Machine guns introduction
Austria
 Schwarzlose M07 M07/12
 Steyr-Solothurn MG 30
 Steyr AUG /Hbar
Belgium
 FN Model D
 FN Minimi
 FN MAG
 FN BRG-15
China, People's Republic
 Type 67 GPMG
 Type 88 GPMG
 Type 95 LMG
 Type 77 HMG
 Type 85 HMG
 W-85 HMG
 Type 89 HMG
 Type 02 / QJG 02 HMG
Czech Republic
 ZB 26
 ZB 53 / Vz.37
 ZB 60 new
 Vz.52, Vz.52/57 upd
 UK Vz.59 upd
Denmark
 Madsen LMG
 Madsen-Saetter
Finland
 L/S-26
 Valmet KvKK 62
France
 Chauchat CSRG M1915
 Hotchkiss Portative
 Hotchkiss M1914
 Hotchkiss M1922 LMG
 Hotchkiss M1930 HMG
 MAC M1924/29
 AAT Mod.52
Germany
 MG 08, MG 08/15, MG 08/18
 MG 13
 MG 34
 MG 35/36 Knorr-Bremse
 MG 42 and MG 3
 HK 21 and 23
 HK MG 4
Great Britain
 Vickers Mk.I
 Hotchkiss Portable Mk.I
 Lewis
 Vickers-Berthier
 Bren
 L86A1 SA-80 LSW
Israel
 Dror
 Negev
Italy
 Fiat-Revelli M1914 M1935
 Breda M1930
 Breda M1937
Japan
 Type 03 & Type 92
 Type 11
 Type 96 & Type 99
 Type 62
Mexico
 Mendoza
Russia / USSR
 Maxim M1910/30
 Degtyarov DP DPM RP-46
 Degtyarov DS-39
 Degtyarov RPD
 Kalashnikov RPK
 Kalashnikov RPK-74
 Gorjunov SG-43 SGM
 Kalashnikov PK / PKM
 Pecheneg
 DShK DShKM 12.7
 NSV 12.7 'Utes'
 Kord 12.7
 KPV 14.5
Singapore
 STK Ultimax 100
 CIS .50 MG
South Africa
 Vector SS-77 / Mini-SS
South Korea
 Daewoo K3
Spain
 CETME Ameli
Sweden
 Knorr-Bremse m/40
Switzerland
 W+F Lmg 25
 SIG KE-7
 Steyr-Solothurn MG 30
 SIG MG 50
 W+F MG 51
 SIG MG 710
USA
 Benet-Mercie M1909
 Lewis
 Browning M1917 M1919
 Browning M1918 BAR
 Johnson M1941 M1944
 M60
 M16 LSW / LMG
 M134 Minigun
 XM214 Microgun
 Stoner 63
 M249 SAW
 M240
 Mk.48 mod.0
 Browning M2HB .50 cal
 XM312 .50 cal
 LW50MG

 Gatling, Minigun, Vulcan

all texts and some pictures
copyright © 1999-2009
by Max R. Popenker
and can not be used without author permission

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Vladimirov KPV-14.5 heavy machine gun (USSR/Russia)

Vladimirov KPV-14.5 heavy machine gun on Kharanin-designed wheeled mount, left side

Vladimirov KPV-14.5 heavy machine gun on Kharanin-designed wheeled mount, view on the receiver and controls

KPVT-14,5 tank / armored vehicle heavy machine gun

Caliber 14.5x115 mm
Weight 49.1 (gun body, KPV) + 105 (wheeled infantry mount) or 39 (infantry tripod)
Length 2000 mm
Length of barrel 1350 mm
Feeding belt 40 or 50 rounds
Rate of fire 600 rounds per minute

