Tokarev Automaton (AT-44): description, technical characteristics

Hearing the name of the famous designer-gunsmith and inventor Tokarev, many immediately recall a beautiful blued TT gun. Even those who are completely ignorant of this brand and are far from firearms. And not for nothing: it has proved its effectiveness in the years of the Great Patriotic War, this pistol is very popular these days. You can hear about him in the news of the criminal chronicle, see in the movies and TV shows.

But very few people know that Fedor Tokarev is the author of other, unfortunately, little-known projects. Among his offsprings are the SVT-40 self-loading rifle and the submachine gun used for the 7.62 mm cartridge.

Tokarev automaton: history of creation

Among the participants in the competitive development of weapons, held in 1943, F.V. Tokarev was the oldest. He turned 72 years old. Despite the age and illness, the designer decided to create a machine and in October 1943 he entered a competitive competition with young participants. The model of the machine was ready for a month. At the same time, a separate weapon design was not created, and the finished rifle AVT was taken as a sample. Such a design made it possible to save time and exclude the risk when working out automation nodes. Prior to April 44 Tokarev finalized his creation. This was given to him uneasy. Often there were problems of an industrial nature: in times of war, there was an acute shortage of cartridges-their new designs were immediately sent to the front. By May 1944 the machine designed by Tokarev was ready.

Weapon Testing

Tokarev Machine Gun 1944 Sample Was first tested on May 7, 1944. As a test-tester, a girl named Vera was introduced to the designer. Tokarev was skeptical at first, but when he saw the well-coordinated work of the girl with arms, he changed his attitude.

On quality and trouble-free operation of the mechanism Tokarev's automatic machine This test failed. The reason for the failure was the delays in shooting, double shots and cross-cut shells. During the experiment, cartridges were dropped and discarded from the magazine. These shortcomings of the capsule mechanism of weapons were explained by the high speed of the mobile elements of the structure and were noticed by the members of the commission. The machine required a serious revision. But the most unpleasant fact was the breakdown of the gun's trunk: the rear wall exploded and the rifle was damaged.

The second test was scheduled for July 44th. The delay during the shooting was traced in the construction of the Tokarev rifle. Eliminate this defect was difficult. Therefore, by July the design of the weapon was not yet ready. The second stage of the test passed without participation of the Tokarev model.

The third round took place in December 44th. Tokarev's machine gave bad results and, according to the designer, required further refinement. The problem was the accuracy and reliability of the mechanism. But the commission felt that the finalization was not expedient, and ruled out the machine from the contest. The third test of this weapon was the last.

Nevertheless, AVT, as well as SVT-40 rifle, was actively used in the Great Patriotic War. Existing defects: damage and wear of the trunk - were eliminated by handicraft. The models were suitable for the production of surrogate carbines.

Tokarev's tactical and technical characteristics

The weapon is intended for a cartridge having a caliber of 7.62 mm. The size of the bullet is 7.62 x 39 mm. The weight of the machine together with the magazine and thirty cartridges is 4.77 kg. The weapon is designed to defeat the target at a distance of one and a half kilometers.

For the construction of AT-44 Used rifle AVT. On its basis Tokarev designed mobile weapons elements: a bolt and a bolt frame. The difference was in the reduced diameter of the shutter cup, respectively, the diameter of the bottom of the cartridge case used, and also in the absence of the trigger and its spring in the mechanism of the automatic device.

The device of the shock-trigger mechanism

Shock-trigger mechanism Tokarev machine allows you to lead a single and automatic fire. Switch the shooting mode is possible thanks to the hook, which its upper part affects the sear. When the location of the hook changes, it is disconnected from the sear, which makes it possible to lead a single fire. For the automatic mode, it is sufficient to move the hook further so that it does not reach the separation position and the whisper remains in the position retracted. You can change the fire modes thanks to the fuse-translator, which looks like a lever with a spring, which is installed at the base of the trigger guard. Turning the lever to the top position, you can make single shots. The lower position makes it possible to fire in bursts.

External design of weapons

The trunk box of the FV Tokarev machine differs from the rifle. Due to the different sizes of used cartridges, the window for the AT-44 store is smaller than in the AVT rifle. In contrast to its analogue - rifles AVT, Tokarev's Automatic In its handle does not contain a storage for accessories. Such a compartment is in the butt and covered with a special hinged cover.

The automatic trunk has a transverse ribbing, its length is 485 mm. The steel casing, containing on each side a row of round holes, covers a massive barrel of the weapon.

On the model of the AVT rifle, a snuffle is designed in the machine, which consists of a gas chamber, a bracket (a bayonet is attached to it) and an active single-chamber muzzle brake.

Differences in the design of the rifle and Tokarev's machine are in the specificity of the equipment of the return mechanism. There are different connecting units in the guide rods of the return mechanisms and the covers of the trunks. The heel of the guide rod in the AVT is connected with the lid through the milling socket made in it, and in the AT-44 - through a narrow rectangular groove in the lid. This accelerates the production of stamped covers, which do not require additional processing on machines. The spoon of the submachine gun is represented by a short fore-end with side cutouts for the bum shoes. In the existing longitudinal channel there is a ramrod. The bayonet can be attached to the butt of the machine with Tokarev's self-loading rifle.

In its action AT-44 resembles a manual machine gun. This is a characteristic feature of the first Soviet-era machines.

Inventor, designer, worker

The circle of interests of the famous designer, gunsmith and inventor was not limited only to weapons. Having a rich spatial imagination, a wonderful memory, FV Tokarev was always fond of blacksmithing and jewelry, chasing, embossing on the skin, was a good carpenter, turner, milling machine. The inventor liked to improve technological processes, to restore worn out tools. "The inventor, the designer, the worker" - so jokingly he spoke about himself.