Ukrainian DShK as Infantry Support Weapon

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Note: The combat zone photos are from 2017, not 2015.
Footage published by US DoD, from training exercises in September 2017 and February 2018. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
Update: Two videos showing use of these in 2017 against enemy positions at 800m and 1200m:
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[@dmitrobortsov6699]

Hello! I m that guy who developed this system. I m inpressed that you correctly understsnd the place of this mg. In a battle. Only one correction is that we recommend to use them from 800m and up to 1500 with iron sights and up to 2500 m with optics.

[@ForgottenWeapons]

What optics are typically used on them?

[@dmitrobortsov6699]

@@ForgottenWeapons its mostly used with iron sights. They are very useful and have distance correction wheel. As for sights we use konus, vortex and athlon. Due to its mass of 42kg and high efficience muzzlebrake its recoil is smooth. So its a little influence on optics mechanics. Due to training specifics using optics on them is very limited. 99 percent use is irons.

[@antonhengst8667]

@@dmitrobortsov6699 Astonishing to have you show up in these comments. Seems like a highly effective & efficient system yallve developed out of a weapon not designed for that kind of flexible role. Would love to see one of these setups myself someday. How heavy is the whole thing? How are they transported? History in the making. Slava Ukraini

[@neighbor-j-4737]

@@dmitrobortsov6699 Thank you for helping defend the free world through better designs.

[@dmitrobortsov6699]

@@antonhengst8667 42kg total. Its not simple to move in trenches. Due to 2,5m lenght. But two men can carry it and ammo. We use it as antimaterial auto rifle with 10 and 20 ammo chsines. In some situations i can carry it myself with 50 cart in chaines

[@norgtube]

That "standard trigger" is 100% a bicycle brake lever.

[@mididoctors]

It is

[@ojarsvitols1641]

Incorrect. Your bicycle brake levers are 100% standard triggers.

[@colemanmoore9871]

@@ojarsvitols1641 Don't give the AFT any more ideas...

[@weeeds334]

makes sense. so a string from the bicycle brake lever probably only pulls the original trigger in the front on the gun. which makes it pretty easy to convert such gun. i guess

[@cdawson198600]

@@ojarsvitols1641 shhh the aft will hear

[@grimwaltzman]

Basically a rapid fire anti-material rifle that doesn't need to be reloaded as often. I imagine it can be a rather effective ambush weapon against lightly armoured vehicles like BMP, BMD and BTR, not to mention trucks and stuff

[@spacetexan1667]

Arma has trained me well 😈

[@nylkul9933]

Both BMP and BTR are designed to resist .50 cal to the front, however side shots from DSHKa should still be effective especially against the BTR. BMDs are literally made of aluminum that is just thick enough to stop 7,62x54R and we are talking about frontal hits, so against them that DSHKa is more than good enough.

[@robertspray7472]

Way too heavy for portability.

[@KC-bg1th]

The BMP-1 was designed with the intent to withstand .50 fire, though. ‘Light armour’ in a modern context means ‘Anything but cannon fire’.

[@Johanz1998]

@@KC-bg1th only from the front, any BMP can be damaged from the side with 50 cals

[@eamonnkernahan2623]

Ah, the DShK, teaching infantry that the difference between "cover" and "concealment" is relative since 1938

[@LordJuan4]

turning cover into concealment

[@AMCCUBMAN]

Anyone else think that "2 finger trigger" looks mighty like a bicycle brake lever..? Makes sense as bike lever is pre shaped, designed to pivot, designed to pull a cable that is flexible to route to old paddle trigger. I have used them for similar non weapon non bike applications but interested to thing those masters of adaption could be using them too.

[@RedCommunist]

More stopping power than your average set of brakes

[@yoj8549]

Yep that’s a brake lever. Closer inspection of a screen capture clearly show mounting, pivot, clamp and lever form. All conform to a cable brake lever. These can be easily changed to remove the brake lug holder to a mechanical linkage. MacGuyver eat your heart out.

[@monsieurduquack5440]

LoL, I had the exact thoughts

[@JH-lo9ut]

Yes, you beat me to it. It is an excellent solution for this and other similair mechanical applications. Cheap, proven, reliable, adjustible and adaptable. I hope I never have to jerry-rig the trigger mechanism of a heavy machine gun, but if I was faced with the task, this would have been my solution. I've used a bike brake handle for controlling the throttle on my chainsaw-jigsaw and other home made machines.

[@whatwhat3825]

@@RedCommunist I got a good chuckle out of that.

[@TheRogueWolf]

In case of extended deployments, the muzzle brake may be used as a dinner table. Seats 2-4.

[@brk932]

That's how you make the water boil for coffee. Just need an empty can.

[@chrisclifford7080]

it's muzzle is multi purpose making it better.

[@Initial_Gopnik]

Throw an egg on that bad boy and make some scrambled eggs, while your scrambling someone else’s egg.

