dangerous for the grenade launcher, give him target designations, make sure that the grenade launcher changes position as often as possible (preferably after each shot). The fact is that after 2-3 shots, the grenade launcher stops hearing the sounds of battle and commands. And if the shots hit the target, the grenade launchers get into an unhealthy excitement, forgetting about the precautions. Therefore, they must be watched by cover fighters.

In combat conditions, a grenade launcher should be carried with a grenade inserted into the barrel. If it is rainy, damp weather, then the grenade and the barrel of the grenade launcher must be put on plastic bag, since the paper insulation of the powder charge is easily moistened, which leads to the complete unsuitability of the powder charge. To prevent the package from flying off, it should be attached to the trunk by tying it with a cord. Before the shot, the package can not be removed, it does not interfere with shooting. Additional grenades with attached powder charges best carried on the shoulder with a quick-release rope strap. In this way, grenades can be carried by both the grenade launcher and his assistants. To protect the grenades from dampness, they must be wrapped in a waterproof cloth or polyethylene, over which a carrying strap can be fitted.

Often, the troops do not like to take RPG-7 to combat exits because of its large mass, replacing RPG-18, 22, 26 and manual RPO-A flamethrower("Bumblebee"), which is used in night battles not only as an incendiary tool, but also to illuminate enemy positions and create light landmarks. Do not neglect the RPG-7, its effective range is higher than that of disposable grenade launchers, and the presence of an optical sight makes shooting from it particularly accurate. Although it should be noted that the creation of fragmentation incendiary, lighting and other special grenades for the RPG-7 would significantly expand the capabilities of the units of the Russian Army.

Submachine gunner's tricks

The most striking shortcoming is the inability to properly carry weapons and quickly prepare them for battle. The commonly used methods of carrying weapons do not allow you to quickly prepare for battle when an armed enemy suddenly appears at close range. I will cite two cases that characterize similar situations that occurred in the city of Grozny.

The mortar battery was located on the flat roof of the house and fired at the positions of the militants. Two soldiers went down to the courtyard of the house to the well for water.

Buckets were carried in their hands, machine guns were in the “behind the back” position. Militants suddenly entered the courtyard of the house, pointed their guns at the soldiers, disarmed them and took them prisoner. The soldiers could not use their weapons.

Second case. During the period of reconciliation and dual power in Grozny, an officer of the commandant's office took photographs of the burial places of Russian soldiers. Hands were occupied with equipment, the machine gun hung on the right shoulder with the barrel down, the pistol was on the right side in a holster. Two militants approached from two sides, threatening with weapons, disarmed and took prisoner.

And such cases in zones of military conflicts occur quite often. Soldiers and officers are

are not ready for sudden encounters with the enemy and do not have time to use their weapons.

I want to offer some ways to carry and use standard small arms, allowing you to conveniently position them, while having your hands free. And, at the same time, these methods allow you to quickly prepare for battle and repel an enemy attack.

On the left shoulder - this is the old hunting method. To prevent the machine from slipping, it is necessary to properly fit the weapon belt. This method allows you to quickly prepare for battle, but if the enemy is close and hand-to-hand combat is ahead, this position of the weapon interferes. In this case, you should drop the belt from your shoulder and drop the machine to the ground.

On the chest - a belt is thrown over the neck, the machine gun hangs with the barrel down. This method is more convenient, allows you to quickly prepare for battle. This position of the machine does not interfere in hand-to-hand combat, it makes it possible to freely strike with hands and feet, fight in the grip, fall and roll. In addition, the machine gun can block enemy attacks and deliver strong blows with the butt and magazine. With this method of carrying the machine gun, the weapon belt should be released quite strongly so that the butt is slightly below the right shoulder.

When making a march on armored vehicles, the landing, as a rule, is located on top of the armor. Usually paratroopers sit with one leg down in an open hatch, the other is held on top of the armor. From this position, it is easy to “leave” down the hatch if shelling begins, and it is easy to jump from the car to the ground if the car is blown up by a mine or an anti-tank grenade hits. At the same time, the weapon is usually held in the hands, and the machine gun greatly interferes when diving into the hatch, and is also easily lost if the paratroopers are thrown off the armor by an explosion or sudden braking. To prevent this from happening, you should loosen the weapon belt and put it over your head, the machine gun is located on the body with the barrel up. At the same time, the machine is quite conveniently located, does not interfere with jumping from the car and quickly aims at the target.

Both military personnel and police officers often have to serve at checkpoints, checkpoints, and traffic police posts. The nature of the service at these facilities requires a long stay on duty, while it is necessary to have free hands for signaling and for checking documents, inspecting cars and searching people. The weapon must be in a position that ensures its rapid use, and at the same time, the people being checked must not be able to block the use of weapons. Usually, traffic police officers have a machine gun on their right side. Machine guns from this position cannot be thrown to the shoulder, you can only shoot from the waist and aimlessly. And if the sentry is dressed in winter clothes, then the machine gun becomes an extra weight that hinders movement. For a more convenient location of the machine, you should unhook the strap from the receiver swivel and hook its carbine on the butt swivel, forming a loop. This loop adjusts to fit and is worn over the shoulder and back. The machine gun with a retracted butt is located under the right shoulder and is easily raised with one hand. When checking, I recommend putting the left foot forward half a step, turning the body with the left side forward so that the machine gun is the most distant from the tested, and they could not grab it.

