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[[Category:Weapons]]
[[Category:Weapons of Vietnam]]
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! rowspan=2 | [[Ammo]]  
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|[[File:Flag_vc_new.png|50px]]<br><strong>[[VC]]</strong>|| [[File:APS.png|512px]]<br><b>[[APS]]</b> || [[File:Weapon aps.svg|512px]] ||  [[File:Class_medic.png|50px]] <b>[[Medic]]</b><br> [[File:Class_Engineer.png|50px]] <b>[[Engineer]]</b><br> [[File:Class_radioman.png|50px]]  <b>[[Radioman]]</b><br> || 20 / 60
|[[File:Flag_vc_new.png|50px]]<br><strong>[[VC]]</strong>|| [[File:APS.png|512px]]<br><b>[[APS]]</b> || [[File:Weapon aps.svg|512px]] ||  [[File:Class_medic.png|50px]] <b>[[Medic]]</b><br> [[File:Class_Engineer.png|50px]] <b>[[Engineer]]</b><br> [[File:Class_radioman.png|50px]]  <b>[[Radioman]]</b><br> || 20[[+1]] / 80
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! Partial!! Empty
! Partial!! Empty
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|34||×2.4 = 81.6||×1.3 = 44.2||×1.2 = 40.8||×0.8 = 27.2||×0.75 = 25.5|| Seconds|| Seconds
|34||×2.4 = 81.6||×1.3 = 44.2||×1.2 = 40.8||×0.8 = 27.2||×0.75 = 25.5||2.66 Seconds||3.2 Seconds
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! rowspan=2 | [[Place of Origin]]
! rowspan=2 | [[Place of Origin]]
! rowspan=2 | [[Date]]
! rowspan=2 | [[Date]]
! rowspan=2 | [[Armory]]   
! rowspan=2 | [[Manufacturer]]   
! rowspan=2 | Barrel Length
! rowspan=2 | Barrel Length
! rowspan=2 | Total Length
! rowspan=2 | Total Length
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The Stechkin APS, a Soviet selective fire machine pistol introduced in 1951, is chambered in 9×18mm Makarov and 9×19mm Parabellum. It was designed for use by support crews in situations where assault rifles were unnecessary. Used in various conflicts including the Vietnam War and the Syrian Civil War, the APS was noted for its innovative design and controllability. However, its high production costs, complexity, limited range, and fragile buttstock. The pistol is named after its developer, Igor Stechkin.
The APS (Stechkin Automatic Pistol) is a Soviet selective-fire machine pistol chambered in [[9×18mm Makarov]]. It was intended to give vehicle crews, support troops, and specialists more firepower than a standard sidearm while remaining more compact than a submachine gun. The APS is best known for its 20-round magazine, controllable bursts, and the detachable shoulder stock/holster that improves stability in automatic fire.
=HISTORY=
==HISTORY==
Following the adoption of the [[AK-47]], the need for a new self-defense weapon for military personnel like artillery and tank crews emerged, as submachine guns like the [[PPSh-41]] became obsolete. Igor Stechkin, a fresh graduate from the Tula Mechanical Institute in 1948, developed an automatic pistol in response. This select-fire pistol, tested against other designs, showed potential during a 20,000 round endurance test, despite initial flaws such as its weight and non-adjustable sight.
The APS was designed by Igor Stechkin in the late 1940s as the Soviet military explored a compact defensive weapon for personnel who were unlikely to carry a full-size rifle. After trials and refinement, it was adopted in the early 1950s as a select-fire pistol firing the 9×18mm cartridge, with features such as a rate-reducing mechanism and a stock/holster arrangement to make automatic fire practical at short range.


After extensive redesign, borrowing elements from the Makarov pistol, Stechkin's APS was adopted by the Soviet military on December 3, 1951. Despite being initially issued broadly within the Soviet Army and seeing use in various conflicts, the APS’s complexity, size, and other issues led to its gradual phasing out. It found a later role among special forces, replacing the less powerful Makarov PM. The APS was eventually succeeded by the AKS-74U in 1981, which offered superior firepower and greater magazine capacity.
In service, the APS proved capable but was also bulky for routine sidearm carry, which limited its widespread issue compared to simpler pistols. It remained in use for specialized roles—particularly where short-range automatic fire and compactness were valued—and continued to appear with various Soviet and later post-Soviet units. While Soviet small arms circulated broadly through Cold War aid and capture, the APS was never as common in Southeast Asia as standard pistols and submachine guns, and any Vietnam-era presence would have been comparatively limited and role-specific rather than universal issue.
<br>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stechkin_automatic_pistol SOURCE]
 