[@wyleehokie]

After a few rounds, you can warm your rations on it too LOL

[@sergeigogenko919]

They indeed were developed in 2014 as a replacement for NSV machines guns which became unavailable with russian invasion. First ones were garage builds. They proved to be surprisingly effective. Now they are factory builds and are standard issues for a machine gun platoons in infantry battalions.

[@AshleyPomeroy]

The key to Ukraine's success so far is tractors, and garages.

While I understand the stoppage of supply from Russia, as I recall, Poland also makes NSV, and not just in 12.7x118 but also in .50 BMG, why didn't Ukraine aquire some from them?

[@sir0herrbatka]

They are actually building new DShKs?

[@sir0herrbatka]

@ Yes. WKM-B. But it lacks stock.

[@Darwinist]

@@AshleyPomeroy Gopniks in sheds, no wonder there seems to be such a deep affinity between the Brits and the Ukrainians.

[@h4ngman]

So I was watching some news coverage of Ukranian mechanics seemingly working on converting DShKs to shoulder mounted and thought "This has to be a case of gun illiteracy on the journalist's side, surely they mean the RPKs next to it. Otherwise this would make it on forgotten weapons or something" So here we are. Ian, you never disappoint

[@vasilikosolov]

A high caliber MG is actually useful in urban warfare Back in 2017, Philippine security Forces used M2 HMG as a 2 man "light Machine gun" since its rounds can penetrate reinforced concrete typical in urban settlements way better than their smaller 5.56 and 7.62mm brothers

[@cartridgegram]

You’ll also see Russian soldiers using 12.7 KORD machine guns also being used with bi-pods and skeleton stock, I’ve seen some pop up in the recent conflict photos near Kyiv

[@mikkel066h]

Saw a video of a Ukranian mounting a KORD on a BMW convertible.

[@JohnnyLouisXIX]

@@mikkel066h That was an NSV

[@tomstokoe5660]

That's probably what the inspiration was for the conversion in the video, those machine guns have been in use with the russians since the late 90s.

[@Gutraidh]

@@mikkel066h Call me when they mount it on a BMX

[@kot0472]

Yeah, KORDs are designed to eventually use with stock and bipod.

[@tjakal]

You know you're serving in a 'bang for the buck' kind of army whenever you're handed a gun that's longer than you are.

[@LongTran-em6hc]

TBH, as long as I don't have to march more than 5km with that, then I am a pretty happy dude

[@javierviana96]

@@LongTran-em6hc I imagine they use It in groups of 2-3 people, still I wouldn't like to bring that thing around either

[@anttitheinternetguy3213]

Yeah as a infantry Squad leader i can see this being AWESOME weapon on Road checkpoints or long range ambushes - mix It with a quad bike or other small mobile platform And you Have something that punches through light armour, can engagr quite far away And can disengage after some bursts

[@javierviana96]

@@anttitheinternetguy3213 you're going full Mad Max xD

[@Xenomorthian]

Reminds me of the.50cal only gpmgs in Foxhole

[@DuraLexSedLex]

1 of the things I recall from '95 was a reporter going along with the Chechens in Grozny (I believe an issue of SOF published the account), and mentioned an ambush where the Chechens engaged a Russian column with a dushka at around the same time another column was passing by a nearby road. The first thought that the 2nd one was firing at it and engaged them. The 2nd column noticed the 1st one engaged them, and a firefight broke out. The Chechens then broke off and let them continue firing at each other.

[@neighbor-j-4737]

The old Groznygrad twofer...

[@snikrepak]

Identification in battle is a difficult obstacle, knowledge and training, along with communication are very important. A a two colum infantry line with no mechanized support is a fatal mistake. Using conventional weapons for unconventional means, has always been the innovation to bring new and creative ways to do this. Shalpping around an m2 was crap, but it gave us the ability to reach out and slap things. Targets behind that brick wall 400m out? Get the mag and makalak barking on it. Had a nasty effect on concrete, it would dissolve the concrete and splay metal, concrete rebar on the other side at high velocity. I am thinking of creating a round that does only that, a nice hole in a nice hole out, no fragmentation. The idea is to allow the punching of walls, and disabling of any combatants behind the wall. A DhSka is a good example of these force exponentials, multiplyrs are nothing on these machines. If you have the men willing and able to hump that thing, it will have good results. Just remember to equally distribute weight, and to allow engagement of medium to medium long range targets, with of course the other, 2 squad automatic weapons (Negev) the other 2 gpmg, and having if possible 2 duces, if you can map out the zone if kill, then you can have a really nasty, a really nasty ambush/ lightening strike group. Thr ammo is everywhere, the parts are everywhere. My only regret is that I never purseud weapon design

[@neighbor-j-4737]

@@snikrepak Watch Ian's videos on Forgotten Weapons, his interview on Tony Neopytou's work, great stuff for aspiring weapons designers. Then watch the video on the Winchester prototype .50BMG rifle. It's a work of art. Also maybe the one on the MG15 variant. All these have a common thread, one you spoke on... basically giving infantry the best organic firepower per squad/platoon possible. Man portable, user friendly, heavy duty. Ian just does a great job of breaking down the WHY of any given component. And Neopytou's an expert, lots of wisdom to share of what actually works. The genius, they say, is in taking a complicated part, and making it simple...

