Stechking automatic pistol
Courtesy Logan Metesh

Developed in 1949, the Stechkin is a select-fire, straight blowback pistol chambered in 9x18mm that’s capable of firing 750 rounds per minute accurately out to a distance of 200 meters. Or so it was claimed.

Igor Stechkin, the inventor and namesake of the pistol, wasn’t a one-trick pony. In addition to this design, he created a variety of other firearms, including more machine pistols, various assault rifles, a revolver, and even a 3-shot pistol disguised as a hardside cigarette case.

Arms development was in Igor’s blood. His uncle, Boris Stechkin, helped develop four-engine airplanes that were used as bombers during WWI and the Tsar Tank, a WWI tank that looked like a bizarre, backwards tricycle on steroids.                                        Tsar Tank

The Stechkin pistol utilized a 20-round magazine and was fitted with a Bakelite stock that doubled as a holster, much like the wooden design for a Luger.

Stechkin machine automatic pistol
By Vitaly V. Kuzmin – Vitalykuzmin.net, CC BY-SA 4.0

After a couple years of development and redesign, the pistol was adopted in 1951 and used in a variety of settings ranging from artillery crews to law enforcement officers.

Unfortunately, the gun was not without its shortcomings. High cost, limited range, a fragile stock, and time-consuming production led to the gun’s demise.

Soviet Stechkin machine pistol
Courtesy Logan Metesh

The safety selector switch has three positions: forward for safe, down for semi-auto, and rearward for rock-and-roll.

stechkin automatic machine pistol
By Vitaly V. Kuzmin – Vitalykuzmin.net, CC BY-SA 4.0

Exactly how many Stechkins made it (legally) into the US is unknown, but there weren’t many…making this a truly obscure object of desire.

 

Logan Metesh is a firearms historian and consultant who runs High Caliber History LLC. Click here for a free 3-page download with tips about caring for your antique and collectible firearms.

19 COMMENTS

  1. Very cool. Always enjoy these articles. Only shot one machine pistol. Glock 18. Fobus made a shoulder stock for it. 33 rd mag. Surprisingly controllable. After a little work you could keep two rd burst in the head at 7 yards. Oh! A a hell of a lot of fun.

  2. Back in the 70’s got to shoot a privately owned PPsh, Thompson M1928a1 and an MP40. Wanted $500 for any one of them…Was just a po’ and starvin’ SP4 at the time. Still kicking myself.

  3. long gone range on mannheim rented uzi and thompson for giggles. fun.
    the northern rocky mountain videos are very satisfying.
    this thing looks cool. i bet that’s some ~hot~ 9×18.

      • bell’s was 3315 n., just south of the rr bridge, say franklin park? the roof leaked and dripped onto the ledge in your stall. a real dive, but closest to me after gabby hartnet’s bowling alley closed their range.

  4. Did some work for a Gunsmith / Collector here in Cincy. He owns one, complete. He also has an M14, the 14’s mfg date was actually his Bday. His basement is a vault. Also part of a group who shoots old weapons, had a .75 cal Blunderbuss no one wanted to shoot it.

  5. I’ve shot an Ingram M10…..this would have to be better than that.

    My favorite was the micro Uzi…fun and easy to hit stuff.

    I would love to have a Scorpion but I’m a 32 ACP fanboy.

    And I heard you can easily get a selector switch for a Glock. Be neat to have on a long slide model.

    • “And I heard you can easily get a selector switch for a Glock.”

      Recent story in TTAG about a wish.com seller in China that was shipping thousands of them. A lot of raids on the folks who bought them.

      Anyways, I’ve heard *cough*, that detailed machinist plans in PDF format are floating around out there online, and it looks like someone with moderate crafting skills could get one working, at the risk of spending a long time in Federal prison. A search for “Full-auto Glock” or similar my locate the plans.

      Since I have *zero* interest in serving Federal prison time, I will *not* be finding out if it works or doesn’t… 🙁

  6. I remember seeing this bad boy make an appearance in the gloriously stupid movie Face/Off. Doesn’t seem very practical compared to most Eastern Bloc weapons, but it sure does look cool, blyat!

  7. This was used most recently in 2018 by Russian pilot Roman Filipov when his Su-25 attack jet was shot down in Idlib Province, Syria and was surrounded by the enemy. He killed two Free Syrian Army terrorists with it before blowing himself up with his grenade to avoid capture.

  8. I used to read about these in Jack Higgins books. Recently saw one at The Airborne and Special Forces Museum in Fayetteville NC.
    It is on the dream list when I become supreme leader of Planet Earth,
    On that are Glock 18 , MP5K, Webley Fosberry, MP7 and Welrod.

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