PP-19 Bizon

Lore & Background

The Bizon was developed at the request of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) for counter-terrorist and law enforcement units requiring accurate fire at close ranges. Prototypes were trialed by the Special Equipment Research Institute in 1995, outperforming several competitors, and the weapon was accepted into service on 28 December 1996. Victor Kalashnikov called the Bizon 'The Woman's Gun' due to its light weight and virtually no recoil.

The Bizon is a lightweight selective fire weapon firing from a closed bolt, based on the AKS-74U and sharing 60% of its parts with the AK-74. It uses a simple straight blowback method of operation with an unlocked breech, reducing cost and complexity. The magazine, often mistaken for a grenade launcher, is a 64-round helical-feed design made from glass-reinforced polyamide 6, mounted under the handguard in line with the barrel. Early magazines were aluminium with a 67-round capacity; the production capacity of 64 was chosen because 9×18mm Makarov rounds are packaged in boxes of 16.

The Bizon has no gas system; the bolt carrier with fixed charging handle is recycled from the AK, but the piston rod and rotary bolt were removed. It uses the same trigger and safety mechanisms as the AK-74, with a three-position selector lever. The side-folding stock is derived from the AKS-74U but held closed by an extended forward trunnion pin. The Bizon has been largely replaced in Russian service by the PP-19-01 Vityaz, developed directly from its design, due to reliability issues with the helical magazine.

Reader's Guide

The PP-19 Bizon represents a notable attempt to combine the reliability and parts commonality of the Kalashnikov platform with a high-capacity helical magazine, a feature rare in Russian small arms. Its development by the sons of two legendary Soviet firearms designers—Victor Kalashnikov and Alexei Dragunov—gives it a unique lineage. The Bizon's design emphasizes compactness and controllability, with a slow cyclic rate that reduces perceived recoil and improves hit probability. It was issued to Federal Security Service (FSB) and Ministry of Justice units and saw combat in the North Caucasus region, including Chechnya and Dagestan.

Despite its innovative magazine, the Bizon was eventually superseded by the PP-19-01 Vityaz, which addressed reliability concerns by switching to a conventional box magazine and chambering in 9×19mm Parabellum. The Bizon's legacy includes influencing the Vityaz and the later PPK-20, as well as spawning clones in Vietnam, such as the SN9P and SN7P. Its helical magazine remains its most distinctive feature, offering a high round count in a compact form factor, though it ultimately proved less reliable than traditional designs.

Did You Know?

• Its helical magazine is often mistaken for a grenade launcher.
• The production magazine capacity of 64 rounds was chosen because 9×18mm Makarov ammunition is packaged in boxes of 16.