Russia’s New Lebedev Pistol To Enter Serial Production

Russia’s most advanced PL-14 handgun or Lebedev pistol will soon enter serial production, the head of Izhevsk Mechanical Factory, part of the Kalashnikov Group firearms manufacturer, said.

Factory Managing Director Alexander Gvozdik was quoted as saying by TASS at a presentation of the enterprise’s investment program on Monday: "The serial production of the Lebedev pistol will start in the short term".

According to the Kalashnikov Group press office, the enterprise has launched a project to organize a new manufacturing site to prepare for the serial production of the Lebedev pistol while the stage of developing and presenting the pistol for acceptance trials is nearing completion.

The PL-14 pistol prototype was first unveiled at at the Army-2015 International Military and Technical Forum, and was suppose to complete trials last year.

The new pistol chambered for the 9x19 round is distinguished by its low thickness - from 21 mm at the front and up to 28 mm in the grip area.

The bilateral location and configuration of the pistol’s controls allow it to be used both by right-and left-handed users.

The handgun has a loaded chamber indicator, which allows checking the weapon by the touch and, coupled with a modified geometry of the chamber, it allows shooting with substandard ammunition.