Anteck Sh01 Submachine-Gun

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Sh01 Submachine-Gun - The Federation of Ekraysia



Statistics


Class: Submachine-Gun

Manufacturer: Anteck

Length, Overall: (Stock Extended) 64.3cm
Length, Overall: (Stock Folded) 42cm
Length, Barrel: 27cm
Weight, Loaded: 2.55kg
Cartridge:
- 9.65x21mm +P Ekraysian
- 10mm Auto
- 9x19mm Parabellum
- .45 ACP
- .40 S&W
- Others available on request
Operation: Straight Blowback, Telescoping Bolt
Magazine Options: 21/30/34 Round Box Magazine
Rate of Fire: 650rpm
Effective Range: 150 metres
Sights: 2-Position V-Notch and Blade, Superluminova coated


History


The Sh01 (short for Shì 01, in turn short form for 2001 年式/ 2001 Niánshì, or 2001 Year Type) is the standard submachine-gun type of the Ekraysian police and armed services, supplemented by the newer Sh04. The Sh04 was made to replace the Sh01 in the short term, which only entered service in 2005 after the bolt system was redesigned due to unreliability. Nevertheless, not a great deal of Sh04s were made and the new production Year Type 01 is commonplace issue once again.

They were both designed to the same specification; to replace Walther MPL and Uzi submachine-guns, both in 9mm Parabellum, in Ekraysian service with a newer weapon that fired the standard pistol round, 9.65x21mm Ekraysian +P (Overpressure). Over the years, the Ekraysian Armed Forces had taken quite a few lessons that had been learnt the hard way by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). Similarly, they had replaced their rifles with a Kalashnikov-derivative and the air force also learned from them; also, the Armed Forces were impressed with the small size and basic functionality of the IDF's Uzi submachine-gun, a useful close-quarters general-purpose weapon, especially as Ekraysian soldiers tended to operate in close jungle conditions in which engagement distances were very short. It was also particularly useful as a Personal Defence Weapon for the likes of tank crews, and for special forces and close-in protection, not to mention special police units, which to this day prefer SMGs over larger assault rifles.

The EAF had purchased a large number of Uzis from the 1960s onwards, and while it was loved by the troops in the roles it performed well, it suffered from one basic flaw: by the late 1990s, it was getting a little old. By this time, SMGs, which many had thought would be replaced completely by assault rifles, were seeing a resurgence in the form of Personal Defence Weapons, firing smaller-calibre projectiles usually smaller than 6mm, intended for piercing armour rather than knocking down opponents. While it would be perhaps politically convenient to follow this route, Ekraysian soldiers and certain ballistic-ists were sceptical of the power of these cartridges once they got past the armour, which they perceived to be negligible. Instead, the 9.65 was adopted to use an AP bullet, which, while perhaps not as lethal to armour on account of its larger and slower size, had more significant knockdown power and could penetrate much of the newer armour, although perhaps not quite as impressively as the smaller-bore rounds.

And so, with other companies occupied by their respective small-arms projects at the time, Anteck took up the commission for a 'Uzi-esque' SMG. Prototypes were built in 1999 and the weapon was in limited service and standardised by late 2001. However, following serious troubles with the bolt which was almost directly copied from that of the Uzi, a new version was designed, and retrofitted Sh01s - all are now to this standard - was ready, by 2005, and is able to fulfil the same reliability expectations as the Uzi it replaced.


Cartridge

Figure 1. The standard 9.65x21mm + P cartridge.

Main Article: 9.65x21mm +P Ekraysian

In Ekraysian service, the Sh04 is always used with the standard pistol ammunition, the 9.65x21mm +P round. This is brass-cased, straight cartridge of the overpressure type, and has a double base propellant of 53% Nitrocellulose (Propellant), 33% Nitroglycerin (Propellant), 9% Polyester Adipate (Plasticiser), 4% Rosin (Binder), 2% Ethyl Acetate (Binder), 1.6% N-nitrosodiphenylamine (Stabiliser), 1.1% Potassium Nitrate (Flash reducer), 1% Bismuth Antimonide (De-copperiser), 0.8% Graphite (Lubricant), and 0.5% Calcium Carbonate (Acid Neutraliser). When launched in 1932 it received poor reviews but over a few years these were quickly rectified as critics found the cartridge, while appearing in dimensions underpowered it had a very high muzzle energy, around 42,000 psi.

