The Russian PKP Pecheneg Machine Gun

By Lynndon Schooler

In the late 1990s, TsNIITochMash developed the PKP machine gun, a unique weapon designed to reduce dispersion and increase cooling for rapid, sustained fire. This weapon system was called the PKP, Pulemyot Kalashnikova Pekhotniy, meaning Infantry Kalashnikov Machine Gun. The Pecheneg is named after the Pecheneg people, a Turkic tribe known for their warrior culture in southern Russia and Ukraine.

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The PKP’s cooling system, a standout feature, draws inspiration from the Lewis machine gun, a classic design that holds a significant place in the history of firearms. The cooling systems used in the PKP were first patented in 1996 and finally in the PKP patent in 2000. It utilizes air convection in two areas: the rear of the barrel, behind the gas block, uses natural air convection and forced air

Source: The Firearm Blog