Arsenal Shipka
Bulgarian open-bolt submachine gun for police and military.
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Photographer: Mosbatho · CC BY 4.0
The Arsenal Shipka is a Bulgarian submachine gun that entered production in 1996. Chambered in 9mm, it was built by the company Arsenal for use by the country’s police and military. Its name comes from the Shipka Pass, a location near Arsenal’s headquarters in Kazanlak. There, during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877, Bulgarian volunteers and Russian forces defeated the Ottoman Empire, leading to Bulgaria’s liberation.
The weapon was designed to be compact, intended for drivers, pilots, special operations troops, and others who needed more range and a higher rate of fire than a standard handgun could offer. Early prototypes and pre-production models used 9×25mm Mauser ammunition and a 30-round box magazine. Production versions switched to 9×18mm Makarov with a 32-round magazine. After Bulgaria joined NATO, a variant in 9×19mm Parabellum appeared, using a 25-round magazine.
The Shipka operates on a simple blowback system and fires from an open bolt. Its lower receiver, pistol grip, and trigger guard are made from polymer, while the upper receiver is steel. The wire buttstock folds to the left side of the gun.
Lore & Background
The Shipka is a compact weapon originally intended for use by drivers, pilots, special operations forces, and other military personnel who might benefit from a close-quarter weapon with greater range and fire rate than a typical sidearm. The prototype and pre-production versions were chambered in 9×25mm Mauser and used a 30-round box magazine. Production versions shifted to 9×18mm Makarov with a 32-round magazine. After Bulgaria's entry into NATO, a version chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum with a 25-round magazine was introduced.
The design is a straightforward blowback operation firing from an open bolt. The lower receiver along with the pistol grip and trigger guard is made from polymer, while the upper receiver is made from steel. The simple buttstock is made from steel wire and folds to the left side of the gun.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Arsenal Shipka?
The Arsenal Shipka is a compact, open-bolt submachine gun developed in Bulgaria and put into production in 1996. It was manufactured by the state arms company Arsenal to serve both police units and military personnel.
What calibers does the Arsenal Shipka come in?
The standard production model fires the 9×18 mm Makarov round from a 32-round magazine, while a NATO variant accepts 9×19 mm Parabellum with a 25-round magazine. A pre-production prototype chambered in 9×25 mm Mauser with a 30-round magazine also existed.
Why is the gun called 'Shipka'?
The name references the Shipka Pass, a mountain pass located near Arsenal's headquarters in Kazanlak. During the 1877 Russo-Turkish War, Bulgarian volunteers and Russian troops fought a decisive victory against Ottoman forces there, an event tied to Bulgaria's eventual liberation.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Arsenal Shipka (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Word definitions: the Codexery glossary, each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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