Nowadays, however, it generates pressure on the larger side of 49,000 psi, a huge amount of pressure, only a few thousand lower than in the .223 Remington intermediate rifle cartridge, and it is this that allows it to achieve (when fired from a standard Sh88 service pistol) an energy of almost a thousand joules. The 9.65mm is officially an overpressure cartridge, which is why it is labelled +P, and is very unique in military ammunition, perhaps comparable only to the 9x19mm +P (Russian 7N21) in design, and the first of it's kind. Such power in such a small cartridge has disadvantages, however; they are less reliable and more volatile from a safety point of view, which is why Sh33s, 88s, 01s and 04s have such thick breeches and bulky, internally cylindrical, heavy steel slides to make them safer. It is for these reasons that it is not permitted to be made for the civilian market except by military suppliers and can only be legally fired in weapons with strengthened breeches and slides. The breeches for these weapons are 150% idiot-proof overpressure, rather than the usual 125% as higher power loadings make them more unpredictable.

However, the pistol can be adopted to most pistol calibres and is offered with the 10mm Auto, 9x19mm Parabellum, .45 ACP, and .40 S&W chamberings. Others can likely be provided on request.


Feed, Firing, & Safety


The feed consists of only straight box magazines fed through the pistol grip, all double-stacked and available in only solid, opaque aluminium manufacture in capacities of 21, 30 or 34 rounds. The former two are taken from the Sh04, the 21-round magazine having a flush fit with an extended baseplate and finger stop. The 34-round magazine is by far the more common, designed before the Sh04, and it can accept the others purely for reasons of compatability. Sh04s have since, as of November 2009, been modified to accept the 34-round magazine. Magazines are wider at the back than at the front to allow some give and allow a normal feed even when the magazine contains snow, ice, dirt, or other foreign ingestion other than sulphuric acid, which the magazine is not designed to withstand, common with most other small arms magazines. Of course, other calibres will likely not match this figure and specifications will be provided with individual orders. The magazine is various shades of grey metal, and has a view port every seven or so rounds.

Translucent plastic magazines are not available for anything less than special forces use, and none are known to have been made. Magazine change is done in the following manner: (1) Magazine catch is pressed and magazine drops out. (2) Fresh magazine is inserted. (3) Charging handle is operated. This sequence must be performed in the said manner, there are no variations. The ejection port, to contribute to reliability, will close upon firing of the last round and stay closed until required to eject a fresh round or manually pulled open. The trigger is of the pressure-point variety, which enables a certain amount of free play before the trigger meets definite resistance and fires. However, there are definite noticeable 'stages', just like the focus ability on modern digital cameras by half-pressing the shutter button. The safety, which blocks both striker and trigger (but not trigger pull), is on the selector switch.

In addition, the magazine disconnect feature exists which means that even if the magazine is ejected and a round left in the chamber, this round cannot be fired due to the absence of a magazine. A further safety can be seen in the 2005-production and onwards batches in the form of a catch system to allow the bolt to remain in the half-cocked position.

The weapon has four trigger groups, the Semi-auto only - S - semi-auto/full auto - A - semi-auto/3-round burst - B - or the semi-auto/3-round burst/full auto - AB. The trigger guard, a progression from the prototypes, is heavily built, and wider than the wide and flat-fronted trigger.