The KPV (Krubnokalibernyj Pulemet Vladimirova – Vladimirov large calibre / heavy machine gun) was born during WW2 from numerous requests from the Soviet fighting troops, who wanted a heavy MG firing the extra-powerful 14.5x114 armor-piercing ammunition developed for anti-tank rifles. Such extra-heavy MGs could be useful against German light tanks and armored personnel carriers, as well as against reinforced machine gun nests and other such targets. This also could make a formidable short range AA weapon. Development of the new heavy machine gun commenced in 1942, and the first working prototypes of the KPV were built by 1944. Following the trials and much refinement work it was adopted in 1949 in an infantry version (on a wheeled mount) and in three towed AA mountings (single, twin and quad). Later on, its ‘tank’ version was used as the primary armament of some armored reconnaissance and personnel carrier vehicles such as BRDM and BTR-70. In the AA role, KPV guns saw considerable action in the hands of the North Vietnamese armed forces, supplied from the USSR and China as military aid (China has produced copies of KPV as 14,5mm Type 56 heavy machine gun). Later on, AA mounts with KPVT guns were used by the Soviet Army in Afghanistan, to fire up at Mujaheddin hiding in the mountains and firing at Soviet bases and convoys from above.
The KPV entered mass production in about 1950, in infantry (ground-fire only) version with a wheeled mount designed by Kharykin, and in a number of dedicated AA mounts; single, twin and quadruple. In the 1955 the heavy Kharykin mount was replaced in production by a lighter tripod designed by Baryshev. Guns produced prior to 1955 retained their wheeled mounts and both version saw significant use during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The infantry version of this gun had a relatively short production life, being replaced by the improved KPVT (tank) version, which is used for both armored vehicles and dedicated AA mounts, as well as in naval mounts for light patrol vessels.

It must be noted that until very recently (when Chinese have introduced their indigenous 14,5x115 heavy machine gun)  KPVT was the most powerful heavy machine gun in its class, providing almost double muzzle energy compared to 12,7mm / .50 caliber weapons. With muzzle velocities of about 1000 - 1030 meters per second and AP bullets weighting 60 gram, it generated muzzle energy of about 32,000 Joules and penetrated some 32mm of steel armor at 500 meters range and about 20mm at 1000 meters. 

The Vladimirov KPV is a short-recoil operated, locked breech, air cooled, belt fed weapon. Bolt to barrel locking is achieved by the rotating bolt collar that has a set of interrupted thread lugs on its inner surface. These lugs engage cuts made on the breech of the barrel. Barrels can be quickly replaced along with perforated barrel jackets. The carrying handle is attached to the barrel jacket. The bolt collar is rotated upon recoil by the cross-pin that follows the cam track. The firing pin is permanently fixed to the bolt face and can strike the primer of the cartridge only when bolt is completely locked to the barrel.
The KPV is fed using disintegrating steel belts. The feed is of the two-stage type, with the cartridges first being pulled back out of the belt, then placed into a T-slot cut in the breech face. Spent cases are first pushed down and out of the T-slot by a fresh cartridge, and then either fall down through the ejection opening (on original infantry guns) or are ejected forward through the short tube (on modern KPVT guns). The final spent case is pushed out of the bolt slot by a special ejector lever. Belt feed direction can be easily adjusted for left- or right-side feeding.
The original infantry mount, designed by Kharanin, was more or less like a small artillery mount, with two large steel wheels with rubber tires, and dual tail booms used to tow the HMG behind a jeep or light truck, and to steady it in the firing position. Baryshev type tripods were significantly lighter, and infantry KPV guns were most often used at fixed checkpoints or incorporated into base defenses. Various AA type mounts included lightweight “mountain” ones with single guns, and heavier towed twin and quadruple mounts which had traverse and elevation mechanisms plus special sighting equipment and were usually manned by two operators and a number of loaders / assistants.

Modifications.
KPVT (tank) is the current version of the basic design, used for vehicle installations and various AA mountings. It has a shortened receiver, which is a great bonus for guns that are mounted inside compact tank or APC turrets. KPVT also have heavier barrel jackets and use 50-round belts instead of the original 40-round ones. KPVT HMG’s are the primary armament of the Soviet BTR-60B and BTR-70 armored personnel carriers and BRDM armored recon vehicles.

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