Shooting

The technical rate of fire of the AK-74 is very high. A thirty-round magazine is fired in one burst in 3 seconds, a 45-round magazine in 4.5 seconds. Therefore, experienced shooters in battle put the fuse on a single fire and shoot with frequent shots, refining the aiming after each shot. At the same time, the rate of fire will remain quite high, and the accuracy becomes much higher compared to firing in bursts. To illustrate the shortcomings of shooting in long bursts, I will give an example.

When in January 1995 the 81st motorized rifle regiment was surrounded in Grozny, part of the personnel took up defense in the station building. Chechen fighters, who were shelling the station, ran up to the building and jumped into the window openings. Having released the store inside the building, standing on the windowsill, in one burst, they jumped back to the street, changed the store and again, jumping out the window, fired inside the building without much harm to the defenders. Our soldiers fired intensely at these "devils out of the box", but also without much success.

However, in some situations firing long bursts is preferable. These are cases when several armed opponents appear at once in front of the scout at close range. For example, the reconnaissance group conducted a search in the area of ​​the village of Chechen-Aul. One of the sentinels of the advanced reconnaissance patrol unexpectedly went from the rear to the trench, in which there were 4 militants. The fighters of the scout have not yet seen, but at any moment they could turn around. The scout crossed out the trench with a burst, releasing the entire store and hit all the militants. In such cases, there is no time for aiming. But you can roughly aim at the barrel of the machine gun, and not at the front sight and rear sight. The AK-74 assault rifle leads to the right and up when firing in bursts. Therefore, it is advisable to start shelling from the nearest left target.

When conducting combat operations in populated areas, in mountainous and wooded areas, the probability of meeting the enemy at close range is always high. In this case, the fighter may need to retreat to the main group or to the shelter, and there is no one to cover him at this moment. Running backwards, firing at the enemy, is inconvenient, and there is no shooting accuracy. The method of firing from a machine gun backwards on the run, if before that the weapon was held in methods 1 or 2. At the same time, the machine is fixed quite stably even on the run, moving the butt with the right hand, you can approximately aim left-right and up-down. Although it is not aimed fire, but at close range it will force the enemy to seek cover.

And if the target appears at ultra-short distances (one or two steps)? For example, if a sentinel or patrol met closely with one militant, hand-to-hand combat skills or a knife can help. And if there is one enemy in front of you and his hands have already grabbed your machine gun, and 2-3 more militants are standing behind him in one or two steps? For such cases, it is necessary to have an auxiliary melee weapon (pistol).

If a shooter armed with a machine gun also has a pistol, he can quickly switch to using it. You just need to carry a gun so that it is not conspicuous. Here are two examples to illustrate the usefulness of concealed carrying a pistol. Both cases occurred in the Republic of Tajikistan.

In the first case, at night, the officer, accompanied by one soldier, returned to the stronghold after checking the posts. Both were armed with machine guns (the officer's machine gun hung on his chest, the soldier's on his shoulder). The officer, in addition, had a pistol with a cartridge sent into the barrel, on the fuse, which he put on the right side under the "belt A" (in the army this belt is also called a bib or bra).

Already when approaching the strong point, two Islamist militants armed with machine guns came out towards our servicemen. One militant stood in front of the officer and started a conversation on the topic: “where are you coming from, why did you go?” The second shifted to the side and ended up on the side. At that time, the soldier also shifted to the side, as if hiding behind an officer and preparing his machine gun for battle. A militant who was standing to the side took off his machine gun from the safety lock (there was a characteristic click), and another militant rushed to the officer and tried to grab his machine gun. The officer fired at him directly through the breastplate, with a second shot (almost simultaneously with his soldier, who also opened fire), he hit another militant, who threw the machine gun to his shoulder.

On the second occasion, two commando officers entered a small shop. They were armed with pistols, which hung openly on their belts, in holsters. While the officers were examining the counter, 7 militants entered the store, one of them with a machine gun. One militant ordered us to put our hands up. An attempt to get a weapon in such an arrangement could not go unnoticed, and was immediately stopped by automatic bursts over their heads. The militants disarmed the officers, disabled one with a blow to the head with a rifle butt, and, jumping out of the store, left in their cars. In the first case, the concealed carrying of weapons helped to destroy the enemy. In the second case, open carrying provoked criminals to seize weapons and did not allow them to successfully use pistols.

Quite often, in hot spots, you can see "cool" fighters whose machine gun is equipped with magazines connected in pairs. I want to warn against this way of wearing stores. When shooting, the fighters often rest the machine shop on the ground. At the same time, the lower magazine feeder becomes clogged with dirt, and this causes delays in firing. In a combat situation, such a delay can be paid with your life.