[@archstanton1628]

Even if it's not particularly effective against light armour, there's few things more demoralising than seeing the guy next to you disintegrate.

[@johncox2865]

I think light armor might be a useful target.

[@TenebrusI07]

I'm sure it's brutally effective against those canvas trucks the moskals use. Nevermind the civilian vehicles the separatists are using.

[@Pheonixco]

@@TenebrusI07 If some footage is to be believed Putin's forces were using dump trucks at one time to move soldiers.

[@VladamireD]

@@Pheonixco that was actually Ukrainian militia using the dump trucks (not actual army, mind, but the citizen militia). Putin's "separatists" and Chechens are using civilian vehicles though too (a squad of Chechens were ambushed in an up-armored SUV with gun ports, didn't protect them from the RPG that went through their roof though!)

[@barreiros5077]

Yes endeed there ist a lot of things more demoralising....

[@letsburn00]

I wonder if this Caliber makes it more effective for ambushing fuel trucks. Which is probably one of the most effective ways to disable a tank in this war. At that size, you can pop a hole thats hard to plug before it catches fire. A fairly short burst of high Caliber fire might be enough to pop enough well placed holes. In addition to what effect indirect fire can now do at very high ranges if you have a drone spotter. No need to be in danger.

[@santiagoleiras6876]

Let's remember that modern tanks use diesel fuel, that doesn't catch fire by being shot at.

[@eaofdeath187]

I think the big advantage this would offer against supply lines is no improvised engine armor is going to stop it, no matter how much plate or logs get stacked around the block this is getting though and that truck is done.

[@y0h0p38]

@@santiagoleiras6876 Still, that doesn't really matter, you just need to damage the tank enough that the tank leaks

[@HouseholdDog]

I don't think indirect fire would really work well on a moving truck. You have time it to perfection and need a lot of luck.

[@marlondeanbellot.7945]

Amen!!!!!! Oohrah!!!!!!

[@jeffveraart2695]

I saw a news report the other day of a Ukrainian engineering company adapting Russian ones they've gotten for infantry use.

[@justindunlap1235]

That actually seems like a much more versatile and ergonomic option than a m2 Browning.

[@scruffysstash]

I'd be curious how the hit percentage vs ammunition expended is on this though, as opposed to a tripod mounted M2

[@marlondeanbellot.7945]

Amen!!!!!! Oohrah!!!!!!

[@jarlbalgruufthegreater1758]

@@scruffysstash dishka has tripod too, but that makes it a heavy machinegun. Compeare it with m2 with improvised bipod so its fair.

[@Alphonselle]

wait until you see the NSV or Kord. waaaay better.

[@justindunlap1235]

@@scruffysstash I see by your username that you're a man of culture. I doubt its as accurate as a tripod mount, although it probably makes up for it slightly by having a fixed barrel as opposed to the m2s short recoil operation.

[@richardpan4252]

It happened in every modern conflict. More like an emergency anti-material rifle than a fire suppression weapon.

[@pacmanly]

I just wanted to say that you overlaying images of the M2 prototype when you mentioned them was always something I've wanted to see in your videos when you mention different modifications of your guns. So PLEASE KEEP DOING THAT in your normal hands on videos, too!

[@JimBrodie]

Off the bat the second one had me thinking of a scaled down Solothurn. Kinda groovy concept, be the sort of variant an aircraft M2 would have been ideal for.

[@Sarfanger]

Those M2 bipods look 100% like theyre using Solothurn AT-rifle buttstocks and bipods.

[@kupokinzyt]

You are correct, they are repurposed parts attached after they were removed from their vehicle mounts.

[@MaaveMaave]

It's so f'n cool

[@nic0fpvnicolas606]

3:44 that two finger trigger is definitely a bicycle brake lever

[@andersjjensen]

Yup... This is Putin's Vietnam. He will be met with every ounce of ingenuity, remorsefulness, defiance and commitment that the human mind can muster. At every corner. In every alley. Behind every tree. If bicycle break levers make functional triggers, and most bicycles have two of those... then the Ukrainians have working guns and mostly-sort-of-fully-functional bicycles. Easy.... Being a Russian solider in Ukraine... Less easy...

[@ATruckCampbell]

If it works it works.

[@Sevensixtytwo]

FDF uses NSV's kinda same way. Though they are considered more close air support hence the naming "ilmatorjuntakonekivääri" or ITKK nicknamed "itko". But it is also trained to use NSV's as heavy support machine guns for destroying ground targets.

[@w4rpf1nnlad]

*close anti-air

[@KC-bg1th]

Love the bike brake trigger.

[@yetanotherbassdude]

As awful as the situation in Ukraine is, it's also amazing to get all of your usual brilliant research and analysis of unusual firearms and their historical contexts, but this time for history that is happening *right now*. Nicely done on this one and I can't wait for more! I've actually heard rumours on social media of some Ukrainian soldiers or militia using old guns that still have the museum catalogue tags on them, so I'd wager there's still plenty more to talk about from what's already happened out there. Even so, more than anything I just hope and pray there isn't going to be much more of it still to happen and the war can end soon!