Bolt & Breech


The weapon utilises the simple Blowback system of the Uzi, and the same design of Telescoping bolt. In this system, the end of the bolt wraps around the end and forward of the breech, allowing for a considerably more compact weapon. This allows a much longer barrel in a given length, or the same length of barrel in a much shorter weapon. It also provides a better centre of balance around the pistol grip in which the magazine is located and increased pointability. A prime example of the length advantages can be given by comparing the Uzi and MP40; the Uzi is far shorter, as such lighter, and better-balanced, while both have a ~10-inch (254mm) barrel. The Sh01, like the Uzi, uses a rectangular in cross-section rather than cylindrical telescoping bolt, with an offset barrel.

To compensate for the relatively high pressures of the 9.65, the Sh01 has a heavily weighted bolt to remain reliable with the blowback system. The cyclic Rate of Fire is 650rpm, giving approximately three seconds of continuous fire from a 34-round magazine, limited by the bolt's heavy weight and by a buffer-tube over the bolt which makes the weapon almost dust-proof. A higher RoF was not thought important in a weapon with a severely limited feed. The bolt, as with the rest of the weapon, has machined dust/dirt grooves, as well as being equipped with a bolt hook for holding the ejection port open. The breech is lined on the inside with chromium to increase the service life. The bolt dust/dirt grooves are designed in such a way so as to collect dirt from the bolt on each cycle, allowing bolt operation even in the most adverse of conditions.


Accessories


The weapon has two large picatinny MIL-STD-1913 rails, one on either side of the handguard, and a longer rail along the top. It can fit a variety of LAMs and weapon lights.
A muzzle compensator is standard fit, detachable on the threaded barrel so it can fix a silencer, designed to funnel the noises forward of the shooter, as the sound being directed back at the shooter would cause severe hearing damage, even with ear protection. Housed securely in the rear of the pistol grip is a metal container with multipurpose cleaning and lubricant oil and cloth. There is a cleaning rod in a recess to the left hand side of the Sh01, however the lack of suitable storage prevents supply of a more elaborate cleaning kit. As such, soldiers are expected to use fodders and such from other weapons at squad level, most of which are compatible.


Construction & The Barrel


All main components of the gun that are in metal, save for the barrel is of stamped steel, for light weight and strength. The barrel is of cold-forged steel with the cost-cutting feature of polygonal sectioning instead of traditional rifling. It is equipped with dust/dirt grooves and is thick, designed to give between 10,000 to 15,000 rounds of barrel life. The barrel can be quickly unscrewed, and if hot the standard multitool can act as a handle to avoid human contact. The exterior metal surfaces of the gun are coated in epoxy resin to prevent wear on the weapon, to a point. The weapon is phenomenally reliable and durable, sand- and dirt-proof, living up to the reputation of the Uzi; it is very hard for dirt to foul the Sh01, as it is either prevented from getting in or collected before causing any damage, and the weapon is designed to operate even with battle damage.


Sights


As standard, the sights consist of the front and rear units. The former is a simple fixed blade in a shroud housed at the foremost end of the receiver unit. The latter unit is a v-notch tangent ramp module with two settings; 50 and 150 metres. The latter is a 3-Dot superluminova coated unit - with short exposure to any kind of light, the night sights' luminescence lasts up to 30 minutes. The front unit is also coated.


Variants


Trigger Groups:
Type S: Semi-automatic only.
Type A: Semi-automatic/fully automatic selective fire. Standard Ekraysian fitting.
Type B: Semi-automatic/3-round burst selective fire.
Type AB: Semi-automatic/3-round burst/fully automatic selective fire.

Configurations:
Compact: Sh01C. Smaller companion weapon of the Sh01, with lighter and shorter bolt, consequently increased rate of fire to 900rpm. With collapsible, lighter wire stock that folds to the left. Length stock extended, 550mm, length stock folded 325mm, length of barrel 190mm.

Chamberings:
- 9.65x21mm +P Ekraysian
- 10mm Auto
- 9x19mm Parabellum
- .45 ACP
- .40 S&W
Others are available on request.


Export


Prices regardless of trigger group, see chambering costs.
Standard $550
Compact: $630