Everyone who has fired a military weapon at least once is familiar with the command “UNLOAD, WEAPON FOR INSPECTION!” And how to unload weapons if, say, a reconnaissance group went to the location of its troops after completing the task. The scouts did not sleep or eat for several days, their fingers were swollen and did not bend, because they were frostbitten. And there is no way to line up in one line, to direct weapons in a safe direction, because there are people and equipment around.

In this case, the so-called combat discharge is used. Scouts stand in a circle (to control each other). Machine guns are raised with their trunks up so that the shutters are at eye level. The store is detached and placed in the pouch, and the soldiers twitch the shutter 5-6 times in a row. If someone forgets to disconnect the magazine, it will be immediately noticeable, because the bolt will start throwing out cartridges, and they will fall into the face of one of the neighbors. If an accidental shot occurs in this position, then the bullet will go vertically upwards without causing harm. After such a check, each fighter makes an independent control descent and puts the weapon on the safety. The magazine is not connected to the weapon, because in a combat situation a habit is quickly developed by connecting the magazine and immediately sending the cartridge into the chamber.

The basic rule in war is never to part with a weapon. As soon as you left the protected area - do not let go of your weapon, always keep it where it is easy to take it from, in order to always be ready for battle.

In addition to the fact that the commander should have 1-2 magazines with tracer cartridges, it is desirable that each fighter also has one such magazine. This is a store designed as a last resort, to indicate its location or for target designation.

The magazine mount at Kalashnikov is inconvenient for quick reloading. It is impossible to detach an empty magazine while holding a new loaded one in the same hand. Therefore, in a tense fight, do not expect the store to be completely empty. If the magazine is partially empty and there is a pause in the battle, change the magazine, and leave the partially used one in reserve. In order not to waste time on jerking the shutter when loading, when starting to equip the magazine, insert the first three tracer cartridges. Then, when you shoot and notice that the tracer bullet has passed, you will know that there are only two rounds left. You can shoot again and, having disconnected the empty magazine, replace it with a full one. Since the last cartridge has already been sent to the chamber, it is not necessary to distort the shutter. An empty magazine is usually thrown to the ground in battle so that it does not interfere and so as not to be confused with full magazines. If necessary, an empty magazine can be thrown at the enemy, simulating a grenade throw to cover reloading. In hand-to-hand combat, you can also throw an empty magazine, aiming at the opponent's face. With a little practice, you can learn to throw the store so that it hits the enemy’s forehead or temple with its prong. If the throw is strong, then the hit incapacitates the enemy.

It is advisable to divide the personnel of the unit not into pairs, but into combat troikas, add one more person to the calculations of machine guns, RPGs, AGS. It is easier for three fighters to interact: if one gets wounded, it is easier to pull him out of the fire together. If someone has a delay in shooting (due to a malfunction or when reloading), the two of them are easier to cover. (In this case, the signal "Cover!" is given, the cover must answer "I'm holding").

During the fighting in Grozny, it was often necessary to inspect the attic, basement and other premises.

Often it was necessary to work in the dark. Domestic night devices, operating on the principle of enhancing the natural illumination of the area, are not suitable for indoor operation. During the Great Patriotic War, Soviet soldiers used this method. An ordinary electric lantern was packaged in a piece of rubber cut from a car tire. When inspecting dark rooms or during a battle in a basement, sewer network, tunnel, etc., the fighters turned on these "shockproof" lights and threw them in the direction of the alleged location of the enemy. Thus, they illuminated the target and were able to conduct aimed fire.

A few words about the NSPU-1 and 2 night sights. It should be borne in mind that these devices do not start working immediately after switching on, in cold weather they need from 1 to 2 minutes to warm up.

But on the other hand, immediately after turning on the eyepiece of these devices, it begins to give a greenish light reflection, giving the arrow to observers and enemy snipers. Therefore, turning on the device or taking your eyes off the eyepiece, immediately cover the eyepiece with your palm or make a special shutter for this.

These devices are easily illuminated by open light sources. There was a case when, near the village of Komsomolskoye in Chechnya, our reconnaissance group monitored a fire, near which the militants were sitting. The scouts watched for a long time with night instruments, but they could not see that behind the fire there was a whole stronghold with fortifications, firing points, significant forces and firepower. The firelight illuminated the instrument screens, interfering with observation. As a result, the group, having opened fire, came under return fire from superior enemy forces.

There are little tricks when firing from the GP-25 underbarrel grenade launcher. Pressing the trigger of the GP-25 with your right hand is inconvenient, it is too far away. To make it more convenient to shoot from the "grenade launcher", not the butt, but the pistol grip of the machine gun should rest against the shoulder. This position of the weapon is especially convenient when shooting prone. When firing with mounted fire, the butt of the machine gun should rest against the ground. In this case, an assistant should insert the grenades into the barrel of the GP-25, and the shooter fixes the position of the machine gun, remembers it, and, depending on where the flash from the previous shot was, by changing the slope of the barrel, makes adjustments to the shooting. (While fighting in the city, do not forget that the grenade for the GP-25 is cocked 10-20 meters after the shot. When shooting at the windows of buildings at a shorter distance, the grenades may not explode.)