[@HeartPumper]

Yeah, Mosins (LNR/DNR)

[@geistgefallene1116]

@@HeartPumper clarify! Russo-fascist terrorist formations "LNR/DNR". there is no identity here - a pure proxy of the Russian Reich, controlled, armed, paid by the Russian Reich, and besides - at the moment the punishers are catching civilians and almost unarmed, under the barrels of barrage detachments, are being driven to attack Ukraine. very soon there will be no adult men left in the occupied territory, since the losses of such a "mobilized army" are close to 100% in the first battle.

[@TheAlexRastr]

​@@geistgefallene1116 But total mobilization with the involvement of criminals and the spread of weapons among the civilian population is only in Ukraine...

[@danielcotts8673]

Regarding old firearms in use in Ukraine - a recent news video (IIRC from Mariupol) showed citizens arming themselves to protect their city. One carried an old submachine gun with a drum magazine. Probably a PPSh. He said it came from a local collection. The on location reporter was from a U.S. network. The stateside host incorrectly identified the weapon as a Thompson & the reporter concurred.

[@Ahnenerbe1944]

I’m honestly surprised there haven’t been more documented uses of the PPSh and the PPS submachine guns. They’re definitely still effective today, especially as the prospect of urban warfare becomes… more realistic in some areas. Maybe it’s an ammo thing, maybe it’s just that AK’s are far more common and reliable than a 75 year old gun you pulled from a museum or from under your grandpa’s floorboards

[@mrjmorovis]

I saw a BWW 6 technical in Ukraine with a NSV 12.7 in the trunk. Easily used while standing in the tiny backseat.

[@Truthbomb918]

Ira used 50cals from the back of ordinary saloon cars against the British in Northern Ireland many years ago

[@arsenal-slr9552]

My old friend who served as an F.O. in Afghanistan said the rounds from these things going overhead looked like glowing tennis balls

[@Pocahonkers]

Reminds me a lot of the Russian Kord, they also have a stock and bipod (and even optics) equipped variant of that in service.

[@ra-ge]

Actually KORD replaced the DSHKa.

[@fennoman9241]

@@ra-ge kord replaced NSV which replaced DShK.

[@ra-ge]

@@fennoman9241 Yes to be precise.

[@fennoman9241]

@@ra-ge yes

[@KKhhoorrnniittee]

@@fennoman9241 As I know this story, with the end of Soviet Union Russia lost the NSV factory in Kazakhstan. So they developed KORD. Ukraine somehow didn't do the same, but we could unmothball all the DShKs which are seeing good use now.

[@lavrentivs9891]

Saw one in a press photograh yesterday and couldn't figure out what it was (photo was taken from about 5 o'clock, so much of the rear of the weapon was obscured), glad to get such a quick answer to my conundrum. Thank you =)

[@kenadams2124]

I can't tell you how much I love Videos like this. We all learn so much unexpected Info from you. Amazing. Thanx a lot.

[@TRPilot06YT]

I mean, in a defensive war against a fairly stationary oponent these really can give you an upper hand

[@mikkel066h]

Especially with the amount of light vehicles Russia is fielding. Having a Machine gun that can punch through the armor and disable most vehicles, gives them a huge advantage when trying to ambush or defend cities. It removes the Russian ability to just roll up and take objectives, which is what they have tried these first two weeks of this conflict.

[@williams1842]

facebook.com/Aeronfirearm/

[@DavidSmith-ss1cg]

The Dushka - like the Ma Duece - will be used for another century, and for the same reason - ya can't improve on 'em very much! Powerful and versatile = Useful.

[@Grumpyoldman037]

I have seen these in a few videos and did not know what they were. Thank you for the knowledge.

[@Megladong]

First time comment here, have passed some time now watching your videos. You are awesome dude! You really make gun breakdowns interesting and fun to watch! You also seem like a very cool person in real life. 👍👍

[@rafcze96]

I'm surprised to see how "little" recoil these DShK have, even though they're just lying on bipod! I would expect the gun to be jumping all around even during short burst. These compensators do a great job!

[@chicken1117]

They look like they are really heavy too so that would make a difference.

[@andersjjensen]

If a 5 bladed muzzle break the size of a small lunch box doesn't help you.... nothing will! :P

[@edbangor9163]

We were supposed to have exoskeletons by now. That shoulder stock M2 would make a hell of an assault rifle for Master Chief.

[@vooyas.mp4]

Haha exactly what I thought. Looks like something that would get mounted on the back of War Machine or on an arm of a Transformer.

[@darthkarl99]

The issue is power supply. We can build full bore exoskeletons with full power armour style plating. But actually feeding it enough power to run and do so for an extended time period is a real headache we haven't solved. Modern battery tech still isn't really upto it.

[@JH-lo9ut]

Hoped for terminators and got roombahs.

[@MrYfrank14]

A gun mounted on a roomba would be very effective. Think of the physiological damage if you got shot by a roomba. With a cat riding on it.

