KPV heavy machine gun
The KPV-14.5 heavy machine gun (KPV is an initialism for Krupnokaliberniy Pulemyot Vladimirova (Vladimirov's large-caliber machine gun), in Russian as Крупнокалиберный Пулемёт Владимирова, or КПВ) is a Soviet designed 14.5×114mm-caliber heavy machine gun, which first entered service as an infantry weapon (designated PKP) in 1949. In the 1960s, the infantry version was taken out of production because it was too large and heavy. It was later redesigned for anti-aircraft use, because it showed excellent results as an AA gun, with a range of 3,000 m (9,800 ft) horizontally and 2,000 m (6,600 ft) vertically against low flying planes. It was used in the ZPU series of anti-aircraft guns. Its size and power also made it a useful light anti-armour weapon on the BTR series of vehicles and the BRDM-2 scout car.
| KPV 14.5×114 mm machine gun | |
|---|---|
Four KPV heavy machine guns used on the ZPU-4 anti-aircraft gun. | |
| Type | Heavy machine gun |
| Place of origin | Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1949–present |
| Used by | See Operators |
| Wars | Korean War Vietnam War Western Sahara War Afghan-Soviet War Libyan-Chadian conflict Gulf War First Chechen War Second Chechen War Russo-Georgian War Iraq War Lebanese Civil War First Libyan Civil War Second Libyan Civil War Syrian Civil War Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017) Russo-Ukrainian War Yemeni Civil War (2015–present) Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen Saudi–Yemeni border conflict (2015–present) |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Semyon Vladimirov |
| Designed | 1944 |
| Manufacturer | V.A. Degtyarev Plant |
| Produced | 1949–present |
| Variants | KPVT |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 49 kg (108.03 lb) |
| Length | 1,980 mm (78.0 in) |
| Barrel length | 1,346 mm (53.0 in) |
| Width | 162 mm (6.4 in) |
| Height | 225 mm (8.9 in) |
| Cartridge | 14.5×114mm |
| Caliber | 14.5 mm |
| Action | Short recoil operation |
| Rate of fire | 600 rpm |
| Muzzle velocity | 1,005 m/s (3,297 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 3,000 m (9,800 ft) |
| Maximum firing range | 4,000 m (13,000 ft) |
| Feed system | 40-round belt |
| Sights | iron or optical |