When moving on the battlefield or at the shooting range, shooters usually hold the machine gun at stomach level, pointing the muzzle forward. In order to get ready for shooting faster and not waste time throwing the machine gun to your shoulder, you should move around without lifting the butt from your shoulder, while lowering the barrel a little. From this position, the shooter is quickly prepared for combat and aimed shooting.

Of course, you can also fire from the stomach, but then you can hit the target with the first shots only at very short ranges (5-10 meters). Good shooters, specially trained in shooting from the stomach, can hit the growth target with the first shots at a distance of 20-50 meters. If the target is located farther, then it can be hit from the stomach only with a significant number of shots (5-10), and then only if the fire is adjusted along the tracks or splashes of the soil.

Sniper tricks

It is best for the sniper to be close to the group leader. He is not only a destroyer of important targets, but also an observer and commander's guard. In cases of a sudden attack on the enemy (raid, ambush, search, etc.), the sniper must identify and destroy those enemy fighters who have come to their senses faster than others and are trying to return fire, organize resistance.

There are so many tricks and tricks in sniping that any good sniper can write an entire textbook. But this tutorial may not be suitable for other snipers. For example, snipers from anti-terrorist units of the FSB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs work at relatively short ranges of 100-200 meters in urban areas; snipers of combined arms units learn to fire in conditions of combined arms combat at ranges of 400-600 meters on flat terrain; snipers of army and navy special forces also work at longer ranges in the conditions of their areas of operation (mountains, coasts, forests, plains, etc.). Therefore, it is difficult to give general recommendations for snipers. I will cite only two, in justice, which I was convinced myself.

When firing through a water barrier, you need to take a larger elevation angle (aim higher), since cold air from water and humidity reduce the trajectory of the bullet.

In the mountains, the air is more transparent, therefore (especially when firing through a gorge) there is an error in determining the distance to the target (the target seems closer). When looking up and down slopes, distances appear shorter, which also leads to aiming errors.

Fighting in populated areas during Chechen war showed the need to have more snipers than provided by the state of the military and special units. Often, only snipers could timely identify and hit the firing points of militants and conduct counter-sniper combat in densely built-up areas.

The lack of a sufficient number of snipers made it necessary to put optical sights on machine guns with mounts (tides) for night devices. The PGO-7 grenade launcher optical sight mounted on the AK-74 allows sniper fire at a distance of up to 300-400 meters; using an optical sight from the SVD PSO-1, you can accurately shoot from an AK at a distance of up to 500-600 meters. The VSS special sniper rifle (“Vintorez”), which is in service with the reconnaissance units of the Moscow Region and special forces of the FSB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, turned out to be unexpectedly popular. VSS proved to be an excellent weapon for fighting in the city. Compact, light, silent, equipped with day and night sights, it allows day and night to conduct very accurate fire at a distance of up to 300 meters (although the aiming range of 400 m is indicated in the VSS manual.)

A sniper armed with this weapon cannot be seen or heard by the enemy. This weapon was used for covert combing of terrain and buildings. The scouts, not revealing themselves, fired from the VSS at suspicious places, finding out if the enemy had taken refuge there. In addition, the VSS was used for silent demining. Having discovered a mine, the scouts shot it from the VSS from a safe distance. As a rule, mines and improvised land mines were destroyed without detonation (explosion).

The VSS and the special AS (“Val”) machine gun created on its basis are equipped with laser designators. The beam from target designators at night is visible not only in night devices, but also with the naked eye. Especially if there is dust or fog in the air. There was a case when our reconnaissance group, operating at night, stumbled upon a Chechen sniper. Three of our scouts, armed with Vintorez, started a duel with him. Since the beams from the target designators were clearly visible, the Chechen determined in time that he was being taken at gunpoint, and changed his position. The group commander shot the sniper using a regular AK with a night sight.

The SVD sniper rifle can be successfully used to overcome high fences and to climb the wall of any structure (stone, brick, concrete). To do this, you need to shoot at the wall with steel-core bullets (the bullet tip is painted silver) or armor-piercing incendiary bullets (black tip with a red belt) so that the holes are arranged in a herringbone pattern. Then you can climb the wall by inserting specially prepared pegs-stops into the holes. Metal pegs from the MKS kit are well suited for such stops (MKS is a mesh camouflage kit for masking equipment and structures).

Rules for interaction in battle

In battle, one should act in combat twos, even better and more reliably - in threes, covering each other. Whenever possible, hand and underbarrel grenades should be used more. The fire of all available fire weapons should be concentrated on any center of resistance. If you have three opponents running at full height and only one lying behind cover and shooting, then first of all you need to destroy the one who shoots, without being tempted by a lighter and larger target.

