Arsenal AD Shipka

Submachine Gun (SMG)

Bulgaria | 1999

"The Arsenal Shipka is native to Bulgaria and was originally intended as a compact firearm to protect vehicle crews and downed airmen."

Left side view of the Arsenal Shipka submachine gun

Performance
Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Arsenal AD Shipka. Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.

700
Rounds-Per-Minute
Rate-of-Fire

1,436 ft/sec
438 m/sec
Muzzle Velocity

Physical
The physical qualities of the Arsenal AD Shipka. Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.

625 mm
24.61 in
O/A Length

150 mm
5.91 in
Barrel Length

4.85 lb
2.20 kg
Weight

Blowback; Open Bolt
Action

9x18mm Makarov
Caliber(s)

32-round detachable box magazine
Feed

Front and Rear
Sights

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Arsenal AD Shipka Submachine Gun (SMG) family line.

Shipka - Base Series Designation

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 08/12/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The Shipka was developed to arm a variety of military personnel that would have a need for such a compact weapon capable of voluminous fire. This centered primarily around downed airmen and vehicle crews operating in confined compartments such as those in tanks and armored vehicles. The Shipka was designed in 1996 as a conventional submachine gun system from the Arsenal Corporation of Bulgaria which made for an indigenous weapon at cost. The Shipka was fitted with a conventional blowback/open-bolt operation and fed by a 32-round detachable box magazine chambered for the Soviet 9x18mm Makarov cartridge. Interestingly, the prototype form was chambered to fire the popular German 9x19mm Parabellum round from a 25-round detachable box magazine though this support was obviously dropped in the production design, most likely due to the availability of the Soviet cartridge in this part of the world. Production of the Shipka began in 1999.

The Shipka maintains a unique external shape especially with its long, straight magazine inserted. The polymer pistol grip is angled, smooth and featureless and integrated into the lower rear of the receiver. A collapsible steel wire stock is installed in the rear and folds over the receiver proper. Overall, the Shipka fields a rather elegant design with clean lines. Of note is the thicker forend housing the barrel assembly and serving as a forward handgrip. The magazine is inserted ahead of the polymer trigger unit (protected by a ring). The magazine release catch is just aft of the magazine feed. The barrel protrudes a short distance ahead of the forend casement. Sights are identified at the rear and front of the steel receiver top.

The Shipka sports an empty weight of 2.2 kilograms with a running length of 625mm with the stock extended. With the stock collapsed, this is reduced to 328mm. The barrel itself is 150mm in length. Rate-of-fire is listed at 700 rounds per minute with a muzzle velocity of 1,436 feet per second.

Incidentally, the Shipka is named after Shipka Pass of the Balkan Mountains in Bulgaria. The area was the site of a Bulgarian/Russian victory against Ottoman Empire forces in 1877. Arsenal Corporation maintains a headquarters at nearby Kazanlak.

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Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Arsenal AD Shipka. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national small arms listing.

Contractor(s): Arsenal AD - Bulgaria

[ Bulgaria (among unknown others) ]

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Left side view of the Arsenal Shipka submachine gun

Going Further...
The Arsenal AD Shipka Submachine Gun (SMG) appears in the following collections:

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