[@Chaosrain112]

Show me a functioning suit space marine power armor hooked up to a big cable to feed it power, then.

[@loonyloony6550]

It's cool that you are doing these vids. Cheers mate.

[@froginthewaves8450]

WOW THAT M2 BROWNING SETUP WAS REALLY COOL! I didn't know anything like that existed at a point, thanks for sharing!

[@maromaro274]

Please continue this series

[@hedgeearthridge6807]

Man this is so cool! Reminds me of the Stinger or the shoulder-mounted M1919 machineguns. It's interesting we are seeing man-portable shoulder-mounted HMGs being used so much now, not just the NSV but also some KORD guns now. Almost like a new sub-category of machinegun is developing, something between GPMG and HMG while also filling the old role of the huge anti-tank rifles like the Lahti and PTRS. Kinda like how the SAW bridges the gap between Assault Rifle and GPMG, or PDW bridging the gap between handgun and infantry rifle.

[@Truthbomb918]

M1919 wasn't shoulder fired. And soldiers have been humping machine guns around for over a century

[@fuckass6766]

yooo what, i've been looking at their weird dshks so much lately, didn't expect ian to talk about them in such a fitting timing

[@spectralotter]

Love your content. Thanks for staying relivent

[@ringogringo814]

Reminds me of the Marines on Iwo Jima, when they converted 1919 Brownings out of damaged Dauntless dive bombers into ground assault weapons. The one's out of the rear gunner position had twice the rounds per minute as the regular 1919. Glory to the Cossacks.

[@ForgottenWeapons]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/j5jIlIedl99mn80

[@robboss1839]

ATF “ban bicycle break levers because there machine-gun parts”

[@visassess8607]

I'm glad you're covering the weapons in this.

[@spaced-mouse]

That 2 finger trigger looks like a bike brake lol, very nice! Great video!!

[@Valkanna.Nublet]

I'd love to see more about the weapons currently being used in Ukraine, especially the unusual ones like this.

[@WhuDhat]

I remember seeing an article (including a video) featuring ukranian auto shops, converting these from coaxial machine stripped from tanks to shoulder fitted weapons, saw this very early into the invasion. shops were also making "D-day style" stars

[@garrattmarius9767]

I just saw a picture of one of these that was taken March 17th; they're definitely still using them!

[@kennethmackintosh4690]

Saw one of these yesterday on BBC news set up at a VCP. Having fired a pintle dshk I was expecting the guy to be recoiling backwards as he layed down fire. I'm amazed how much that muzzle break seems to take the recoil.

[@Joe___R]

That definitely makes the dshk no longer basically obsolete weapon by making it actually controllable & reasonably accurate. It makes me want to convert a 107A1 into a belt fed version. Think about having an accurate 50BMG rifle that can lay down 60 well placed rounds a minute in the field.

[@randomidiot8142]

Accurate and Barrett and high volume seem like a lot to ask of a rifle developed as a civilian 'I wanna big gun' project that uses an outdated and relatively poor operating system.

[@themeatpopsicle]

Interesting that the manual of arms seems to have operators remove their hands from the brake lever/trigger. I wonder if there's not a return spring on whatever the cable actuates. Gonna be a wild day when someone walks into my shop and asks me to re-cable their DShK

[@leonardomafrareina7634]

How are these things feeding the rounds?I remember the original DShK machineguns had something similar to a revolver on the upper part to feed the ammunition and separate it from the belt, but these ones don't seem to have that.

[@robviousobviously5757]

thanks.. enjoying the current events forgotten weapons

[@UCm0i6w5lBlRthCtZEoj99tg]

Hey Ian - wondering if you had thoughts on what effect a surge of weapons into an area like this that may soon become heavily destabilized could have as a consequence? You spoke about Finnland I believe and their practice of shooting sports but perhaps that is a different situation (or maybe it isn't and you have the context there to draw a comparison).

[@HeartPumper]

It will be HEAVILY destabilized for the occupiers.

[@UCm0i6w5lBlRthCtZEoj99tg]

@@HeartPumper I suspect that too. Folks are saying this will could become the next afghanistan / syria / iraq.

[@HeartPumper]

@@UCm0i6w5lBlRthCtZEoj99tg It won't, Ukraine will win.

[@ManukhinVV]

Regarding many facts from economy to diplomatic failures of last 10 year period, there will be more armed conflicts soon enough for us to witness. That`s basically moderm capitalism. But there is pros, more content from Ian to survivors.

[@ryanj610]

There are going to be issues; essentially that's what Russia exploited in the first place. When this is over, if Ukraine comes through, all Pro-Russian Eastern Ukrainians that were militant will either be dead, or hopefully given emigration to Russia, if that's what they want. The bigger issue I see (and one that's been relevant to the fiasco on this channel), is Azov. With luck, they'll be mostly wiped out of Mariupol while taking a wave of Russians with them. They're ultra-nationalists and well armed; so definitely a concern, but I've also read their beliefs are not exactly focused other than hating Russia. The proliferation of MANPAD's is the biggest concern. You can't throw 20,000 of those into the country, each capable of another MH17 incident, without problems. Ukraine will have to do a round up of at least the heavier weaponry; I sort of assume that the country might adopt a gun stance like the US to arm the population in the future.