===Sources===
* Ian V. Hogg, ''Military Small Arms of the 20th Century'' (7th edition), Krause Publications.
* Edward Clinton Ezell, ''Small Arms of the World'' (12th edition), Stackpole Books.
* ''Jane’s Infantry Weapons'' (period reference volumes covering Cold War service pistols and machine pistols).
* Chris McNab, ''The Soviet Rifle'' / related Osprey reference works covering Soviet small arms development and service (reference series).
<hr>
<hr>


 
<div class="mw-collapsible" style="border:1px solid #ccc; padding:5px; width:100%;">
<gallery mode="packed" heights="400px">
  <div style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold;">Real-Life Photos</div>
File:Stechkin APS.jpg
  <div class="mw-collapsible-content" style="margin-top:0.5em;">
File:Fa psl stechkin p05.jpg
    <gallery mode="packed" heights="400px">
File:Stechkin APS 03.jpg
File:Stechkin APS.jpg|Stechkin APS machine pistol.
File:Tumblr inline oy3fl3ztXg1qapn73 500.jpg
File:Fa psl stechkin p05.jpg|APS with shoulder stock/holster.
File:1287754850.jpg
File:Stechkin APS 03.jpg|APS, right-side view.
</gallery>
File:Tumblr oy2zm2J4AD1s57vgxo5 r1 1280.jpg|APS display photo.
 
File:Tumblr inline oy3fl3ztXg1qapn73 500.jpg|APS close-up.
File:1287754850.jpg|APS with stock/holster fitted.
    </gallery>
  </div>
</div>


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    {{#ev:youtube|Fn6LyFxlogE}}
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    {{#ev:youtube|KiXg_Znl4UQ}}
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Latest revision as of 04:37, 25 February 2026

Factions Weapon Icon Classes Ammo

VC
APS		 Medic
Engineer
Radioman
 20+1 / 80
Damage Base Headshot × Chest × Stomach × Leg × Arm × Reload Speed
Partial Empty
34 ×2.4 = 81.6 ×1.3 = 44.2 ×1.2 = 40.8 ×0.8 = 27.2 ×0.75 = 25.5 2.66 Seconds 3.2 Seconds
Designation Weapon Type Fire Modes Fire Rate Bullet Spread ° Range Modifier Muzzle Velocity Projectile weight Weight
APS Machine Pistols Auto+Semi 750 RPM 9° & 2.2° ADS 0.73 320 m/s 4.5 g (69.4 gr) 1.51 kg (3.3 lbs)
Full name Caliber Place of Origin Date Manufacturer Barrel Length Total Length Weapon Script Name
Avtomaticheskiy Pistolet Stechkina 9×18mm Soviet Union 1951 Vytatsky Polyany Machine-Building Plant 5.51 in (140 mm) 8.86 in (225 mm) weapon_aps


The APS (Stechkin Automatic Pistol) is a Soviet selective-fire machine pistol chambered in 9×18mm Makarov. It was intended to give vehicle crews, support troops, and specialists more firepower than a standard sidearm while remaining more compact than a submachine gun. The APS is best known for its 20-round magazine, controllable bursts, and the detachable shoulder stock/holster that improves stability in automatic fire.

HISTORY

The APS was designed by Igor Stechkin in the late 1940s as the Soviet military explored a compact defensive weapon for personnel who were unlikely to carry a full-size rifle. After trials and refinement, it was adopted in the early 1950s as a select-fire pistol firing the 9×18mm cartridge, with features such as a rate-reducing mechanism and a stock/holster arrangement to make automatic fire practical at short range.

In service, the APS proved capable but was also bulky for routine sidearm carry, which limited its widespread issue compared to simpler pistols. It remained in use for specialized roles—particularly where short-range automatic fire and compactness were valued—and continued to appear with various Soviet and later post-Soviet units. While Soviet small arms circulated broadly through Cold War aid and capture, the APS was never as common in Southeast Asia as standard pistols and submachine guns, and any Vietnam-era presence would have been comparatively limited and role-specific rather than universal issue.

Sources

  • Ian V. Hogg, Military Small Arms of the 20th Century (7th edition), Krause Publications.
  • Edward Clinton Ezell, Small Arms of the World (12th edition), Stackpole Books.
  • Jane’s Infantry Weapons (period reference volumes covering Cold War service pistols and machine pistols).
  • Chris McNab, The Soviet Rifle / related Osprey reference works covering Soviet small arms development and service (reference series).
Real-Life Photos
  • Stechkin APS machine pistol.
    Stechkin APS machine pistol.
  • APS with shoulder stock/holster.
    APS with shoulder stock/holster.
  • APS, right-side view.
    APS, right-side view.
  • APS display photo.
    APS display photo.
  • APS close-up.
    APS close-up.
  • APS with stock/holster fitted.
    APS with stock/holster fitted.
Videos
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YouTube
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YouTube
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YouTube
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