To hide from a hand grenade that has fallen nearby, you need to fall prone, head towards the grenade, cover your head (if there is no helmet) with your palms, open your mouth (so that the eardrums are not damaged by the blast wave). The first one who sees the grenade gives a signal: "Grenade on the right (left, front, rear)."

In the event of a sudden attack by the enemy, one should fall behind the nearest shelter, at the same time preparing for battle. Experience shows that fighters do not do this. Some begin to shoot, remaining in place and being a good target for the enemy. Others fall behind cover, forgetting to remove the machine gun from their shoulders, and then start fiddling, trying to get a weapon that is in an uncomfortable position, and being unable to fire. There are those who fall into a state of tremor (fright, severe trembling, lack of reaction to the situation and commands).

Therefore, soldiers should be taught in such a way that when they come under massive fire, they are not lost. I will give an example showing how the correct actions of a scout saved his life in an almost hopeless situation.

A special reconnaissance group under the command of Captain Gennady O. advanced at night to the area in which it was planned to ambush the Afghan Mujahideen caravan. Ahead at a short distance was a reconnaissance patrol (2 people), followed at some distance by a group with a commander at the head. Moving along the route, the group reached the top of a small mountain. The reconnaissance patrol examined the peak and descended to the other side of the mountain. Following the patrol, the commander of the group Gennady climbed to the top. And it was at this moment that a group of Mujahideen came out on another slope to the left of the group to the top of the same mountain. The sentinels walking in front of her, rising to the top, saw the figure of “Shuravi” against the sky, fell and opened fire.

The distance between the partisans and Gennady was about 10 meters. Gennady heard the noise and clicks of the fuses (the enemies had 7.62 mm AK). And a fraction of a second before the shots, he managed to drop his backpack, throw it in front of him, take cover behind him and make a machine gun. The Mujahideen opened fire first. Bullets from 2 AKs pierced the backpack, mangled the machine gun and breastplate with magazines and flew into Gennady's chest. But even such an insignificant obstacle reduced the lethality of the bullets, and the wound was not fatal. The scouts who came to the rescue destroyed the shooting sentinels. And while the main group of partisans approached the battlefield, the scouts went down the slope, breaking away from the enemy. At the same time, the wounded Gennady (later a lump of 4 deformed bullets was removed from his chest) ran for about a kilometer on his own, unbandaged, clutching the wound with his palm.

So a good reaction and the right actions helped the officer survive under fire from two machine guns at close range.

See also Spetsnaz.org:

• Combat regulations for the preparation and conduct of combined arms combat
• ... The retreating "spirits" in a group of three to five people, be sure to put up a cover. First you need to destroy it, otherwise the “spirit” from its cover will kill the attackers. Then you need to remove or at least seriously injure the furthest of the fleeing. After all, he has more chances to go into cover and from there start fire on ours to support his own. Then just get the rest...
  ... A grenade fell nearby. Lean your head towards her. If there is no helmet, cover your head crosswise with your hands. Even half a meter from the gap there are “dead” zones for fragments to fly apart, they will go a little higher above you. Just open your mouth as wide as possible. Otherwise, when you break, you will go deaf for a long time, maybe forever. The one who saw the thrown grenade first, shout: “a grenade on the right! ..” - or: “a grenade on the left!” At the same time, do not hold back your own maneuver. You can scream in flight to mother earth, and already lying on it. But you must warn your comrades ....
  ...When suddenly shooting at you, immediately fall with a roll and at the same time prepare for battle at the moment of rolling. Why do you need to immediately fall and roll? Because with a sudden attack by the enemy, fear paralyzes, your fingers refuse to work and you lose a fraction of a second to prepare the machine gun for firing and die. And if you fell, when you fall, a surge of adrenaline occurs from a painful impulse, blood runs through all the veins, and the muscles are obedient. He rolled, that is, changed his position, for a moment left the aiming field of the enemy barrel, at the same time he removed the machine gun from the fuse, jerked the shutter and, already in control of the situation, instantly joined the battle.
  - And you will lie down, - the new adviser cuts in, - within a few minutes, you need to change the place two or three times with the same roll in order to confuse the enemy's sight ...
  A sudden cry at the right moment of attack helps no less than a trusty knife or foolish bullet. A cry lifts your spirits and evokes the nostalgic sadness of saying goodbye to life in the “darling” whom you are about to kill. And now the guys rush at each other with a cry, trying to out-yell the “adversary”. Funny!
  - If the "spirits" managed to crawl up unnoticed, you did not hear the clicks of the cocked shutters, and besides, you yourself are temporarily disarmed, when the enemy fires, you must immediately cover yourself with the first things that come to hand, even rags, preferably crumpled. Take special care of your head. A bullet that has fallen into a lump of clothing, into an overcoat, loses its impact force. In this way, death and even serious injury can be avoided. You’ll just get off with a shell shock or cut off skin, and hitting the frontal bone at an angle, a 5.6 caliber bullet will simply ricochet away. True, Alexander Vasilievich Suvorov used to say that a bullet is a fool!

