Udar U-94
KBP Instrument Design Bureau · Pistol · Limited Production · 1994
Also known as: U-94, U-94 UDAR, Strike, Уда́р, KBP U-94
Overview
The U-94 Udar is a large-bore double-action revolver developed by the KBP Instrument Design Bureau in Tula in the early 1990s for Russian police use. Chambered in proprietary 12.3x35mm Udar (sometimes referenced as 12.5x35mm), it is a five-shot, swing-out-cylinder, star-ejector revolver with a shrouded hammer that can be cocked or de-cocked through a top-mounted slot. The Udar's defining feature is its multi-purpose ammunition family: it accepts CS tear-gas aerosol cartridges, rubber baton 'sting-ball' projectiles, rubber buckshot, jacketed hollow-point lethal slugs, and armor-piercing slugs - letting an officer scale force from less-lethal to lethal with the same gun.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 920 g (32.5 oz) |
| Overall Length | 173 mm (6.81") |
| Barrel Length | 95 mm (3.74") |
| Height | 136 mm (5.35") |
| Width | 44 mm (1.73") |
| Action Type | Revolving |
| Firing Mechanism | Double Action Single Action |
| Trigger Type | Double Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Rotary |
| Muzzle Velocity | 350 m/s (1148 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 800 J (590 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 25 m (27 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Polymer |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 12.3x35mm Udar · primary — also known as 12.3x35, 12.5x35mm, 32-gauge Udar
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Cylinder
- Safety mechanisms: Transfer Bar, Shrouded Hammer
- Features: Swing Out Cylinder, Star Ejector, Shrouded Hammer, Manual Cock Decock Slot, Less Lethal Capable, Interchangeable Ammunition
Variants
- Udar-S (U-94S) — Shortened Cartridge
- Udar-TS (U-94TS) — Training
Service history
Operators
- Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) · adopted 1994 · as U-94
- OMON Special Police Units
Conflicts
- Second Chechen War (1999-2009)
Production
Production years: 1994-present
Small-batch production for Russian internal-security and law-enforcement units; never widely fielded due to proprietary ammunition
Origin
Country of origin: Russia
Notes
The 12.3mm bore is alternately reported as 12.5mm, 12.7mm, 32-gauge, or 36-gauge depending on source. The Udar-S (U-94S) variant uses a shortened 12.3x22mm case for lower recoil; the Udar-TS is a training variant.
Background
Built around its own bespoke 12.3mm cartridge family, the Udar lets a single officer toggle between tear-gas, rubber baton, buckshot, and full-jacketed armor-piercing slugs without ever swapping weapons - a Cold-War-era 'force escalation revolver' decades before Western less-lethal launchers caught up.