Shipka
Summary
| Country | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria |
| Category | Submachine gun |
| Manufacturer | Arsenal |
Technical specifications
| Shipka | |
|---|---|
| Fire Rate | 700 rounds/min. |
| Caliber | 9 x 18 mm Makarov or 9 x 19 mm Parabellum |
| Magazine | 32 rounds |
| Length | 625 mm (24.6 in) |
| Weight | 2.2 kg (4.9 lb) |
| Range | 150 m (492 ft) |
Description
The Shipka is a 9mm Bulgarian submachine gun produced in 1996 by the Bulgarian arms company Arsenal. Its name references the Shipka Pass, near Arsenal's Kazanlak headquarters, where Bulgarian and Russian forces defeated the Ottoman Empire during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877.
Intended for use by drivers, pilots, special operations forces, and other military personnel who might benefit from a compact close-quarters weapon with a greater range and fire rate than a typical sidearm, the Shipka features 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 a steel wire design that folds to the left side of the gun.
Prototype and pre-production versions of the Shipka were chambered in 9x25mm Mauser and used a 30-round box magazine, while production versions were chambered in 9x18mm Makarov with a 32-round magazine. After Bulgaria's entry into NATO, a version chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum with a 25-round magazine was introduced. The Shipka was developed for the Bulgarian police and military.