  Vladimir Sadovnichy, 25.08.2012 17:34:19

  "The magazine mount on the Kalashnikov is inconvenient for quick reloading. It is impossible to detach an empty magazine while holding a new loaded one with the same hand." Why? Can be reloaded with one left hand without releasing the pistol grip. After the store is empty, the old store is empty without releasing the pistol grip and without changing the position of the machine with the left hand, we take out a new store, hit the store latch with it and push the new store forward a little more, it turns out that with the equipped store we first press the latch and then knock out the empty store , insert the equipped magazine, turn the machine gun 90 degrees (so that the barrel looks there, but the magazine turns out to be not at the bottom, but looks to the right) and distort the shutter with the edge of the palm of the left hand. If you practice a little, you can reload the machine with one left hand so that the right one holds the handle and the barrel always looks forward. P.S. I hope you understand my explanations

  yanki, 26.08.2012 01:37:17

  I understand that V. Nikolaev is an internationalist warrior "Afghan" and I do not detract from his merits, but the books that he writes are military adventure novels. Now for reloading. long it all-1 2-you will need to look at the place where you “hit” ... but for me it’s generally better to feel with your own hands what you press. 3-it’s necessary to turn the machine gun 90g with one hand, and even by the pistol grip, and even so that the barrel looks straight .... try to turn the machine gun with a full magazine, and if it is also with a grenade launcher ..... MAD MAX, 26.08.2012 23:34:04 Actually, on topic fast recharge machine gun, I quote the words of Comrade. KardeNa MAD MAX, 28.08.2012 00:40:49 I express thanks a lot comrade Carden for participating in the discussion of this topic!!

The record was made based on the results and observations from classes during a business trip to Belgorod region. First of all, for myself, so as not to forget.


"Want to play around with the AK a little?.. Not a problem, but for God's sake - be careful... and wear gloves."- The thought that was spinning in my head after one of the training sessions.

BELT:
Even a standard two-point belt can be operated normally and used effectively.
The first thing to do immediately is to dissolve the belt to the maximum length. It would be nice if the carabiner on the belt was not very rigid, so that it could be detached from the front swivel with bare hands without mats and groans. This allows you to quickly move the belt from a two-point position to a one-point position and vice versa.
Definitely correct, or rather, there is no convenient way to wear a belt. Each has its pros and cons.

Two-point fastening, wearing around the neck:
+ The weight of the assault rifle is more evenly transferred to the body, especially if you move the belt a little further on the scruff and shoulders.
+ Allows you to quickly move the machine to the "behind your back" position, which frees your hands as much as possible, the machine does not dangle in the working area. It just takes a little ingenuity.
- With some methods of recharging, the belt gets in the way, because. runs along the receiver.
- Hanging on the chest makes it difficult to access the equipment, when it is placed on the chest.
- Still, it takes more time to free your hands for any manipulations - once you release the machine, it will hang right in front of your nose and interfere.
= This way of wearing is most convenient for long patrols and moving in open areas, in natural landscapes. The main thing is to at least hold the machine all the time, and when jumping, press it to yourself with your hand (if you need to make a second wave), otherwise the receiver cover will boldly kiss your chin and teeth.

Single point attachment, shoulder strap:
+ The machine weighs compactly along the body, without interfering with any actions while standing.
+ The belt does not interfere with any manipulations with the machine gun and equipment, because located in the butt area.
+ You can quickly free your hands - just let go of the machine and be sure that it will not encroach on the integrity of your face during a sudden movement.
- The entire weight of the machine falls on one shoulder, which starts to whine after a couple of hours.
- AK-74 is not the shortest assault rifle, so even with an average height of 180 cm, the barrel strives to collect all the rubbish that grows from the ground and rolls on it.
- It is almost impossible to throw the machine gun behind your back in order to free up a working space for yourself - you bend down and it hangs down in front of your nose.
= The best option, if the main position of the body is standing, if there are buildings around and there is little room for maneuver, if you need to quickly free your hands for any action (for a short time).

The worst thing that can come to mind is to wear a machine gun with a deflated belt hanging from two swivels. It will interfere with any manipulations with weapons, it will cling to vegetation and, in general, to everything that surrounds you. Of course, you can pull the belt on the butt and just carry the machine gun in your hands, but then you need to be ready to catch it from the bushes or ditch when you stumble on something at full speed and lie flat on the ground, or when you land from a hovering a couple of meters above the ground, the helicopter will go a little off plan. The belt allows you to control the weapon and keep it always on you.

