The MP-443 Grach (Mechanical Plant Model 443 - "Rook") was adopted by the Russian Army as its standard sidearm in 2003 but useful numbers were not seen until about 2012. It succeeded the ages-old Makarov pistol as standard issue. Criticized for its all-steel construction (adding to its overall weight) and general reliability when compared to proven products like Glock, the MP-443 is nonetheless a powerful handgun and most notable for its firing of an armor-piercing, body-armor-defeating cartridge. During its trial phase, the MP-443 was designated as the "6P35". It has since been known as the "PYa" as well.
The sidearm is manufactured out of the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant and its design stems from Vladimir Yarygin.
Origins of the Grach stem from a 1993 Russian military requirement seeking to replace the limited-capacity Makarov series pistol which saw widespread adoption by military, governmental, special forces and police units. The requirement called for a Double-Action (DA) trigger system and a high-capacity 17-round magazine (an 18-round magazine was introduced in 2004). The all-steel construction was part of the original makeup of the gun and chamberings requested included 9x19mm Parabellum, 9x18mm Makarov and 7.62x25mm Tokarev. The MP-443 followed through on these qualities and settled on the 9x19mm 7N21 +P+ (a 9mm NATO equivalent) pistol cartridge as its primary round.
The action used is the short-recoil (with locked breech) arrangement and sights are fixed out to 50 meters. The sighting combination pairs a front blade with 3-dot reach notch, all fixed. All other mechanical functions of the sidearm are conventional with the slide lock, safety and magazine release all located in their usual positions along the frame of the gun. Magazines are inserted into the base of the grip handle in the usual way.
Introduction of the MP-443 series was agonizingly slow and first occurred with specialist Russian troops around 2008. Serious quantitative production was seen in 2011 leading to increased widespread service of the pistol from 2012 onward.
Since its formal introduction, the MP-443 has seen several civilian-market developments appear lead by the MP-446 "Viking" model. This maintains much of the form and function of the military version but does not support firing of armor-piercing cartridges. The MP-446C is an offshoot with a 10-round magazine limit. The MP-353 fires rubber bullets and is classified as a "non-lethal" pistol. The MP-472 follows suit as a non-lethal pistol development.
Beyond Russia, the Grach pistol line has been adopted by private firms in Kazakhstan (2007).
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Pistol / Sidearm
Compact design for close-quarters work or general self-defense.
Overall Length
198 mm 7.80 in
Barrel Length
112 mm 4.41 in
Empty Wgt
2.09 lb 0.95 kg
Sights
Fixed Iron Front and Rear.
Action
Semi-Automatic; Short-Recoil
Semi-Automatic
One shot per trigger pull; self-loading or auto-loading action aided by internal mechanism; trigger management (and initial cocking) typically required by the operator; subsequent shots are aided by the unlocked / moved bolt.
(Material presented above is for historical and entertainment value and should not be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation - always consult official manufacturer sources for such information)
Caliber(s)*
9x19mm Parabellum; 9x19mm 7N21 +P+
Sample Visuals**
Rounds / Feed
17- or 18-round detachable box magazine
*May not represent an exhuastive list; calibers are model-specific dependent, always consult official manufacturer sources. **Graphics not to actual size; not all cartridges may be represented visually; graphics intended for general reference only.
Max Eff.Range
165 ft (50 m | 55 yd)
Rate-of-Fire
40 rds/min
Muzzle Velocity
1,470 ft/sec (448 m/sec)
MP-443 - Base Series Designation
PYa - Alternative Name
6P35 "Grach" - Development Designation
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective campaigns / operations.
The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com.
Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org, the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft, and SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane.
Kazakhstan; Russia; Venezuela
