The PP-91 Kedr Submachine Gun

The PP-91 Kedr is a Russian submachine gun that was designed in the early 1970s and it’s been in production since 1993. It is a compact, lightweight weapon that fires the 9x18mm Makarov cartridge.

Because its a compact, lightweight weapon that is easy to conceal and has a high rate of fire it has been adopted by several law enforcement agencies in Russia,

In this article, we will take a closer look at the PP-91 Kedr and discuss its features, history, variations, and overall specs.

Quick overview of the PP-91

Type:	Submachine gun
Country of origin:	Russia/ Soviet Union
Designed:	1970’s / 1990’s
Produced:	1993 – Present
In service since:	1993 – Present
Operating countries:	Russia
Designer:	Yevgeny Dragunov
Producer:	Izhmash Zlatoust Machine-Building Plant
Caliber:	PP-91 Kedr: 9x18mm Makarov PP-9 Klin: 9x18mm PMM
Weight:	Empty: 3.4 pounds ( 1.54 kg) Loaded: 4.4 pounds ( about 2kg)
Length:	Stock extended: 530 mm (20.2 inches) Stock folded: 305 mm (12 inches)
Barrel length:	120 mm (4.7 inches)
Feed system:	Detachable box magazine. Magazine size is either 20 or 30
Action	PP-91 KEDR: straight blowback PP-9 Klin: delayed blowback
Muzzle velocity:	310 m/s
Rate of fire	1,000 rounds per minute, for the PP-9 Klin around 1.000 to 1.200 rpm
Effective range	50 to 100 meters (164 to 328 feet)
Sights	Iron sights. Front blade, rear notch

History

The PP-91 Kedr was designed in the early 1970s by designed by Yevgeny Dragunov who was a famous SVD sniper and a weapons designer who also created the SVD Dragunov sniper rifle. Initially, it was called the PP-71 and it was intended to replace the AKS-74U, but it was never adopted by the Soviet military so the project was shelved.

In 1991, the project was “re-discovered” and upgraded. The upgraded version of the gun—the PP-91 Kedr—was put into production by Izhmash, a Russian weapons manufacturer around 1992, and mass production started in 1993. It was issued in limited numbers to certain Russian military units and was also adopted by several law enforcement agencies in Russia.

Soon it was discovered that the ammunition used in the PP-91 Kedr wasn’t powerful enough, so a new variation of the gun – the PP-9 Klin was designed and put into production in 1994. The Klin used the 9×18 PMM ammunition which had much more stopping power than the original.

Overview

The PP-91 Kedr is blowback operated, meaning that when a round is fired, the pressure of the expanding gases pushes the bolt and slides back to eject the spent cartridge casing. The gun also uses a closed bolt position, which means that the bolt is locked in place before firing. This helps to increase accuracy and reduce recoil.

The PP-91 Kedr has a fire selector switch located on the right side of the stamped-steel receiver that allows for semi or full-automatic fire. The ammunition is fed from a double collum detachable box magazine.

Design

The PP-91 Kedr was designed with simplicity and durability in mind. It’s s made out of stamped steel with black oxide coating for added corrosion resistance. It also features a simple top-folding steel stock.

It has a length of 12 inches with the stock folded, 20.2 inches with the stock extended, and a barrel length of 4.7 inches. The gun weighs about 3.4 pounds empty and 4.4 pounds loaded.

The safety and fire mode switcher of the submachine gun is located on the right side of the gun.

The gun is equipped with open diopter sights. The rear blade is L-shaped and automatically flips to the “short-range” setting when the stock is closed and to the “long-range” setting when the stock is opened.

Effective Range 

The PP-91 features a really high rate of fire. The Kedr has a cyclic rate of fire of 800 to 1000 rounds per minute and the Klin variation has a rate of fire between 1050 and 1200 rounds per minute.

The effective range of the PP-91 Kedr is about 50 to 100 meters (164 to 328 feet) and the maximum firing range is about 200 meters (656 feet).

The gun is really accurate as well for a submachine gun.

Variants

• PP-91-01 Kedr-B
• PP-9 Klin

Caliber:	9mm
Cartridge:	9×18 PM
Weight	2.1 kg
Length:	Stock folded: 443 mm Stock unfolded: 671 mm
Barrel length:	120
Feed system:	Detachable box magazine. Magazine size is either 20 or 30
Action	Straight blowback
Muzzle velocity:	310 m/s
Rate of fire	1000 rpm
Effective range	50-100m

Caliber:	9mm
Cartridge:	9×18 PMM/ 9x18PM
Weight	1.54 kg
Length:	Stock folded: 305 mm Stock unfolded: 530 mm
Barrel length:	120
Feed system:	Detachable box magazine. Magazine size is either 20 or 30
Action	delayed blowback
Muzzle velocity:	425 m/s PMM; 310 m/s PM
Rate of fire	1000-1200 rpm
Effective range	100m

Other variants:

• PDT-9T Yesaul – Semi-automatic variant was designed for the non-lethal 9mm P.A. rubber bullet ammunition.
• Kedr-2 – Prototype made for the more popular and widely used 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge.
• PKSK – Designed for the 9x17K (.380 ACP) cartridge. And for private security use.
• PDT-13T “Yesaul-3” – Semi-automatic SMG designed for the .45 non-lethal ammunition.
• KSO-9 “Krechet” – Semi-automatic SMG designed for the 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge and civilian use.

Key Takeaways

The PP-91 Kedr is a blowback-operated submachine gun that was put into production in Russia in 1992. It was initially designed to use the 9x18mm Makarov round but was later upgraded to use the more powerful 9×18 PMM round.

It is a highly accurate and reliable submachine gun with a high rate of fire and an effective range of up to 100 meters. It is also available in several variants.

Overall, the PP-91 Kedr is a compact, lightweight submachine gun. It (and its variants) have been adopted by several law enforcement agencies in Russia.

Its simple design, reliable operation, and adjustable stock make it an ideal choice when concealability and close-quarter battle are needed.

This weapon has proven to be reliable and effective in many different situations and its popularity among Russian law enforcement personnel speaks volumes about its capabilities.