MANUFACTURING:
By by and large it doesn’t matter how to hold the machine gun - for the forearm or for the store. The second is more convenient for me, although it probably depends on the length of the arms. The advantage of this option is that during any manipulations with the store there is no need to move left hand from the forearm to the store and back - the hand lies on it all the time anyway. Less body movements - it's easier to build muscle memory. But there is a caveat: when using an underbarrel grenade launcher with a machine gun, the center of gravity of the entire system shifts strongly forward and the grip on the magazine becomes uncomfortable - the front part becomes very inert. In this case, it is worth holding either the barrel of the grenade launcher or its handle, using it as a kind of front tactical handle.

The "classic" stance that is taught in the VS, when you stand sideways to the target, does not fit well with modern SIBZ. When wearing body armor 6B23, it is very problematic to securely rest the butt of the machine gun on the shoulder, although some succeed and are even so comfortable for them. Perhaps it depends on the physique. As an option, they use a trick: the front part of the bulletproof vest collar is turned inward, it is slightly relaxed in the shoulders so that the collar is wider and the butt rests on the bare shoulder under the bulletproof vest, as if tucking the butt under the bulletproof vest. In my opinion, these are all perversions. My choice is the frontal stance, the main thing is to get a clear hit of the butt on the shoulder of the bulletproof vest during manufacture and everything falls into place.

BALANCE:
Standard AK-74M without add. equipment has a center of gravity somewhere directly in front of the store or in its area when the store is equipped. Despite the fact that this is, in fact, a full-size assault rifle, its dimensions do not interfere with its normal operation both in the forest and in buildings. Yes - not short, but maneuverable and has an adequate weight. Not AKS-74U, of course, but these are different "weight categories". It would be interesting to try the AK-105 carbine, but there is no possibility. When installing both the 1P29 day sight and the 1PN93 night sight, the balance shifts absolutely non-critically. I think that when light-weight collimator sights, such as Aimpoint Micro T-1 and the like, are installed on a gas tube, the situation will not change.

The most unpleasant thing begins when you install the GP-25 underbarrel grenade launcher on the machine. 1.5kg of steel on the barrel behind the forearm quickly bring the balance closer assault rifle to the balance of a single machine gun - the front of the machine gun becomes overweight. Maybe, of course, the hands are rather weak, but from a standing position, without emphasis, it becomes problematic to conduct aimed fire - the left hand gets tired quickly and the barrel starts to walk, so with the GP I got used to immediately being made for shooting from the knee. In this case, the hand on the grenade launcher rests with the elbow on the knee of the left leg and the "construction" turns out to be noticeably more stable.

ERGONOMICS:
Domestic weapons are generally not for the faint of heart, pregnant women and children, and its ergonomics are definitely not for the faint-hearted.

If you adhere to the idea that the right hand is always on the pistol grip, and all manipulations are done with the left, then you need to be ready to show all your "sleight of hand and no cheating." Fortunately, the location of the controls allows you to retract in this matter to the fullest.

Shutter cocking. Someone pulls on the bolt handle, passing his hand over the top of the machine over the receiver cover, someone from below - behind the magazine. The second option is more practical: firstly, there are fewer unnecessary hand movements, and secondly, which is no less important, the hand does not block the view, and with some skill this operation can be done without looking away from the direction of fire, thereby constantly observing the target.

Maybe, of course, I’m completely wrong, but if you need to always be ready to open fire from an AK, then the surest way is to send a cartridge into the chamber and not put the machine on the fuse at all. The question arises about security measures, especially if there are civilians around, and indeed - how to insure yourself against an accidental shot. The answer is simple: you need to be careful and use the contents of the head for its intended purpose. In general, one of the Delta Guy from the well-known film "Black Hawk Down" clearly showed how this can be achieved. Although someone will say that this is "not an option" and they will be right.

What is the problem?
Travis Haley in his video Pro Tip: Kalash Safety conveys the idea that even with the ergonomics of the AK, you can constantly operate the safety catch, keeping the machine gun ready to fire only immediately before the shot itself, which is undoubtedly a noble undertaking. But the AK wouldn't be an AK if it wasn't a Russian weapon. Your AK can be either a broken-down piece of steel that tries to figure it out on its own during shooting, or it can be tightly knocked down to such an extent that it will take considerable effort to remove it from the safety lock. Personally, I have the second option. Hayley deftly sets the safety to the "fire" position, but this technique may not work with every AK. What to do? Of course, you can remember, and it’s better not to forget, that the AK is a domestic model of weapons, and boldly apply pliers and other plumbing tools to it and make the translator crawl away into a single fire, you just have to shake your machine gun, but I don’t fan of these methods. Better - tougher, my choice.

There are not many options left: either keep the machine gun off the safety lock, but without a cartridge in the chamber, or vice versa - send the cartridge and put the weapon on the safety lock. The first option is my choice. The bottom line is that cocking the bolt carrier is an order of magnitude easier and faster than switching the fuse through one position (do not forget that the AK-74M first fires automatically, and then a single one). It's hard to believe, but it's true - I checked it on purpose. I'm talking about the case when the fuse is tight, and this is not uncommon. Otherwise, the opposite is true.