[@herpderp9774]

I just watched a video on Reddit yesterday that showed a mechanics shop that has been taking in DSHK's dismounted from captured or abandoned Russian armoured fighting vehicles and tanks and making very similar modifications for about 10-15 days now. So we will be seeing a lot more weapons like this, if not of quite as high a quality as those that you showed popping up in video's pretty soon it would seem.

[@mechano6505]

They've been making some wild stuff especially these ghetto DJI drone setups dropping anti-tank grenades and mortar shells. 500$ drone + some old soviet grenades and 3d printed parts destroying vehicles worth at least 500,000$ that's some good value.

[@conzmoleman]

every time Ukrainian redditors upload videos of their defense logistics they keep revealing critical location data (either via exif or context clues) and end up getting wiped off the map. Happened with that bunker just a week or two ago. You’d think they’d learn their lesson by now! edit: just fyi i think it’s hilarious

[@penumbraenigmatica3252]

Friggin love your channel, Ian...!! 🇨🇦🚬👽

[@GreenBlueWalkthrough]

Yeah that is a really smart use of the stuff you already have or can scavage from the battlefield! It would also be nice for para troopers or other highly mobile units to outflank eenemy movements!

[@localcrew]

At first I thought that these huge weapons were in select-fire three-shot burst mode. Just very good trigger discipline on the user’s part. No need melting perfectly good barrels. 👍

[@angrydingus5256]

This is really cool stuff that Im not seeing covered or even shown on any other places Im getting news/footage from the UA war. Thanks for sharing. Well, I guess I shouldn't say cool because it is war and people are dying... but still, interesting maybe?

[@crabmansteve6844]

I want one of these so bad. I want a Mad Max style technical and it couldn't be complete without one of these.

[@franky334444]

Your current coverage of weapons in Ukraine is amazing. Great job!

[@robertbeverly1508]

I remember Carlos Hathcock’s memoir recounting him mourning his Unertle 10x on a Ma Deuce emplacement and taking some pretty long accurate shots with it. Maybe it’s time for the Dshka sniper program lol.

[@axinsaxon9178]

This thing reminds me of the Finish Lahti, and I’d assume it would serve much the same role as anti-light-vehicle and anti material support.

[@jdfriar]

Ian! that is a mountain bike brake lever trigger and it is the best part of the whole setup!!!

[@brittgardner2923]

This footage really shows how even an improvised weapon can be skillfully handled with proper technique. Watch the trigger technique they use with the oversize bicycle brake lever trigger: Now, there is one exception I noticed who doesn't do this; might be a new guy. Most of them, however, as soon as they feel the trigger break and the weapon begin to fire, drop their hand completely away from the grip so as to avoid wasting ammunition in a long, uncontrolled burst. Then, they carefully regain a sight picture and reposition their entire body to manipulate their point of aim before lightly placing their hand back on the grip and repeating the short burst. They are also very careful to brace the web of their hand against the grip before beginning the squeeze, so as not to upset their established sight picture.

[@SteamCrane]

Seems like the years of training since 2014 are paying off.

[@jamesallred460]

Am I the only one who is absolutely in love with those brake handle triggers? Because those things are sweet AF! Edit, to be clear, I mean specifically how they look, as I imagine they're pretty spongy, definitely not match grade.

[@ToastyMozart]

Like paintball triggers with a much longer throw.

[@Tadicuslegion78]

I was watching a video on the DshK and the comment section was full of people saying it was superior to the Browning M2 because it was mechanically simpler to maintain, easier to carry around, and could be set up in more places. Which does make you wonder why the US Military hasn't been trying to improve the .50 cal machine gun based on seeing how the DShK was used by enemy combatants for the last 20 years

[@deptusmechanikus7362]

Because you don't really need to innovate when fighting against irregular militias of former peasants and farmers with rusty AKs

[@hughrealman50]

@@deptusmechanikus7362 rusty AKs? More like captured american weapons.

[@Tadicuslegion78]

@@andycarter8224 But you can also look at the M9 for example as a good weapon that military neglect due to cheap knock off parts and not replacing worn out guns with 50k plus round through them leading to the botched XM17 program. Personally I think the biggest reason they don't want to do it is because they know they'll just half ass the project and buy the cheapest option.

[@darthkarl99]

Some attempts have been made but they allways bog down and eventually get cancelled. There's an old saying: "Nothing concentrates the mind more than knowing that in the morning you will be hanged." The US military hasn't been in a war where it's been under genuine serous threat of outright military defeat in a very, very, very long time. Bureaucratic inefficiencies aren't fatal in that scenario so they often propagate and multiply ad infenitum. But Ukraine has been fighting for it's continued existence for years at this point, tolerance for various screw ups in getting the military the stuff it needs to be effective is going to be rather low, and that helps push things along and keep various parties along the way from throwing grit in the gears, (intentionally or accidentally).

