KPV heavy machine gun

KPV heavy machine gun
KPV as used in ZGU-1 mountain anti-aircraft mount
Type	Heavy machine gun
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Service history
In service	1949–present
Used by	See operators
Wars	Korean War Vietnam War Western Sahara War[1] Afghan-Soviet War[2] Libyan-Chadian conflict Gulf War First Chechen War Second Chechen War Russo-Georgian War Iraq War Lebanese Civil War First Libyan Civil War Second Libyan Civil War Syrian Civil War[3] Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017) Russo-Ukrainian War Yemeni Civil War (2015–present) Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen Saudi–Yemeni border conflict (2015–present)
Production history
Designer	Semyon Vladimirov
Designed	1944
Manufacturer	Degtyarev Plant
Produced	1949–present
Variants	KPVT
Specifications
Mass	49 kg (108.03 lb)
Length	1,980 mm (78.0 in)
Barrel length	1,346 mm (53.0 in)
Width	162 mm (6.4 in)
Height	225 mm (8.9 in)
Cartridge	14.5×114mm
Caliber	14.5 mm
Action	Short recoil operation
Rate of fire	600 rpm
Muzzle velocity	1,005 m/s (3,297 ft/s)
Effective firing range	3,000 m (9,800 ft)
Maximum firing range	4,000 m (13,000 ft)
Feed system	40-round belt
Sights	iron or optical

The KPV heavy machine gun (Russian: КПВ, romanized: KPV, an initialism for Крупнокалиберный пулемёт Владимирова, Krupnokaliberny pulemyot Vladimirova, 'Vladimirov's Large-Caliber Machine Gun') is a Soviet designed 14.5×114mm-caliber heavy machine gun, which first entered service as an infantry weapon (designated PKP) in 1949. In the 1960s, the infantry version was taken out of production because it was too large and heavy. It was later redesigned for anti-aircraft use, as it showed excellent results as an AA gun against low flying aircraft, with a range of 3,000 m (9,800 ft) horizontally and 2,000 m (6,600 ft) vertically.^[4] It was used in the ZPU series of anti-aircraft guns. Its size and power also made it a useful light anti-armour weapon on the BTR series of vehicles and the BRDM-2 scout car.