If the situation is such that the machine is on the fuse and this is without options, then there is no point in keeping your right hand on the pistol grip. The hand should be slightly moved forward along the receiver, so that with the very first movement you can remove the weapon from the fuse, otherwise all subsequent manipulations (making, aiming, etc.) will be meaningless.

Regardless of anything and no matter what the circumstances - always wear gloves to class. Not necessarily some cool tactical ones - absolutely any, even inexpensive fleece ones from the nearest Splav store will do ... and at least workers from the local market. AK is replete with sharp edges and protrusions, so when developing skills "for speed", in order not to think about how not to chop your hands into small cabbage, it is extremely important to wear at least some kind of protective gloves. At one of the training sessions, I broke my left hand against the controls, so much so that it healed for another week, and during this time I could not train normally. The main thing is attentiveness and accuracy ... and gloves.

I made a short video during the course. All details in the description.

As far as possible, we need to work further in this direction, study and analyze.

To the question How to wear and hold (and other actions) the machine gun? They asked for Dpu. They asked for Dpu. given by the author Andrew Michaels the best answer is 1. On the left shoulder - this is the old hunting method. To prevent the machine from slipping, it is necessary to properly fit the weapon belt. This method allows you to quickly prepare for battle, but if the enemy is close and hand-to-hand combat is ahead, this position of the weapon interferes. In this case, you should drop the belt from your shoulder and drop the machine to the ground.
2. On the chest - the belt is thrown over the neck, the machine hangs with the barrel down. This method is more convenient, allows you to quickly prepare for battle. This position of the machine does not interfere in hand-to-hand combat, it makes it possible to freely strike with hands and feet, fight in the grip, fall and roll.
In addition, machine guns can block enemy blows and deliver strong blows with the stock and magazine. With this method of carrying the machine gun, the weapon belt should be released quite strongly so that the stock is slightly below the right shoulder.
3. When making a march on armored vehicles, the landing, as a rule, is located on top of the armor. Usually paratroopers sit with one leg down in an open hatch, the other is held on top of the armor. From this position, it is easy to “leave” down the hatch if shelling begins, and it is easy to jump from the car to the ground if the car is blown up by a mine or an anti-tank grenade hits. At the same time, the weapon is usually held in the hands, and the machine gun greatly interferes when diving into the hatch, and is also easily lost if the paratroopers are thrown off the armor by an explosion or sudden braking. To prevent this from happening, you should loosen the weapon belt and put it over your head, the machine gun is located on the body with the barrel up. At the same time, the machine is quite conveniently located, does not interfere with jumping from the car and quickly aims at. target"
4. Both military personnel and police officers often have to serve at checkpoints, checkpoints, traffic police posts. The nature of the service at these facilities requires a long stay on duty, while it is necessary to have free hands for signaling and for checking documents, inspecting cars and searching people. The weapon must be in a position that ensures its rapid use, and at the same time, the people being checked must not be able to block the use of weapons. Usually, traffic police officers have a machine gun on their right side. Machine guns from this position cannot be thrown to the shoulder, you can only shoot from the waist and aimlessly. And if the sentry is dressed in winter clothes, then the machine gun becomes an extra weight that hinders movement. For a more convenient location of the machine, you should unhook the strap from the receiver swivel and hook its carbine on the butt swivel, forming a loop. This loop adjusts to fit and is worn over the shoulder and back. The machine gun with a retracted butt is located under the right shoulder and is easily raised with one hand. When checking, I recommend putting the left foot forward half a step, turning the body with the left side forward so that the machine gun is the most distant from the tested, and they could not grab it.

Answer from Andrey Drobot[active]
An assault rifle "on the chest" is when the assault rifle hangs on the chest with the barrel up diagonally - the compensator is at the top of the left shoulder, the butt, respectively, on the right at the belt. Belt - on the left shoulder.
A machine gun "on the belt" is when the machine gun is behind the back on the right shoulder with the barrel up (with a folding butt - the barrel down). Belt - on the right shoulder. The position is unstable, the belt constantly strives to slip, therefore, according to the charter, it is supposed to hold it with your right hand.
An assault rifle "behind the back" is when the assault rifle is behind the back, barrel up (with a folding butt - muzzle down). The barrel is at the top of the left shoulder, the butt, respectively, at the bottom right.
The drill charter DOES NOT allow any other options.
And now you constantly see two of some Pindos options.
The first is a machine gun on the chest with the barrel down. This, to be honest, is not clear to me. If you have to shoot, the soldier will lose time, feeling for the handle with his right hand. If you constantly keep it half-bent on the handle, it will quickly get tired. Plus, there is a good chance to get hit in the teeth or in the ear with the butt of your own machine gun. Or shoot the neighbor on the left in the leg. But the strangest thing is when the machine is held on the chest in the arms, like a child. A heavy piece of iron, a machine gun with an equipped magazine and a grenade launcher, weighs over 5 kg. Your hands will get tired of holding it.
This whole canoe started with "polite people". Before that, they were still worn according to the charter.