OTs-22 Buk

Tula Arms Plant · Personal Defense Weapon · Prototype · 1995

Also known as: Buk, OC-22, OTs-22M

Overview

The OTs-22 Buk (Beech) is a Russian compact submachine gun developed by designer Vladimir Zlobin at the Tula Arms Plant in the 1990s. Chambered in 9x19mm, including the high-pressure 7N21 armor-piercing loading, it is a blowback-operated, select-fire weapon built largely from stamped parts to reduce cost. Designed as a lightweight, concealable weapon offering close-quarters firepower, it shares ergonomics with the earlier PP-93. It remained a prototype and did not enter widespread service.

Specifications

Overall Length460 mm (18.11")
Folded Length250 mm (9.84")
Action TypeBlowback
Firing MechanismHammer Fired
Trigger TypeSingle Stage
Magazine Capacity20 rounds
Magazine TypeDetachable Box
Effective Range200 m (219 yd)
Rate of Fire850 rpm
Barrel RiflingRight Hand
Frame MaterialSteel
Barrel MaterialSteel
Stock MaterialSteel
FinishPhosphate

Calibers

Features

Variants

Service history

Operators

Production

Production years: 1990s

Prototype/limited development; never widely fielded

Origin

Country of origin: Russia

Designer: Vladimir Zlobin

Notes

Sources commonly attribute the OTs-22 to 9x19mm rather than 9x18mm Makarov; it was developed for the high-pressure 9x19mm 7N21 round. Many specifications remain unpublished. Length cited as approximately 460 mm with stock extended and 250 mm folded.

Background

Named after the beech tree, the OTs-22 Buk was one of several compact Tula submachine guns developed in the chaotic 1990s arms-design boom, built around Russia's potent 7N21 9x19mm armor-piercing round to defeat body armor at close range.