[@markpileggi643]

I used the M2 for 21 years in the U.S. Army. I do not believe the Dshk is better than the M2. The Army has tried other Heavy MGs and they always come back to the M2. It does what it is supposed to do.

[@StanVickers]

These adaptations of DSHK were done by Roman Donik's volunteer support group after '14 campain, and yes, the bicycle brake handle was a deliberate design decision, given winter use etc. I followed the group since, they continue to do amazing work in Kharkiv today.

[@gre8]

Great vid, as always, but what we really want to see you test is the dual maxim mgs with red dot.

[@llamallama1509]

Interesting stuff, though I wouldn't want to be the guy in a trench next to one of those when it fires

[@DropdeadGamingLive]

damn, the muzzle break are Ginormous! Also... "portable" ? 🤣

[@JeremiahDouglas]

Well he said more portable:) just have to be STRONG!

[@massivepileup]

Portable compared to a field gun...

[@DropdeadGamingLive]

@@JeremiahDouglas "Vasily, we're going to need more vodka!"

[@Tulikkox]

Had these in the Finnish army as an AA-defense. The crate, mount and the gun weighted like a sin but was still practically portable. Oh and you needed like 30 kilos of rocks to keep it in place when firing from a high tripod...

[@kenibnanak5554]

That is the first time I have seen you show pictures of the M2 prisim telescopic sight mounted on a Browning M2. :)

[@ForgottenWeapons]

The blog post has been up for 8 years :) www.forgottenweapons.com/browning-m2-anti-mechanization-weapon/

[@2011woodlands]

I think i saw a recent video of this system being used on youtube around 4am today, the muzzle brake is similar to designs that came out in the 90s, should be very effective in taming recoil.

[@matthewspencer5086]

In WW2, the Long Range Desert Group used both the 0.50" M2 Browning (mostly ex-aircraft guns) and the 20mm Breda Modelo 35 as "anti-materiel rifles" in preference to the 0.55" BOYS. To attack enemy pill-boxes, checkpoints, etc. I think the Modelo 35 would have been used with 12-round feed strips rather than belts in this kind of role. By the time they had sniped 12 rounds at the Afrika Korps it was probably time to be on their way! Most other 20mm AA cannons would have been unusable in this sort of way: the Breda was actually designed to make single shots at ground targets possible.

[@humanbass]

I wonder if the 338 norma machine gun would be the sweet spot.

[@randomidiot8142]

Except availability and the reduced payload of a slug less than half the weight of a 50 cal. On paper sure, it's probably better somewhere somehow at something.

[@ronaldschawo8971]

Just saw a video on you tube the other day with local mechanic shops in Ukraine converting captured DShks from wrecked armor. Still happening every day, Great idea Mr Bortsov!

[@user-lh9ny6fr5u]

We also have small production of silencer's dshkm

[@JP-420]

Sometimes youtube messes up the titles on the homepage for me. This video was labelled as "Busting a $5 million dollar crypto scam" so along with the thumbnail and the fact that its forgotten weapons, man, I just lost it at the thought of Ian just blowing away a bunch of crypto guys with a machine gun! It certainly would be a new style of video for the channel!

[@RuthlessMojo]

I just watched the video on KZbin a week ago showing auto mechanics repurposing machine guns that had been in tanks and ATVs abondoned by the Russian army. It's amazing what you can do when you're low on resources and in need.

[@Ethzed]

Speaking of shoulderable GPMGs, have you any plans to talk about the Russell Robinson constant reaction guns? I believe the SR-14 was a 'bullpup' M2 that could be fired while standing!

[@theprojectproject01]

First I've heard of this. And down the rabbit hole I go.

[@TheNextGreatApe]

I feel for anyone that has to stand or lay next to one that is firing. Many years ago I was on the line at Knob Creek next to a guy who was firing the Chinese variant of the regular DShK. With that balloon muzzle brake, every time it fired the concussion was like a big hand was slapping you in the chest. I can't imagine that rectangular brake is any better.

[@kutter_ttl6786]

That's the one thing I remember about the DShK. I was participating at a living history event at a tank museum and they had a T-55 there. When its DShK was fired the noise and the concussive effect just slammed anyone behind the tank.

[@TheJacobshapiro]

This seems like it could be a really effective weapon for ambushing convoys of light vehicles. It’s a bit heavy but if you have time to prepare an ambush this would wreck guys in trucks.

[@inasatok]

It looks good, although I can't see the bayonet lug.

[@roboticrebel4092]

Can't wait for you to get your hands on one

[@AlOudball]

I hope this comment adds to the Dushka knowledge section. In 2006-7 I was stationed at a US materiel transfer site near the Abu Ghraib prison location. We had in our “non-dedicated” inventory a number of Dushkas and a LOT of ammo that had been donated by Latvia, I think..but no mounts! The guns were inoperable because the charging handle was part of the mounts! I was able to “finagle” 5 mounts from northern Iraq and we were able to significantly upgrade our perimeter security! These mounts were “standing” tripods, so deploying the guns in the field would have required a deep trench or a lot of sandbags! Speaking from personal experience the Dushka is quite a bit cruder than an M-2 but the target won’t know the difference!!

