by David Crane
david@defensereview.com

The Instrument Design Bureau (KBP) out of Tula, Russia recently introduced their PP-2000 SMG/PDW (submachine gun/personal defense weapon) at the Interpolytech-2004 exhibition in Moscow, last year. Intended as either a PDW for non-infantry military personnel or as an close quarters battle (CQB) weapon for military special operations (SPECOPS) units and law enforcement SWAT/SRT teams, the newly-introduced weapon is now available to Mil/LE end-users around the world.

The PP-2000 reportedly weighs approx. 3.3 lbs empty, and is apparently a very simple weapon in terms of the number of parts for reliability, ease-of-maintenance, and cost minimization, and operates via conventional blowback, presumably from the closed-bolt position. The bolt group itself telescopes the rear portion of the barrel, a la UZI. The weapon utilizes a polymer receiver. The charging/cocking procedure for this weapon is interesting since it…


doesn’t utilize a convential right or left-situated charging/cocking handle. Instead, the front portion of the bolt group is exposed above and in-line with the barrel, and is operated by pulling backward on its checkered front face.

The PP-2000 subgun/PDW is chambered foor NATO Std. 9mm Parabellum (9×19mm), and is designed specifically to be able to utilize Russian 9mm 7N31 +P+ AP (armor-piercing/armor penetrating) ammo. The purpose of this specialized ammunition is presumably to combine similar NATO CRISAT body armor-penatration capability with superior stopping power characteristics compared to the FN P90 PDW’s 5.7mm AP round (5.7×28mm cartridge) and the HK MP7A1 PDW’s 4.6mm AP round (4.6×30mm cartridge), both of which will penetrate CRISAT body armor with ease.


DefenseReview is in agreement with "FirstFreedom’s" comments in this TheFiringLine.com (TFL) thread: The sight radius does look awfully short, and the spare mag-as-buttstock indeed does not appear to provide adequate surface area for the shoulder. Also, one has to wonder about the robustness/durability and rigidity of this set-up. A standard side-folding or side-folding or telescoping/retractable stock would be DefRev’s preference.

Click here to view Max Popenker’s "Modern Firearms & Ammunition" page on the PP-2000.

The images accompanying this article are courtesy of "Modern Firearms and Ammunition".