6P62
KBP Instrument Design Bureau · Machine Gun · Prototype · 2002
Also known as: 6P62 Heavy Assault Rifle, 6P62 12.7mm, 6P62 hand-held heavy machine gun
Overview
The 6P62 is a Russian man-portable machine gun chambered for the heavy 12.7x108mm cartridge, developed by the KBP Instrument Design Bureau in Tula as an experimental shoulder-fired heavy support weapon. Built around a gas-operated action with a short 750 mm barrel, a folding stock, an integral folding bipod and a large multi-chamber muzzle brake, it was intended to give infantry a hand-carried anti-materiel and bunker-busting capability firing the same round used by the DShK and NSV heavy machine guns. The combination of a 14-round detachable box magazine and a deliberately low cyclic rate of around 450 rounds per minute was meant to keep the recoil of the powerful cartridge manageable for a single operator. The weapon remained an experimental prototype and was never adopted into service.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 15000 g (529.1 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1200 mm (47.24") |
| Folded Length | 950 mm (37.40") |
| Barrel Length | 750 mm (29.53") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Magazine Capacity | 14 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 635 m/s (2083 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 10640 J (7848 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 800 m (875 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 450 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Polymer |
| Finish | Phosphate |
Calibers
- 12.7x108mm · primary — also known as 12.7 Soviet, 12.7mm DShK, 12.7x108mm Russian
Features
- Firing modes: Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Folding Stock, Folding Bipod, Large Muzzle Brake, Recoil Reduction System, Carry Handle
Production
Production years: 2000s
Experimental prototype; not series-produced and never adopted by any armed force.
Origin
Country of origin: Russia
Designer: KBP Instrument Design Bureau (Tula)
Notes
Despite its 'heavy assault rifle' nickname, the 6P62 functions as a hand-held heavy machine gun firing the 12.7x108mm round. The short barrel reduces muzzle velocity to roughly 620-645 m/s compared with the cartridge's standard performance. Recoil management relies on the muzzle brake, an internal recoil-buffering system and the low rate of fire.
Background
The 6P62 emerged from KBP's Tula design bureau in the early 2000s as a rare attempt to make the 12.7x108mm heavy machine-gun cartridge shoulder-fireable by a single soldier, earning it the popular nickname of a '12.7mm monster' and frequent comparison with a hand-held .50-calibre weapon.