[@chrisspencer6502]

Glock owner: the trigger is 🧽 y and has a long take up. Slav: blyt

[@donwyoming1936]

I seem to remember reports from Afghanistan that a martyr could penetrate the side of Russian AFVs with a short burst from an AK (point blank range). Seems like a 50 cal should be able to do the same from some distance.

[@509Gman]

Sounds like propaganda to me.

[@arikauraniemi9383]

I think you mean APCs. The older models were made only to protect troops from shrapnel and deliver them to the combat threshold. 7.62x54 enhanced penetrator can go through half inch of steel from a distance. Modern APCs have stronger armour but they also weigh twice as much as the older more vulnerable models. Then there's the russian airborne aluminium armored IFVs that have basically been useless in Ukraine from the look of footage available.

[@andersjjensen]

@@509Gman Nah mate, the old style M113 we had didn't stand up 7.62 NATO at point blank range. One of the reasons we went to the Piranha instead. Especially in urban combat it's not hard for someone to just stick a barrel out of a basement window and empty a mag into a passing vehicle and escape to the backside before anyone has time to react. In narrow streets that's close enough (basically just side walk width away) to make holes where they shouldn't be.

[@falsename2285]

the short bursts is the standard usage method of any machine gun. if you just lay on the trigger youll melt the barrel within about a minute, barrel changes are slow compared to reload, so you keep multiple 'guns' going at a time alternating one after the other. no pauses in fire, no melted barrels, less frequent reloads, someone always on the trigger while the other can reload etc during their partners fire turn, called 'singing the guns'. other methods just cannot be nearly as effective or efficient

[@farooqazam5198]

A full fledged version meant for mounting vehicles or bunkers is available for around a $1000/ here .

[@ScrogginHausen]

When this is over, Ian needs to take a trip for the inevitable Ukrainian Brutality Match and feature these guns.

[@thomasvanstraelen5848]

Finally something that will make short work of the spinner.

[@christopherreed4723]

@@randalthor6872 It was *supposed* to be Russia two weeks ago. At least that appears to have been the brilliant plan.

[@conradsz]

@@randalthor6872 That's a very dumb statement. Especially for an American

[@SteamCrane]

@@christopherreed4723 "A 3 hour cruise."

[@christopherreed4723]

@SteamCrane "The belief in the possibility of a short decisive war appears to be one of the most ancient and dangerous of human illusions." - Robert Wilson Lynd

[@laernulienlaernulienlaernu8953]

A very good way of turning old, inaccurate vehicle mounted machine guns into something that's probably quite effective in today's battlefield. Especially as they probably had a large surplus of them and don't have a massive defense budget like other countries.

[@yainja]

Here’s some new footage of one, starts at 12 seconds. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hHPZZZdroM1-r6s

[@JimmySailor]

In heavy caliber magazine fed weapons one issue is the recoil jostling the cartridges so much they deform the mag or unseat bullets. Using a belt feed avoids that problem entirely. It’s probably easier and lighter to carry a 50 round belt than 5x10 round mags as well, no need for pouches for instance. In practice soldiers seem to have No problem handling loose belts. Mags are still probably lighter when compared with the belt feed system, but having the weight on the gun instead of in a pouch is actually an asset in recoil mitigation. I wonder how heavy a Barret M82 with a belt feed would turn out?

[@dustindubbo2892]

The amount of light skin sorta IFV’a and APC’s the Russians use this definitely is a good secondary weapon system if your out of rpgs or other anti tank systems. You could set this up quick behind one of those and lay into the crew compartment and pick it up and run away relatively fast.

[@MPdude237]

If you catch a BMP or BTR-80 from the side, you can penetrate their armor easily if you are not too far away. Older APCs like the BTR-70 and MT-LB, and lighter 4 wheel vehicles like the BRDM-2 and Tigr are vulnerable to .50 cal from all sides.

[@bazookaboss332]

The Russians got an even better version of this idea: the KORD.

[@Subgunman]

It would be nice if you could obtain more info on the muzzle brake. Dimentions and number of side baffles as well as their angles. It appeared to be at least five to six ports perhaps at an angle 40° from barrel axis.

[@betteroywoth2445]

Cant wait for Ian to review a Malyuk

[@christopherdrekr1078]

Bicycle brake handle trigger, interesting never seen that before. Maybe that muzzle break is a giant pedal from the same bike. It could be don't scoff just yet.

[@willam1992]

If it works who cares

[@Wollwolff]

Ah, Yes. The "DShK" light machine gun.

[@houghwhite411]

Nothing about it looks "light to me" well if the intention is to light a fire on columns of convoy maybe that's a correct designation 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@skarr0w765]

That muzzle is no joke

[@ZawcheeOnYoutubeDotCoom]

new series confirmed: Ian reacts and takes a deep dive into stuffs shown